Chapter 8：Talk to Me

I haven't seen Mister Cheng for two days now, and it's beginning to get to me.

This entire time I've felt the need to apologise, only to pause and wonder if I need to. Isn't it within my right to be angry with him? Then again, investigating the absolute stranger in your house is a pretty smart move.

The only thing he did was worry about my wounded shoulder. Was I too harsh?

With a deep sigh of self hatred, I unlock my phone to see dozens of missed calls. It suddenly hits me that while I boarded the wrong flight, I did turn on airplane mode. I forgot to turn it off.

My mind races as I look to answer the most important looking ones. From the looks of it, grand-mere called almost twelve times a day while Alex texted me over three hundred messages. I can't help but wince.

Deciding to put beauty before age, I call grand-mere first. My legs bop as the tone rings.

"Jennifer?"

"Yes! I'm so sorry I didn't respond, there was a mix up and-"

"It's okay silly girl. I know your scatterbrained habits. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm doing pretty well."

"Did you reach France?"

Tears well in my eyes at the question, but I try to hold them back. She'll worry to no end if she hears it.

"I'm on my way. There was a bit of a... layover. I'll be there soon though."

"Honey, where are you?"

"Ummm... that would be China."

There was a gasp on the other end. It would make more sense for me to lie about such a stupid mistake, but silence never fixed anything. If only a certain someone knew that.

"Do you like it there?"

"I'm not here to sightsee!"

"What did I always tell you?"

"Enjoy the journey, not just the destination."

"Exactly. Will you ever be able to visit China again?"

A dull ache fills my heart. It feels suffocating, like condensed despair. I've spent this entire time trying to leave without considering the possibility of missing it. But what is there to miss? All I've seen so far is an empty house and an ever absent man.

"Jen?"

"Désolée, can you repeat yourself?"

"C'est d'accord, but I believe I heard a man calling you. Hurry now and call me later. Go out and live your life!"

"Grand-mere!"

*beep beep beep*

I can only stare at my phone in shock. She has incredible instincts, I've seen them at work my whole life, but I wish she'd show some concern. Does it bother her that I could be kidnapped?

A knock sounds behind me, I don't have to look to know who it is. Yet when I do it's hard to believe that he's actually here. He smiles a my pink tinged cheeks.