Chapter 722 Innocent And Adorable
"If they accept the inevitable, it will be good for everybody. Then, you won't have to worry about her escaping when she is yours. Isn't that perfect?"
Uncle Jasper explained, and the man agreed as he nodded.
"Yes, Uncle Jasper. You're right."
Convinced, he smiled and added pleasantly, "Well, that's settled then. I'll go back and raise the money. I'll be back when the money is ready.
Uncle Jasper waved his hand in agreement, and the man left.
Clarissa watched as the other man left while Uncle Jasper finished his pipe before going into the house.
Without a sound, she stealthily crept inside through the backdoor.
Upon returning to her room, Clarissa was all sixes and sevens.
Nora was not asleep yet as she was waiting for Clarissa's return.
As Clarissa walked in, Nora asked, "Are you better now? Is your tummy better?"
With a nod, Clarissa replied, "I'm fine now."
As she spoke, she secured the door and then listened for any sounds outside with her ear against the door. After making sure that no one was outside, she turned and walked over.
Confused, Nora could only watch with wide-eyed bewilderment.
Clarissa sat on the side of the bed and explained in a soft voice, "I saw two people chatting outside on my way back from the toilet just now."
As expected, Nora was surprised and wondered, "Who can be chatting outside at this time of the night?"
To which Clarissa replied, "One of them is someone we know. It's Uncle Jasper."
"And? Who is the other person?"
"I don't know the other person, but he should be from this village. Guess what they were discussing?"
Seeing that Clarissa wanted to keep her in suspense, Nora played along and made a guess.
"Does it have anything to do with us?"
"Yes." Clarissa nodded in reply, "Our guess is correct. We have walked into a human trafficking nest, and this Uncle Jasper is the main guy behind. I just overheard him telling the other guy that he wants to sell both of us. The joke is that we are only worth thirty thousand dollars each."
Nora's face turned pale with shock.
She could not believe her ears.
If it were not for Clarissa overheard and telling her these, she would never believe that such activities still existed.
It shook Nora hard, and she became nervous as she asked,
"Then, what should we do now?"
Surprisingly, Clarissa was very composed, "Don't worry. Uncle Jasper said you won't fetch a good price with your broken leg. He has to wait till you have recovered. So, we should be safe for a month or so."
Relieved, Nora heaved a big sigh.
As Clarissa stared at the planks above her and contemplated, she explained, "You'll almost fully recover from the fracture in a month and should be able to move around. I'll do my best to explore and familiarise myself with the terrain this month."
"We are lucky that those assailants did not find this place. At least we are safe for now," she added.
However, Nora still had some misgivings.
"But... didn't you promise to celebrate Anne's birthday with her? Her birthday is this weekend, only four days away. How are you going to wait for a month?"
Her question troubled Clarissa, and she fell quiet.
Yes, she did promise her daughter that.
These past few years, she had always kept her promises to Anne.
Of course, she did not want to break her promise, but now it was not a matter of whether she could keep her promise.
There was no way for Nora to travel long distances in her present state.
Clarissa would not want Nora to have any long-term physical ailment because of the promise Clarissa made to Anne.
So, she could only be sorry and break her promise.
That thought was depressing, as she sighed resignedly and answered,
"There's no other way. No one can foresee such things happening. Let's make sure you recover, and we'll make up to Anne when we're back."
Nora understood that there was no other way.
So, she nodded in agreement, feeling a bit guilty in her heart.
It was her fault that she broke her leg when she hit the rock as she landed.
Otherwise, she would be able to escape together with Clarissa now.
They fell silent as they lay on the bed in the quiet of the night, each struggling with her own emotions.
Clarissa woke up early the next morning.
Although their situation might not be good, the morning air in the mountain was the best.
She went for a walk and enjoyed the fresh air until it was time for breakfast.
Uncle Jasper and the others knew with Nora's leg fractured and the close relationship Clarissa and Nora shared, Clarissa would not abandon Nora.
So nobody hindered Clarissa, and she walked around freely.
This unexpected freedom was a bonus to Clarissa.
However, she was only free to walk within a certain radius around Uncle Jasper's compound.
She would be asked to turn back the moment she stepped outside of the limit.
They would tell her that the mountain paths were like a maze, that she would get lost easily, and so on. At this time, Clarissa did not want to have a confrontation with them, so she turned back, pretending that she did not know about their actual intention.
Back in her room, with a piece of charcoal she lifted from the kitchen, she drew a map of the terrain that she had surveyed.
She lodged the piece of paper between a stone and her bed. No one would notice it unless they were looking for it.
As Clarissa drew, she voiced out, "They are still a little wary of me now, so they don't allow me to go far. But, I will find a chance to go further to take a look and draw a bigger map."
Nora nodded.
After thinking for a moment, Nora suddenly proposed, "Clarissa, there is a problem I thought about last night."
Clarissa raised her eyebrows in surprise over Nora's words and asked.
"What is it?"
"I'm thinking, although my leg is fractured, I believe I can still beat up the old couple downstairs with a clutch or even when sitting in a wheelchair," Nora voiced out.
Clarissa was flabbergasted at her reply.
Then, she could not help but burst out laughing.
Nora thought that Clarissa laughed because Clarissa doubted her ability.
So, she hurriedly added, "I'm serious. I really think I can do it. If that's not enough, then I will use a knife as well."
Clarissa patted her on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Nora, I just found out today that you're so innocent and adorable."
Innocent and adorable?
Clarissa's statement confused Nora as to why she would consider her that way.
Everyone's impression of Nora was that of a cold as ice killer, the type that made others tremble at first sight.
This was the first time someone described her as... innocent and adorable!
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