By the time the finalpetition wrapped up in the afternoon, the event was officially over.


    Oblivious to the adult tension, Keen was on top of the world. Gripping Ste''s hand on one side and Haynes''s on the other, he beamed. "This is the first time I''ve ever done this with both of you! I wish we could do this every time!"


    Ste and Haynes both stiffened, exchanging a brief,plicated look.


    He was right. In all of Keen''s life, this was the very first time they had attended a school event as a united front.


    Looking down at his son''s radiant smile, Haynes''s voice softened. "I''m sorry I was always so busy before. Mom and Dad will make sure to spend much more time with you from now on."


    He nced reflexively at Ste.


    She merely smiled and squeezed Keen''s hand, offering no confirmation.


    Riding high on adrenaline, Keen ran off to join his ssmates, eagerly showing off his parents. The other children clustered around him, their eyes wide with envy. Among the sea of parents, Ste and Haynes were undeniably the most striking, both in looks and presence.


    Keen''s innocent vanity was thoroughly satisfied.


    Just then, Ste''s phone rang. It was Abby Murphy.


    Excusing herself, Ste moved to a quiet corner of the yground to take the call. "Abby, is everything okay on your end?"


    "Everything''s fine here, I''m just a little worried about you," Abby said. "You''ve been in Novaris for days, and Joshua hasn''t reached out to me at all. I wanted to see if anything happened."


    "Joshua is already in Novaris," Ste replied.


    Abby paused. "Wow, okay. I thought he was still in the dark. I didn''t realize he flew out so fast."


    They chatted for another ten minutes before Ste hung up.


    When she returned to the main area, both Haynes and Keen were gone.


    She scanned the crowd but couldn''t spot them. Just as she was pulling out her


    phone to call Haynes, she saw him walking toward her alone.


    She hurried over. "Haynes, where''s Keen?"


    Haynes frowned. "He said he was going to find you. Did he not catch up with you?"


    Ste''s blood ran cold. "No. I didn''t see him at all."


    Panic setting in, she rushed over to


    Keen''s ssmates. The kids


    confirmed he had wandered off a while ago, saying he was looking for his parents.


    With the boy nowhere in sight, Haynes''s expression darkened.


    They immediately split up to search Haynes contacted the security detail stationed around the perimeter ordering them to look down the campus.


    Before the bodyguards could even mobilize, Ste spotted Keen in a secluded corner of the athletic field.


    He was standing in front of a tall, broad-shouldered man, chatting animatedly.


    Ste stared at the man''s familiar silhouette. Her steps faltered for a fraction of a second before her face hardened into absolute ice.


    She marched over, grabbed Keen,, and shoved him behind her back


    Without a second thought Dacket


    she


    raised her hand and delivered a Vicious p across the man''s face.


    Smack.


    Keen gasped, frozen in shock.


    Haynes, who had just caught up, stopped dead in his tracks.


    In that moment, the entire world seemed to fall dead silent.