Chapter 32. The Search

Cassian

I was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of "Mary aunty" on my phone screen. I hesitated before answering, wondering why she was calling me at this moment. "Hello, aunty. Is everything okay?" I asked, sensing her concern. My friend Noah looked at me curiously as I continued the conversation. "Cassian baba, Seraphina hasn't come home yet," Mary said with worry in her voice. My heart raced as I absorbed the news. "What?!" I exclaimed, standing up from my seat. Noah became more confused.

Mary explained further, "She left around 5 pm, and it's almost 8 now, but she hasn't returned. She promised she'd be back within an hour. Anxiety gripped me as she continued, "To make matters worse, I found out that the driver she went with had to leave because his daughter fell ill.

"So, you're saying Seraphina hasn't made it home, and she's out there alone?" I stammered, pan