Chapter 346

Zoe strolled around in the surrounding woods. She hoped that nature would cheer her up, but unfortunately, it added insult to injury. She tripped and twisted her ankle while on her walk, so she grew even more agitated.

She limped back to the stream and saw the couple perched by the running water with their arms around each other. Exasperation filled her, and she felt as if she had just shot herself through the foot. To think, she had organized this whole camping trip only to make a fool of herself at the end of the day.

Zoe glanced at the child sitting on the little foldable table. He had his head bent as he went through his workbook. Sighing, she couldn’t help her guilt and shake the feeling that she was corrupting this little boy who would eventually stand at the forefront of this country.

Ah, screw the pride. Having made up her mind, Zoe walked over to the table, sat down next to the kid, and then asked, “Hey, brat, what grade are you in?”

“Fourth grade,” he replied nonchalantly.

She glanced at the textbook. At least he’s honest.

She went on to press, “You’re too young to know how to pick up… I mean, make up lies on the Internet.”

Hogbunny set his pencil down and countered solemnly, “Miss Enchantress, I didn’t make anything up. I was—”

“Hold on just a second,” Zoe cut him off hurriedly. “You can just call me Zoe. We did meet by chance, after all, so no honorifics required.”

“Oh, okay,” he said.

He’s rather polite, she decided, then continued, “If you weren’t making things up, then why did you send me that… picture?” She didn’t think she had it in her to mention the word ‘abs’ in front of a child.

Hogbunny tipped his head to the side and pointed out blithely, “Weren’t you the one who asked for it? The Internet told me that pictures would help build trust, so I found the best-looking picture there was and sent it to you.”

She was not expecting this answer or the elaboration that came with it. She reminded herself not to be irked by a child and let out a slow breath.

Zoe turned around then and grabbed a bag of ice from the container where the team stored food. She reached for a piece of cloth, wrapped it around the ice bag, and held it against her ankle.

out a bottle of pain-relief

canister in

this

with interest when

grew reticent and looked down

she realized she might have touched on a sensitive topic. She tried to relieve the awkwardness by letting out a dry laugh, then changed the subject swiftly, “By the way, which school do you

go

“Why not?”

a wary look, then said hesitantly, “No reason. My mom doesn’t want me to go to school because it

So, his mother will not let him go to school plenty of bad guys out there, but she will let him hang out with someone he

to have to talk to the kid’s parents when she dropped him off later. How can they just let him hang out with strangers? What if I am just a silly woman who got catfished? What will happen to him if I am a predator lurking in cyberspace,

the sky began to darken, and everyone

Aidan walked up to her, shrugged off his coat, and

to do this?” she asked

a brow at

in resignation as she rolled her eyes. Nonetheless, she grabbed the watch he handed her, found a clean spot to set down his things, and then went to

when

she could only sigh and offered, “Come on, let me

his mouth, and everything he ever needed was done

pointed out defensively, “Alright, but for the record, you were the one who refused my

at him. She couldn’t believe how thick-skinned

smell of meat sizzling over a hotbed of briquettes wafted through

prepared beforehand, and most of them came in ready-to-eat packages. All the campers needed to do was add a dash of seasoning and set the food on the grill; no fancy cooking was

it was beyond her understanding how Aidan could manage to burn the food in

few girls from the workshop planned to help, but when they saw his imposing figure standing behind Leanna with his hands in his pockets, they

hands were full, so she said to Aidan, “Would

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255