Chapter 124
Caleb seemed to know where Chloe had gone.
He came back downstairs.
Looking at the anxious Pearl and Logan, he spoke calmly. "I think I know where Chloe is."
"I have a way to find her. Don't contact Mom yet." His instinct told him he couldn't let Mom know Chloe had gone to find Matthew. "I'm going upstairs. Don't follow me."
Pearl and Logan nodded dumbly and waited where they were.
Caleb went to the study, locked the door, and opened his computer.
He calmly unlocked a decoding software, entered a string of phone numbers, and used a virtual code.
Then he put on headphones and dialed that number.
Matthew was reviewing a project when he received a call showing as his assistant Finn.
He was somewhat surprised. Finn knew his schedule—why would he call at this time?
He answered. "Finn, what is it?"
"Is this Matthew?" Caleb spoke calmly on the other end.
Matthew paused. Why was it a child's voice?
Caleb regretted it as soon as he spoke.
He'd been too hasty and forgotten to use the voice changer...
"Is this a prank? Little guy, who gave you my number?"
"I'm Chloe's brother. Chloe might have gone to find you. Are you in the building on your business card?"
Hearing this, Matthew stood up directly from the conference room.
"What? When did this happen?" His tone carried urgency.
"Chloe left home around nine. She should have reached the building around ten-thirty. Have you heard from her?"
"I was just in a meeting. I'll go down and look now!" Matthew strode out of the conference room, heading downstairs.
"If you hear from her, please contact this number."
"Okay, no problem."
Caleb hung up and fell into thought.
Matthew hadn't received any messages about Chloe, so where could she be?
She'd just arrived in Novaria and didn't know anyone. Logically, she'd only go find Matthew.
Caleb opened another webpage and found a way to hack into Limbo Inc.'s surveillance.
Limbo Inc.'s security level was quite high. It took him some effort.
Fortunately, Kate had taught him well before, so it went relatively smoothly.
He pulled up Limbo Inc.'s lobby surveillance but still didn't see Chloe.
Where could Chloe be?
In fact, Caleb's guess was right.
After leaving the small garden, Chloe had indeed wanted to find Matthew.
She'd originally planned to take a taxi, but she'd waited at the villa complex's gate for a long time without any taxis appearing.
Later, when a private car appeared, Chloe stopped it.
The woman in the car was heading to meet friends.
Seeing such a small child, she was puzzled and asked, "Where are your parents?"
"I'm going to find Daddy. Beautiful lady, can you take me?"
Seeing Chloe's sweet childlike manner, the woman softened and agreed. "Where do you want to go?"
"Limbo Inc. Daddy works there."
The woman didn't think much of it. After all, anyone working at Limbo Inc. was either rich or powerful—living in a villa complex made sense.
It was on her way anyway, so she had her driver head that direction.
In the car, Chloe borrowed the phone to call Matthew.
Because it was an unknown number, it was blocked.
Chloe waited for a long time without getting through, growing increasingly anxious.
The puppy in her backpack poked its head out and licked her little hand.
Chloe hugged the puppy tight, gently patting its head. "Don't be scared, puppy. I'm taking you to find the handsome mister. He'll take you in!"
When they reached Limbo Inc., Chloe got out and thanked the woman, even taking out money she'd saved to give her.
The woman refused and asked with some concern if she needed company.
Chloe thought she'd already troubled her enough and didn't want to be more of a burden.
She shook her head and said, "I'll find Daddy myself. Beautiful lady, goodbye."
After the car left, Chloe walked toward the Limbo Inc. building.
But just as she reached the entrance, she was blocked by a fierce-looking security guard. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for Matthew." Chloe clutched her bag, answering timidly.
The name on the business card was Matthew—that must be the handsome mister's name.
The guard laughed hearing this kid say Matthew's name.
He'd never heard of Matthew having children. Where did this kid come from, trying to cause trouble?
He had oligospermia and couldn't have children, which made him angry whenever he saw kids.
Plus he'd lost money gambling last night, making him even more irritable.
So he said viciously to Chloe, "Get lost! Who are you? How dare you look for Mr. Perkins?"
Chloe's grip on her bag tightened. "I'm the handsome mister's friend. He said I could come find him if I needed something."
"Get lost!" The guard didn't wait for her to finish, waving dismissively.
The puppy in Chloe's bag, perhaps sensing the hostility, whimpered a few times.
The guard's expression grew even more disgusted. "Still not leaving? If you don't leave, I'll stew your puppy!"
Chloe quickly backed away several steps, clutching the puppy in her arms as she left.
But she didn't leave completely. Instead, she found a corner and crouched down with the puppy.
"Be good, puppy. Don't be scared. We'll wait here together for the handsome mister. He'll definitely take care of you." Chloe soothed the puppy, though inwardly she was terrified.
This was her first time going out alone.
And she'd encountered a mean person who wouldn't let her in and even threatened to kill the puppy.
She desperately rubbed her little face, not letting her tears fall.
"By noon, the handsome mister will definitely come out to eat. We just need to wait for him to come out." She encouraged herself.
She crouched until her feet went numb, finally seeing people emerge from the building.
Chloe approached with the puppy, desperately trying to identify each person, but never saw the handsome mister.
The guard also knew she hadn't left and kept patrolling the area menacingly, not letting her near the building.
Chloe waited for so long but never saw the handsome mister.
Her tears finally fell as she sobbed quietly.
Just then, Matthew also came downstairs.
He first asked the receptionist if a child had come looking for him.
The receptionist looked blank. "A child?"
She suddenly slapped her forehead.
There seemed to have been one... She'd seen the guard talking to a child from afar this morning, and he'd... chased the child away.
The receptionist broke out in a cold sweat. "Mr. Perkins, there was a child, but... it seems the guard chased them away."
Matthew's expression turned cold, his aura becoming even more intimidating. "Which guard? Take me to him."
The receptionist tremulingly led him to the guard, just in time to see him about to drive Chloe away.
Matthew rushed forward in three quick strides and kicked the guard in the waist.
The guard flew backward.
Chloe crouched in the corner, her face buried in her knees, her small body curled into a ball.
She heard the commotion and slowly lifted her head. Tears still clung to her face, her eyes red.
Then she saw that familiar face.
"Handsome mister..."
She froze for a second, then tears poured out even more fiercely.