After watching the competition, it was already past ten in the evening. The contestants still had follow-up interviews and activities to attend, so Josie didn’t disturb them.
She checked her phone several times within a minute.
After receiving a phone call, Mallory said that she had an urgent matter to attend to and had to leave early. Josie took a taxi back to the Olsen residence. Not long after she left, her cell phone rang.
It was unmistakably Dexter on the line. She had never answered a phone call this quickly before.
“Hey, where is Grape?”
Grape had been on edge for quite a while and hadn’t slept in a long time. So, when she finally fell asleep, she slept straight through to the evening. When she woke up, Dexter was already on a video call with Josie.
The camera swayed for a moment before finally settling on Grape in her hand. She was incredibly adorable, waving at Josie on the phone screen. “Mommy, good evening!”
Josie’s heart settled back into place, heaving a sigh of relief. “Good evening. What have you all been up to while I’m not around?”
Grape evidently glanced at Dexter’s spot, obediently responding, “I was sleeping.”
Josie was somewhat puzzled. She then heard Grape asking, “Where are you, Mommy? I miss you. When are you coming back?”
At this question, Josie was momentarily at a loss for words. She gently and patiently explained, “I’ve told you I’m away on a business trip. For now, it’s just you and Daddy. While I’m gone, I need you to help me take good care of Grandpa, okay?”
Grape rubbed her eyes, her voice adorable. “Okay.”
With Josie’s soothing words, the once restless Grape calmed down. It wasn’t long before she happily went off to play with Justin.
Dexter took the phone, his face appearing on the front camera. Despite showing signs of fatigue, he was almost flawlessly photogenic.
His voice was deep when he asked, “Are you outside?”
When the two were alone, Josie felt a bit tense. “Well, I went to watch the competition with Mallory.”
Dexter’s gaze was piercing and focused. “How are things at the Olsen Residence?”
“It’s just a temporary stopover, nothing particularly special.”
He hummed in agreement but did not share with her the experiences he had with Grape.
The scene in the lens shifted, and he seemed to have moved to his study. Josie watched him for a moment before finally asking, “You rushed back to Rivodia in such a hurry. Did something unexpected happen?”
“Yes. It’s regarding Mr. Dalton. There’s no need to worry about. Josephine’s father couldn’t come out for a while, leaving Mr. Dalton without a pillar of support, inevitably causing him great distress. Also, regarding Paul, I’ve arranged for a dedicated doctor to take care of him. There shouldn’t be any major issues for the time being, so you can rest assured.”
Upon hearing this, Josie responded with a series of affirming hums.
Dexter cleared his throat subtly. In the brief silence that followed, he took the initiative to ask, “How are you feeling? The medical facilities in Wavery are superior to those in Rivodia, so there’s no need for you to rush back.”
“There’s no problem……” Upon mentioning this, it was inevitable to think of the words spoken by Arnold.
She really wanted to ask him, on the day she left, whether he truly contemplated ending his own life. But for some reason, when the words reached the tip of her tongue, she suddenly found herself unable to voice them.
She was expectant yet fearful.
Seeing her hesitate to speak, Dexter gently coaxed her, “What is it that you want to say?”
Josie pursed her lips, just about to speak, when the driver’s GPS suddenly chimed in, “You have arrived at your destination. Please remind passengers to take their belongings…”
Looking up, it was unmistakably the Olsen Residence.
The driver’s eyes held a hint of envy.
Josie stepped out of the car, telling him they’d talk later before hanging up. After walking a few steps, she felt something was amiss. She sent him a message: Thanks for taking care of Grape these past few days.
The Olsen Residence actually had a curfew, but after Josie returned, the lights were kept on all night and the front door was left wide open. However, she was oblivious to all of this.
By the time she reached the eaves, Dexter had already responded: Take care of yourself. It’s no easy task.
