The moment the elevator doors slid open, my eyes went as wide as saucers.
It was Elena! And a hotel staff in uniform was standing beside her.
“Mommy!” When Elena saw me, her eyes lit up and she pounced on me happily.
The staff also came over and looked at me curiously. “Are you her mother?”
Too nervous to speak, I looked back over my shoulder and saw that Caleb staring right at us.
Oh, my God! Did he see what just happened?
Debra’s POV:
ninjanovel.com
Flustered, I rushed into the elevator, Elena in tow, as fast as I could. I jabbed my thumb against the button, hoping the elevator doors would close faster.
“Miss, are you the girl’s mother?” The staff squinted at me suspiciously. “We’re worried about human traffickers, you see.” 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.𝘤𝘰𝘮
I didn’t say anything. I just showed him pictures of me and Elena on my phone.
Elena was smart. She hugged me tightly and declared loudly, “This is my mommy !”*
When the hotel staff saw the Elena’s childhood photos, he didn’t doubt me anymore. His brows relaxed and he complimented me, “You’re Lucky. Your daughter is so cute.”
The crisis was temporarily resolved, and the elevator slowly made its way to our floor.
Still, I felt extremely uneasy. Just now, Caleb nearly found out about Elena! I couldn’t help but scold Elena angrily. “Elena, didn’t I tell you not to leave the hotel room? Do you know how dangerous it is outside? What if some bad guys kidnapped you?”
Elena lowered her head and explained guiltily, “I didn’t leave the hotel. I was just hungry and wanted something to eat.”
The staff also came to her defense. “It’s true. She was just walking around the hall when we found her. We were afraid that she might’ve been abandoned by her parents, so we almost called the police. Fortunately, you came back in time.”
It suddenly occurred to me that Elena hadn’t eaten anything all day.
My anger was instantly replaced with guilt. I squatted down and touched her soft blonde hair. “I’m sorry, honey. It’s my fault. I was so busy with work and neglected you.”
“It’s okay.” Elena raised her head and gave me a sweet smile. “I hope I didn’t cause you any trouble, Mommy.”
“That’s my girl!
I kissed her ruddy cheek and thanked the staff for taking care of her.
Then, when the elevator Landed on our floor, I led Elena out and asked, “What do you want to eat? How about I treat you to a fancy big meal?”
