Chapter 483: The Stand-in
"They want us to stay apart," Harrison said in a low voice.
"Hmm. But what do they expect to gain from us being in different places?"
"Do you want to stay there and keep an eye on things?"
"Yes. Even if I can't find anything, as long as we stay put, the person behind all this will eventually make their move, and we'll know exactly what they want."
With their guard up, they wouldn't easily fall into any traps.
This was their chance to catch the person responsible.
It was better to get to the bottom of things now, so they wouldn't have to constantly stay on alert.
Harrison nodded in agreement.
However, despite knowing she was surrounded by bodyguards and would be safe, the thought of not being with her made him uneasy.
"I miss you," he said quietly.
Adeline felt a mixture of sweetness and bitterness in her heart. She tried to stay composed and smiled, saying, "We've only been apart for a few hours."
Harrison didn't deny it. "But I still miss you."
"You're such a fool," Adeline teased him.
She was the first to call Harrison a fool.
Yet, he didn't get mad. In fact, he liked hearing it.
There was a pause as it seemed someone spoke to Harrison on the other end of the phone.
"I have to take care of something. You don't need to worry, just enjoy your time in Aurgville. If you need anything, just leave it to me."
"Got it," Adeline responded.
After hanging up, Adeline held her phone for a moment.
She had heard his voice, and truthfully, she missed him too.
She opened their chat and almost sent him
another message. But knowing he was busy, she decided not to disturb him.
She lay on the bed, staring at the screen saver-a photo of her and Harrison together.
She sighed softly.
She had never been in a relationship before, never imagined it would feel this way. Even though they spent every day together, she never grew tired of him. And now, after just being apart for a few days, she missed him desperately.
She wanted to talk to someone, so she opened Joyce's chat.
"What are you up to?" she texted.
After a while, Joyce replied with a photo and a message.
"Drinking some soup made by my future mother-in-law."
The photo showed a half-drunk bowl of soup, filled with rare ingredients. Adeline could tell the soup was expensive.
"I didn't expect Sam's parents to be so nice.
Honestly, I feel a bit overwhelmed." Joyce said.
She wasn't bragging. She was just speaking her heart.
"Adeline, I've really been feeling like I'm in a dream lately. And I keep wondering, do I really deserve all this from Sam and his parents? I'm not special."
"You don't need to be special. You're just you. Even if you're the most ordinary person in the world, they love you for who you are. Don't worry about deserving it or not. They care for you, and you care for them. That's all that matters."
"Hmm, you're right. By the way, what was it you wanted to tell me earlier? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, I just... I miss Harrison. He's busy again, so I came to talk to you."
"What does that mean? Am I the stand-in now?" Joyce teased.
"You figured that out."
"Alright, we're done. No more contact."
Joyce sent a "You've been blocked" meme and then asked, "Aren't you with Harrison right now?"
"No, I'm in Aurgville."
"What are you doing in Aurgville?"
Adeline briefly explained why she was there.
"I get it now. So, you're all alone in Aurgville, and you and Harrison will be apart for a few days?"
A small smile appeared on Adeline's face.
She used to roll her eyes at lines like 'Every day without you feels endless!'
But now, she truly understood what it felt like.
"By the way, I heard there's a mountain in Aurgville with a really spiritual church. If you have time, you should check it out."
"Alright."
After chatting with Joyce for a bit, Joyce went out with Sam's mother for some shopping.
Adeline exited the chat and searched for the church in Aurgville online.
She found it. There really was a mountain in Aurgville called Somersoll Mount, and on it stood a temple that, according to many people online, was said to be incredibly effective at answering prayers.
Adeline thought she could visit, get some good luck charms, and bring them back to her loved ones.
Whether it was truly effective or not, the good intentions were enough.
She sincerely hoped that everyone she cared about would live a peaceful and happy life, free from worry.
That evening, Alvaro made a lavish dinner.
Once the dishes were served, he went to Adeline's room and greeted the two bodyguards at the door, saying, "I came to invite Adeline to dinner."
One of the bodyguards nodded, and Alvaro knocked on the door.
"Adeline, dinner's ready."
Soon, Adeline opened the door and stepped out.
Though he had already seen her earlier, seeing her again left Alvaro momentarily stunned by her beauty.
It wasn't until she smiled and thanked him that he snapped out of it.
"No, no trouble at all. Please, sit down." He scratched his head awkwardly, his face reddening.
The dinner table was set in the living room.
Alvaro's father, a middle-aged man who looked quite sincere, had returned home. He nodded at Adeline, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then remained silent.
"Where's Elissa?" Adeline asked. "Isn't she eating with us?"
"My mom's not feeling well. She's too weak to get out of bed, so she's having oatmeal in her room. Don't worry about her. She told me to tell you not to worry, and she's used to it by now," Alvaro smiled.
They were playing their roles well.
Alvaro could tell Adeline was sharp.
When Elissa had been alone with her earlier, she had probably already noticed something was off.
He had to stay vigilant.
If Adeline figured out what was really going on and decided to leave, that would be a problem.
"I see. After dinner, I'll go check on her." Adeline said, her tone natural.
Alvaro, relieved, relaxed.
"What about those two big guys? Are they eating with us?" Alvaro nervously asked.
Having those two with them would be a lot of pressure for him.
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