Chapter 1085 Would Not Expose Natalie lifted her head under Jeromeâs stare and met his eyes. âIâm not going to hand this jade key to Zophie or Blaze before I can determine its usefulness. Iâll keep the key by my side. Now, I just need to find a way to duplicate the key in two days.â
His mouth was left slightly ajar as he was shocked by Natalieâs idea. âI may not have personally seen the jade key, but I imagine itâs not going to be easy to replicate a piece of jade that was carved into the shape of a key. I donât think two days will be enough for you to copy itâ¦â said Jerome. His concerns were already considered by her.
Thus, she nodded and said, âThatâs right! Thereâs no way an ordinary person can do it. However, if that person is willing to help out, then two days is possible.â
âWho?â âVarre Appleby,â Natalie uttered his name slowly.
âVarre used to be a master craftsman hired by the government. However, I heard from my father that there has been no news about him in recent years.â Jerome sighed. âHis skills can be described as divine, but his whereabouts are unknown. Two days may not even be enough time for you to find himâ¦â
Despite that, Natalie didnât seem at all dejected. In fact, she smiled confidently. âWhat if I say I know his daughter?â
Jerome couldnât believe his ears. âWhat? You know Varreâs daughter?â
âMhm.â Raising her chin, she continued, âI need to ask Mr. Appleby to replicate that jade key as fast as possible to fool Zophie. Even if I make the exchange with her, itâs not guaranteed that sheâll return Yumi to me. If I have to choose one over the other, I will do my best to protect Yumi. It wonât matter to me if the fake key is shattered or not. I donât care how other people view my relationship with Yumi, but since Iâve adopted her, Iâm not going to give up on her. She is my daughter, and sheâs so very obedient. To me, thereâs no difference between her and Xavian, Franklin, Clayton, or Sophia. This is the only way I can protect her and the children for now, so I must give it a try!â
When Natalie finished speaking, admiration and infatuation surfaced in Jeromeâs eyes as he stared at her.
He thought the days he spent away from her and in the army would help him grow powerful enough to protect her. Yet, it surprised him that she was getting increasingly capable at an astonishing speed when he wasnât paying attention.
It was as though the present and the past were overlapping. He could only stand by her side and stare at the confident glow emanating from her body, just like how it was when they were young. âIâll go with you to look for Varre,â Jerome suggested.
With a shake of her head, Natalie declined, âI know you want to protect me, and Iâm grateful for that, but you canât come with me. Thereâs no way Zophieâs letting me roam around for forty-eight hours without having someone keeping an eye on me. I still need your help to put up a smokescreen!â
Since she had made her reasoning clear, he had no choice but to agree with the plan.
âOkay, Iâll continue to put up the act as you wish. However, you must maintain contact with me. If you encounter any danger at all, you must call me right away. Promise me.â
âI promise,â said Natalie without hesitation. After their conversation ended, Natalie summoned Billy. Before Samuel went to look for Jorden, he intentionally left Billy behind for her.
Even though on the surface, he simply left her a skilled bodyguard, the truth was anything but. Not only was Billy skilled as a bodyguard, but he also represented the power and resources that Samuel had secretly cultivated over the years.
âIâve sent someone to track down Zophie, Mrs. Bowers,â Billy informed.
âTry to keep it discreet.â Natalie continued, âSheâs a member of Blaze, so she has likely received professional training before and has a powerful anti-detection awareness. Iâd rather have the process of tracking her down be slow than to have it noticed by her.â
âI understand.â âOh yeah, help me find someone.â As she pulled out a hyper-realistic mask from the drawer and handed it to Billy, she informed, âI need someone who can act well to wear this mask before traveling between Chanaea and Loang once.
Also, remember to reinforce security and prevent any accidents from happening. You need to treat this substitute like sheâs me. So, remember to use the Bowers familyâs and Dreamâs resources if itâs necessary to ensure she isnât exposed.â