One and Only Sweetie

Stella aggressively positioned herself in front of Oliver with her arms spread wide, displaying open hostility at the sudden intrusion. "What a surprise. We meet again. Are you waiting for Daddy here? What else could we be doing here? Why are you here? Did you come all the way to the company just to pursue my daddy?"

Valerie maintained a polite, impenetrable smile, refusing to stoop to arguing with a fiery six-year-old. "I have no interest in your daddy. I came here to discuss a potential business collaboration. Now that I've finished my business, it's time for me to leave. Goodbye, cutie pie."

She reached down to take her son Rowan's hand to leave, but suddenly felt a different, slight warmth envelope her palm.

Lowering her gaze, she discovered Oliver firmly holding her hand. His dark, usually vacant eyes were now filled with a desperate, heartbreaking longing. "Go home. Together."

Valerie gently crouched down to his eye level. "Honey, I've mentioned before that you shouldn't go off with people you don't know. It's not safe, and your parents will be concerned."

Oliver clung to her hand even tighter, unwilling to release his grip. Heavy tears rapidly welled up in his large, clear eyes.

Rowan felt immensely upset by this exchange. He interpreted this profound attachment as a direct threat to steal his beloved mother away from him. Asserting his absolute dominance, Rowan aggressively stomped over and forcefully yanked Oliver's hand away.

He grasped Valerie's hand and pulled her toward the door. "Mommy, you promised to take me out and play after signing the contract. Let's go."

Before Valerie could say a proper goodbye to the two kids, she was tugged away.

Oliver gazed at the departing figures of the mother and son. A deep, heartbreaking disappointment settled in his dark eyes as he stood lonely in the center of the spacious room.

Walking outside the towering corporate building, Rowan's small face was still scrunched in a deep frown. He kicked a stray pebble on the sidewalk and pouted.

"Sweetie, what's the matter?" Valerie asked, pausing to look at her son.

Rowan arrogantly turned his head away. "I don't like it when you call me 'Sweetie.' You just called someone else that affectionate nickname."

Greatly amused by his blatant, adorable jealousy, Valerie let out a soft laugh. "All right then. I won't call you 'Sweetie' anymore."

"No, you must stop calling others 'Sweetie.' I'm your one and only Sweetie!" Rowan fiercely protested, his pupils constricting in shock.

Valerie planted a warm kiss on her son's cheek. "Okay, okay. My one and only Sweetie, where would you like to go? Let's celebrate sealing the contract."

"Let's go to the amusement park!" Rowan declared brightly.

The mother and son chatted and laughed joyfully as they caught a cab, unaware of the stealthy black car silently tailing their every move on the opposite side of the road. The tinted windows of the vehicle concealed the dangerous figures inside, matching their pace perfectly block by block.

Upon reaching the vibrant, bustling amusement park, they plunged straight into the excitement. Rowan decided to take on a massive, dizzying roller coaster as his first ride. Valerie's stomach somersaulted through every loop and drop, leaving her breathless on the platform. Rowan, however, remained wildly enthusiastic, pointing eagerly at the soaking water rides next. While other children screamed in fear on the sharp aquatic drops, Rowan could not stop laughing.

As they made their way past a row of food stalls, a manic clown suddenly blocked their path. The performer pointed an oversized gloved finger toward a massive, eerie haunted house looming in the distance. Several overly enthusiastic costumed performers surrounded them, forcefully ushering the exhausted duo toward the dark attraction.

Valerie hesitated, feeling a deep sense of unease wash over her. Putting aside the gruesome exterior decor, she did not think this was a suitable environment for a young child.

"Mommy, they give out prizes for making it through. Let's give it a shot. I'm not scared as long as you're with me." Rowan accepted the flyer from the clown, his eyes sparkling at the giant sign promising a rare reward.

Unwilling to ruin his perfect day, Valerie relented. She took a deep breath and stepped inside the towering structure with him.

A freezing cold breeze enveloped them upon entry, making the hairs on her arms stand up.

"Sweetie, you must not let go of my hand," Valerie reminded him softly.

Inside the haunted house, it was pitch black. The narrow corridor twisted unpredictably, and distant mechanical screams echoed off the unseen walls. Valerie and Rowan moved cautiously through the suffocating darkness, keeping their fingers tightly interlocked.

Suddenly, sheer panic erupted further down the hall. They heard the frantic, thundering sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

A panicked crowd rushed toward them, screaming in visceral terror as they fled an unseen threat. People shoved blindly through the cramped space, their flailing limbs crashing into the walls.

In the chaotic stampede, someone intentionally tripped Valerie. She stumbled hard against the floorboards. The brutal impact tore her desperate grip from Rowan's hand and knocked her phone far away into the shadows.

She quickly rose to her feet, her heart pounding wildly against her ribs.

"Rowan? Rowan, where are you? Is someone there? If you're a staff member, please help me find my child. My child—" Valerie fumbled blindly for the cold wall and anxiously ventured further into the terrifying darkness.

Before she could finish her sentence, a leather-gloved hand forcefully covered her mouth and nose from behind.

A terrifying, masked face loomed closely over her shoulder, trapping her in a rigid hold. Valerie's eyes widened in paralyzing terror as she put up a fierce struggle. She kicked back and tried to pry the heavy hand off her face.

Before she could even attempt to break free, a sudden, searing pain tore through her abdomen. A cold blade pierced deep into her flesh, sliding effortlessly through her clothes and sinking into her stomach.

"Someone wants you dead. I'll make it easier for you." A cruel, raspy voice whispered directly into her ear.

The attacker twisted the blade, unleashing a fresh wave of agonizing, unbearable pain. Hot blood instantly soaked through her shirt. Valerie's dilated eyes filled with paralyzing terror as her strength rapidly vanished. The masked figure yanked the knife out and let her drop. She collapsed onto the cold, hard floor of the haunted house, gasping for air as darkness consumed her vision.

Outside in the glaring sunlight, the heavy exit doors burst open. Rowan had been accidentally dragged out by a frantic stranger fleeing the indoor chaos.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, little one. I was so anxious that I grabbed the wrong child." The hysterical woman gasped, releasing his arm as she realized her mistake.

Rowan ignored the woman's apologies entirely. He frantically scanned the chaotic area outside the exit, searching the dispersing crowd for any sign of his mother. When the flow of people finally stopped, Valerie was nowhere to be seen.

Rowan jogged over to a staff member standing by the security barricade. "Excuse me, sir. I got separated from my mommy. Can you please search for her inside?"

"All the visitors should have exited by now. Kid, go over there and wait. Your mom will be okay. She's an adult. Please don't disrupt our work," the staff member advised flatly, adjusting his cap and declining the request.

Rowan's intense frustration peaked. He balled his small hands into tight fists, preparing to argue with the indifferent worker, until a familiar voice interrupted his panic.

"Hey, they told you not to interrupt their work. Why are you being so stubborn?" Stella asked casually.

Rowan whipped around to see Stella and a quiet Oliver standing there. He glared at them with furious hostility. "Why are you here? Are you stalking me and my mommy?"

"Who's stalking you? The amusement park doesn't belong to your family. Our family has major investments here. Why can't we visit?" Stella meekly defended their presence, taking a defensive step closer to her silent brother.

Rowan could not be bothered with her flimsy excuses. His mother was missing in that terrifying building, and these kids were only wasting his precious time.

Strolling coldly past them, he shot back, "Whatever. I don't have time to talk to you right now. I have something urgent to take care of."