جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 250

Lucy lingered a moment longer, watching Matthew's peaceful, sleeping face on the screen before ending the video call. The aroma wafting up from the kitchen reminded her that Cillian had dinner waiting downstairs.She descended the stairs to the first-floor lobby, which had been transformed into a cozy dining area by the mother and daughter. It was a welcoming space for their guests to enjoy their meals.As Lucy neared the table, her eyes widened at the sight of the spread before her. Cillian had downplayed his cooking plans, mentioning only ribs, potatoes, and soup. She did not expect that such simple home-cooked food would have its own flair when made by Cillian.The ribs were juicy and glossy due to the sauce, looking like utter perfection. They had an enticing aroma. There was also mashed potatoes on the table. Cillian had added some bacon to the potatoes, making the potatoes exceptionally flavorful. The mushroom soup was a far cry from the watery rendition one might find in

Lucy did not dwell on it and happily trailed behind Little Milton, the little kitten who pranced about with the joy of newfound freedom. It basked in the cozy twilight.As she took in her surroundings, her satisfaction with the quaint guest house she had chosen grew. The place was a hidden gem, surrounded by lush scenery.Upon a second glance, the area was not just brimming with flowers but also boasted several small parks. There were enough neighbors around to make safety concerns a non-issue.However, just as she was patting herself on the back, Lucy abruptly retracted her mental compliment. What was she thinking? Her choice was far from perfect.From afar, she spotted a man who seemed to be bathed in a white halo.It might sound odd, but to put it simply, he was dressed in such a stark white that it seemed no other color dared to come close to him. That was Augustus, the very man Lucy had recently had a premonition about.Augustus' fashion choice today was bizarre, to say the

Lucy had reluctantly given her number to Augustus. Right after that, she found herself in a foul mood. Staring blankly at Augustus' number in her call history, she resolved to change her number as soon as she got back.Clutching the kitten, Lucy walked into the guest house where she was staying. The scowl on her face startled, Cillian. He asked gently, "What's troubling you? You look really upset."Lucy just shook her head and let out a weary sigh. She did not want to burden Cillian with her troubles, so she kept quiet.However, her obvious distress was exactly what worried Cillian. If he knew what was bothering her, he could handle it. However, her silence only made his imagination run wild."Lucy, please, I'm seriously worried about you," Cillian implored.Lucy's frown deepened as she stubbornly shook her head once more. It was just some creep who had gotten her number. She would change it soon enough, and then it would be fine.Cillian was at a loss watching Lucy's defiant sta

Holding back a mix of feelings, Augustus tossed his phone at Theodore. His voice was laced with annoyance. "Here, just take it. The first number's hers. And don't you dare use that tone with me again. I can't stand it!"Theodore did not give a second thought to Augustus' peeved expression. He had what he wanted, and that was all that mattered. Why worry about Augustus, right?He snapped back to his usual serious and precise self. He unlocked Augustus' phone with a small smile playing on his lips.Now that he had the woman's number, he could invite her out. Meeting her face-to-face would make it easier to get that DNA test done.If she really was his sister, then their mother could finally stop crying herself to sleep.Theodore gazed at the number on the screen, his emotions a tangled mess. He hesitated, but his desire to know the truth pushed him to make the call.He did not hold much hope, but Theodore was willing to bet on that long shot.The phone rang and rang, and with each

Theodore stood frozen for a moment before his eyes bulged in disbelief. There were only two reasons for a dead line—either she had ditched the number, leaving it unassigned, or worse, she had blocked him.Theodore was leaning toward the second explanation. Changing her phone number just because of one call from a stranger? That was overkill unless she was on the run from the mob or something. No way someone would freak out like that for no good reason.He thought he had cracked the case, so he ended the call on Augustus' phone.Augustus was giving him the stink eye. "Theodore, are you done with your call? Can I get my phone back now? It's been three days since I've even touched it."Without a word, Theodore rolled his eyes and chucked the phone back to Augustus.He pulled out his own phone. He would not have hogged Augustus' phone if he was not worried about the lady ignoring calls from an unknown number!He punched in the number he knew by heart and waited for the woman to pick