Ch. 1661..1670

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1661

Nancy gave it some thought. Indeed, she had thought about all the things he had said. When she saw him helping Larry out, the words she repeated a thousand times to support Joan suddenly meant nothing, and her confidence had morphed into resentment and incomprehension towards the latter. From a darker perspective, one could not deny the existence of those photos regardless of the mastermind’s motive behind these photos. If Joan did not visit Dustin, how did such photos appear? If she was clean and had self-respect, why would she meet with him so many times even though she was already a married woman with a family?

Besides, based on Larry’s abnormal behavior over the past few days, she clearly had not visited him in a long while. No matter how much Nancy thought about it, she would never indecisively linger between two men if she already decided that she had lost feelings for one of them. By doing otherwise, she would only end up hurting everyone’s feelings. Currently, Caspian has lost all trust in Joan, so do I still trust her?” Should she believe in the conclusive evidence gathered, or should she count on her friendship with Joan?

“A lot of the soup has been spilt, and it has turned cold. Could you prepare another bowl?” Caspian requested before he twisted the doorknob to exit the study. Nancy followed behind him.

As soon as they stepped out, they noticed that the house was eerily silent. Feeling uneasy, Caspian exchanged anxious looks with Nancy. He was about to rush over and tear down the bedroom door, but Nancy stopped him.

As such, Caspian tried to calm himself down and gently pushed the bedroom door open instead. From the crack, he could not see Larry’s figure. Bang! As expected, the man was nowhere in sight when they pushed open the door.

He stood rooted to the ground in a daze. Meanwhile, Nancy pushed past him and spotted a letter that Larry left behind on the table.

With her gaze, she beckoned Caspian over. Then, she held the letter out with both hands and read the contents in a small voice.

“I’m sorry that I left. Don’t bother looking for me. Thank you for everything, and goodbye.”

Stunned, Nancy’s first instinct was to run out to stop him. When she turned to chase after Larry, Caspian caught hold of her wrist. He grabbed it so tightly that it hurt her.

Using the gentlest and most helpless tone, he pleaded, “Nancy, don’t go after him. He doesn’t want to see us, nor does he want us to find him.”

“What else should we do? Are we going to let him wander around the streets alone, without a friend and without the thought of visiting his kin?” Nancy choked.

Tears were forming in Caspian’s eyes, but he held them back in front of Nancy. Pretending to be calm, he assured her, “Let’s give him some space outside to think through everything that had happened. When he thinks of us and wishes to return, we can look for him then.”

In fact, Larry did not completely blackout when he was drunk and still had some vague memories of that night. For instance, he remembered floundering while Caspian and Nancy tried to help him out of the bar. As a result, they had to change how they supported him several times, earning many glares from passersby. He felt guilty for everything, and although he was not fully conscious at that time, the fragmented memory still weighed heavily in his mind when he woke up. Feeling apologetic, he apologized in the letter he wrote for them.

As for the ‘thank you’ he wrote, it was out of gratitude for the trouble they took to travel to the bar and back to this house for him. At least now he knew he still had friends who cared for him dearly by his side, though he might have lost his beloved.

Knock! The rapping on the door snapped Nancy out of her thoughts. Retracting her hand from Caspian’s grip, she quickly headed to the door.

Who knows, Larry might have changed his mind. Maybe he no longer feels conflicted and has overcome his struggles. Maybe he wants to come back to talk to someone about it?

With that thought, Nancy’s expression softened. But as soon as she opened the door and saw who it was, she froze.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1662

The visitor’s hand stopped mid-air as though she did not expect anyone to answer the door. After all, she had knocked for such a long time and might have assumed that no one to be home. Slightly surprised, she still beamed brightly when the door opened. Her soft voice rang in Nancy’s ears. “Nancy, is Larry here?”

Before the woman in the house could reply or even think of what to say, a strong hand reached out from behind her to slam the door shut.

While Nancy jumped in surprise, the woman standing outside was confused. Puzzled, Joan knocked on the door again. As it happened too quickly, she did not catch sight of the person who shut the door. For a split second, she thought it was a robber who closed the door to protect his identity when he saw that she had a visitor.

“Nancy, what’s wrong? Who was that? Hey, you better not lay a finger on her! Please calm down,” Joan’s voice grew louder, to the point where she was almost yelling. At the same time, she banged on the door without a care.

“It’s me,” Caspian declared. His hand was still in the same position where he slammed the door shut. Meanwhile, Nancy was trapped between the door and him. As she was unsure what he was going to do, she did not even dare to breathe.

The situation made the visitor bewildered. “Caspian? Why don’t you open the door? Did you mistake me for someone else? I’m Joan.”

Unforgivingly, the man asserted, “I know that you’re Joan. Don’t you dare come here anymore because you are not welcome!” Nancy could feel his voice reverberating through her scalp as he spoke.

“Caspian, Nancy, what’s wrong with both of you? Can’t you open the door and talk to me about it?” Joan desperately pleaded.

She had no clue why the two was treating her this way. Regardless of how much she thought about it, she could not recall any conflicts with them. Furthermore, they got along fine over the last few years, and they never had any disputes. In addition, they would usually discuss things in the open, but why are they refusing to meet her now?”

“Joan, you’d better leave now, and please don’t return to look for Boss in future too. If you make another visit here, I will throw you out myself. After all, we have been good friends for many years, and I believe we should not destroy our friendship this way. You should have known better before you came.”

Nevertheless, Joan was persistent, and she shouted louder than before, “Caspian, what is going on with you? Are you trying to break your ties with me? Otherwise, can you let me speak with Nancy? Even if there is a misunderstanding between us, we should at least lay it out in the open!”

Hearing her name being called out, Nancy wanted to break from Caspian and open the door for Joan. However, despite having a black belt in Taekwondo herself, she was no match against a man who had been a soldier. Additionally, she subconsciously did not want to let the person outside in either. She thought the visitor was filthy and would dirty the house if she came in.

At the same time, Caspian had noticed how Nancy wanted to open the door, so he shot her a threatening glare that she had never witnessed before. It made her feel like she was prey, while he was a hunter with a gun in his hands.

Consequently, she gave up on the thought of allowing the visitor in but pressed her ear against the door to hear what was going on the other side.

By the time Joan’s voice was hoarse from all that shouting, and her hand became sore from banging on the door, the door was still glued shut. In a feeble voice, she muttered, “What… on earth happened?”

Those were words meant for the people in the house, but it sounded like she was talking to herself. Initially, she only came here to visit Larry. Yet, to her wildest imagination, she was rejected by the two friends she trusted most.

She stayed outside the door for a long duration while Caspian and Nancy continued to ignore her the whole time, without even responding to her anymore. All she felt was despair, as she had no idea what resulted in such a huge reaction from the two parties.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1663

She phoned Nancy repeatedly, and the latter felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. While her heart started to be swayed, Caspian snatched her phone and turned it off. By doing so, Joan could no longer call to ‘harass’ them anymore.

Being unable to get a hold of Larry either, Nancy panicked, and she felt fear spreading through her limbs. Usually, she was a person who would put all her energy into work, no matter what she encountered. Unfortunately, she now realized that was only possible because everything she had was built upon the foundation of having a lover, friends and a beautiful family.

With their backing, she had the capacity to fulfil her dreams. If they were gradually taken away from her, she would not have the strength and drive to chase those dreams of hers, as the people she treasured were more important than her ambitions.

Relative to her loved ones, her aspirations did not hold a candle to them. Is it too late for her to grasp this concept at this point?

Somehow, she stumbled onto the streets that were busy with traffic and filled with pedestrians as usual.

By the road, there was a woman who had set up a fruit stall. Her business seemed to be flourishing, and her line of customers did not seem to dwindle. Joan stepped forward to take a closer look. Unfortunately, from the perspective of others, she was blocking their way.

“Miss, can move away? It doesn’t matter if you are not buying anything, but please don’t get in our way,” a plump man chided her.

Startled, Joan took a few steps back obediently. At the same time, an older lady spotted her curious expression and asked her in amusement, “Are you trying to figure out why the business here is so good when there are plenty of other fruit stalls?”

Joan nodded. Seeing how she was willing to listen to her, the older lady grinned wider. “It’s because of how kind the owner of this fruit stall is. Her fruits are cheaper than her competitors, and they are delicious. Rumor has it that she is bringing up a child on her own. Yet, every time she makes a sale to us, she only earns a small profit. Since she is kind and pretty, we call her the ‘Fruit Goddess’.”

How can she live well on her own even though she has to raise a child by herself? The moment that thought popped out in her head, Joan felt taken aback. Regardless of how strained her relationship with Larry was, she never thought of breaking up with him. Besides, even if they went their separate ways, she could never leave with Leslie, given how influential the Norton family was.

She stood by the fruit stall for a long time and curiously wanted to take a peek at who this strong woman was. So far, she always thought that such powerful females only existed in books that featured famous people.

When the crowd slowly thinned, she managed to catch a glimpse of half of the owner’s body. That lady had a good figure, and her wavy hair was tied back into a ponytail with a black hair tie. She wore a white apron held together by a belt tied into a beautiful bow.

After serving the last few orders, the owner could finally take a seat to rest her feet. Given her tall height, it looked rather uncomfortable for her to rest on her small wooden bench.

While she raised her head to take a swing from her bottle of mineral water, Joan immediately recognized the woman’s dazzling facial features, perfect figure and iconic wavy hair.

Isn’t that Gabriella? I haven’t seen her in a while.

Without hesitation, Joan walked up to Gabriella, who was focused on downing the water in her bottle. She seemed parched as she did not even notice a person standing in front of her in such proximity.

“I would like to buy some apples,” Joan said.

“Sure. Please give me a moment miss, I’ll…”

Miss? Since when did Gabriella greet people so politely? Her attitude has changed three hundred and sixty degrees, from the unruly temperament she used to have to a gentle and polite one now.

That moment did not last long as Gabriella stopped midway through her sentence when she saw Joan.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1664

“Are you here to chase me away or to mock me?” she said harshly, though she still bagged the fruits for Joan.

Despite having a thousand words to say when she first recognized the fruit stall owner, Joan could only utter one word, “Neither.”

Gabriella smiled and passed the packed apples to her. It was unlike the look she gave to her other customers. Her lips curled into an arrogant smile, and she demanded, “That’s a hundred.”

That is clearly daylight robbery. How can she ask for so much money when she only gave me six apples? I can’t believe one of the customers earlier actually praised Gabriella for setting low prices. How did she become a completely different person out of the blue?

Begrudgingly, Joan pulled out a banknote from her wallet and paid Gabriella with it. True enough, the latter did not bother to give her any change, as though it was normal for apples to cost that much.

The moment Joan took the bag of apples from Gabriella, she heard the other party say, “Since my best friend is here, I should treat you to a cup of coffee.”

Joan did not respond to the offer, and Gabriella took her silence as consent. After the lady boss closed her shop, she waved to a granny not far away. Without forgetting about Joan’s presence, Gabriella announced, “Granny, I am heading out with my best friend and won’t be selling anymore for today. If any customer comes by to ask, you can tell them that!”

She emphasized the words ‘best friend’. If this happened in the past, it would irk Joan. However, she did not have any opinions after hearing that today, and it made it seem like they always had a close friendship.

“Joan, where do you think we should go? Let me treat you to something. Should we head to ‘Sweet Time’ or ‘Color House’?” The two places suggested by her were high-end cafes, patronized most by the upper echelon of Marsingfill.

Joan rarely visited those places, but she was somewhat fascinated by them. She glanced at the other lady. Those places… are only suitable for the ‘Gabriella’, who belongs to the upper-class, instead of this ‘Gabriella,’ who owns a fruit stall.

“No, I’ll treat you instead.” Joan offered, feeling a sense of superiority from nowhere. In her opinion, since she had a higher salary than Gabriella, she should take care of the bill.

Little did she know that her considerate gesture was perceived to be a diss to Gabriella. It made the other lady feel like she was being ridiculed and looked down on.

To Gabriella, Joan’s words sounded this way instead, ”Gabriella, do you think you have the same status as before? How can you act like the spoiled and willful young mistress of the Wards anymore? Just take a look at yourself! You are just a pitiful single mother whose only means of survival is via a small fruit stall”

In contrast, those were not the true meaning behind Joan’s words. All she intended was to help Gabriella save on her expenses, especially since the latter had worked so hard to get by.

Given the misunderstanding, Gabriella scoffed, “What’s wrong? Are you looking down on me? Do you think I can’t even afford to buy you a cup of coffee?”

Joan instantly managed to pick up on how Gabriella had misinterpreted her intentions. She quickly clarified, “I only thought that those were places we don’t necessarily have to visit because they are too expensive. After all, we should all save as much as we can. “

“Don’t worry about that!” Gabriella pulled out her rubber band to let her gorgeous black silky hair cascade down her back. It so happens that she was in a dress that matched her well too. With her milky-white complexion and red lips, she stood out among the crowd like a pearl in a dessert, dazzling and exuding beauty.

Her tone was curt and was similar to the one she used when she revealed that she liked Larry to Joan. While she may have changed how she behaved around others, she would always treat Joan with disdain.

After they walked around for some time, they finally arrived at a high-end clubhouse. The server brought the menu to them and politely asked Joan, “Miss, what will you like to order?”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1665

He casually ignored Gabriella and directed his attention to Joan. Sometimes people could act like snobs. Those who felt inferior tend to suck up to the high-ranking officials or famous individuals, hoping to gain their favor and find an easy way up the ladder. Although it did not apply to everyone, the courteous server in front of them seemed to fit the description.

Gabriella might be beautiful and glamorous, especially in a dress that made her stand out more than Joan did. But the server could immediately tell that the latter was wearing a coat from Opulent Designs. Although it was available on the market for some time, he knew that not everyone could afford to buy it. On the other hand, while Gabriella’s dress was pretty, as someone who served wealthy bosses and mistresses all day, he could tell that it cost peanuts. Such dresses could easily be purchased online for around fifty and might even come with a buy two get one deal.

Scanning the prices on the menu, Joan got shocked. Ultimately, it was not her idea to come here for coffee. If she stripped her title as Mrs. Norton, she was simply an individual from the working class and a lowly employee working in any company. Without bothering to remember the names of the coffee on the menu, she ordered the cheapest one and sent the server away.

Meanwhile, Gabriella tried to suppress the frustration she felt. She was aware that given her state, she meant nothing compared to Joan. After all, the lady sitting opposite her could buy the entire shop if she wanted to, let alone a cup of expensive coffee. Resentment grew in Gabriella’s heart, especially after she witnessed how the server had disregarded her.

In an obnoxious voice, she ordered several things off the menu while pointing at them as though she had returned to the way she used to be. Nodding, the server smiled and asked them to wait for their orders to come.

After he finally left, the two ladies fell into an awkward silence before Gabriella broke it, “You look troubled. Are you that unwilling to sit with me? Can’t you show me some respect, considering how we used to be best friends in college?”

Joan could not be bothered to explain her circumstances. “You can think however you want, but since I’ve agreed to come out with you, I am not here to despise you of sorts.”

It was heartbreaking to hear that. In the past, Gabriella was the rose among the thorns. She was wealthy, beautiful, smart, and Landon Ward’s beloved daughter. There were even people fighting to be in line to hang out with her. As such, every time the two of them went out, Joan would be the one feeling inferior.

Gabriella would never have predicted that the tables would turn, where Joan would say something like that to her. At that moment, she gave up on her plan to diss Joan. Adjusting her sitting posture, she continued with a smile, “Since you aren’t here to mock me, your troubled expression only means that you have a problem…”

She purposely kept the suspense before she moved closer to Joan and whispered, “You are having a hard time…”

Hearing those words, Joan shuddered slightly, and that reaction did not escape Gabriella’s eyes. As someone who could pick up on such cues, Gabriella could guess why Joan was unhappy immediately.

At times, the broken ones would pretend that nothing was wrong. They would conceal their true feelings and put up a brave front. “Nothing is wrong. I’m doing fine,” Joan replied.

To her dismay, Gabriella was not fooled. She scorned with disdain, “You know it best. While you may think that you can deceive others, you can never lie to yourself. Well, I have to let you know that you can’t even trick me into thinking otherwise.”

Guilty as charged, Joan wanted to rebut, but she could not find the right words to say. Who knew that she would be so nervous? Moreover, it was in front of Gabriella.

“Why? Did Larry throw you to the curb?” Gabriella was clearly enjoying the moment. She added, “Weren’t the both of you acting like lovebirds before me previously? Not much time has passed, and the both of you have already fallen out?”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1666

If I told her that there’s nothing wrong between Larry and me, will she be stunned? Joan was contemplating over what she should do. Even so, she did not let it show on her face.

“Of course not. Recently, Larry has been returning home quite late, and I feel uneasy being alone. That’s why I’ve been feeling down…”

Haha, Joan, do you take me as a three-year-old child? Do you think I’ll take the bait so easily when your lies are clumsily put together? Accommodating Joan’s reasoning, Gabriella pretended to be surprised. “Oh, I see. Regardless, you should be wary. Who knows, he might be seeing another woman as charming as you behind your back.”

A chill ran down Joan’s spine. They had not seen each other in ages, yet she tried to sell her the idea of an affair so nicely.

“Don’t worry. Even if such a woman does appear, I will haunt her down as I did to you in the past!” Joan taunted.

Right away, Gabriella’s expression hardened, but she quickly tried to cover it up. She stammered, “Actually…I have a question for you…”

“Since when did you learn to ask questions this way?” Joan took the chance to poke fun at her.

“Forget about it if you don’t want to entertain me. You don’t need to put up a show with me,” Gabriella returned to her original tone. This made Joan feel more at ease since she was used to this side of Gabriella.

Joan chuckled, “Go ahead and tell me then.”

“Has Landon ever mentioned… me?” Her last word was laced with uncertainty. From Joan’s memory, Gabriella used to call him ‘Dad’ all the time. Yet, she was calling him by his first name now.

Only now did it click in her head. Gabriella’s sudden change in character was not unfounded. After all, she was a young mistress from a reputable family before her doting father threw her out of the house. He even announced that he had disowned her in an interview in order to protect his company.

Of course, there was a reason for her demise. If she did not carry out such nasty schemes, she would not have to see a day like this. That said, her personality would not have changed either.

Joan shook her head. However, it was not because Landon did not mention Gabriella, but because she did not have the chance to meet with him since Larry had rejected the partnership with the Ward Group even before her dispute with him.

Meanwhile, the patrons at the table beside them were monitoring the stock market for their profits and losses.

“The stocks that I recently purchased are a good investment! It’s been doing really well.”

“Recently, stocks have been in a bull market. However, why aren’t the Ward Group’s stocks rising? I bought it while they were rising, yet it has stopped moving since.”

Coincidentally, they mentioned the Ward Group, and Gabriella picked up on every word they had said.

Raising the cup of coffee from the table, she stirred the drink with a spoon, creating a circle on the foam.

“So he hasn’t mentioned anything about me? Hmph.” She snorted, “I think he must be barely getting by…”

“Is this why you wanted to come out with me?” Joan sipped on her coffee, exuding the aura of a socialite.

Covering it up, Gabriella slyly smiled, “Of course not. I’m also here to mock at your troubled life.”

Joan thought there was no way to communicate with the other woman. Noticing that her coffee was had cooled down, she gulped it down before using a tissue to wipe her mouth. Then, she stood up and announced, “I’m going off. Since you wanted to treat me, you can foot the bill.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1667

At first, she wanted to leave coolly, but she knocked into a man, dressed in black from head to toe, by the glass door.

How rude! He did not even bother to apologize to me.The man glanced at her before casting a confused look at her.

What’s his problem? Hurriedly, she dusted her clothes and left. The man continued to stare at her while in deep thought and only entered the restaurant after her figure disappeared from his sight.

Jory did not do it on purpose, but it happened by chance. It was Joan who bumped into him, and he did not plan for it to happen. At once, he sent a message to Dustin. It said: I am waiting for you at our old meeting place. Also, I just bumped into Joan at the entrance.

He was also someone with class and would hold himself in high regard as he sipped on his coffee. While he patiently waited for Dustin, he read the newspapers and enjoyed his beverage.

Moments later, Dustin, who was usually calm and collected, burst through the door angrily. He headed straight to Jory’s table like a mad man.

If not because they were in a public setting, he would have grabbed Jory by the collar and lifted him from his seat. He growled, “I thought you promised me never to bother Joan again. Why did you let her spot you?”

In response, Jory looked like he was being slandered. “You were the one who said that she would never come to such places and chose to meet here. How is it my fault for bumping into her by chance?”

“Did you really not plan it?” Dustin frowned.

Raising his palm in the air, Jory swore, “I swear I didn’t.”

This made Dustin confused. The Joan that he knew was a spendthrift and would never patronize such places. Besides being a student from Nirhaven College, she was only an employee of a fashion company.

Did Larry bring her here? Unknowingly, he said his thoughts aloud.

“How is that possible? We have already sent the photos, and Larry must hate her by now. Why would they still be together?” Jory immediately shot down his idea. Rolling his eyes, he added, “I think she came with another woman, but I can’t remember how she looks like except for her exquisite figure.”

Exquisite figure? Names of various women ran through Dustin’s mind. It seemed like he knew someone who would match Jory’s description, but he could not recall who it was at the top of his head. It would take him some time to figure who that lady was, but for now, he was glad that Jory did not do it on purpose.

Heaving a breath of relief, his voice returned to its normal tone. “Are you certain that you made no mistakes when you sent out those photos?”

With a childish grin, Jory boasted, “Of course! Have I ever made you worry? I will not let them find out that I sent it until we finish the job. For all you know, they might never be able to trace it back to me.”

Seeing how Dustin was looking at him suspiciously without a word, Jory assured him, “Don’t look at me like that. I have absolutely no interest in her. Besides, I will never fancy a woman who had given birth. After all, it is inevitable for their figures to change once they have gone through a pregnancy. Haha, she is definitely not my cup of tea.”

Those words posed no value to Dustin, and he did not wish to hear any of them. To him, when you love someone, you would love every part of her, whether it was her inner beauty or physical appearance. Loving only the appearance of a lady could not be considered true love.

Four days had passed since Larry had been unreachable. He was not contactable by his mobile, and he had not turned up at work nor returned home.

As Joan did not want Finnick’s wife to worry about Larry, she did not visit them over the past few days either.

Determined to look for Larry, she even applied for a week’s leave from school. However, it was ending soon, and if she continued to do that, her attendance would fall below her minimum passing rate. Furthermore, she had looked everywhere in Marsingfill but there was no sign of Larry. Desperately, she was just short of pasting a missing person’s notice around the city by now.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1668

There were several blisters on Joan’s feet after walking for hours on end throughout the past few days. Many a time, she wanted to rest by the roadside, but Gabriella’s arrogant face would appear in her mind. It was as though she was standing right before her and mocking her. “Hah! You look rather pathetic, Joan Watts!”

Every time she thought of that, she inwardly cheered herself on—hang in there! She searched for Larry at every single place they had ever visited together without missing a single detail, retracing their steps in the past.

The city was enormous, and she weaved through this big city like a headless chicken. At times, when she was truly at the end of her will, she went to the plaza with a water screen and sat on the stone bench while guzzling a bottle of mineral water to quench her thirst.

The huge screen often played news of the current happenings in Marsingfill, smalls disputes, conflict of interests, or trivial matters in the local community. That day, it was a traffic accident.

Joan’s hand shook, and she almost dropped the bottle of mineral water in her hand. Her mind was flooded with blood-red images as though the old truck was right in front of her, plowing toward her ruthlessly.

She knew that she shouldn’t think of Larry at that moment, but fear abruptly seized her. She was struck with terror that such a thing would happen to him, even more so at the thought that perhaps the reason she couldn’t contact him in the past few days was that… tragedy had already befallen him.

Her legs went weak, and she almost fell to her knees. As gusts of cold wind swept past her from behind, her heart instantly went chilly. Then, she gulped uneasily. No, I must find him even if he’s at the ends of the world! I must grab hold of him and question him on his reason for avoiding me and refusing to see me. Also, I want to ask him about the misunderstanding Nancy and Caspian have against me.

As she inhaled deeply, Larry’s voice when they argued echoed in her ears. You don’t need to sound so self-righteous! Haven’t you been yearning to return to Dustin Silverman long ago and even take Leslie with you? Let me tell you, that’s never going to happen!

At that time, his face was flushed bright red. He was so worked up that if Dustin had appeared before him in the next second, he would have ripped him to shreds. All of a sudden, Joan thought, Larry would certainly have sought Dustin out after our argument. Considering his temperament, he would have gotten into a heated row with him. However, Dustin has been interacting with me as though nothing had happened, never once bringing Larry up as though they never knew each other.

“Maybe Dustin can tell me something,” she muttered. In the next instance, she sent Dustin a message, asking whether she could meet him.

Dustin had always answered her messages within seconds, and this time was no exception. He replied: Sure. I’m at the college, so why don’t you come over? His reply made it feel as though one could see his familiar smiling face through the screen.

As soon as Joan stepped foot into Nirhaven College, she was stopped by a venerated lecturer at the guardhouse. The moment the lecturer caught sight of her, he hastily slid the window open and shouted her name. He initially came over to the guardhouse to hang out with the guards since he was bored, but he had never thought that he would bump into the legendary “transfer student.”

Rumor had it that she was the wife of a president of a large corporation. She already had a child at such a young age, yet she still wanted to go back to college to study. Coincidentally, she was a student in his class. For some reason, she had taken a leave of absence for several days in a row, and the reason was indicated arrogantly as “none.” If there’s no reason, why on earth are you taking a leave of absence? However, nothing could be done since she had connections. Other students attended Nirhaven College to expand their knowledge, while she was here just to kill time.

“Hah! She’s acting high and mighty just because her husband has money, no?” That was the comment he heard most about her among the other female students.

After listening to such comments time and again, he naturally formed a negative impression of her. Unexpectedly, fate arranged an unintentional meeting between them that day. All at once, he quickly slid open the window and hollered at Joan who was rushing into the college, “Hey, you there! Hold on a moment!”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1669

Taken aback, Joan stared blankly at the man who came out of the guard shack. She racked her brains in search of his countenance, but there was a glitch that simply exasperated her, for he seemed very familiar, yet she just couldn’t remember who he was.

She stood there in stunned silence for a long while before finally deciding not to greet him. After all, it would be bad if she called him by the wrong name. The man nudged the glasses on the bridge of his nose as he concealed the displeasure within him. Inwardly, however, he chided, What kind of attitude is this? Even if you’re rich, you’re still a student in this college! And even if I’m a lecturer whom you aren’t acquainted with, you should still greet me when I’m standing right in front of you, let alone when I’m your lecturer!

In the next moment, he flashed her an awkward smile. “Why did you take several days of absence? What’s more, you didn’t even indicate the reason for doing so.”

“S-Something came up at home… a-and I hadn’t the time to inform the college,” Joan stammered in reply. Huh? He knows that I took a leave of absence… Oh God, that means he’s my lecturer! Nevertheless, she was in a hurry to find Dustin, so she inwardly prayed that he would let her off posthaste.

Sometimes, the more one hoped that things would go as wished, it would simply refuse to comply and go the other way round. This was one of those times. The lecturer chattered on with her, speaking of attendance, disciplinary warning, demerit, and even turning up late for class. What on earth is this? Does he think that I, Joan Watts, am an elementary or junior high student?

To be honest, she had zero liking for the middle-aged man in front of her. Just when she was suppressing the urge to get a piece of tape and plaster his mouth that kept opening and closing, a gentle voice drifted over.

No matter whose voice it was, it would naturally sound like music to her ears at that moment. Yes! I can finally be of this old man’s jabbering! She was so ecstatic that she almost jumped for joy.

“Mr. Yardley, how can you claim that she’s late when she has submitted a request for a leave of absence? Also, if you think that her reason for doing so doesn’t comply with the standard approval, I think you should inquire about the specific situation from the lecturer who approved the request if you want to give her demerit points. After all, if you think there’s a problem with something that’s been approved by another lecturer, the consequences… shouldn’t be borne by the student, no?”

Unexpectedly, Dustin was even more eloquent than the middle-aged man. He didn’t even need to think before he spoke, yet he successfully rendered him speechless. Nonetheless, they were colleagues who would be seeing each other every day, so he couldn’t take things too far. Stopping while he was ahead, he threw him a compliment instead.

“Well, no wonder everyone unanimously votes for you as the most popular lecturer of the year when you’re so concerned about your students!”

Hearing that, the middle-aged man chortled in delight and almost burst with pride. “Really? I’m not as popular as you are, Mr. Silverman. And in work, I merely give it my all to do the best I can…”

Upon seeing that, Joan was utterly stunned at his ignorance. Dustin merely said that to make up for having rebuked him, but he’s actually so dense to be jabbering on and on about his teaching methods!

At long last, even Dustin who was even-tempered and patient couldn’t take it anymore. Giving a soft cough, he surreptitiously interrupted his “speech,” saying, “I heard that the outstanding lecturers who have been shortlisted are to head to the conference hall on the second floor of the administrative building for a meeting. I’m afraid you might be reprimanded before all the venerated lecturers if you don’t get a move on now.”

When the man heard that, his expression changed. Hastily taking his leave from Dustin, he then trotted over to the administrative building. Before he left, he even flashed Joan a kind smile, exhibiting a drastic shift from his previous admonishment and disdain toward her. His plump body jiggled as he ran, creating a hilarious sight.

Subsequently, Dustin walked over to her. “Phew! He’s gone at last! He didn’t put you in a tight spot, did he?”

“You arrived before he could do so.” As Joan stared at the plump back, she suddenly remembered her purpose in seeking Dustin out and grabbed his sleeve at once. “Let’s forget about that. Dustin, I’m here because of a very crucial matter.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1670

At that, Dustin’s expression turned solemn as well. “Come, let’s talk in my office.”

However, Joan couldn’t wait anymore. Following him closely, she asked in a voice colored with urgency, “Did Larry ever come and look for you a few days ago? Did he say anything to you?”

Hearing that, Dustin glanced over his shoulder at her. “Why do you ask? And what makes you think that he’d definitely come and seek me out?”

“Because the meeting at the hospital that day was definitely not the last time you two saw each other. Considering his temperament, he’ll certainly seek you out to get to the bottom of things.” Then, Joan continued, “I haven’t seen him for many days now, so I need to know where he is!”

“I’m sorry, but I have no idea on his whereabout,” Dustin replied unhurriedly.

All at once, Joan again reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt. “I don’t need you to tell me where he is. I only want to know whether he came and sought you out!”

Stopping shortly, Dustin whirled around. His movement was so sudden that Joan almost smacked into him in her distracted state. Even then, she almost fell to the ground due to inertia. Unexpectedly, Dustin reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist.

As the warmth of his palm seeped through her quality clothes to reach her waist, it burned like a brand and scorched her.

This time, Joan reacted swiftly. She still had her wits and she knew that she should keep some boundaries between them. Her hands shot out without even thinking about it, and she pushed his shoulders to immediately put a distance of at least one meter between them.

Dustin, however, disregarded her wishes. Instead, his arm around her waist tightened a fraction. Sure enough, she’s still the same as before! The moment something related to Larry is brought up, she’ll behave like a porcupine with all her quills standing up straight as she’s seized by the urge to lash her tail at me.

“Let go of me, Dustin!” Joan screeched. Afraid that he would do something that crossed the line even further when he was hugging her, she timidly reminded, “We’re in the college.”

Nonetheless, Dustin was unfazed although a few people were already drawing close to them to watch the show. Inwardly, Joan whined, Argh! I’m dead now! With this, not only will the rumors of me and Dustin flying around the college cease to abate, but it’ll even escalate instead! It’s precisely the slew of rumors about us that caused the misunderstanding between me and Larry to deepen…

At the direction of her thoughts, she didn’t dare contemplate further. She simply couldn’t shake off the feeling that Dustin would grow even closer to her, while her beloved Larry would swiftly leave her at a speed indiscernible to the naked eye.

“What if I were to tell you that I did something to him?”

The gentle voice was no different than before, but as it fell into Joan’s ears at that moment, a chill ran down her spine. Did Dustin… really do something to him? Feigning calmness, she countered, “T-That’s impossible. You’ll never use such a stupid method. You know full well that I’ll lose my mind if something really happens to him, so you won’t make waves on a tranquil sea.”

Finally, Dustin released his hold on her. “Sure enough, it’s Joan Watts who knows me even better than myself in this entire world.”

When he mentioned her name, his jet-black eyes stared right at her. Every time he gazed into her eyes, he always wondered whether he could see through her and fathom her thoughts by looking into her eyes.

Conversely, Joan couldn’t understand what he meant. How could a person think that somebody else understands him better than himself? Furthermore, I think I don’t understand him at all. I’m merely speculating from what I know about him without having any inkling whether it’s accurate or otherwise.

“He indeed came to seek me out. I told him that we’re merely friends, and that has never changed since the beginning. Thereafter, he left. As for where he went, he merely said that he’s going to clear his head. That’s all I know.”

Huh? Larry only told him that he’s going to clear his head? So, I merely came here for an answer that’s of little value in the end? Are there no other leads for me to find him?