Chapter 397

Chapter 397:

After finishing their meal, Howard asked Madisyn if she was heading home. When she nodded, they left together.

Howard took Milly back to his parents’ place. In Andrew’s car, Madisyn recounted the conversation she had with Milly, urging Andrew to watch Milly closely. “If anything suspicious happens, you’ll be the first to know.” Seeing the concern etched on Madisyn’s face, Andrew gently caressed her hair. “I’ve got some new intel. A top assassin from the Serpentine Players finished a mission but vanished after an explosion. No one from the organization has managed to track down this assassin since then.”

As Andrew spoke, Madisyn’s phone buzzed with a message from Jared. She had tasked him with keeping tabs on the Serpentine Players and updating her. Jared’s update lined up perfectly with what Andrew had just revealed. It was difficult for outsiders to get their hands on such insider knowledge about the Serpentine Players, but the Qiviut Organization had managed to infiltrate them with spies.

Madisyn regarded Andrew with suspicion. “Do you have access to such top-secret info? Do you, by chance, have someone undercover within the Serpentine Players?” Andrew’s lips curled into a soft smile as he gently swept her hair back. “It’s not something you need to fret over, darling. I’ll pull every string to uncover the information you need.”

Beneath the gentle orange glow of the streetlamp, Andrew’s strikingly handsome features took on an almost ethereal quality, as though he were a figure not quite of this world.

Madisyn’s heart fluttered unexpectedly. “Got it. I’m heading inside now. Make sure you get some rest.”

“Alright,” Andrew murmured.

In the solitude of her room, Madisyn dialed Jared’s number. “Is Andrew affiliated with our organization?”

“Boss, I have no idea. Are you suspecting that Andrew could be one of us?”

“Yes. He knows the information you just told me.” Madisyn rubbed her temples in frustration. “Forget it. It’s not a problem to worry about.”

Andrew was no ordinary man; his true story was likely far more complex than she had ever imagined. Madisyn shot off a brief text to Andrew: “Be cautious around Milly.”

When Howard got the message, he was gently drying Milly’s hair. She sat there, serene and radiant, like a vision of pure beauty.

Howard’s thoughts wandered back to a childhood memory. He recalled a girl from the slums, her clothes tattered and her face smeared with grime, yet she possessed an arresting beauty with eyes that shone with innocent purity. Howard and Elaine had gone to the slums on a charitable mission.

While everyone else scrambled for food, the girl remained serene and aloof. Yet, when the food was finally in her grasp, she devoured it with a fervor as if she hadn’t eaten a meal in days. Her remarkable control at such a tender age captivated Howard’s attention.

He attempted to engage her in conversation, but she remained silent. Unlike the others who eagerly sought his company, she maintained her distance. It left Howard with a lingering sense of helplessness. Before taking his leave, he pressed a few bills into her hand, hoping it would offer her a better life.

Her serene composure and keen intellect made it clear to him that she was destined to become someone truly extraordinary.

The sound of his phone shattered his reverie. He glanced at the message from Madisyn: “Be cautious around Milly.”

Howard was momentarily taken aback. What could Madisyn possibly mean by that?

As the hairdryer fell silent, Milly turned around to see the confused look on Howard’s face. “What’s the matter?” Howard quickly slid his phone into his pocket. “It’s nothing.”

After drying her hair, he headed off for a shower.

Milly cast a fleeting look at the bathroom door before slipping out onto the balcony.

The night was nothing short of enchanting. The city lights twinkled like a scattering of stars across the sky.

In the distance, she spotted a figure perched high in the branches of a tree. His gaze locked onto hers, and Milly gazed back, her eyes steady and unblinking. He looked back quietly.

“They’re after you. Why don’t you just come back?” The man used sign language to communicate.

Milly shook her head.

The man pressed on. “Our organization has tracked you down. If you keep this up, they won’t just come after you—they’ll target him as well.” Milly fell silent.

This man was her sole friend within the organization. He had risked his life to deliver her messages. She didn’t care if the organization threatened her life, but she couldn’t bear the thought of Howard getting dragged into this.

Milly gestured for him to leave.

In the blink of an eye, he melted into the shadows of the night.

Milly cast her eyes downward and withdrew a bill from her pocket. The paper, though old, was meticulously presented.

Howard’s voice jolted her. Hastily, she slipped the bill back into her pocket and spun around to find him standing there in loose white pajamas, a gentle smile warming his face.

“I’m here,” Milly responded.

“Is everything alright?” Howard inquired, a brow arching with curiosity. “I noticed you clutching a bill. Are you in need of funds?”

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