bChapter /bb225 /b

    London nodded nkly, still looking lost, and followed Maxine into the room.

    After closing the door securely, Maxine turned to London and asked, “Do you know how

    we can get out of here?”

    London nodded, then shook her head. Seeing this, Brian grew anxious and blurted out, “You don’t have to say it out loud! London, can you write?”

    London flushed slightly. She pursed her lips and made a small gesture, indicating she only knew a few letters.

    “Don’t worry,” Maxine said gently, handing her phone to London. “Knowing letters is enough, I can teach you how to use them.”

    With Maxine’s guidance, London managed to share what she knew by typing on the phone.

    Maxine learned there was a storage room near the vi’s back entrance. Back when Gabriel was renovating the ce, he had to add anotherrge gate at the rear to make it easier to transport renovation equipment.

    But in recent years, the vi had been mostly vacant, with the area around the storage room cluttered with all sorts of things. London told them that bif /bthey wanted to escape, that route would be their best bet.

    This wasn’t a bad n, but Maxine had her doubts. To reach the back, they’d have to cross apletely exposed flowerbed. If anyone passed byb, /bthey’d be spotted immediately. The risk made her hesitate.

    After a moment’s hesitation, Maxine asked, “London, is there another exit?”

    London thought for a moment, then shook her head. She exined that she had only recently arrived at the vi and hadn’t really explored much of it

    yet.

    But then, her gaze drifted to the window. She circled a spot on the rough map they’d sketched together and clumsily traced the words “side doorb” /bwith her finger.

    Maxine was a bit astonished. London had onlye across it by chance while cleaning the yard earlier, but she wasn’t sure what it really was.

    After carefully examining the map, Maxine nodded and said, “This is enough. Thank you, London.”

    London shyly waved her hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she typed on her phone: [If you make it out safely, could you check on my daughter for me?]

    “Wait, where is your daughter?” Maxine blurted out, momentarily stunned.

    London typed out the hospital address on her phone, the one she knew by heart.

    Maxine recognized it as the county hospital at the foot of the mountain. She ced a reassuring hand on London’s shoulder and said sincerely, “bDon’t /bworry, London. I’ll go check on her for you. I have more than enough to cover her treatment.”

    London never doubted her words. Just from listening to the people around her these past few days, and from Maxine’s refined manner of speaking, bit /bwas obvious she came from money.

    ‘If helping Maxine could save my daughter, I’d willingly serve her devotedly for the rest of my life,‘ London thought.

    Ovee with emotion, London’s legs gave out and she sank to her knees before Maxine, sping her hands together. bWords failed /bbher/bb. /bbShe /bbcould /bbonly /butter choked, wordless sounds of overwhelming gratitude.

    Maxine jolted in surprise. Brian, who was beside her, quickly stepped forward and helped the kneeling London back to her feet.

    For once, he didn’t say anything sarcastic.

    Maxine also helped her up and said softly, “It’s all right. You’ve helped bme/bb, /bbso /bbif /bthere’s anything I can do for you bwith /bbthis/b, it would bbe /bbmy /bbprivilege/b.

    b09:09 /bFri, b27 /bbJun /b

    Soon, Londonposed herself, wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, and pointed determinedly toward the door.

    Strangely enough, Maxine could uncannily discern London’s intentions. She was trying to distract the man downstairs so they could sneak out through the first floor and escape. ‘She’s really risking everything for us,’ Maxine thought, her heart pounding with a mix of gratitude and anxiety. London descended the stairs, her eyes fixed on the man sitting on the sofa. Desperate to get his attention, she began making urgent, wordless soundsb, /b

    biAD /i/b