NovelEnglishHe didn't say a word, just marched over to her suitcase in the room, grabbed her hand, and headed straight out the door.
At that moment, Maja's phone buzzed again, but she paid it no mind, her thoughts whirling around how lan had shown up so
unexpectedly.
Her mind was a mess, and since he wasn't speaking either, she, feeling guilty, stayed silent as well.
Plus, she'd had a bout of stomachache earlier, and she wasn't feeling her best.
It wasn't until she was about to get into the car that her phone rang once more.
Her luggage had already been stashed in the trunk, and lan had gone to the driver's side, while Maja stood outside to take the call.
"Maja, where are you? Didn't | tell you not to wander off?"
She stiffened, her mind suddenly sharp as a tack. What did he mean?
"lan?"
"Yeah."
lan sounded frantic. "Why aren't you in your room? Where did you go?"
Panic gripped her, and she instinctively stepped back.
The twilight obscured her vision, allowing her to see only the silhouette of the man in the car.
Even with her newfound clarity, the man seemed so much like lan.
She felt as though she had been pricked by a thorn, retreating several steps back to the hotel entrance.
The man in the car turned then, staring at her.
Not just the profile, but even the full face bore a strong resemblance to lan.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtlan and his actual brother, Patric, shared only a slight resemblance, but this man in the car could pass for lan about seventy
percent.
He kept his gaze fixed on her, eventually revealing a sly grin.
A cold sweat broke out on Maja's back until the real lan grabbed her hand from behind.
But the car was already pulling away, her suitcase gone with it.
Thankfully, it contained only a few simple items of clothing.
The warmth of the hand gripping her wrist was so distinct, it chased away the chill inside her.
Yet she was still terrified.
She dared not tell lan what had happened, as she had chere secretly. If lan found out, he would surely send her back
immediately, and she didn't want to go.
lan held her hand, his voice tinged with relief and fear.
"Why did you cdown here on your own?"
"l just needed sair."
"Maja, I'm staying here with you, and Dylan will be joining us later. You can't wander off anymore, stay by my side, okay?"
Having been frightened out of her wits, Maja was now completely sober and instinctively hugged lan.
lan froze for a moment, then realizing what was happening, felt a sweet warmth spread through him, his lips curving into a smile.
"What's wrong?"
"lan, please don't sendback. I'll stay in the hotel if | have to."
Hearing her obedient tone, lan couldn't bear to send her away. If necessary, he would just have more of his people cto guard
the hotel perimeter, to keep anyone from approaching her room.
"lI won't send you back, but you have to promise to stay in your room and not go out. | won't keep anything from you when I'm
discussing business with Dylan and the others."
"Okay."
Maja breathed a sigh of relief but thought of the man who had just appeared, and unease crept back into her heart.
Who was that man, and what was his purpose? Was someone grooming an lan doppelganger, just as lan had groomed a double for
her?
lan escorted her back to her room.
After the scare, Maja was sweating and took a shower in the bathroom.
When she cout, she saw lan at the desk, his laptop open in front of him.
There was a knock at the door from the woman staying next door.
"Maja, are you asleep? I've brought you slate-night comfort food."
lan's alertness spiked at the sound of her voice. "Who's that?"
"She's someone | met in the hallway; she's looking for her brother."
As she spoke, Maja opened the door.
The woman stood there holding a container, still warm.
"I went out specially to find sbeef stew for you. You only had soup for dinner, and this will be more filling for the night."
"Thank you."
Maja took the container.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThe woman's eyes followed the exchange and locked with lan's. She tensed up immediately, becoming just as cautious.
"And who might this be?"
Her question echoed lan's, both sensing the other was no simple character.
"This is my husband. | chere especially to find him."
"I see. Well, you should get srest then."
The woman didn't linger and promptly closed the door.
Once outside, she stood there, frowning deeply.
Maja, holding the stew, sat next to lan.
After all they had been through, simply sitting together felt like bliss.
lan eyed the container she was holding, his tone flat, "Don't just eat anything people give you, and that woman's not ordinary."
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