Chapter 591: Chapter 591: Being Followed
After ending the call with Ian Vaughn, Ann Vaughn found Eli Sheridan’s phone number and dialed it.
But all she heard was the cold, mechanical voice saying, "The user you are calling is currently unavailable."
Strange...
Eli Sheridan’s personal phone never gets turned off to avoid missing important calls.
Could it be that the battery is dead?
Thinking of this, Ann Vaughn rubbed her forehead helplessly, her eyes unintentionally lifted, and her heart suddenly plummeted!
Where was Little Dumpling’s figure!?
"Kenny?!" Ann Vaughn’s face immediately turned pale, and she shouted in panic, not even having time to properly put away the phone before hastily using the ski poles to search for Kenny.
Unexpectedly, she hadn’t skied out a few meters when a familiar childish voice called out to her, "Mommy, I’m here."
Fortunately, Ann Vaughn still had her wits about her and didn’t panic. She immediately followed the sound to find Kenny’s location.
And she only saw... a round snowman without a head.
Just a moment ago, she was focused on looking for Kenny’s figure and hadn’t noticed when a snowman appeared there.
"Plop" — a little head popped out from the snowman’s body.
Little Dumpling’s face, as delicate as if carved from jade, protruded from the snowman’s round body, his onyx-like eyes eagerly looking at Ann Vaughn.
Ann Vaughn: "..."
She looked at her son disguised as a snowman, momentarily unsure whether to praise him for finally having some childlike wonder or to spank him.
"Mom, take me out," Kenny said in a soft, childlike voice, glancing around at the scenery.
Ann Vaughn resisted her laughter, walked over, and lifted him out of the snow, "How did you end up building yourself into the snowman?"
Kenny just hummed but didn’t answer explicitly, only saying, "Mom, I feel a bit cold. Let’s go back to the inn quickly."
This place... feels unsafe.
Ann Vaughn didn’t know Kenny’s worries, assuming he was tired and not feeling well, so she nodded, "Alright, let’s head back now."
After leaving the ski resort, Ann Vaughn and Kenny walked back to the inn.
Due to the upcoming Christmas, the shops along the way were filled with Christmas atmosphere, and the sweet scent of maple syrup drifted in the air, making it feel like being abroad.
But Ann Vaughn’s mood wasn’t as sweet.
Kenny saw her stopping by the window of a handmade maple syrup shop for a long time and softly asked, "Does Mommy want to go in and look?"
Ann Vaughn shook her head slightly, her delicate brows frowning as she looked at the reflection in the window—
Since leaving the ski resort, she felt someone was following them. She initially thought it was an illusion, but it turned out to be real.
Who was that person? What did they want by following them?
If she were alone, she wouldn’t be afraid, but Kenny was here, and she didn’t dare to take risks.
Taking a deep breath, Ann Vaughn shook her head at Kenny, "Maybe next time. Let’s go back to the inn first."
The inn was crowded; whatever the stalker intended wouldn’t easily succeed.
After returning to the inn, Ann Vaughn mentioned this to the host and asked them to keep an eye out to prevent someone with bad intentions from breaking in.
The host immediately agreed.
But Ann Vaughn still felt uneasy. After having dinner in the courtyard, she took Kenny back upstairs.
Deep night.
The starlight was sparse on the velvety night sky, and all was silent.
After playing in the ski resort all day, Ann Vaughn and Kenny were both exhausted. They checked that the doors and windows were locked before lying down to sleep.
Click.
The sound of the lock turning and the door being pushed open was so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
Moments later, heavy footsteps slowly approached the big bed, reaching the side where Ann Vaughn lay, extending a hand towards her—
Swish!
Ann Vaughn, who had been lying down, suddenly opened her eyes. Simultaneously, she swung her arm, swiftly and fiercely attacking the person’s neck!
Her movement was swift, even stirring up a breeze with her palm, and since it was a sudden attack, in a completely unguarded moment, there was a 99% chance of her succeeding.
"Attempted murder?" A man’s slightly teasing, low voice emerged from the dim light, easily intercepting Ann Vaughn’s gathered strength hand with a gentle grip.
Ann Vaughn’s vigilant eyes froze for a moment. After turning on the main light in the room, her eyes widened.
How could she have imagined that the intruder in the middle of the night was not the stalker, but—
Cyrus Hawthorne!
He stood under the light, dressed in a dark suit with a long black coat draped over, his tall figure imposing. With one hand in his pocket, his lowered narrow eyes were calm and restrained, emotionless.
But merely standing there, he projected an overwhelming sense of security.
Ann Vaughn’s tightly wound heart suddenly relaxed, "I thought you were the one following Kenny and me..."
Her left palm still clutched several packets of tranquilizers, just in case.
"But, how are you here? I remember locking the door..."
Cyrus Hawthorne’s brows slightly furrowed, his voice deep, "The lock was tampered with."
No way?!
Ann Vaughn’s fingertips trembled, the feeling of fear creeping into her heart, sending chills down her spine.
If she had slept more deeply and if Cyrus Hawthorne hadn’t come over tonight...
The consequences would have been unimaginable.
"I’ll stay here tonight. Sleep well and don’t think about anything else," Cyrus Hawthorne said quietly, noticing her fear and soothingly rubbing the back of her neck.
Ann Vaughn glanced at Kenny sleeping soundly beside her, completely oblivious to everything, and slowly nodded.
But there was only one bed in the room, and the plush sofa was too small for Cyrus Hawthorne... Was he going to sit here all night?
While pondering this, Ann Vaughn noticed Cyrus Hawthorne gently brushing the snow off his coat.
The snow seemed heaviest on the hem of his coat and his trouser legs, and his shoulders were covered in a thin layer, indicating it had snowed heavily.
And despite braving the snow to come here, letting him sleep on the sofa seemed inappropriate...
After a long hesitation, Ann Vaughn finally spoke, "You... you should sleep here. After all, the bed is very spacious."
The man, who was about to settle on the sofa for the night, turned to look at her with a soft smile in his narrow eyes, "As you say."
"As you say—"
Those three words caused Ann Vaughn’s heart to tremble, her cheeks inexplicably warming, and she instinctively turned away.
Men can be such sweet talkers.
They just speak sweet words to appease her.
Remembering the ring and the news, Ann Vaughn’s heart chilled again.
After placing Kenny in the middle of the bed, Ann Vaughn lay on the right side, leaving the left side for Cyrus Hawthorne.
Then she turned her back to him, choosing to avoid it altogether.
Outside, the cold wind howled, bending the snow-laden branches, making the snow fall in clumps.
Inside, Ann Vaughn’s heart pounded furiously, plummeting in sync with it.