Filed To Story: A Second Chance with My Billionaire Love
“Hmm, my phone number must’ve been leaked. I’ve been receiving tons of calls from these kinds of companies. It’s so annoying!” Flossie calmly explained to Sophia while subtly blocked the number.
However, another number called soon after, and then another. Every time Flossie blocked one number, another one would call. It was so frequent that she had to make an excuse to go to the toilet to secretly call him back.
’Are you crazy, Halston? Why do you keep calling me? Please keep in mind that you are my ex-husband who shouldn’t even be on my contact list!” Flossie scolded in a low voice.
After a few minutes of silence, the man at the other end said icily, ’It’s not my intention to disturb you. I just want to ask if my mother went to you and if she is currently alright.”
‘Hasn’t she gotten back yet?’ Flossie was surprised. Beach City and Sutton were not very far apart from each other, so Francine should have arrived at Beach City ages ago. How could she be missing? Did something happen during her journey back there?
’From what you’re saying, my mother did go to Sutton to look for you, didn’t she?”
’Yes, she did, but I helped her go back that same night. There’s no way she hasn’t reached yet!” Flossie hissed.
’Damn it!’ He cursed furiously, then growled, “I’m going to the Baldwin residence now to ask for her. You’d better pray that she’s alright, or I won’t spare you, or anyone in the Baldwin family!”
’What? You’re coming here? Are you crazy?! You-’ Before Flossie could protest, Halston ended the call.
Meanwhile, Sophia knocked on the door of the bathroom and asked in concern, “Flossie, is anything wrong? Do you need help?”
Flossie sighed softly, opened the door, and walked out. “It’s nothing. I was only calling my nanny to tell her I’m alright.”
Flossie was secretly worried. What would happen if Halston really came to the Baldwin residence? The two families would surely go to war then, and the consequences would be unimaginable!
She couldn’t let him come to the Baldwin residence… or, at the very least, she could not let him meet the Baldwins.
Sophia did not suspect anything. She held Flossie’s hand and said warmly,’ Today is your first day at the Baldwin residence. Grandpa Baldwin, Uncle Jack, and Justin have been waiting for you to have breakfast!”
“They are waiting for me?” Flossie looked at the sun shining brightly in the sky, and felt embarrassed. She had slept until noon, but the whole Baldwin family was actually still waiting for her to have breakfast. She felt really bad for troubling them so much.
It was a classic European-style dining room. All three generations of the Baldwin family were sitting around an antique round table with a traditional European breakfast in front of them.
The three men, from grandfather to grandson, were sitting so stiffly that anyone could guess they were military men.
‘Everyone’s here now. Flossie has slept enough, so let’s dig in.” Sophia seated Flossie at the table and said cheerfully.
‘Good morning, Grandpa Baldwin, Uncle Jack, and Justin.” Flossie greeted them politely and smiled broadly at them.
“Did you sleep well last night?” Austin looked at Flossie fondly. The more he looked at her, the more he liked her.
“I slept very well last night. Thank you for your concern.” Flossie nodded slowly. She was very experienced in all this, since this was how she survived in the Guajardo family for four years. She had emerged unharmed thanks to all the masks she wore.
■ Really?” Justin suppressed his laughter and asked, “Weren’t you walking around in the courtyard in the middle of the night? You even energetically fixed a hole in the wall! I thought you couldn’t sleep because you weren’t used to the environment.”
Flossie glared at Justin, fighting the urge to reach over and choke him.1 Damn that troublemaker! He should know who I was trying to help and why I was forced to do this! What an ungrateful man…’
A hole?” Austin’s gaze instantly turned cold, like the gaze of a soldier on the battlefield. It was terrifying.
Flossie hurriedly explained, “I couldn’t fall asleep because it’s a new place, and I saw that the moon was very beautiful last night, so I went out for a stroll. At that point, I happened to see a hole in the wall, so I fixed it.”
Austin nodded and did not ask further. “Today is your first day here, so you can sleep in, but you can’t do it anymore. Everyone in the Baldwin family abides by military rules, and we keep to a strict schedule every day. This is to strengthen our minds!”
‘Huh?” Flossie was dumbfounded.
‘Flossie, you are a child from a military family, so you should be able to follow these rules. Maurice probably would be happy that I could make you stronger!”
“Um…” Flossie gulped and wanted to say that it was totally unnecessary. Her grandfather had already taught her war theories and fighting skills when he was still alive. He also taught her how to assemble guns, how to make and defuse a bomb, and even how to train soldiers. However, he pampered her in all other aspects, and usually let her do whatever she liked.
‘Calm down, Grandpa, these rules are for our family. The relationship between Flossie and me isn’t confirmed yet, so don’t scare her away!” Justin finally decided to help Flossie out.
‘Don’t listen to this old fogey. You can stay up late if you want to, or sleep in if you want to. You just have to live freely and happily as my wife. There is no need to be so disciplined!” Justin said dismissively.
His words received the enthusiastic support of Sophia. “Yes, he’s right! Flossie and Justin can live however they like as long as they are happy; We won’t interfere.”
Austin’s face turned serious, but before he could say anything, a maid ran into the room. She looked around wildly and shouted, “Francine’s gone!”
‘She disappeared?” Austin slammed the cutlery on the table and demanded, “What happened?”
’When I went to start my shift this morning, there was nobody in the room. The lock wasn’t damaged – it’s like she disappeared into thin air!”
’What nonsense. Do you not want your tongue anymore?” Austin scoffed.
Jack asked, “Unless she was let go, how could a person disappear out of thin air?”
The maid suddenly realised something and shouted, “The new maid… It must be that new maid!”
’What’s all this gibberish? Talk properly!” Sophia said sternly.
The maid took a deep breath and explained, “There was a new maid last night, wearing a uniform of a better quality than ours. She said that she was sent over to keep an eye on Francine, so I brought her to the room and left her there alone… I did not expect that both the new maid and Francine would disappear like that! So the person who helped Francine escape must be her!’
’How dare she?!” Austin was fuming, feeling like the authority of the Baldwin family had been challenged. He said furiously, “Who is that reckless person? How dare she sneak into the Baldwin mansion and do this right under my nose?! She really does not take us seriously! Start an investigation immediately, and when you find her, break her limbs right away. She has to know that the Baldwin family cannot be messed with!”
Jack nodded and said to the head of the soldiers stationed around them,” What are you waiting for? Send a team to barricade the whole place and carry out a thorough search. We must catch the woman who dares to fight against the Baldwin family!”
Flossie buried her head in her arms the whole time, not daring to take a breath. She was afraid that the maid would recognize her.
She watched the soldiers leave in the armoured vehicles and gulped anxiously. ‘Are these people for real? Must they be so serious? If they find out that I was the traitor who let go of her, would they really break my limbs?’
Actually, when Flossie thought about it, it wasn’t that surprising. The Baldwin family were used to dictatorship, and used harsh punishments to reinforce their power in Sutton and the entire land of Jaseraux to expand their reign.
“Let’s eat first. We don’t want bad news spoiling Flossie’s breakfast,” Sophia said quickly to the men.
The family agreed, and before they ate, they stood up and sang the national anthem in a loud and clear voice. 1
Flossie was so frustrated by all their rules. ‘No wonder Haze ran away years ago to become a hacker. I would escape as well if I were him!’
Flossie was actually planning to confess to the Baldwin family after breakfast and ask for their forgiveness. After that, she would leave this place. The sooner, the better!
At the same time, the maid, who had been standing submissively with her head lowered, raised her head cautiously. As soon as she saw Flossie’s face, her eyes widened in realisation and she yelled, “It’s her! She’s the new maid. She’s the one who released Francine!”
The Baldwin family was startled and looked at Flossie.
The maid pointed at Flossie and continued, “Although it was dark last night and she disguised herself well, I can tell that she’s the new maid from last night. Her eyes are exactly the same, and there was a mole near her left eye!”
Flossie lowered her head in embarrassment and inwardly groaned. ‘Oh no, I forgot to cover the mole under my left eye! It’s so faint, I thought no one would notice it!’
The members of the Baldwin family were certainly special – even a maid had such good observation skills.
“Flossie, is there anything you want to say about this?” Sophia patted her shoulder gently and said, “Don’t be scared. If it’s you, you should just admit it – we won’t blame you. If it wasn’t you, this maid who slandered you will be at your disposal!”
“I…” Flossie inhaled deeply, wondering whether to admit it.
At that moment, Justin, who had been watching everything silently, suddenly spoke, “Alright, we can stop the guessing game now -1 was the one who let her go.”
‘What nonsense are you talking about?” Sophia glared at him. Given the old man’s temper, he would mercilessly impose a harsh punishment on anyone who defied his orders. Was Justin asking for death?