Chapter 18

"You're not coming home with us, mommy?" Rious asked with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"I'm not, my dear. Maybe next time. I need to go back to our house," I replied, gently caressing his hair to reassure him.

"The house with your daddy too?" he inquired innocently.

"Yes, sweetheart," I confirmed, my gaze briefly meeting Karious. We were in the car now, heading back home after our trip. I felt a sense of urgency as I knew I would only be home for a few days to collect a sample from Veronica. My frustration was mounting as I realized how difficult it was to get this problem done. It felt as though all my efforts were being blocked, leading to dead-ends, just like with Yasmin's case. This is why I sought help from a private investigator to expedite the search for Yasmin.

The car eventually stopped in front of our gate, and I bid Rious goodbye as he slept peacefully through the flight.

"Message me when you get home, okay?" I requested Karious as I unbuckled my seatbelt.

"Yes. W