He pushed the door open, but there was no one in there.
The bed was empty.
Joan wasn’t surprised, as if he expected Nina to not be in here. He turned and walked towards
Amanda’s room, but when he arrived at the door, he realized that it was already too late. He put his
hand down and did not disturb their sleep.
“You’re back?”
When Joan turned around, the door opened. Amanda was standing there.
She was a light sleep in foreign places, so she woke up when she heard noises outside the door.
“Did I wake you up?” Joan turned, “You can’t rest well here?”
Amanda looked down, using her silence to admit to his questions.
Even if she was fatigued, she couldn’t sleep well in an unfamiliar place.
“Is your leg better now?” As he said, his gaze averted to her ankle.
Amanda subconsciously moved her leg behind, “Yeah, it’s not swollen anymore. It doesn’t hurt too.”
“Thanks for taking care of Nina for me.”
“Didn’t you take me in too?” Amanda smiled, “Have you eaten?”
He said no.
Sally had already prepared the food and came over, “Sir, dinner is served.”
“Join me for dinner?” He invited, “It’s time for supper anyway.”
Amanda smiled and said, “There’s a tradition back in my country. We should sleep when the time is up
and not disturb other people’s rest. And now, it’s time for bed, so I’m afraid I can’t join you.”
Joan had a faint smile on his face. He couldn’t retort to her rejection.
“Good night and sleep early. I’ll take care of Nina.”
“Good night,” Joan whispered.
Amanda closed the door, while Joan went to the dining hall.
Nina was sleeping soundly on the bed. She had no idea that Amanda woke up in the middle of the
night at all.
Amanda stood by the bed, curious as to why Joan, an unmarried man would adopt her instead of
sending her to the orphanage. If he was married, had a wife and children, then this wouldn’t have
seemed so strange. But it was unusual for an unmarried man to adopt a child.
With curiosity in her heart, Amanda headed to the dining hall.
She poured herself a glass of water and sat down.
Joan looked up at her.
She smiled, “I won’t talk.”
Joan continued to eat. Once he was done, he picked up a napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth.
He asked her, “You have questions for me?”
Amanda thought that this man was intelligent. He could always guess her thoughts.
“Yeah.” She pursed her lips before continuing, “You’re not married, but why did you adopt Nina? Most
men wouldn’t do that, right?”
“No special reason. I just wanted to raise her.” Joan replied simply. The first time he saw Nina, her body
was covered in dirt. She was brought here by traffickers. Together with another few children, they were
nestling at the corner of a roughly furnished room.
When they were rescued, he noticed that the other children looked like Thai people, but she was
different. Plus, she was calm and even thanked those who rescued them.
After all the children were brought home, she was left behind. They asked her about her parents, but
she said her parents passed away and she was an orphan.
The police officers were going to send her to the orphanage.
“Didn’t your family object this?” Amanda asked again.
She had been here for two days but had never once seen his family.
Joan took a sip of water. Then, he put the glass down slowly and said, “They’re not around anymore.”
He was calm. One could not tell what he was feeling, “My mother passed away from sickness.”
Not long after his mother passed on, his father left him too and followed his mother to the after-world.
His parents had always been in love with each other.
Since Joan could remember, he had never seen his parents argue.
He grew up in a warm and loving family. If there were any shortcomings, it had to be that his parents
only had one child and that they passed away too early.
They left him alone to guard this huge house.
Nina added a touch of colour to his simple life.
Joan looked serious in his army uniform, but he was a warm person in life.
This had a lot to do with the environment he grew up in.
“I’m sorry to hear that, I…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Joan didn’t mind. It had been a long time, so he could face it calmly now. He
would only be reminded of it from time to time.
“Uh, I’ll go to bed now.” Amanda looked at the time and said.
Joan said, “Yeah, good night.”
Amanda nodded and walked towards her room.
“Ms. Nelson,” Joan called her out abruptly.
She looked back, “Yeah?”
“Your clothes.”
‘My clothes?’
Amanda looked at herself, but didn’t see anything wrong with her attire.
“Behind.” Joan reminded her.
She then looked back and realized that her shirt had curled up and revealed her delicate skin. She
quickly pulled it down, then dashed back to her room, feeling slightly embarrassed.
Her leg hasn’t healed completely yet. While she was walking quickly, a wave of pain suddenly shot up
her ankle. She sucked in a deep breath and was about to reach out to a table not far away to support
her body. At this time, Joan’s arm stretched over and caught her wrist.
Amanda caught her balance.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
Amanda shook her head, “It’s nothing.”
Once she got up, she quickly pulled her hand out of his grasp and said, “Thanks.”
Then, she walked carefully back to her room.
Joan remained standing in his spot and watched her back.
Her leg hasn't healed completely yet. While she was walking quickly, a wave of pain suddenly shot up
her ankle. She sucked in a deep breath and was about to reach out to a table not far away to support
her body. At this time, Joan’s arm stretched over and caught her wrist.
Amanda caught her balance.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
Amanda shook her head, “It’s nothing.”
Once she got up, she quickly pulled her hand out of his grasp and said, “Thanks.”
Then, she walked carefully back to her room.
Joan remained standing in his spot and watched her back.
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