Chapter 294 Sylvia Is Gone
Marvin’s eyes widened in shock. Sylvia’s infuriating little black cat was gone!
Normally, the moment Marvin set foot in the sunroom, that mischievous creature would scurry out of its
hiding spot, winding around his ankles. But today–nothing. Just an eerie silence greeted him.
That could only mean one thing–Sylvia had taken the cat and left. And this wasn’t just some business trip she had claimed. She was gone for good.
Panic surged through Marvin as he dashed back to the living room, grabbing the housekeeper by the arm. “Does
my brother know that Sylvia left?” he asked, his voice edged with urgency.
The housekeeper blinked at him, startled by his anxious demeanor. But she quickly regained her composure, answering with a nod, “Yeah, he knows. He just came home and asked about Miss Payne. I told him she was away on a business trip.”
“Oh, no…”
Marvin’s stomach sank. With shaking hands, he pulled out his phone and dialed Jarrod, but all he got was a
busy tone. He tried again and again. Still no reply.
Kicking reason to the curb, Marvin bolted out the door, still in his slippers, jumped into his car, and then suddenly froze. Where was he even supposed to go? The airport? Running around the city aimlessly?
His thoughts were a tangled mess now, but amid the chaos, one person surfaced–Renee.
He didn’t stop to question it. Before he knew it, his fingers had already dialed Renee’s number.
The ringing tone hummed in his ear, and oddly enough, just knowing he was about to talk to her steadied his nerves. Renee had that effect to him–like an anchor in a storm.
“Hello?” Renee’s voice soon came through the phone, soft yet clear.
Marvin exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding.
“Renee…” he said.
Renee paused for a moment, sensing something off. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Can I ask you for a favor?” Marvin asked.
“A favor?” Renee echoed, curiosity creeping into her tone. “What is it?”
Marvin replied, “I need you to help me track down a woman’s flight details. She could be leaving today or in the next few days…”
The more Marvin spoke, the more his confidence wavered. By the time he finished, he realized just how unreasonable his request sounded. How could he possibly ask Renee for help with something like this?
19:41
Renee wasn’t a private investigator. Why had he even thought to ask her to do this for him? And yet, deep down, he felt this unshakable certainty–if anyone could help him, it was Renee,
Marvin hesitated for a moment before saying, “Sorry, I-”
But before he could finish speaking, Renee’s calm voice cut him off, saying, “What’s her name?”
Marvin hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering, “Sylvia Payne.”
The moment the name left his lips, he realized something was off in an instant.
Wasn’t Sylvia the very woman the internet had pitted against Renee in some rumored love triangle?
Marvin’s face heated with embarrassment. What had he been thinking? Of all people, how could he ask Renee to help track down her so–called rival in love?
Regret washed over Marvin in an instant.
He clutched his phone tightly, and his face burned with embarrassment. He wished he could give himself a few
hard slaps now.
He fumbled for words, tripping over his own tongue. “Renee, I… I was just too anxious earlier. You don’t have to help me with this. I can-”
“Give me ten minutes. I’ll get back to you soon,” Renee interjected.
Before Marvin could reply, Renee ended the call.
Marvin went back inside the house and started pacing the living room like a caged animal. His mind was a whirlwind of regret. Had he just messed up? Would Renee be annoyed by him? Offended?
Renee had said ten minutes, and true to her word, she called back exactly ten minutes later. The moment Marvin saw her name flash on his phone screen, a wave of relief swept over him.
“She is flying out at 1:40 p.m. today,” Renee said in a calm voice.
Marvin’s gaze snapped to his watch–11:21. Without traffic, the airport was a thirty–minute drive away.
“You still have time to go and find her,” Renee said, her voice steady.
Marvin exhaled sharply, gratitude filling his chest. “Thank you.”
No sooner had he ended the call than he was out the door. He quickly got into his car and drove to the airport. The clock was ticking, and he wasn’t about to waste another second.
