Chapter 35: Nancy

"Meow―――"

"Meow―――"

6 o'clock in the morning.

Elliana Lyle groggily woke up, able to hear the cat in the living room howling fiercely.

She squinted her eyes and sat up, then got out of bed and opened the door to check. The big cat paused for a moment when it saw Elliana, slowly closing its wide-open mouth.

Then it started licking its paws as if nothing had happened.

Seeing nothing was wrong, Elliana closed the door and went back into the room, sitting on the bed and opened her phone, the first thing she saw was a message from Norman Bennett.

"Meow―――Meow―――"

...

Why did it start howling again?

Elliana went to open the door and looked again. The big cat saw her coming out and started licking its paws.

She simply leaned against the doorway, the kitten's howling made her feel irritated, she looked at Norman Bennett's message, thought for a while, and came to a decision.

It's still early now, if she takes a taxi back to the hotel herself, it would be better than sitting together with Norman Bennett.

The reason she's afraid of Norman Bennett is because of what happened in the past.

I remember when Norman Bennett was 24 years old, she was sent to his home by her parents.

At that time, she pretended to be sick to escape from Norman Bennett, and after getting into the hospital, she climbed out through the restroom window, ending up hanging on the 13th-floor wall.

When Norman Bennett saved her, his face was dark with anger. He came over and slapped her hard on the butt, making her cry out in pain, and said, "I don't like people lying to me."

It seemed that after that, Norman Bennett hardly ever spoke to her voluntarily, until she was reborn.

Ka-chunk~

The main bedroom door opened, Phoebe Lyle came out in loose gray pajamas, squinting and frowning at Elliana, her lazy, neutral voice: "Morning, what do you want for breakfast?"

"I'm not eating, I… I'm leaving." Elliana leaned against the door, smiling awkwardly.

Upon hearing she was leaving, Phoebe Lyle paused, then slowly nodded: "Alright, wait for me to get dressed, I'll take you downstairs."

Elliana was still wearing Phoebe Lyle's T-shirt, which was long enough to look like a dress, but her clothes from yesterday were dirty, she was a bit embarrassed.

If worse comes to worst, she'll have to make do with it.

At this point, Phoebe Lyle came out of the room, already dressed. She looked at Elliana and said, "It's long enough, you can go out in it, go put on your shoes."

Following Phoebe Lyle all the way out of the complex gate, Elliana looked around, afraid Norman Bennett might notice her.

Phoebe Lyle looked at her expressionlessly, scanning her from top to bottom, as if confirming something, she slightly tilted her chin: "Go ahead, come back when you have the time."

"Okay, Sister Phoebe, goodbye." As Elliana turned she ran into a man's arms.

She wrinkled her nose in pain, that scent! Norman Bennett! She instinctively wanted to back away.

However, Norman Bennett didn't give her a chance to leave, with a large hand he directly trapped the little girl's slim waist.

Elliana had no choice but to lean close to Norman Bennett, her face pressing against his chest, feeling a bit of warmth.

"Sister, thank you for taking care of her." Norman Bennett said politely to Phoebe Lyle, with a hint of respect in his words.

Seeing this, Phoebe Lyle lightly curled her lips, then raised her hand to cover it, she said, "Take her back."

"Norman Bennett~ let go of me~"

Elliana frowned, tilting her head to glare at him, but his lowered gaze was cool.

Alright, looks like she's in trouble.

After bidding farewell to Phoebe Lyle, Elliana was taken into the car, she sat uneasily pressing against the car door.

But such small movements were useless, the man casually pulled her, and she was like a moth to a flame, directly into his arms.

Who said she was light?

"Sit on my lap." Norman Bennett patted his own leg, indicating for Elliana to sit on his lap.

"Oh~"

Elliana obediently sat up, she looked at Norman Bennett's eyes without the slightest ripple, suddenly feeling intimidated, "Norman Bennett... I can explain…"

"Explain what?" Norman Bennett looked at her with a teasing smile, waiting for her to continue.

"I... I initially wanted to go to Whitesun Town, but it's not for anything bad, I was… just going to have fun." Elliana was still afraid to tell Norman Bennett the truth.

Upon hearing this explanation, Norman Bennett showed no emotional change, only a calm expression, "You still haven't told me the truth."

"Ah~ Norman Bennett, I was wrong." After saying this, Elliana shamelessly pecked on the man's face.

Originally she thought that doing so would calm her down, unexpectedly she sat face to face with him, hooking her hands around his neck.

Norman Bennett didn't move, just lowered his eyes watching her every move.

Eyes meeting, Elliana buried her face in the man's chest and ceased her movement.

Norman Bennett raised his eyebrows slightly, what exactly was he anticipating?

"Norman Bennett, you're not mad, right? I will be better from now on." Elliana said in a cute voice, her forefinger mischievously drawing circles on the man's chest.

"Get down!" He reprimanded.

"I won't!" Elliana pressed her face closer.

The next second, her chin was forced up, and the man's cold lips descended, but inside was warm.

Her delicate little hands naturally wrapped around the man's neck, willing to let the man take his fill.

Until the little girl in his arms softened, losing all strength, only then did the man let her off.

Elliana, like a goldfish, lay in the man's arms, gasping for air with her mouth open.

Her swollen lips felt numb, yet somewhat painful.

Perhaps she didn't pay much attention just now, Elliana's T-shirt had crawled up slightly. Noticing the man's gaze, Elliana shouted, "Norman Bennett!"

Then hurriedly pulled it down, her angry appearance was irresistibly cute.

"There's been progress on Nancy's situation," Norman Bennett said.

Elliana quieted down immediately, quickly asked, "How is it? Where is she now?"

"No record of her going abroad, her last activity was at Lotus Park in North City, she hasn't left any traces in recent years, either she smuggled or she's still in the country." Norman Bennett told her.

This news was definitely unwelcome to her, how could Nancy have possibly smuggled, if she's in the country why hasn't she contacted anyone?

With Nancy's personality, she wouldn't neglect contacting her aunt, nor ignore her for no apparent reason.

She's somewhat suspicious, could it be Nancy is in trouble?

"It's best to report it to the police." Norman Bennett suggested.

Elliana nodded, when she gets back, she'll call her aunt.

―――Vicars Hotel.

Elliana returned and immediately changed clothes, but Norman Bennett went out again, he had to deal with yesterday's accumulated matters.

After changing her clothes, she quickly called her aunt.

45 seconds of ringing before the call connected.

"Hello, who is it?" A voice from the other end.

Elliana quickly said, "Aunt, it's me, Elliana."

Upon hearing it was Elliana, her aunt was clearly a little excited: "How's it going? Is there news about my daughter?"

"Aunt... There's no record of Nancy going abroad, so I'm thinking... we should report it to the police." Elliana hesitated to say, knowing her aunt would be even more anxious upon learning this.

Suddenly, the line went silent for a while before the voice came, "My daughter didn't go abroad? Then... Where is she?"

The tone was shaky, filled with anxiety.

"Aunt, Nancy may be missing..."

No sooner had Elliana said this when her aunt exclaimed, "Girl, please help your aunt, my daughter is all I have..."

"Aunt, listen to me, you should first go to the police and report that Nancy is missing, don't worry, if you need me, I'll definitely help you." Elliana patiently explained to her aunt.

"Yes, yes, I will report it, I will report it."

...

After hanging up, Elliana stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, hurriedly went to grab the script.