2025-11-16 16:31:37
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Chapter 112
Eric was a little caught off guard by Audrey’s question. But before he could answer, a raspy woman’s voice drifted out from inside.“Audrey, you’re home, dear?”A woman in her sixties emerged, walking slowly with the help of a cane.“Mom…” Audrey immediately stood up, hurrying to her side. A bone-white knitted scarf hung around the older woman’s neck. “Why are you awake? Or… did you not sleep yet?” she asked, gently straightening her mother’s glasses. Normally, her mom would already be asleep by the time Audrey got home.The old woman smiled, ignoring her daughter’s question and instead asking her own. “Who’s that? He’s very handsome. Is he your boyfriend?”Audrey glanced at Eric. Her cheeks flushed at the misunderstanding. She quickly explained, stumbling a bit at the start, “N-no. H-he’s my friend. He’s from Skylight Grove—the city where I used to work as a cashier in a bakery.”Her mother nodded slowly. “I see.” She moved to sit on the couch, and Audrey guided her with patient, car
Chapter 111
Eric turned around. He smiled the moment he saw the girl he’d been searching for standing right in front of him.Audrey walked closer with a confused frown. She felt like she had seen this young man before—the one now standing on her doorstep with a cake and a bouquet of flowers in his hands.“Miss…” Eric greeted her without letting his smile fade.“Do I know you?” Audrey asked. Both her eyebrows remained knitted. She clearly hadn’t pieced together who the young man in front of her was.Eric let out a small laugh. “Maybe not. Uh… we haven’t properly introduced ourselves, but we’ve met once—back at the bakery in Skylight Grove.”The frown on Audrey’s forehead slowly disappeared. A soft smile stretched across her lips. “Yes, yes, I remember. You’re the young man who tried to leave your ID card, right?” She paused, trying to recall the name she once saw printed on that card. “Hold on…” She went quiet for a moment, then her smile brightened. “Eric White! Right?”Eric nodded. “That’s corre
Chapter 110
From the investigation his subordinates conducted, Eric finally learned the cashier girl’s full name: Audrey Hubner. She would be turning twenty-four at the end of this month.Eric decided to leave immediately—he wanted to see the girl who once helped him. To save time, he took a helicopter.Evelyn piloted it; she had plenty of experience from her previous profession. Meanwhile, Eric and the others sat in the passenger seats.Inside the helicopter, Eric never stopped staring out the window. He stayed silent, thinking hard about what he could do to help Audrey without hurting her pride.After a long flight, Eric and his team finally arrived in Maple Creek. The helicopter landed in a grassy field about two kilometers from Audrey’s house. Chelsea then rented a car to take them the rest of the way.On the way there, Eric stopped by a bakery nearby. After stepping out, he carried a bouquet of white roses.Soon, they were close. The house that matched the photo was finally visible. Eric tol
Bab 109
“She lives in a small town called Maple Creek with her mother,” Grace began, continuing the report about the bakery cashier who once helped Eric pay for Elise’s birthday cake.Maple Creek was a tiny town nestled in a forested valley in northwest Oregon. The name came from the small river cutting through the center of town, flanked by rows of maple trees that burst into fiery gold and red every autumn.Its population was only around twelve thousand, most of them working in lumber, organic farming, or nature tourism.“That’s the town that holds the Autumn Lights Festival every year, right?” Eric asked, his expression sharp.“Correct, Sir. Once a year, every house in town is decorated with colored glass lanterns.”“That’s far. Is that her hometown?”Grace nodded. Then she continued, explaining that the cashier girl was currently struggling to survive. She lived only with her mother, who was suffering from coronary heart disease. Her father had died when she was still a child, and she had
Chapter 108
As soon as Eric arrived home, his subordinates immediately jumped into action, preparing dinner without being told. Seeing their master looking worn out, they assumed it was because of the brutal and exhausting physical selection.No one dared to speak. They only stood by, waiting for orders. With Eric’s mood looking darker than usual, they feared saying anything would only make it worse.Yet, there was something important—something they had planned to tell him. They were already prepared to report it earlier. But seeing Eric like this, they silently agreed to delay it.However, during dinner, Eric inspected their faces one by one. Unlike most bosses, Eric always insisted his subordinates sit with him at the same table, eating the exact same food. He treated them like friends—like family.Because of that, Eric knew Kevin, Evelyn, Chelsea, and Grace too well. Even though they tried to hide it, he could clearly see something was off. Something the four of them were trying hard to cover.
Chapter 107
The final test was rowing. But that one would be held tomorrow.Eric had just finished showering when he realized something odd — the locker room was unusually quiet. Before he went in to wash up, the place had been full of participants.“Maybe they all went home or are talking with the coaches outside,” he muttered, toweling off his body.He opened his locker to grab a T-shirt. After putting it on, he collected the rest of his belongings. He planned to go straight home — to his old house — and finally get some rest. It had been a long time.But just as Eric turned around, he froze.Chloe was suddenly there.She had appeared out of nowhere like a ghost, making him flinch instinctively.“Sorry—sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Chloe reached out, wanting to touch his arm to calm him down, but Eric’s body shifted back instantly, rejecting her approach.“What do you want?”That tone. Sharp and cold enough to pierce through her chest. Chloe came here with good intentions, yet Eric trea
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