Chapter 583 The Back Looks Like That Man
So, Harper had stitched a button-sized tracker into the swallow pattern on the gift early that morning. Every gift had one of these little trackers hidden inside.
To make sure it didn't go off by accident, Harper used a super tricky embroidery technique that only Elodie knew how to undo, which would set off the tracker.
Jasper, not even caring about the gunshot wound on his shoulder, grabbed his laptop and fired up the satellite tracking for the locator.
In just five seconds, he cracked it and found out the tracker was at Arthur's place!
It was clear now—Arthur had stashed Elodie in his basement.
All they had to do was figure out where the basement entrance was to get to Elodie.
Rhodes quickly came up with a plan to check out Arthur's villa again.
But on the day of the operation, Rhodes hit a snag. He got word that Arthur had hired a famous craftsman from Emerald Isle to rig the whole villa with defense mechanisms. One button, and the whole place would go up in flames.
Rhodes hesitated. This wasn't just about the team’s safety; Elodie was down there too.
Everyone was stunned by Arthur's move. Who would rig their own house with such dangerous stuff?
What had driven Arthur to such extremes?
So, the plan to rescue Elodie had to be put on hold.
Rhodes talked to a bunch of old craftsmen to figure out how this device worked, hoping for a breakthrough.
After days of research, they hit a dead end. The only option was to lure Arthur out and search his house quickly while he was gone.
But Arthur hadn't left his house in days and was turning down all invitations.
This made everyone even more anxious.
Harper was also on edge for days because of this.
Vincent noticed Harper's bad mood and suggested they go out to eat since Jasper needed a break too.
Harper wasn't really into it, but Vincent had been a huge help and was working tirelessly on the Elodie situation.
She didn't want to let Vincent down, so she agreed.
It was Valentine's Day in Emerald Isle.
So, lots of young couples and married folks were out celebrating.
Vincent took Harper out for dinner, hoping the local celebrations would cheer her up.
The streets were lit up beautifully.
Harper, seeing the lively scene, did forget her worries for a bit.
They walked through the bustling streets for a while. Vincent, worried someone might bump into Harper, held her hand tightly and shielded her with his other arm.
As they strolled, Harper glanced around and spotted a familiar figure on the external stairs of a shop.
She did a double-take, but it was just some guy who, aside from his height, didn't look anything like the person she thought she saw.
Harper figured she must be seeing things. Francis was back home for rehab. He still had a month to go and needed to avoid heavy work for a while. So, how could he be here?
"What are you looking at?" Vincent asked, noticing Harper staring off into space.
Harper shook her head, "Nothing."
She didn't want to dig into why she mistook another guy for Francis.
Lately, with everything going on with Elodie, she hadn't thought about Francis much, which was probably a good thing.
But memories were like a stubborn nail in her heart, hard to pull out. The fading didn't hurt as much, but every time she saw a familiar figure on the street, it felt like a sharp, needle-like sting.
At the restaurant, Harper's face was a bit sweaty.
Vincent handed her a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. Once they sat down, the table was loaded with seafood.
Vincent knew Harper loved seafood, and Emerald Isle had plenty of it. But because she was pregnant, Harper had been cautious about what she ate.
Tonight, though, Vincent had done his homework. The seafood on the table was safe for pregnant women to eat in moderation to get some nutrients.
Hearing this, Harper felt relieved and started eating with gusto.
Some shellfish were a pain to peel, so Vincent peeled a few shrimp for Harper and picked out some other goodies, quickly filling her plate.
Harper felt a bit embarrassed, "Vincent, you should peel some for yourself. I have enough."
Vincent kept peeling and piling food on Harper's plate, saying, "You can eat a bit more today to boost your energy."
Harper's due date was about two weeks away. If she went back to Clayton's place for the birth, it wouldn't be as safe as staying here. With so many people around to care for her, her safety during childbirth was much better assured.
The plan to check out Arthur's house kept getting pushed back.
Vincent watched Harper eat happily and contentedly, and a smile crept onto his face.
He thought for a moment and decided to say what had been on his mind, "Harper, after spending this time together, I've realized that my initial fondness for you has grown into something more."
The sudden confession left Harper stunned.
"Vincent, you..." Harper didn't know what to say. The last time Vincent said something like this was in Northfield.
But back then, it felt more like he was looking for a marriage partner, unlike today, where he was expressing his feelings for her.
Harper felt that Vincent's serious attitude today was a real confession, and she suddenly felt a sense of burden.
Vincent didn't want Harper to feel pressured and explained, "I just want you to give me a chance to pursue you. Of course, you can refuse, but I still want to try."
He paused and then grinned, "Mind if I toot my own horn a bit first?"
His playful tone lightened the mood, and Harper couldn't help but smile. "Go ahead."
Vincent's goal was to ease Harper's tension, but when she actually agreed to listen, he got a bit nervous.
Single for thirty years, and this was the first time he felt this way.
"Okay, so my family background isn't the greatest, but I've distanced myself from all that. I don't have any bad habits, and I'd never cheat. I'd love only you for the rest of my life. If we start a family, I'll be all in and try to be a great dad. And if you don't want more kids, that's fine. Agnes and the babies you're carrying will be my only children."
Honestly, that last part really hit home.
He was willing to forgo having his own biological kids and treat Harper's three as his own. That kind of commitment was pretty rare.
But Harper had always thought she might never fall in love again.
She'd been through so much and didn't have much to show for it.
She suddenly thought of Molly, who had been dragged down by so-called love and ended up in a dark place.
After breaking free, Molly seemed to be doing well.
Harper also thought about her three kids. She was confident she could raise them well, but would not having a father affect them?
Seeing Harper's distress, Vincent said, "Harper, you don't have to answer me now. Let's get through the current challenges first, and then take it slow. Even if you reject me in the end, it's okay."
The more Vincent said this, the more Harper felt awkward.
"Vincent, my situation is different from most people. I'm afraid I might end up holding you back." Harper was being honest. Vincent was a great guy, but she wasn't sure if trying would change her feelings.
Right now, Harper saw Vincent as a brother, someone she had a familial bond with.
She wasn't sure if that would change if they got closer.
Giving any response now felt irresponsible.
So, she was really conflicted.
Vincent smiled and said, "Harper, everything I'm doing is my choice. You don't need to feel burdened. I'm attracted to you, and I can handle my own feelings. I don't want to use the excuse of a fake marriage to get close to you; that's just sleazy. I want to be upfront about my feelings, and you always have the right to step back."
This conversation would move anyone, not just Harper.
It wasn't just about love; it was about being moved by Vincent's genuine character.
Such an upright person made Harper feel unworthy of his affection.
Harper thought for a moment and said, "Vincent, I really appreciate your feelings."
That kind of opening usually meant a rejection was coming.
Vincent's eyes dimmed slightly. He didn't want Harper to answer now because he wasn't ready to hear a rejection so soon.
That way, he wouldn't even have the right to like her from afar.
"I'll think about what you said," Harper replied.
Vincent didn't expect that and was momentarily stunned, not knowing what to say.
Harper felt that at least she didn't dislike Vincent. If she were to form another family, Vincent would be a good choice.
She wanted to become better, to be someone who could guide her children. Having a stable partner would make things much easier.
When she had only one child, Harper might not have considered these things. But with the baby about to be born, her considerations had increased.
Vincent was clearly a stable man, but not one for sweet talk.
After a long pause, Vincent said, "Thank you, Harper."
Harper found it amusing and playfully replied, "Thank you too, Vincent."
Vincent felt a joy in his heart that was about to overflow.
When they left the restaurant, it started snowing again.
Emerald Isle was great in many ways, but it was too cold. Harper always had to dress warmly to go out.
Vincent put fluffy gloves on her before holding her hand to walk back.
There was quite a turnout on the street tonight that it was easy to get bumped into if they didn't hold hands.
But tonight was very strange. Harper saw the man's figure again in the distance, and this time it felt even more familiar.
The prominent lines of his back made Harper feel for a moment that it was Francis.
Vincent saw Harper distracted again and followed her gaze. With one look, he understood.
That back did look a lot like Francis.
But Harper quickly adjusted her emotions, pulled Vincent's hand, and said, "Vincent, let's go."
Vincent thought they could go and check. It wasn't that he didn't mind at all, but because Francis and Harper had this connection. It wasn't something that could be avoided by not talking about it.
It was better to face their relationship openly, especially since it involved the children. As their father, Francis couldn't be avoided forever.
Vincent thought it was better to adapt early so that future meetings with the children would be natural and not awkward.
But since Harper said so, Vincent didn't say anything more and nodded. "Okay, let's go."
On the way back, Harper wasn't very enthusiastic, probably because she had mistaken strangers for Francis twice.
She didn't know why she suddenly kept thinking of Francis.
After returning to the villa, Vincent gave Harper a bag of sleep-aiding herbal incense. It had been checked by a doctor and was safe with no side effects for pregnant women.
Recently, Harper hadn't been sleeping well. The closer she got to her due date, the harder it was to sleep.
Harper took it, thanked him, and went inside, planning to check on Jasper first.
But as soon as she entered the hall, the herbal incense in her hand suddenly fell to the ground!
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