Chapter <b>5 </b>


    As soon as Daniel got Serena into the guest room, her soft hands wrapped around him, teasingly tracing his waist.


    “My headache… it’s suddenly gone.”


    His eyes darkened, rational thought snapping instantly. As he pressed her hard onto the bed, Elena’s pale face shed through his mind–but desire quickly drowned it out.


    Afterward, Daniel finally remembered Elena.


    He rushed to the poolside, only to find the water surface perfectly calm. When he called to ask, the rich boys were dismissive: “She left ages ago, what could possibly be wrong?”


    Daniel rxed, sending Elena a message: “Since you’re home, get some rest. You’ve been too tiredtely, you should really take a break.”


    “When it cools down, let’s take Susan camping.”


    The moment he sent the message, Serena pressed against him again.


    He grabbed her wandering hand: “Want more?” Then led her back to the room.


    They fooled around until noon the next day.


    Before leaving, Daniel handed Serena a credit card: “Go buy yourself a couple of bags!”


    Serena pouted: “Fine, I’ll be good.”


    Looking at the conversation with no replies, Daniel frowned.


    Though he’d crossed lines with Serenately, what man in this circle didn’t y around? Besides, Elena was just his secret “wife“-she’d never officially entered the ke family.


    Irritated, he drove to the rental, only to find the food truck missing.


    As he reached for his keys, a blonde woman yanked the door open, eyeing him suspiciously. “Who are you?”


    “This is my home.” Daniel’s hand froze mid–air, keys in hand.


    The woman snorted, scanning his expensive suit: “You? Live in a ce like this?”


    She leaned closer, sniffing: “That cologne–pretty fancy.”


    “Give me a break. This isn’t the kind of ce for rich boys like you.”


    Daniel realized he was still wearingst night’s designer clothes.


    His throat tightened: “When did the previous tenant move out?”


    “Just handed over the keys this morning.” The woman leaned against the doorframe. “Thatdy left in quite a hurry–didn’t even want her deposit back.”


    Daniel felt thunderstruck, stumbling back to his car.


    With trembling fingers, he dialed the familiar number, only to hear the cold automated message: “The number you have dialed is no longer in service.”


    He frantically opened iMessage, typing rapidly: “Elena, stop this nonsense! Are you really abandoning Susan too?<b>” </b>


    The message sent, then showed “Not Delivered” in red.


    Daniel immediately drove to the school, spotting Susan standing at the gate holding Serena’s hand.


    “Daddy, why are you here?”


    Daniel yanked Susan’s hand from Serena’s grip: “We’re going home. Your mother’s missing.”


    To his shock, Susan pped excitedly: “Perfect! Now that stinky mommy’s gone, Serena can be my new mommy!”


    SLAP!


    A sharp smacknded on Susan’s face.


    Susan froze instantly, then burst into hysterical tears.


    Serena looked at Daniel’s ashen face, gasping: “Mr. ke, how could you hit the child-”


    Daniel’s dark expression silenced her immediately.


    He dragged the crying Susan away: “Never say that again.”


    Serena watched helplessly as Daniel took the child, stamping her feet in frustration.


    Back at the vi, Susan’s crying continued nonstop.


    Daniel irritably handed the child to the maid and called his assistant: “Use every connection we have. Find Elena–whatever it takes!”


    But three months passed, and Elena had vanished without a trace.


    At first Susan celebrated her mother’s disappearance, but gradually, as her father became unpredictably moody and no oneforted her nighttime terrors, she began missing the mother who always smiled gently.


    One deep night, Susan curled up in a corner clutching her mother’s old pajamas, finally understanding that the mom who would make her pancakes every morning would nevere back. <fnf622> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? FιndＮovel</fnf622>