CHAPTER 161: A THEFT?

Renn was taken aback when he saw her. She looked far too young to be Angel’s mother, almost as if time had barely touched her. Tonight, Miss Grace wore a long black gown that clung to her curves, her glossy black hair tied neatly in a ponytail. A touch of makeup made her look even more striking, her beauty enough to hold his gaze longer than he intended.

"Who would have thought I’d see you here?" she said with a teasing smile, one hand resting on her waist while the other played with a strand of hair. "Where are you going? What brings you to my town?"

"You look good, ma," Renn replied, forcing a polite smile while carefully dodging her question. He had no intention of telling her they came because of Angela. He wasn’t sure if she even knew anything yet. "Where are you heading to?" he asked instead.

"I only stepped out to buy some groceries, then I saw you here. What a surprise," Grace said, her eyes flickering toward the car parked behind him. There was no mistaking the way she admired it. Smiling softly, she asked, "Is my boy with you?"

For a second, Renn almost asked who she meant, until it struck him—she was talking about Angela. He quickly shook his head and tried to keep his expression calm. He wanted to end this meeting before it got more complicated, but just as he was about to excuse himself, Kaito came out of the car.

He leaned close to Renn and whispered, "Seriously? A woman? You want to do this now?"

"N-no... it’s not what you think," Renn muttered back, but he couldn’t explain further because Grace’s voice cut through again.

"Thank goodness he is not with you," she said, placing a hand on her chest in relief. Her face carried a fear she could not hide. The thought of her brother finding Angela here terrified her. If her daughter was in that car, she knew he would never let them leave this town again.

"You don’t want to see your son?" Renn asked, startled by the way her voice trembled and by the look in her eyes.

Grace opened her mouth to speak but stopped when her eyes fell on the handsome young man standing now beside Renn.

For a moment she forgot her words. He must be the one driving the car, yet he looked nothing like an ordinary driver. Her lips parted slightly as she studied him. If the boys in that academy were this handsome and wealthy, then it was only a matter of time before her daughter found herself tied to one of them...if she hadn’t already.

"Who is she?" Kaito asked suddenly, his tone sharp. He could not understand why Renn would waste time here with a woman when Kael was unwell and waiting for them.

"Angela’s mother," Grace answered quickly, stretching her hand toward him, her smile soft and deliberate.

Kaito’s brows drew together in surprise. Of all the people they could have run into tonight, she was the last one he expected. He had thought Renn came out to meet some woman he liked, not Angela’s mother. Still, he reached out politely. "Nice to meet you," he said.

Their hands met briefly before she pulled away and, without hesitation, asked, "Did Angel send you with any message for me?"

Kaito was caught off guard. He knew enough about Angela to understand that her bond with her mother was not a warm one, but he pretended not to know too much. "We didn’t tell her we were coming here," he replied carefully.

Grace rolled her eyes at his answer. "What kind of boyfriend are you, red-haired boy?" she teased, her voice laced with mock reproach. She had already paired them together in her mind, and the quick smile that crossed Renn’s lips only confirmed it. She could tell he liked the thought, and it made her heart tighten with hope. If only Angela would stop being stubborn and do the right thing, she could secure a guy like him, someone rich and promising.

"If you had told her you were coming," Grace added softly, "I’m sure my boy would have sent a message."

Kaito rolled his eyes when Grace called Renn her daughter’s boyfriend. He could not understand how she even knew about that or when she might have met Renn, but he decided it was not the right time to ask. That would be a question for another day, maybe when they returned to Mistvale.

"Honestly, we didn’t know we would end up here," Renn said, forcing a sad expression as he looked at her. Deep inside he wondered if she was only pretending or if she truly cared that Angela had not sent her any greetings.

"Well, when you get back, tell her she still owes me," Grace said at last, revealing the real reason behind her interest. Her voice carried a mixture of impatience and need. She had waited too long already, and the pressure on her was only getting worse. "I will be glad to hear from her this week."

"Your daughter owes you?" Kaito asked, tilting his head, his hands resting inside his pockets. His eyes shifted toward the car, making sure nothing was wrong, but his voice was steady. "Sorry, Miss Grace, I don’t mean to intrude, but what do you mean by that?"

"Yes, please explain to us if you don’t mind," Renn added, giving her a nod, though his chest tightened at her words.

Grace’s face lit up as if fortune had finally smiled on her. She had not expected her day to end this well. These two young men looked like her chance to get something back, and she could not let it slip away. Her voice grew more eager as she spoke.

"Angela owes me money. She stole ten thousand dollars from me, and when I later found out, she promised she would pay me back. But until now, she has only been able to return two hundred and fifty dollars. That money was not even mine. I have to give it back to the real owner as soon as possible."