Since the house wasn't very big, finding Bella's room—the place they were supposed to stay—was easy. They walked in and found her humming softly while arranging the bed. Clothes and random items were scattered across the floor, giving the room a slightly messy look.
Bella looked up with a smile. "Oh, you girls are here! I'll be done in a few minutes."
"Let's help. What's left?" Zarina asked.
"After the bed, I just need to sweep and put things where they belong," Bella replied.
"Tell us what to do," Hina said, already bending to pick up clothes.
"Oh, that's mine," Bella said quickly, snatching a shirt with an awkward grin.
"Okay — Hina, fix the bed. Zari, sweep the floor. I'll handle the rest," Bella instructed. They nodded and got to work.
"Where's the broom?" Zari asked.
"In the kitchen. Hold on." Bella stepped out.
A moment later she returned and handed her the broom. They worked together quietly until the room looked neat. Just as they were about to switch off the light and lie down, the door suddenly swung open.
Bella's mom peeked in.
"Oh, you girls were about to sleep? Sorry about that." Her eyes landed on Bella. "5 a.m. sharp — don't make me come pour water on you. Good night, girls." She closed the door, leaving a soft echo of warning behind.
---
FOUR DAYS later — Silver Golden Estate
A beautiful woman with brown curls and striking green eyes stood on the balcony of her luxurious home. The Silver Golden Estate glowed under the evening sky. Footsteps approached, pulling her from her thoughts. She turned to see her husband.
"What did Maximus say? Have they been found?" Olivia asked. The first night the girls didn't return, she assumed they were just being teenagers. She waited, planned punishments, expected them back the next morning — but they didn't appear. Now it had been four days.
"What's going on, Marcus?" she demanded.
Marcus exhaled. "I told Max and Nate to check every camera — even the ones in their room. It looks like Zari found out about the marriage arrangement. That's why they ran."
A smirk tugged at his lips. "But we located them. Grace Lace."
"Grace Lace?" Olivia frowned.
"Yes."
" What's your plan? "
"She won't come back just because you ask," Olivia said sharply. " You know we need her more than ever."
"I know. And we also found the family they're staying with. I got Zari's number from Ophelia — she tried calling the girl, but it's switched off. " His eyes darkened. "So I told Max to take the youngest daughter of the household. The woman has two sons and one daughter — the girl will do."
***
The street was burtling with bike and cars going tro and froto their destination on the street of grace lace town, some places machines where packed in the street,Zari soon reached her destination, she came to a halt Infront of A small plaza written Phone village at the top of it with a man holding a phone in his hand as the picture is of him making call.
Zari walked in the place was filled with customers some came to buy phone some came to retrieve sim, while some came for repairing of phones, the employees of the plaza are at the counter lines straight about 10 of them, that's how big the place is, her eyes spotted the man she has given her phone to the day it fell on the floor shattering it screen.
That particular day when she and Henry had gone to visit his friend thomas who got into an accident she wanted to carry the man up when her phone fell shattering it screens, so when theycame back she had given them, the man has told her to come in three days time, she was supposed to come take it yesterday since it was the day the man had asked her to come take it but she was busy with Hina and forgot to come take it.
Hi " she says as she tapped the desk, to get his attention since he seem to be resting his head doing whatever Zari doesn't know . " Am Zarina, this is my card to come pick up my phone "; she says as she hand over the card, he took the card and walked toward where the repaired phones where kept, and he came back and have her the phone, she took her phone and walked off, on her way she turn on the phone. The screen flared at with notifications coming and soon she saw about 20 missed calls from Ophelia from over the past few days, she rolled her eyes as she blocked the number. Then her eyes found an unknown number, which she didn't call it back as she ignores it.
Hina was washing the leaf which Bella would use to cook the breakfast since Zari had gone to pick her phone in the repairers shop which had crashed the day she and Henry where in the hospital to visit his friend, Zari was helping him up when her phone slipped from her shallow pocket.
Soon Zarina's silhouette could be seen making way towards Hina, who's seated outside washing the leaf, and cutting it. " Did u collect the phone ?, " she asked as soon as Zari sat opposite her. " Yeah, I did, so where is Bella, "
" She went to get more leaf since half of this leaf is bad, I told her I needed to follow her, but bitch refused, hopefully she doesnt come here with more bad leaf it won't be funny " Hina says.
" Those vendors have an habit of not throwing their rotten leaf " Zarina says " are all this the dead ones ?" Her face furrowed.
" Yeah " Hina nodded.
Zari said " wow they are so many girl, too bad she's gone far I would have followed her " .
" Is the phone working nau" Hina asked " I haven't also touched my phone since days __" Hina hadn't completed her sentences when.
" Ophelia called ?" Zari says her face furrowed.
" What ? Why ? What does she want ?" Hina says with a frown
" I just blocked her " zari says " good, what,'s she calling for ?" Hina said with a frown " hopefully they are not looking for us ".
" Hina when last did u check ur phone '' . Zari asked making the girl raised her
" My phone as been switch off since the day we came to grace lace. ". She says.