Chapter 379
It was 11 o’clock in the morning.
The sun cast its brilliant light upon Sapphire City, scorching everything in its path, mirroring the fiery heat that consumed.
Frank’s heart.
His car was parked at the entrance of the estate. Instead of entering, he dialed Ava’s number. He rested his head against the car seat, gazing skyward at the expanse adorned with a sun ablaze in fiery red.
Swiftly. Ava’s cheerful voice answered the call “Frank,” she said, “Are you awake?”
Her voice infused him with an unexplainable joy. Frank’s lips curved slightly as he responded, “Where are you going today?”
Ava’s tone held a touch of despair. With Alex on vacation and unable to visit Athana, time was constrained, and her words were tinged with resignation. “Reading at home and painting. There’s nowhere to go, she replied dejectedly.
In reality, her disappointment stemmed from not having a companion. She believed engaging with someone of vastly different perspectives would lead to mundane conversations. Coordinating activities with them would also be draining; she opted not to squander her time
Misaligned viewpoints gave rise to a lack of common ground – that’s what it boiled down to. They would never be on the same page.
Naturally, Frank discerned traces of disillusionment and languor in her words. “Come on out, he urged.
“Huh? What?” Ava, on the other end, queried in confusion.
Frank chuckled and said, “I am outside your residence. Get the driver to send you out. Let’s hang out for a while today”
The young girl seemed perplexed. Silence lingered on the line momentarily, and then Ava regained her bearings with a surprised tone. Her voice increased, and she asked, “Frank, are you outside? In Sapphire City? When did you arrive?”
Ava asked questions, but Frank did not find it bothersome. Her words tickled his heart, leaving it as light as a feather. He urged. “Step out, and I’ll explain.”
“Of course, I’m on my way. Stay on the line. I’ll put you on speaker. I’m dressed, and I will have to do my makeup. Wait for me. Ava responded, her words flowing without intent to end the call.
Frank did not disconnect either, and he agreed, saying, “Sure.”
Ava hurried to the bathroom, beginning her makeup routine. Gazing at her reflection, she realized her chosen attire was ideal for a date. Yet, facing a drawer overflowing with lipsticks, she wavered. She murmured to herself, “Which color should I opt for? Peach pink, cherry pink, subtle orange, apricot, or carrot?”
1
The abundance of lipstick choices ignited the struggle to decide.
Sometimes, an excess of options was not necessarily beneficial as it complicated the decision-making process.
Frank resolved her dilemma, albeit unsure himself. “Subtle orange,’ he suggested.
“Alright, I’m fond of that shade too. Now, should I wear sandals or sneakers? I’m wearing a dress today,” Ava pondered
aloud.
“Sneakers. I’ll take you rock climbing and archery, Frank said.
Such cool and exciting activities were typical to Ava’s liking; they should captivate her. Her delight already radiated through the phone.
“Give me a few more minutes. I’ll change into sportswear,” Ava replied, urgency colored her tone.
“Take your time,” he replied, unperturbed. The rest of his day belonged to her.
Roughly 15 minutes later, the estate’s gate swung open. A Bugatti emerged, coasting alongside Frank’s car.
A figure disembarked, clad in a sleeveless black and white striped top, white high-waisted shorts, and a beige decorative belt cinching her waist. Her cascading curly hair framed her face, and on her wrist gleamed the bracelet he had gifted her, its sparkle dancing with each movement,
A beige baseball cap rested atop the head, providing shelter from the warm sun. On the feet, a pair of small white shoes radiated youthful energy from head to toe.
Upon spotting her, Frank could not help but sigh inwardly. It appeared fitting for Hackett to classify him as a “manther.”
Swiftly opening the car door and stepping out, Ava briskly walked into his embrace. Her hands found rest at his waist, and she looked up at him with a joyful expression.
The surrounding bodyguards averted their gazes once more, adhering to an unspoken rule – if it was not meant to be seen, they looked away. The driver of the Bugatti immediately turned the car around and headed back to the estate.
Joy and unbridled surprise adorned Ava’s face, and she inquired, “How did you arrive?”
“Did I not promise to come see you? Frank replied.
“I was taken by surprise, Ava respondeil cheerily. She tiptoed and planted a kiss on Frank’s lips, not once but twice. How could a man who had missed someone so deeply restrain himself from such playful teasing?
Immediately, his hand cradled the back of her head, and the freshly applied lipstick immediately transferred to his lips. A sweet fragrance lingered between their lips, and as they parted, their tongues conveyed their mutual yearning. Time stood still as their desires intertwined.
Ava leaned softly against Frank’s chest as the kiss concluded, her breathing slightly heavier. She asked. ‘Did you miss me?”
“Mm. Frank replied lovingly. Ava had become adept at deciphering this automatic response – “Mm” meant “yes.
After discussing and determining a plan, the two established their itinerary: they would start with rock climbing, followed by archery. They intended to explore a haunted house and engage in jet skiing tomorrow.
At the Athana Hospital, Sherri had stopped Hackett from delivering special meals for his pregnant wife. Her prolonged detachment from the organization made reintegration necessary. To allow Rose some rest, Sherri arranged takeout for
everyone.
Rose was in a good mood because she would travel the next day, and Frank would cover the expenses. She could indulge herself. Holding her phone, she occupied Sherri’s office, awaiting the arrival of the food.
With time on her hands, she began scrolling through her friends’ posts. In the process, she came across Ava’s post. The photo depicted Ava rock climbing, gripping the ropes, and standing atop the highest point. Her triumphant gesture radiated happiness.
Frank evidently captured the photo.
It seemed Frank had meticulously planned their trip to Sapphire City, which explained why he had gone without her. As she thought about this. Rose sighed in resignation.
While waiting for the food, Natalie sifted through medical records. She glanced up, her suspicion evident, and questioned, “What’s on your mind? You’ve been sighing”
Sherri, who was seated next to them, puckered her lips and said, “You are nursing a heartache, aren’t you?”
In response, Rose propped her head and questioned, “Sherri, I have not even been in a relationship. How can I have a broken heart? I don’t even know where my boyfriend is.”
“That was a prolonged sigh. Tell me, why is this beauty heartbroken? Natalie asked poetically.
Similarly, Rose embraced her role as an actress and dramatically replied, “Cranky Franky had ruthlessly abandoned me. Spare me this discussion about heartaches.”
Witnessing this, Sherri was at a loss for words.
“Could you both communicate using the modern language? Cut out those fancy characters’ play. It is rather absurd.” Sherri commented as she could not bear witnessing their theatrics.
The modern language was less poetic. Rose began sharing the reason behind her sigh. In a sad voice, she said, “It’s just that Cranky Franky had promised to take me to Sapphire City tomorrow, yet he sneaked away without me last night.
“When I woke up, he was already in bed at the Sapphire Hotel. You can see it for yourself in Ava’s post. However, Cranky Franky felt remorse for his actions, so he got a ticket for me to go to Artroyland with all expenses covered.”
Rose’s chin tilted proudly as she spoke, clearly fond of her brother’s straightforward and assertive manner.
Mentally processing Rose’s words, Natalie reviewed their essence. Frank hai journeyed to Sapphire City in search of Ava.
Considering the timeline, the couple had been apart for nearly a month and clearly needed this reunton.
Seated nearby, Sherri’s primary concern was not Frank’s trip to Sapphire City but Rose’s impending journey to Artroyland the next day. She promptly messaged her brother, Edward, [Edward, are you traveling anywhere tomorrow?]
Edward promptly responded, 11 am not going anywhere.]
Sherri playfully tempted in response, [Don’t you want to travel? I’ve noticed you have been quite exhausted lately. As your little sister, I am extending an invitation to you for a few days of vacation.)
A whiff of suspicion reached Edward, and he said, (Get straight to the point.]
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