Chapter 98

Sylvia came home early today with a bunch of hot pot ingredients and started preparing with Aunt Tonya. With the hot pot soup base, the meat, and the meatballs that Isabel loved, the preparation took them a full five hours. When it was almost time for the kids to come over, Sylvia took her apron off, dragged the table and chairs to the yard, and waited for them to arrive. However, no one came even after the sky turned dark. Sylvia looked at her watch. It was almost an hour past the time that they were supposed to arrive. Worried, she called Isabel’s phone but could not get through. She then called Liam, but the phone was turned off. Then, she called Jacob, the bodyguard. Two dial tones later, the call got through. "Jacob, are Isabel and Liam back from school?” Jacob froze for two seconds before he said, “The two of them are already back home.” He sounded evasive and conflicted. “Why didn’t they come over today?” “Umm…” Jacob sighed. “Ms. Ross, Master Carter said