Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 218: "I Won’t Let Anything Happen to Leo.

Chapter 218: Chapter 218: "I Won’t Let Anything Happen to Leo.

If Rory Linden had any other profession, she could have dropped everything and left immediately.

But she was a surgeon. Every one of her upcoming surgeries had already been discussed with the patients’ families, and finding a last-minute replacement would be complicated.

Not only would she have to inform the families, but she would also need to brief the new surgeon on each case.

Fortunately, the few surgeries scheduled for today weren’t particularly difficult.

Rory Linden contacted Jason Stone first.

He had been out of town for a surgery yesterday and had just returned this morning, so his schedule was clear.

After Rory explained her situation, Jason Stone immediately agreed to take over her remaining surgeries.

Next, Rory spoke with each of the families one by one.

By the time she had made all the arrangements, changed out of her scrubs, and driven to Leo Linden’s kindergarten, the entire block was under lockdown. Three police cars blocked the road, with yellow caution tape stretched between them.

Civilians and reporters were all kept outside the perimeter.

Rory had no choice but to park her car wherever she could and hurry over to the caution tape, identifying herself as one of the kindergarten’s parents.

"Just a moment."

A police officer picked up his radio to call someone.

A female staff member soon approached with a clipboard. "Excuse me, which child’s parent are you?" she asked.

"Leo Linden. I’m Leo Linden’s mother!"

As Rory spoke, her eyes darted toward the kindergarten.

The building was completely silent. There wasn’t a single sound.

’I have a million questions right now, but I have to get inside first.’

"Two of Leo Linden’s guardians are already here."

The staff member said, flipping through her clipboard.

"Two? One of them is my son’s nanny. Did she call the other person?"

Rory’s first thought was that Auntie Wagner and Ryan Sterling had come.

After all, Ryan lived right downstairs from them. It wasn’t impossible that Auntie Wagner, unable to reach her, would have asked him to come along.

"No, one is the nanny. The other..." The staff member looked up and informed her of the other person’s identity. "Is the child’s father, Sean Harrison."

"He’s here?"

Rory was a little shocked.

She hadn’t contacted Sean Harrison, and Auntie Wagner definitely wouldn’t have his number.

’He must have heard the news from somewhere.’

The staff member picked up a pen. "Let me see your ID, please. Once I confirm your identity, I can let you in."

Rory complied.

After the registration was complete, she was finally allowed to enter the cordoned-off area.

The perimeter was drawn very wide, sealing off a radius of nearly two kilometers in front of the kindergarten.

She ran, hurrying toward the kindergarten.

The closer she got, the more she could hear the anxious sobs and panicked cries of the other parents.

Rory’s own anxiety intensified.

As she neared the kindergarten’s entrance, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance.

The area was crowded with people—police officers, medical personnel, and numerous parents and government officials.

Even so, Rory saw Sean Harrison at a single glance.

He was standing alone by the side of the road, talking on the phone. A few other parents stood near him, seemingly waiting to speak with him.

Rory had always tried so hard to draw a clear line between herself and this man, but at a time like this...

She couldn’t.

The thought of Leo being held by kidnappers, his life in danger at any moment, sent her heart into a frantic turmoil.

Sean Harrison quickly noticed her. He hung up the phone and strode in her direction.

"What’s the situation?"

After asking, Rory looked around but still couldn’t see Auntie Wagner.

"The kidnappers are a few drifters. It’s unclear if this was spontaneous or premeditated. They’re armed with long knives. Because of the holiday, there were only three classes today, and they randomly took one class of students hostage."

Sean Harrison first explained the cause of the incident, then continued, "The police negotiator is talking with them now. We’re waiting here for the outcome."

Rory immediately asked, "What about the children? Are any of them hurt?"

Sean Harrison said, "Not yet."

A few other parents nearby overheard them. One spoke up, "Not yet, but who knows how long that will last? They’re four and five-year-olds. If one of them has a meltdown, no one will be able to control them!"

Rory immediately told Sean, "Leo won’t. Leo is smart and very obedient. He’ll be okay."

"I know."

Sean Harrison raised a hand and placed it on her back, patting it gently twice. "Don’t be afraid. I won’t let anything happen to Leo. These kidnappers just want money. I can afford any amount they ask for."

His voice was gentle, effortlessly supporting Rory’s heart. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

It brought a fleeting sense of calm to her soul.

The parents nearby finally found an opportunity to speak.

"I never would have thought President Harrison’s son would be at our small kindergarten."

"If it’s a small amount, we can all chip in. But if the kidnappers make an outrageous demand, we’ll really need your help, President Harrison."

"Yes, exactly."

These parents, much like Rory, felt a sense of relief wash over them seeing Sean Harrison there.

Although this was an expensive area of Veridia, the kindergarten was only considered mid-range among private schools.

Most of the parents were well-paid professionals.

But they all had mortgages.

The amount of cash they could produce for a ransom was extremely limited.

These parents naturally wanted to build a connection with Sean Harrison, but at a critical juncture like this...

No one dared to bring it up.

"Miss Linden! You’re finally here!"

Auntie Wagner came running over.

"Auntie Wagner, what’s the situation over there?"

Rory asked.

"Sigh, I don’t know. They told us all to stay back. Only the negotiator is talking to them inside." Auntie Wagner glanced at Sean Harrison. "I didn’t realize he was Leo’s father. I feel much better now."

Everyone felt the same way.

Sean Harrison was famous nationwide. Seeing him here put the other parents’ minds at ease.

At a time like this, no one was curious about why Sean Harrison’s child was in such an ordinary kindergarten.

They were only grateful for it.

"Don’t worry, Leo will be fine."

Sean Harrison promised again.

It was the height of summer in July, and at just past three in the afternoon, it was the hottest part of the day.

Everyone was growing increasingly agitated.

The negotiator’s voice could be faintly heard calling out from a distance.

But after only three to five minutes...

A gunshot suddenly rang out from the direction of the kindergarten!

Perhaps because it was a modified gun, the sound was incredibly loud.

Rory could no longer stand by the side of the road. She immediately charged toward the kindergarten entrance.

All the parents surged forward.

The police over there were holding them back!

"Stay back! Don’t come any closer! The children will become even more hysterical if they see you!"

An officer blocked the rushing parents, repeating this phrase over and over.

One parent protested, "What do they want? If it’s money, we’ll pool it together and give it to them, as long as our children are safe!"

Only then did Rory see them—the children were right at the entrance of the main building.

The gunshot hadn’t kept the scene quiet for long.

After just a few minutes, one child started crying. "Mommy! I want my mommy! WAHHH..."

With one child crying, nearly all the others could no longer hold back their emotions and burst into tears.

The sound of children crying is especially piercing.

From behind the kindergarten’s high walls, Rory clearly heard one of the kidnappers shout, "Cry, cry, cry! Keep crying and I’ll kill every last one of you!"

The young children couldn’t understand any of that!

They instantly started crying even louder.

A moment later—

"AHHHHHHHHHH, WAHHH..."

A child’s scream tore through the air.

It was followed by a kidnapper’s voice. "Anyone else who cries gets the same as him!"

Instantly, the crying inside subsided. It wasn’t that no one was crying anymore; it was just that the sound no longer reached those outside.

Only that one child was still crying.

Because the child’s voice hadn’t changed, it was impossible to tell if it was a boy or a girl.

Rory felt herself starting to fall apart.

The negotiator immediately resumed communications. After a discussion among themselves, the kidnappers inside agreed to let one person enter to bandage the injured child.

A male paramedic was standing next to the negotiator.

A kidnapper immediately yelled, "Dammit, get a woman!"

Rory, standing not far away, understood what was happening. She rushed forward in a few strides and shouted, "Me! Me! I’m a doctor! I can go in!"