Chapter 71 You Have to Come with Me

Ellie was scarfing down her food like she hadn't eaten in days, while George was all calm and collected, picking up his fork and trying a bite of the beef. He gave a little nod of approval, then grabbed a shrimp, peeled it, and dropped it into Ellie's bowl. He knew she loved shrimp but hated the hassle of peeling them.

Ellie saw the shrimp in her bowl and grinned, showing off her teeth. She dipped it in some sauce and took a bite, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. "Is it good?" George asked with a smile, grabbing another shrimp.

"Mmm... yeah, it's awesome," Ellie mumbled, her mouth full.

"Then eat more. You're way too skinny," George said, thinking about how light she felt when he hugged her. She probably didn't even hit 100 pounds soaking wet. When they first met, she was a bit heavier, maybe around 105 or 110.

Ellie chuckled and swallowed the shrimp. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, do you actually like cooking, or are you just doing it to impress me and my dad?"

George paused mid-peel and looked at her, puzzled. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, most guys I know aren't really into cooking or housework," Ellie said.

George thought about it for a second, a bit unsure. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, look at my dad. He hates it."

"The guys I know just do it. I never really thought about whether they like it or not."

"Okay, but what about you? Do you like it?" Ellie pressed.

"I actually dig it. No one knows what they like better than themselves, right? It's like cooking for yourself, who wouldn't enjoy that?"

Ellie was stumped, but still couldn't wrap her head around liking to eat but not wanting to cook. George saw her confused look and chuckled, peeling another shrimp and dropping it in her bowl. "Just focus on eating, don't stress about the rest."

Seeing her happy made him feel good too. It was like a double dose of happiness. Ellie pouted, and George peeled yet another shrimp for her before grabbing a tissue to wipe his hands.

He picked up his chopsticks and said, "By the way, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Ellie asked, curious.

"The Director wants to transfer me somewhere else."

Ellie's hand froze mid-air, just about to grab a piece of cauliflower. "Transfer? Somewhere else?"

"Yeah, another city."

"Why?!" Ellie was shocked, her voice rising.

George wasn't surprised by her reaction. It was a big deal. "You know what went down recently. I was targeted, and the head of the bureau is worried about our safety. So, he's planning to transfer me to keep those troublemakers off our backs."

So that was the deal...

It felt sudden, but after George explained, Ellie thought the bureau Director's decision made sense. He genuinely cared about George's safety.

"So, where are you being transferred to? And what about those bad guys? Haven't they been caught yet?"
"They've been caught, and we've ID'd the rest of the crew behind them. But even if we close the net, some might still slip through. As for where... the bureau Director said he'll let me know once everything's set up. Should be about a week or so."

Ellie stared down at the shrimp in her bowl, her face scrunching up. "After you're transferred, will it be a long time before you can come back?"

George paused and then chuckled. "Don't worry. You're coming with me."

"Huh?" Ellie looked up, wide-eyed.

"So, you need to give the kindergarten a heads-up about quitting. And not just you, your parents too."

"Huh? My parents too? Why?"

"For your safety."

"But my dad's got two more years until retirement. How can he just leave?"

"Just arrange for an early retirement... a medical retirement. Fake a medical condition."

"Can we really do that? And my dad definitely won't agree," Ellie said, sure of herself.

"I think if we explain the situation to your dad, he'll get it. Just leave it to me."

"He really won't agree! And if we all go together, will there be enough space? If not, do my parents have to rent first?"

"Don't worry, there'll be enough space. The bureau Director said he'll set us up with a small villa."
"A small villa?!" Ellie practically shouted, totally floored. Who'd ever heard of a job giving out villas as housing?

George's face tightened a bit at her outburst. "Um... the bureau Director said I can't spill the details yet. The sacrifices for work have been pretty big, and now the whole family has to move. So, after some talks at the office, they decided to give me special consideration."

Ellie went quiet, her mind buzzing with a million thoughts. When she first met him, he had a detached house with a yard in the suburbs, something he said was left by his family. Later, she griped about the long commute, and boom, the organization gave him a place in the city. That seemed normal enough, but now a villa? That was over the top.

She suddenly remembered how he answered the phone in the car that night. She licked her lips nervously. "George. You gotta be straight with me. Why are those people after you? What do you really do when you're traveling? What's going on out there?"

George felt a weight settle on his shoulders, but he stubbornly replied, "I've already told you why they're after me. And you know what I do—it's just survey records..."

"Do you think I'm too dumb to see through your lies?"
He'd got a headache.