Chapter 298: Chapter 286: Joel, Go Get Shelly
Early in the morning, everyone on Flora Bloom’s team gathered at her house for breakfast, except for the fifty new recruits who were making their own congee in a separate villa.
Except for Shelly.
Breakfast consisted of congee and noodles, as well as Flora Bloom’s favorite pan-fried dumplings and tea eggs. As everyone ate the hearty meal, almost no one noticed Shelly was missing.
Maeve Preston and Shelly lived on the second floor of the villa to the right of Flora Bloom’s house—the one with medical equipment on the first floor.
"Maeve, why didn’t Shelly come with you today? Breakfast is almost over."
Maeve paused. "Huh? You’re right. That little rascal is usually the most eager one when it comes to getting a bite to eat! She can’t still be in bed, can she?"
"Who’s finished? Go take a look," Flora Bloom asked casually, taking a bite of a pan-fried dumpling. ’Perfect!’ she thought. She watched as Joel Bloom slowly set down his chopsticks, hesitating as if he wanted to speak but then holding his tongue. So, Flora said,
"Joel, are you done? Why don’t you go get Shelly? Otherwise, we’re going to finish everything!"
Joel Bloom nodded, stood up, and walked toward the villa next door.
Flora Bloom and Cynthia Grant exchanged a look, then started eating faster.
Soon, Joel Bloom ran back, panting. "Sis! Maeve! Shelly’s not in her room. Did she go out early this morning?"
Maeve Preston thought for a moment. "Sigh, I’m not sure. I was up at the crack of dawn to give Selina an ultrasound, and I didn’t see her come out."
Flora Bloom and Cynthia Grant held back their laughter. Cynthia suddenly stood up, a look of panic on her face. "Don’t tell me she didn’t come home last night! This is bad. What if something happened to her?"
"I’ll go look for her." Joel Bloom’s face turned pale. He spun around and ran out the villa’s main door.
Flora Bloom understood her brother. He was young and thoughtless, a typical rebellious teen. He couldn’t tell the difference between honeyed words hiding a dagger and genuine sincerity, but he cared immensely for the person he liked.
Flora Bloom had always thought Shelly was a good person, but just that—good. She’d never thought about setting the two of them up. But seeing this today, it seemed there might actually be a chance for them.
Caleb Bloom and Jade were still trying to figure out what was going on as they watched their son’s retreating back. Flora Bloom explained the situation and told everyone not to interfere. As long as the issue with Lucia wasn’t resolved, it would remain a thorn in Joel’s heart—one that would hurt and sicken him whenever it was pulled.
Flora Bloom once again grabbed Cynthia Grant and headed to Villa Area 1, to the villa they used to live in behind the quarantine gate.
"Shelly, are you awake? I brought you breakfast!"
Cynthia Grant’s voice echoed through the villa, but there was no reply.
"Shelly? Are you here?" Flora Bloom quickly opened and checked every room on the first and second floors. Still, no one.
"We agreed to meet at this villa. Why isn’t Shelly here?"
Flora Bloom also found it strange. "If she were in danger, my swarm would have definitely warned me. Could she have left on her own?"
Flora Bloom thought it over and over. Shelly wasn’t that inconsiderate! If she had to go out, she would have definitely told them or left a note in the villa. But there was nothing.
Suddenly, a sharp glint flashed in Flora Bloom’s eyes. "It’s Chester Bell!"
She really couldn’t figure out how Shelly had disappeared. Who could take someone without alerting her swarm? And who could make Shelly leave willingly on her own?
She could only think of one person: Chester Bell. With his talent, all he needed were enough Crystal Cores and his superpower could immediately break through to Level 3 or even higher.
At that moment, in the basement of Zane Locke’s villa, Chester Bell and Lucia were looking down at Shelly’s unconscious form on the floor.
"I’m telling you, Chester Bell, what do you even see in this nurse? Her looks are average, her body is so-so. Are you stupid? A Spiritual Ability User like you could have any beautiful woman you want. Why are you so fixated on her?"
Chester Bell glanced tenderly at Shelly on the floor. "Lucia, my feelings for her are not something a woman like you could understand! Since we’ve both achieved our goals, you can leave now!"
Lucia shot Chester Bell a contemptuous look. "Your goal might be achieved, but mine isn’t! That bitch Flora Bloom! If it weren’t for her, I’d be living a good life behind the quarantine gate right now. I wouldn’t have had a miscarriage!"
The disdain in Charles Bell’s eyes was undisguised. "My boss wanting you was him doing you a favor! So what if you had a miscarriage? With a woman like you, there’s a good chance that baby in your belly wasn’t even Joel Bloom’s kid!"
Lucia suddenly burst out laughing. "Him? Get me pregnant? As if he’s worthy! The one time he thought we were together, I was the one who got him drunk on purpose. Afterward, I told everyone he forced himself on me while he was drunk! I’d never fall for a naive little boy who’s so clingy and persistent!"
...
Back in the villa behind the quarantine gate, Yue Mao found Flora Bloom and Cynthia Grant, a smug grin on his face.
"Miss, you’d better have a reward for me this time!"
Flora Bloom frowned, in no mood to deal with him. "Shelly’s missing. We have to find her."
The grin on Yue Mao’s face widened. "She’s in the basement of Zane Locke’s villa. Chester Bell and Lucia are there too!"
Flora Bloom froze, then let out a breath of relief. "Whew, so it was Chester Bell after all!"
"That kid’s superpower seems to have leveled up. I didn’t dare go invisible and enter the basement room, so I could only eavesdrop from the door! But that’s not all. I’ve got something that I think you’ll definitely thank me for!"
Yue Mao’s grin was now so smug it was punchable. Just as Flora Bloom was wondering what he was up to, he suddenly pulled a recording pen from his pocket. The red light blinking on it indicated its battery was about to die.
"Here. The battery issue is your problem. My mission is complete, right?"
Flora Bloom took the recording pen and looked at Yue Mao in confusion. "What’s on this?"
Yue Mao gave her a mysterious and smug smile. "Something to help you and your brother solve your problem!"
Just then, The Crown Prince and Lynx appeared behind Flora Bloom. "Sister-in-law, do you need our help?"
Flora Bloom thought for a moment, then said, "Help me keep an eye on Shelly. Make sure she’s safe."
"What about your brother?" The Crown Prince asked curiously.
"Yeah, Sister-in-law! They even kidnapped Shelly. They definitely won’t let your brother off the hook either!"
Flora Bloom shook her head. "Since they went to all the trouble of kidnapping Shelly, they won’t be in a hurry to kill my brother."
"Yue Mao, go and secretly follow Joel. Just follow him, don’t get involved in anything else!" Yue Mao nodded, and his figure vanished.
"The Crown Prince, Lynx—that Spiritual Ability User in Zane Locke’s basement, Chester Bell... I suspect he’s reached Level 3, so you two need to be careful too! That kid is a bit paranoid. As long as nothing happens to Shelly, don’t make a move."
"Yes, Sister-in-law!"
The Crown Prince and Lynx vanished, once again leaving just Flora Bloom and Cynthia Grant in the villa.
"Flora, what’s the use of us doing all this? For a lot of things, you could just tell Joel directly. He wouldn’t necessarily disbelieve you!"
Flora Bloom shook her head. "He’s changed a lot recently, but there are some things he won’t learn unless he experiences them himself."
Cynthia Grant agreed with Flora’s point of view. "It’s just... this is hard on Shelly!"
"With The Crown Prince and Lynx there, she’ll be fine."
