Chapter 3
1306 Words
Early in the morning, Isabella was still sleeping when someone woke her up. Susan, wearing her pajamas, burst into the bedroom and threw off Isabella's blanket. "Cousin, the dog is better! The dog is really better!"If a stranger had dared to throw off her blanket like that, the scissors on the nightstand would have already flown their way. But she had no choice with this cousin. "Susan, what's wrong with the dog now? Didn't you give him medicine?""Cousin, he's been sick on and off. He had gotten better, but last night it flared up again. I was so worried. Luckily, I used that potion the man in the park gave me. This morning, he's better again, and he's running all over the place. See for yourself." Susan placed the dog in her arms onto the bed, and the lively, energetic puppy immediately ran across it.Isabella picked up the dog and looked him over. He did seem much better. "Is that potion really effective?""Of course! Cousin, you need to find that man quickly. With that potion, the dog won't have to suffer anymore. He'll be completely cured. I could also buy some more to have on hand. Those vets are all liars. I've used so many of their medicines, and none of them worked. I don't trust them anymore."Isabella tossed the dog onto the bed and lay back down. "Find him? Susan, don't bother. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack." She lay back down, still not fully awake, and pulled the blanket over her head."Cousin!" Susan drew out the word, then pulled the blanket off again. "Cousin, without that potion, if something happens to the dog, he could die...""Cousin, please hurry.""Cousin, I'm begging you.""Cousin, if you don't go find him, I won't eat.""Cousin..."Between the coercion and coaxing, plus the whining, Isabella felt her head was about to explode. She finally gave in. "Fine, fine, I'll help you find him."Find him, sure. Find the bastard and teach him a lesson – the shameless jerk.On her way to work, Isabella called Viola – when it came to finding someone, a cop was the most reliable...."Achoo – who's cursing me?"Allen sneezed early in the morning, sat up in bed, and checked the time – eight o'clock. He was about to go back to sleep when his phone rang."Kid, have you found Leah yet? You've got fourteen days left. What the hell have you been doing all day?"It was Hank. As soon as Allen heard the words "find Leah," his head started to ache. "Hank, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Where am I supposed to find her? I've been working myself to the bone for days, sparing no effort, racking my brains, completely exhausted...""Stop right there! You're hopeless. Go find someone. I've already talked to him. He'll help you.""Really?" Allen perked up immediately – more people meant more help."Really or what? The address has been sent. Remember, there's not much time." Hank gave one final instruction.He hung up, and Allen received the text message – the person Hank wanted him to find was Edward Montgomery....Standing in front of such a beautiful house for the first time, Allen gazed at the Montgomery family villa and sighed: If he could live in a house this nice in his lifetime, it would all be worth it.He rang the doorbell. An old man, clearly a butler, opened the door. "Who are you looking for?""Mr. Edward," Allen replied."You're Allen White, I presume?""How did you know?" Allen asked, surprised and puzzled."The master has been expecting you. Please come in."He followed the butler into the villa and to the living room. A man in his forties or fifties was sitting on the sofa. He put down his newspaper and glanced at Allen. "Allen, have a seat. Hank has already called me."Allen walked over and sat across from him, breathing a sigh of relief. Hank had connections like this? Rich people had many ways of finding someone; he should be able to find Leah. But why hadn't Hank said so earlier? If he had, would Allen have needed to spend half a month living rough?After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Edward changed the subject. "Allen, you've grown up. Do you still remember me? When you were six or seven, I brought a little girl to the mountains and stayed for a while."That jogged Allen's memory – he would never forget it. When he was six or seven, Edward, then a man in his thirties, had brought a little girl to Misty Ridge and stayed for about a month.Thinking of that little girl, Allen smiled faintly – he had made her cry quite a few times, and Hank had s*****d him for it more than once."I'm practically retired now and stay at home most of the time. My daughter – the little girl you met – I've handed the company over to her. Go see her about finding Leah. Fifteen days is enough time. I will do everything I can to help you find her." That was Edward's final word.Leaving the Montgomery residence, Allen immediately called Hank. His opening line was: "Hey, Hank, are you losing your mind? Since you have connections like the Montgomerys, why didn't you tell me sooner? Or I could have come to them as soon as I came down the mountain. Wouldn't that have saved a lot of trouble? I've been running around for nothing...""Shut up, kid! Leah's situation is very complicated. The more people who know, the more troublesome it gets. Do you think I didn't want to? If it weren't absolutely necessary, I wouldn't have used my connection to the Montgomerys."Hank wasn't joking in the slightest. The last bit of resentment Allen felt vanished completely – it seemed Leah's situation really was very complicated.After hanging up, Allen took a taxi for the first time and went to the Montgomerys' Peak Group.The building had over a hundred floors, and he couldn't see the top. The security guard at the entrance stopped him. "Do you have an appointment?" The guard looked at this somewhat rustic kid, his nose already in the air."No," Allen replied. He had just come from the Montgomery residence; how would he have an appointment?"Then you can't go in," the guard said bluntly.Allen was helpless – Edward had just said everything was arranged and that he just needed to come see the little girl. Was he lying? Allen didn't give up. "The former chairman sent me. You can call and ask."The guard laughed. Former chairman? Who did this guy think he was? Didn't he see where he was? "I'm sorry, but we only have one chairman here, and no former chairman. You'd better leave now, or I'll call the police."The guard pointed his electric baton at Allen, ready to act."Stop." A woman's voice came from the entrance, accompanied by the click-clack of high heels. An office lady walked over. "You are Allen White, correct?""Yes," Allen replied."Follow me."The two guards watched Allen as if dumbfounded – the chairman's secretary herself had come to the entrance to fetch him. After treating him like dirt just moments ago, sweat beaded on their foreheads – they might lose their jobs over this. They wanted to rush over, grab Allen by the leg, and say, "I was wrong." They couldn't fathom how this guy could get in, what ability he had that made the chairman's secretary personally escort him inside.They went all the way to the chairman's office. The office lady knocked on the door. When a voice from inside said, "Come in," she made a gesture for him to enter. Allen opened the door and walked in.When he stood face to face with the woman in the room, time seemed to stand still. Both of them froze. At that moment, only one word echoed in Allen's mind: Little Girl.
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