Chapter 579: Hand Him Over

Elliot hadn't expected Felix to still be missing from the artificial hill. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, that was for sure.

Cecilia looked puzzled. "How would we know where your son is?"

Miranda's resentment toward Cecilia had intensified, fueled by her son's disappearance and Niel's favoritism at the St. Patrick's Day celebration at Rainsworth Manor. "My son came here after school; his classmates said he never left. If I shouldn't be looking for him, then who should?"

Cecilia frowned. "I didn't see him."

"You think your word is enough?" Miranda instructed her subordinates, "Search for him! Dig three feet down if you have to!"

"Yes, ma'am."

Despite the late hour, the search party scoured the house, including the upstairs bedrooms. Cecilia clenched her fists.

"Miranda, you're trespassing!"

Seeing Nathaniel's absence, Miranda felt no threat. Stepping forward in her high heels, she said, "So what? You're deaf, and Nathaniel's blind. What can you do? Don't think catching my husband once makes you impressive. If he hadn't been careless, Nathaniel wouldn't have been able to do anything to him."

Adrian cleared his throat. "Cecilia, release my son. Otherwise, none of you will have it easy."

Faced with their unreasonable demands, Cecilia reached for her phone to call the police. Adrian swiftly snatched it and threw it to the ground.

"Hand over my son, now!"

He moved toward Cecilia when the bodyguards outside, alerted by the commotion, intervened, shielding Cecilia and Elliot. Adrian felt a sudden wave of unease looking at them. He'd brought people, but they were no match for Nathaniel's forces.

Seeing their disadvantage, Miranda called Niel. "Grandpa, come to Daltonia Villa quickly. Cecilia has hidden Felix; he hasn't returned."

Cecilia subtly signaled a bodyguard, who immediately called Nathaniel.

Elliot stepped forward. "Felix did come, but we didn't hide him."

Everyone was startled. Cecilia asked, "Eli, when?"

"Around five-thirty. He followed me in, but I don't know where he went after that." Elliot omitted his role in leading Felix behind the artificial hill.

Miranda, ignoring the bodyguards, grabbed Elliot's shoulders. "Did you hurt Felix?"

She'd planned for Felix to attack Elliot, but never anticipated her son's disappearance. Elliot's poor health meant a light touch caused a nosebleed.

"I wouldn't stoop to hitting him!" Elliot said coldly.

Seeing the blood, Cecilia pushed Miranda away. "Eli, are you alright? We need to go to the hospital!"

Miranda hadn't expected such fragility. Seeing Cecilia about to leave with Elliot, she stopped her. "You're not leaving until you release Felix!"

"Move aside!" Cecilia's anger flared.

Miranda insisted, "If my son's in trouble, yours won't be safe."

Without a word, Cecilia kicked at Miranda.