YOKED TO A BILLIONAIRE BY VENNEH LISAH

Back at the villa D'barl excused himself.

" Where are you going grandpa Roman? " Laura asked .

" To take care of the main business that brought me to this city." D'barl answered.

"Which is?" Davon queried.

" There are some three kids I have to pay a visit in this City." D'barl announced .

" Kids ,why?" Laura inquired.

"We will soon find out, won't we Davon?" D'barl raised his brows. Davon raised his brows too he was clueless of what his grandfather was talking about. D'barl soon left.

Usually on the other side of town,every afternoon, Mrs. Blake would be waiting for the children at the cross street.

Nevertheless, on that particular day, when the children got off the school bus, Mrs. Blake was nowhere to be seen.

"Ryan, Jason and Eliana, is your guardian not here yet?" The teacher from the kindergarten, asked. "Do you need me to make a call to your parent?"

"No need," Ryan answered in a rather mature manner. "Mrs. Blake has been arriving a few minutes later than usual these days. It's okay. We'll just have to wait for a while here."

"Then you have to be good and wait here, okay? Don't wander about." The teacher continued, "Ryan, you're the big brother, so you have to take good care of your siblings, alright?"

"Yes, I know. Don't worry, class teacher." Ryan patted his little chest and added confidently, "I'll look after them properly."

"Good boy." The class teacher didn't think much and let the school bus leave.

For the past few days, Mrs. Blake had been late for a few minutes, and the school bus had waited on the spot until Mrs. Blake came to pick up the children.

However, because of that, other parents started complaining as they had to wait longer to pick up their children. Therefore, the class teacher didn't dare to delay anymore.

Thinking that Mrs. Blake would be there to pick them up soon and that it was very close to their home, the class teacher didn't have any misgivings.

"Mrs. Blake walks very slowly. Maybe she's still on the way." Jason was booting the pebbles on the roadside. "Ryan, let's play a round of the game."

"No." Ryan looked in the direction of their home and continued sensibly, "Mrs. Blake hasn't been feeling well these few days. She even pants when she walks. Her clothes were always soaked in sweat whenever she came to pick us up. Why don't we head home ourselves? That will save Mrs. Blake some trouble."

"Ryan is right." Eliana raised her chubby little hand and expressed her thoughts, "We're already seniors in the kindergarten. We shouldn't only think about playing. We have to help share Mrs. Blake and Mommy's burden."

"Alright, I'm sorry." Jason lowered his head with guilt. To make amends, he added, "I know the way home. I can take us there."

"Me too. Let's go. " The three children held hands and trod on the way home while humming some nursery rhymes.

When other pedestrians saw them, they couldn't help complimenting how lovely and adorable the kids were. Some even wondered whose kids those cutie pies were.

During the first few minutes, they were still focusing on their journey home. However, very soon, they became distracted by their surroundings.

Jason had been kicking pebbles on the road throughout the journey.

Meanwhile, Ryan was constantly observing the cars passing by, trying to see if it was their mommy coming home after work.

Eliana, on the other hand, had been attracted by a ragdoll cat on the roadside. She pointed at the cat with her chubby finger and exclaimed, "Look! That ragdoll cat is so beautiful. Is she lost and can't find her way home?"

"Yes." Ryan nodded and analyzed rationally. "Such a beautiful and clean cat doesn't look like a stray cat."

"Its owner must be very worried." Jason looked at the cat and reasoned. "Maybe he or she is looking for it everywhere."

"Let's take it to the police," Eliana suggested in a serious tone. "Then, it'll be able to go home."

"I agree!" Jason raised both of his hands in agreement.

"But...."

"Hey, it's running into the woods," Eliana exclaimed anxiously out of the blue.

Jason ran into the grove immediately and chased after the ragdoll cat.

"Jason, wait for me." Eliana quickly ran up to him. Her chubby feet were slower when it came to running.

"Jason, Eliana, stop right there!" Ryan couldn't stop them, so he had no choice but to follow his siblings. "Don't wander around. Otherwise, Mrs. Blake won't be able to find us later."

The other two little humans refused to listen to him and were still tailing the cat.

Jason was running very fast and followed the ragdoll cat across the grove to another road.

Meanwhile, a Rolls-Royce was speeding towards them. When the driver saw a little boy and a cat in the middle of the road, he made an emergency brake. Nevertheless, it was too late. Even though the car had slowed down drastically, it still ran into Jason.

Jason's little body was sent flying in the air before falling a few meters away, after which he was totally motionless.

"Ahhhh—" Eliana covered her face and screamed in shock.

"Jason, Eliana!" Ryan quickly rushed over.

In the car, the stunned driver was rooted to his seat while the man on the passenger's seat was more composed. "We've made an emergency brake, so it must've been the inertia force. The boy should be alright. Call the ambulance right now."

"Yes." The driver quickly dialed the emergency number.

"What happened?" A deep and aged voice came from the backseat.

"Mr. Old Roman, our car has hit a little boy, and we're now calling the ambulance," Douglas, who was sitting in the passenger seat, replied.

"Jason!" Ryan hurriedly ran over, and when he saw Jason lying in a pool of blood, he shouted frantically, "Help! Help...!"

Eliana was quivering in fear and wailing on the roadside.

The window of the backseat was lowered, and D'barl popped his head out, looking at the little boy lying in the middle of the road with a lot of blood trailing from his head.

Another little boy was holding the injured boy and shouting for help while a little girl was crying at the side.

This scene made D'barl's heart throb at once.

The old man got out of the car himself and walked over to them with his crutch. He hovered his hand over Jason's nose to check his breathing and then ordered, "Don't wait for the ambulance. Carry the children into the car and head to the hospital immediately."

"Yes. Sir"

"I think it's them." The old man mumbled to himself.

"What did you say?" Douglas asked. The old man snobbed him.

It was already 3.40 p.m and Violla was still in the cab. She was worried that something would happen to the children, so she made a call to the class teacher. "Teacher, Mrs. Blake is ill, so she can't pick the kids up. I'm on my way, please..."

"Ah, Miss Milan the kids have been dropped off earlier on," The class teacher replied anxiously. "It was half-past three when they were dropped off at the usual spot. Since Mrs. Blake would always come a few minutes later these few days, I thought it was okay for the children to wait for a while there. I didn't know that you… you should have told me earlier."

"The children already got off the bus? Then where are they now?" Violla asked.

"They should still be waiting at the drop-off point." the class teacher panicked. "I've reminded them repeatedly to wait there and not go anywhere else. You should go there and check first. Call me again if there's anything wrong."

"Alright, I'll talk to you later." Violla urged the driver to drive faster. Finally, she reached the drop-off point at 3.50 p.m.

Upon getting out of the car, she was utterly baffled. 'Where are the kids?'

The children were nowhere to be seen.

Guessing that they might be playing in the grove nearby, Violla quickly rushed into the grove, but she still couldn't find them.

Neglecting her back pain, she headed to the path home and searched for her children while calling out, "Ryan, Jason, Eliana."

However, there was no answer.

She was exceedingly anxious, but there was still a trace of hope within her as she thought the children might have reached home.

'These three kids are very smart, and all of them know the way home. Besides, with Ryan around, there shouldn't be any problem.'

When Violla reached her unit, there was no one except for Finny, who flew out to welcome her home. "Mommy! Mommy!"

"Finny, have you seen Ryan, Jason, and Eliana?" Violla asked apprehensively.

"No, no." Finny shook her tiny head.

Violla's heart sank, but she was still hopeful. She ran into each room while calling out, "Ryan, Jason, Eliana, hurry and come out now. Don't scare Mommy!"

"Come out now! Come out now!" Finny imitated Violla and screamed after her.

Despite that, there was still no trace of the three children.

At that moment, Violla was so worried that she started sweating profusely. She held her injured waist and panted, trying to calm herself down. Relax, calm down. I have to calm down.

'There won't be a problem since they are so intelligent.Perhaps, they're just having fun in the neighborhood? After all, they're so playful.'

'There are so many playgrounds and facilities within the neighborhood. Besides, there're other kids as well.They must be playing outside.'

Violla took Finny with her and continued searching for them in the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, she made a call to the property management office and asked if they had seen her children.

As soon as the property management found out that her children were missing, they sent some people to help her look for them immediately.It was already twenty minutes to seven.

The dark sky was dotted with a few tiny stars as night fell. Yet, the children were still missing.

Violla couldn't hold her emotions in anymore. Covering her mouth, she started weeping.

She blamed herself for not coming home earlier.

'Even when Mrs. Blake was lying on the hospital bed, she repeatedly reminded me not to forget to pick up the children.And at the end of the day, I still messed up.'

She hated the fact that she was so incompetent. She couldn't take care of Mrs. Blake and protect her own children. 'I can't do anything right.'

'I'm useless!'

"Miss Milan, don't give up just yet," the staff at the property management office comforted her. "My colleagues are still searching for them. If we can't find them by eight o'clock, then we'll call the police."

'Call the police!'

It suddenly dawned on her that her children were possibly taken away.

'Could it be Laura? D'barl? Perhaps it's the Smiths? Violla was so distraught that she made a call to the police in haste.

At the hospital, Eliana was terribly shocked, and in addition to that, she had been crying for too long, which resulted in tonsillitis. Because of that, she couldn't stop throwing up and coughing. She even came down with a fever.

D'barl immediately called the pediatrician over to take her for treatment.

Meanwhile, Ryan stood at the entrance of the emergency room and waited in apprehension. When Jason was wheeled into the emergency room moments before, he had been trembling all over.

And when he saw that Eliana turned sick as well, he was even more distressed. He held Eliana's hand and assured her, "Eliana, don't be afraid. Ryan is here. Ryan will protect you, so don't worry!"

Later, Eliana was sent for treatment while Ryan was still rooted to the spot in a daze.

It wasn't until he heard noises from behind that he came to his senses and went back to wait outside the emergency room. He was clenching his tiny fists and frowning while his big and bright eyes were fixated on the red light outside the emergency room.

D'barl watched Ryan with benevolence.

'This little boy is so calm and composed while he is facing such a disaster at this young age. Even when he was trembling in fear, he still tried his best to protect his younger brother and calm his little sister. He is just like his father, that is if I am correct about Davon and them.'

D'barl couldn't help but recall the time when Davon was still a young boy and there had been misfortune in the family. The pre-teen Davon was just like this child in front of him, trying his best to keep calm and steady.

Looking at the child, D'barl was a little moved and comforted him softly, "Little great grandson, don't worry. Your brother Jason will be fine."

Ryan turned around and stared at him. " How did you know his name? We haven't filled forms out yet."

"I have away of knowing things, beside you were crying calling out his name." D'barl said.

"You look just like my grandson when he was younger." D'barl added studying Ryan's countenance carefully. "Even though your features are only forty percent alike, your expression and comportment are exactly the same."

Ryan turned away and decided to ignore him.

"Even the obstinate way you're acting is the same." D'barl asked tentatively, "Are you and your siblings triplets?"

"Why are you still in the mood to talk about all this now? Haven't you said you have a way of knowing things?" Ryan couldn't stand it anymore and lashed out.

"Even though there's no traffic light on the road, there's still a pedestrian crossing. Besides, it's within the residential area. According to traffic laws, you should've slowed down. Your driver has violated the traffic laws for not doing so and even hitting my brother. Therefore, you'll have to face legal consequences for that. I respect that you're an elderly and that you sent us to the hospital in time after the accident, so I've been suppressing my temper. But here you are, feeling no guilt at all, and even started chatting casually with me. How despicable!" Ryan growled .

"How insolent!" the subordinate at the side reproached in a hushed voice.

D'barl who has been domineering all his life, was talked back to for the first time.

Oh, not really Davon had also talked to him in such a manner when he was a kid.

To be precise, it was the first time that D'barl was talked back to by someone else other than his grandson.

And it's a three-year-old child!

D'barl frowned and shot his subordinate a look. The subordinate understood his intention and wordlessly retreated somewhere further.

"Did I say anything wrong?" Ryan questioned in a dignified manner. "Don't think that you're distinguished and superior just because you own a luxurious car. My mommy told me that everyone is equal, and those who don't respect others don't deserve to be respected as well!"

"Well said." D'barl was not angry and instead, he beamed. "It's amazing that a three-year-old child can speak with such logical sense."

"Hmph!" Ryan was furious, looking like an enraged cub as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Don't get worked up. I've asked the doctor. Your brother will be fine." D'barl persuaded him, "I'll surely take responsibility for this matter. Tell me your father's number, and I'll send my man to inform him to come and discuss the compensation." D'barl teased trying to get the information of the father.

"Just discuss with me." Ryan's face turned even more solemn and dispassionate. "I've studied the law, and I'm especially familiar with the ones related to everyday life. So don't try to bluff me."

At that juncture, Ryan was thinking about protecting his mommy, who was clueless about the law. 'What if she comes and gets tricked by this shrewd and cunning old man? It's better for him to discuss it with me.'

"Hahaha, interesting!" D'barl burst into laughter. "Well then, in your opinion, how should I compensate you?"

"First, I need to ensure that my brother is really fine." Ryan glared at him furiously. "You will only be given the opportunity to discuss the compensation details with me when my brother is safe and sound. If anything happens to him, I'll definitely sue you."

"You have a very clear and organized reasoning." D'barl nodded his head approvingly.

"I'm not in the mood to chat with you. Please be quiet and don't bother me!" Turning away, Ryan paid no more attention to D'barl.

The more he looked at Ryan, the fonder D'barl grew of him. He was wondering in his heart when he would be able to have a great-grandchildren. 'If only I can confirm that they are my great grand children.'

Taking the opportunity as he went to the washroom, Ryan secretly borrowed a nurse's phone to make a call to Violla.

However, her phone was switched off.

Then, Ryan made another call to Mrs. Blake, but her phone was turned off as well.He started feeling agitated but could only wait patiently.

In the meantime, Violla was making a police report at the police station. The police had filed a case and told her to go home and wait for updates.

Nevertheless, Violla was so restless that she wanted to join the police in finding her children.

In response, the police said to her, "I know you're very anxious now, but you have some injuries on your body. Hence, you coming together with us would only delay our work. The details you've provided are already sufficient. We'll definitely do our best to help you find your children. So take a rest at home and keep your phone switched on. We'll call you as soon as we have any news."

His words reminded Violla that her phone had run out of battery. To avoid hindering the police's progress, she could only take a cab home.

As soon as she stepped inside her home, she called out unwittingly, "Ryan, Jason, Eliana…"

However, there was no one at home except Finny, who replied softly, "Mommy!"

Tears welled up in Violla's eyes and almost trickled down her cheeks.

Five hours had passed since the children had gone missing, and there was still no news of them.

Violla almost broke down in despair.

Hauling her own wounded body into the bedroom, she connected her phone to the charger and proceeded to feed Finny some food and water.

As though she could sense Violla's sorrow, Finny rubbed her little head against Violla's cheek and said, "Mommy, don't cry! Mommy, don't cry!"