Grape exclaimed, “Mommy, your dress is really beautiful!”
Having lived abroad for many years, she had never seen Josie wear a gown. It was new to her.
Josie found it hard to muster a smile. Calvin stepped out of the room at that moment. Two years had passed, yet he was still the same as before.
“The child is very adorable,” Calvin leaned against the door. Josie remained silent, which was taken as her agreement. “Thank you for taking care of her.”
“What’s there to thank for? She looks so much like Dexter. She should be calling me Mr. Barrett.” After Calvin finished speaking, he whistled at Grape.
Her identity was exposed with just a single sentence. Josie understood that as soon as she met an old acquaintance, Grape’s identity could not be concealed. If Calvin could recognize her, Arnold would be able to as well.
“If she should call you Mr. Barrett, then what should she call me?” Mallory poked her head out of the bathroom.
“Ms. Whiteford!” Grape answered.
Mallory gave a playful smile. “I don’t want to be just Ms. Whiteford.”
Josie understood what she meant. She sat down, holding Grape, when she suddenly noticed a magazine on the table. The cover prominently featured Laura, who was dressed casually. Accompanying her was a tall man, his face not captured in the photo.
The title read: Tycoon from Wavery Sponsors a Handsome Young Man in Rivodia. Only then did she understand what Dexter had referred to For a moment, Josie didn’t take it to heart. Grape, leaning on her shoulder, said, “Mommy, you smell like that man.”
Josie raised an eyebrow.
With a hint of mischief, Calvin asked, “Who?”
As he spoke, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and his expression changed. He looked at Josie and answered the call. “Dexter.”
Josie looked over.
The person on the other end said something, to which Calvin responded, “She’s safe. How about your end? I’ll be right there.”
Calvin hastily ended the call. He was about to leave when Josie asked, “What happened to Dexter?”
Calvin was somewhat reluctant to speak.
“Stay here with the child. Don’t go out tonight,” he said. Then, turning to Mallory, he added, “Keep an eye on her.”
Something seemed off. Josie put down the child and immediately chased after him. “What exactly happened? Did something happen to Dexter in La Oriele?”
When it came to Paul and the others, it was hard for her not to be concerned. Moreover, the fire in La Oriele was still burning, and all the key figures were present. She needed to know.
“Dexter won’t let me tell you. Please don’t make things difficult for me; otherwise, he will deal with me…”
“If he does, come find me! I’ll take the blame for you! What exactly happened?”
“The fire is rather fierce. They need more help.”
Josie nodded, and after three seconds, she put on a coat. “I’ll go with you.”
“Well…”
Mallory, bewildered, came out right then, only to witness this scene. Josie instructed, “Please take care of Grape for the night. Thank you.”
After she finished speaking, she noticed that Calvin remained motionless. She lightly kicked him, exclaiming, “Hurry up!”
The latter clicked his tongue, but in the end, he still left with her.
On the way to La Oriele, Calvin made several phone calls, all of which were orders to dispatch personnel. After he finished, Josie finally asked, “How did Justin leave in the first place?”
“I don’t know. He only listens to Mallory.”
“He listens to her, but doesn’t Mallory only listen to you?”
“I can’t quite remember, but back then, he mentioned that he had some personal matters to take care of.”
Even to this day, Calvin can vividly remember the determined expression on that young man’s face.
