Fanny shot me a text that nearly had my heart jumping out of my chest: "Seriously, had you taken an hour longer to reply, I would''ve called the cops. You know what went through my head? I was half-convinced Conrad had you tied up in a basement somewhere." The wildness of her imagination had me bothughing and crying; I sent back a thumbs-up emoji to show my amusement.


    Fanny wasn''t having any of it: "It''s not funny. You hear about this kind of drama happening back home all the time. So, when are youing back? Did you wrap up your trip today? Did Jefferson win his match?"


    Staring at her barrage of questions and pondering over my own situation, I replied with: "Not sure."


    Fanny was puzzled.


    I said, "Might nevere back to this ce. Might stay a bit longer."


    I didn''t want Fanny to worry, so a lie was the only option.


    Fanny: "Alright, have fun then. Let me know when you''re back; I''ll throw you a wee home party."


    Reading her messages filled me with a bittersweet feeling, and suddenly, I was scared I might never make it back.


    Where did this sudden feare from?


    So, I ended up sending her a voice message: "Hey, so, if anything weird happens to me, my bank PIN is the date our parents passed away. If I''m gone, you''re in charge of my assets. Keep half of it as your dowry from me, and donate the rest... to any charity, to kids with serious illnesses, whatever feels right."


    Right after I sent it, Fanny''s video call came through.


    Seeing her call, I knew she was freaked out, so I quickly answered.


    "What''s this about ast will? What''s going on? Where are you?" Fanny bombarded me with questions, visibly anxious.


    I turned the camera to show Dustin''s luxurious mansion, "Look, I''m in a mansion, nothing''s wrong."


    "Why are you talking nonsense then? You scared the hell out of me," Fanny, d in scrubs, seemed either ready for surgery or justing off one.


    "I was just being cautious, you know, with all the idents happening and nes going downtely. Just in case..."


    "Just in case my foot," Fanny cut me off and then demanded, "Turn the camera around, let me see your face."


    I hadn''t shown her my face, and she wasn''t going to be at ease until I did.


    Switching the camera, she saw me, and I cheekily made a ''peace'' sign at her.


    After staring at me for a few


    you


    Fanny finally rxed, "et


    scare me like that again, I


    swear I''ll kill you."


    "Promises, promises," I teased, pressing my face against the screen yfully.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    "Cut it out. Whose mansion are you staying at? Conrad''s?" Fanny''s curiosity peaked. "No, it''s Dustin''s."


    Fanny let out an "Oh," then probed further, "Howe you''re staying at his mansion?"


    I couldn''t spill the beans on that, so I kept fibbing, "It''s safer than a hotel."


    "Well, that makes sense. Just don''t、


    let Conrad take advantage or won''t


    Fanny''s words earned her a stern


    response from me.


    "Beat it!"


    Fanny burst intoughter, but then she threw out a suggestion, "Why don''t you bring back a foreign dude this time?"


    I knew she was hinting at the arranged marriage talks with Ernest and Ynde.


    "That''s the n, which is why I''m not rushing back," I reassured her not to worry about me.


    "Alright, then I''m looking forward to meeting your foreign beau," Fanny joked around for a bit before she


    was@alled away for surove


    After we hung up, the smile on my face faded bit by bit as I read the message Deborah had sent.


    Even though it was just one line, it made my heart skip a beat.