Chapter 23 Visiting Mr. Lester

(William's POV)
I am grateful to Mrs. Anderson for providing me with the relevant information, but of course, if I had not happened to know that she was Lena's teacher, I think I would have been depressed.
"As you know, Mr. Hill, Miss Lester is a good student and I deeply regret that she did not pursue her studies further, but whatever choice she makes is her business, and when you see her, I hope you will give her my regards instead."
The fact that Lena did not continue her studies must have something to do with Rafael.
However, I came to visit Mrs. Anderson but also used Lena in the same way before I got her file.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Anderson, maybe Lena will be back before long."
"That couldn't be better."
After I left Lena's school, I followed the address above her message and found her father's residence.
The Lester family's house didn't look very bad, but I can't think of what caused Lena to become homeless.
When I rang the doorbell, the person who answered the door was a woman with very delicate makeup.
"Hello ma'am, I'd like to speak to Mr. Lester."
The woman opened the door completely, and then, she made an inviting gesture to me, "Please come in, sir, my husband is not finished with his work yet, so if you don't mind, you can wait for him in the guest room for a while."
"I certainly don't mind." Mrs. Lester poured me tea, and I did not look very boldly, however, without seeing even the slightest trace of Lena.
Their wall hangings were just themselves, and one other lady.
The lady now came downstairs "Mom - when can we go out?"
"When your father comes back, dear, he hasn't got the key, and we have guests to entertain now, you should get yourself cleaned up." Mrs. Lester's tone was stern, but her expression was very doting.
I saw her daughter walk down and unintentionally, we both looked at each other.
She looked frozen for a moment, then ran back upstairs in great alarm, "Damn!"
Mrs. Lester chuckled softly, "My daughter, Mary."
Mary soon came downstairs, she and Lena do look somewhat similar, but Lena looks more mature and gentle, she is more childish and tender a little.
I made small talk with Mrs. Lester while I was waiting, most of it revolving around a few questions related to me. She asked me where I worked and if I had a girlfriend now.
To be honest, I was answering very seriously until I realized that Mary was interested in me, until Mrs. Lester said, "Mary is a person too."
I then realized that Mary did have a somewhat enthusiastic expression on her face.
I was soon rescued by the arrival of Mr. Lester.
Mary very insistently slipped me her phone before following her mother out the door.
I looked to Mr. Lester and explained my intentions to him, "Mr. Lester, I was hoping you could help Lena out."
I thought that the father would have some special reaction after hearing something about his daughter, but he seemed very alert as if Lena should not exist.
Out of courtesy, he asked me why.
I told him about Lena's captivity by Raphael.
However, Mr. Lester's reaction was a little different from what I thought.
"That woman ran out on her own, and she should be responsible for anything that happens."
I didn't expect that Lena's father would have such an attitude.
"But, Mr. Lester, she is your daughter."
"I think that even though she is my daughter, she should pay for it."
"Sir, I know that Lena has done something to make you a little angry, but now I can't think of anyone else but you to get her out, and I think that if it's Lena's father who comes forward, Raphael might let Lena go."
The father did not know Raphael's name.
Nevertheless, I was patient enough to introduce him to the Hill family in response to his inquiry.
Mr. Lester was silent for a moment, then said to me, "Son, I know you're in a hurry, but this is something I can't guarantee I can do anything about."
I tried to persuade something else, but he interrupted me: "I'll give it a try, son."
"You do, don't you?"
"Yes."
I think this is probably the only good thing that has happened to me.
Now, I can only put all my hopes on Mr. Lester.
(Rafael's POV)
Landon helped me put the paperwork in order. Lena seemed very curious about this and she leaned over. I closed the page of the computer and turned my head to look at her.
"What do you want to see?" I asked out loud, and Lena looked very displeased with my behavior.
She rolled her eyes and sat back down, "I thought it was a new assignment, but now it looks like it's not."
"It's the first time I've seen someone like you."
Lena looked unhappy with my comment as she looked over at me, "I'm just passionate about what I do, Rafael, shouldn't you be happier?"
"I'd be happier if you were more enthusiastic about me than you are about your work."
This statement made Lena a little speechless, she opened her mouth to refute me, but, after thinking about it, she probably thought there was nothing wrong with it.
The document Landon gave me was not about work, it was the result of the investigation I had him do, and it was specific information about Lena's family.
It was the first time I learned such comprehensive information about her.
Lena's mother died the day she was born, and for a long time after that, she was living with her grandparents. Three years ago, she returned to her father because of her grandmother's death, and then her grandfather also left.
Three years later, Lena left his father's house to work at Ryan's bar.
I glanced at Lena, who was working earnestly. Seemingly sensing my gaze, Lena looked up at me, "What's wrong?"
"You had a bad relationship with your father?"
Lena nodded, there was something lost in her expression and she didn't seem to want to discuss the topic with me, "What did you want to ask?"
"Nothing, it just suddenly came to me."
"I heard from Bob that you went to see your father once you got back from the Maldives."
When I heard that, I narrowed my eyes.
Bob and Lena seem to have such a good relationship that she hears a lot of things about me from him, and it seems like a good time to remind Bob of that.
"That's right."
"Rafael, are you not on good terms with your father either?"
"Not very bad, but not very good either."
Lena responded, "Rafael, you're not secretly investigating me, are you?"
"Not, Lena, I want to get to know you."
"You could have just asked me and I would have told you all about it."
"I didn't mean to ask a question like whether you want to invite your father to the wedding."
Lena listened to this and froze for a moment, but soon she reacted and laughed out loud straight away.
"I'm sorry, Raphael, I thought we could have considered this kind of question later."
I didn't say anything, not because of what Lena said.
She looked more to be nervous though, wondering if she had said the wrong thing: "Rafael, are you already planning a wedding?"
I nodded my head.
"I know my father should be present, except that it's a little difficult to get him to agree to come, I mean, I'll try to"
"It's okay, Lena, leave it to me."
The girl wants to be blessed, and if blessings can only be reaped, I think she might prefer that the people who bless her be her family.
Lena is a very family-oriented person, I understand, otherwise, she would not have left home in the first place to come to her father.
Lena seemed a little unresponsive.
I repeated, "Leave it to me."
Lester's appointment was at a coffee shop with little taste.
The place is backwardly decorated and many of the facilities are outdated. The only advantage is that there are few people and the environment is very quiet.
I arrived ten minutes early and Lester followed.
Lena does look a bit like him, but I think Lena's mother must be a beauty, otherwise, she would not look so beautiful.
Lester's attitude was somewhat arrogant; he probably thought he was the elder and I was supposed to respect him. But it was clear that by coming over today, I was here to tell him what to do.
"Mr. Lester, your daughter is doing well with me, and I think that what you said to my father in the first place seems a little inappropriate."
"But, Mr. Hill-"
"You can just address me as Raphael."
"Rafael, I think that Lena decided who she wants to live with, and this should be with our consent, and I think that even your father, I'm afraid, does not approve of this."
Hearing this, my eyes swept over Lester's cheeks.
He didn't seem to want to settle the matter with me.
How Lester treated Lena is very clear to me.
"What do you want to talk to me about, Mr. Lester? Do you want your daughter back, or do you want to just leave her behind completely?"
"I think, Rafael, you may not know that I am ashamed to have such a daughter, and I do not know exactly what she has bewitched you with, but it is your freedom to choose her, and if you want me to give her to you, just buy one thing like you like."
Lester's mouth made me understand why Lena wanted to leave her father.
If in the beginning, I had hoped that Lester could attend the wedding, now I have changed my mind.
"Mr. Lester, you probably don't know that your little company has some partnership with the Hill Group."
Lester's face changed.
I'm glad to see that he still has something to care about.
"I'd be far better off working with a company that's not doing well than making the woman I love a little happier, don't you think?"