Novel Square
Chapter 18
Chapter 18 Kidnapped
Cedric looked at Baz, who had arrived ahead of him. “Bring it here!”
“Yes, sir.” Baz picked up the cardboard box and marched over.
“Open it.”
Baz nodded. He removed the lid, revealing a voodoo doll written with Rita’s name.
Zera let out a horrified scream and hid behind Cedric. “See? Someone's putting a curse on Mom! And there’s a familiar scent, but I can’t remember where | smelled it before.”
Cedric gave Baz a look. Baz nodded and sniffed the faint fragrance on the doll. “It smells like perfume.”
Zera suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, | remember now. Maia always wore this perfume. Cedric, you smell the same. W-Were you with her just now?”
With a frown, Cedric took the voodoo doll and sniffed it. It was indeed the perfume Maia always wore.
“Maia must be behind this! She thinks mom caused her child’s death, so she planned for the kidnapping! I'll go find her!” Zera had a sudden realization on her face and hurried toward the
door. “Stop her!” At Cedric’s command, Baz and others quickly blocked her path.
“Cedric, I’ve got to ask Maia where she’s holding Mom.” Zera was agitated. “Although | was adopted, she treated me like her own. | can’t let anything happen to her!”
Zera burst into loud sobs.
“Get a hold of yourself.”
“Cedric, are you trying to protect Maia? Have you forgotten what she’s like? She’s a malicious woman, and you hated her! Why are you protecting her now? Have you forgotten what she’s done?” Zera stared at him in disbelief. “Did | ever say a word in her defense?” Cedric retorted.
Zera fell silent, her sobs continuing.
Cedric asked Baz, “Have you checked the surveillance footage?”
“There’s something wrong with the street camera footage. We need some time to recover it.”
“Make sure the kidnapping doesn’t appear in the news.”
Chapter 18 Kidnapped
Cedric looked at Baz, who had arrived ahead of him. “Bring it here!”
“Yes, sir.” Baz picked up the cardboard box and marched over.
“Open it.”
Baz nodded. He removed the lid, revealing a voodoo doll written with Rita’s name.
Zera let out a horrified scream and hid behind Cedric. “See? Someone's putting a curse on Mom! And there’s a familiar scent, but I can’t remember where | smelled it before.”
Cedric gave Baz a look. Baz nodded and sniffed the faint fragrance on the doll. “It smells like perfume.“
Zera suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, | remember now. Maia always wore this perfume. Cedric, you smell the same. W-Were you with her just now?”
With a frown, Cedric took the voodoo doll and sniffed it. It was indeed the perfume Maia always wore.
“Maia must be behind this! She thinks mom caused her child’s death, so she planned for the kidnapping! I'll go find her!” Zera had a sudden realization on her face and hurried toward the
door. “Stop her!” At Cedric’s command, Baz and others quickly blocked her path.
“Cedric, I’ve got to ask Maia where she’s holding Mom.” Zera was agitated. “Although | was adopted, she treated me like her own. | can’t let anything happen to her!”
Zera burst into loud sobs. “Get a hold of yourself.”
“Cedric, are you trying to protect Maia? Have you forgotten what she’s like? She’s a malicious woman, and you hated her! Why are you protecting her now? Have you forgotten what she’s done?” Zera stared at him in disbelief.
“Did | ever say a word in her defense?” Cedric retorted.
Zera fell silent, her sobs continuing.
Cedric asked Baz, “Have you checked the surveillance footage?”
“There’s something wrong with the street camera footage. We need some time to recover it.”
“Make sure the kidnapping doesn’t appear in the news.
n
“Don't worry, we're on it. We've also begun the search for Mrs. Rita, and we won’t stop until we find her.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
Baz understood the gravity of the situation. Although Cedric and his mother were not close, she was still his family. Cedric nodded, pensive. ‘Did Maia have something to do with this?”
No one in Prismara would dare to harm Rita, and Maia had accused her of being the murderer of their children. They had also never liked each other.
Moreover, the kidnapping happened on the same day Maia checked out of the hospital, and the voodoo doll smelled like her signature perfume. All these elements pointed to her involvement.
Taking out his phone, Cedric tried to call Maia but couldn’t reach her. “Did she turn off her phone?” Zera also heard the recorded message from the service provider. Cedric called the villa on the hill.
When his call was picked up, he asked coldly, “Where’s Maia?”