?Chapter 454:


    The cigarette still burned between Wesley’s fingers. Its ember glowed faintly, casting the only light in the room.


    Eventually, he powered on his phone, lighting up a photo of Elena. In the photo, she looked serene and gentle, sunlight enveloping her in a soft, golden aura that softened her distant demeanor and infused her with warmth. The angle hinted that the photo was taken without her knowledge.


    He opened a chat with Elena and typed a simple message. “Are you asleep?”


    His thumb hovered for a second before finally tapping send.


    Minutes ticked by without a reply.


    Five minutes turned into ten, and then an hour had passed—his message hung in the void, unanswered.


    Over the ensuing days, Elena skipped her usual trips to the office. Instead, she immersed herself in painting and design work, assisted Jolie with the garden chores, and epted a handful ofmissions.


    Her departure from routine did not escape notice—even Javier noted and found it curious.


    One brisk morning, Javier decided to visit Elena. He found her in the garden, diligently watering the nts.


    Approaching, Javier cleared his throat repeatedly, his gaze darting around, betraying his difort.


    “Why do you look so uneasy?” Elena inquired with a slight tilt of her head, initiating the exchange.


    “I’m not feeling uneasy!” Javier snapped back defensively.


    Elena nced at him, cing her watering can on the ground. She realized it had been a while since they’dst interacted. Louis had mentioned that Javier had formed a gaming team and was now pursuing a professional career in it.


    Javier scratched his nose, trying to muster the courage to express his concerns, yet his words were stalled by an awkward pause. Finally breaking the silence, he ventured, “Why have you been stuck at home these days?”


    Elena raised her eyebrows, surprised by his sudden interest. “Am I not allowed to stay home?” she responded with a nonchnt shrug.


    Stunned by her casual retort, Javier’s irritation red. He questioned why he was even concerned about her well-being.


    Nameless was the enigmatic gamer who had bested him time and again in virtual battles.


    Despite Javier’s repeated defeats, his spirit remained unquenched, fueled by the desire for a rematch. However, Nameless had vanished from the gaming scene.


    Rubbing his eyes, Javier wondered if he was hallucinating, but the flowers persistently mirrored Nameless’ avatar.


    Pulling out his phone, he aligned the images. They matched perfectly, down to the smallest detail. The mystery unraveled atst. Nameless had ties to the Harper family this whole time!


    His eyes shot wide in realization as he turned to nce at the dining table. The enigmatic Nameless should be Jolie!


    Javier’s mind raced. The garden belonged to Jolie, and senior citizens often selected floral images for their profiles to convey elegance and maturity. It all matched up! Everything matched up!


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