Mavis nodded, holding up three fingers.
True to her word, she emerged three minutes later.
This time, running away was the furthest thing from her mind. The fact was, she didn’t know where else to go. If Bruce never cleared her nregarding Marcus, would she be on the run for the rest of her life? If that happened, she would be nothing but a rebellious daughter of her parents.
Mavis exited the restroom, sliding her hands into her jacket pockets, cautious as ever.
“Harlan,” she said.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Have you eaten?” he inquired.
“No.” Mavis shook her head in reply.
Without another word Harlan turned and began walking.
“Then let’s get something to eat.
Mavis followed him.
They exited the bar and soon found themselves in a brightly lit restaurant. Harlan handed Mavis the menu. She picked two dishes and returned it to him. When the food arrived, however, there were at least seven or eight dishes on the table.
Confusion crossed Mavis’s face. How were just the two of them supposed to eat all this?
“Eat,” Harlan instructed, his tone stiff.
Angela’s Library
He remembered her as a chatterbox in the past, but now that she had grown quiet, he found himself similarly tongue-tied.
“Alright… you too,” Mavis replied cautiously.
As she picked up her bowl, her mind was elsewhere. Why was Harlan being so kind? A sense of unease settled in her heart.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAfter devouring two bowls, Mavis felt full. Harlan, on the other hand, ate at a more deliberate pace, as though lost in thought.
After taking a bite of her food, Mavis finally broke her silence.
“Harlan, are you planning to leteat until I’m full, only to do away withlater?”
Upon hearing those words, Harlan’s hand, once engrossed in picking at his meal, quivered imperceptibly. Did Mavis perchance entertain the notion that he harbored murderous intent, long after her plate had been cleared?
The weight of her gaze, tremulous and uncertain, verified his suspicion with a clarity that cut through the air.
A trace of unease tiptoed across his senses.
“Let’s eat first. Once I’ve sorted things out, I’ll determine your innocence,” he said, the words tinged with a touch of authority.
At the mere mention of innocence, Mavis responded swiftly, her voice carrying an earnest urgency.