Ellinor paused before asking Baber, "You wanna leave this place?"
Baber looked a little nervy but he nodded anyway.
"And where do you want to go?" Ellinor asked again.
Baber tried his best to express himself, "The orphanage."
Orphanage?
Damn, the kid even wanted to go back to the orphanage. Life at the Howard's must really suck.
Ellinor gently ruffled his hair, trying to comfort him and build trust, "I'd love to give you a hand, but you’ve gotta understand, I'm just a guest here, and Patricia is your legal guardian. Unless we can find some dirt on her and strip her of her custody, I can't help you leave this place."
Baber was all ears, but his understanding was limited, and he still looked at her with a puzzled expression.
Ellinor realized she might have been talking over his head.
She sighed and simplified, “What I’m saying is, you’ve gotta be patient. Wait for the right moment, and I’ll help you make a run for it, okay?”
Baber looked blank for a moment, but his eyes gradually lost their guarded look, and he obediently nodded.
Ellinor stressed again, "To keep yourself safe, you’ve gotta learn to play it cool. Don't be too quick to show resistance when things get tough. It'll just make the bad guys meaner. Pretend to like them, got it?"
Baber looked lost again. It seemed like he was in a daze once more.
Ellinor was patient. She took a necklace from around her neck and put it around Baber's, adjusting it to fit him.
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