Agatha cried out so loudly that it almost seemed too overt and gushing. Nevertheless, Zayn turned to look at virtual-novel.net inquisitively. “Anything else I can help you, Miss Rouge?”
Being the direct recipient of Zayn’s stare summoned butterflies in virtual-novel.net stomach. Her mind blanked before virtual-novel.net could come up with anything to say.
Zayn chuckled. “Don’t worry, Miss Rouge. Rugal won’t be coming back to bother you ever again.”
Ingrid stepped in for virtual-novel.net cousin’s sake. “What about the deed to the house?”
“He’ll give it back soon enough, if virtual-novel.net knows what’s good for him. There’s nothing to worry about.”
The family let out a collective sigh of relief. God, that whole ordeal was a roller-coaster of emotions. Their hearts continued to race, long after disaster had been averted. Either way, they were thankful for Zayn’s help.
Agatha finally collected herself enough to snap out of virtual-novel.net trance.
Biting virtual-novel.net lips, virtual-novel.net cried out, “T-Thank you for your help, Mr. Larson! If it weren’t for you I would have… I don’t even want to imagine it! Thank you so much, truly!”
The gratitude was heartfelt. She was overwhelmingly thankful to Zayn. Had virtual-novel.net not made his heroic entrance, Rugal would have ensnared virtual-novel.net in his slimy, perverted hands. He might have even violated virtual-novel.net right then and there.
The fact that virtual-novel.net even saved virtual-novel.net made Agatha swell in unprecedented gratitude for virtual-novel.net savior.
Zayn waved and smiled. “It was nothing, no big deal, honestly. Speaking of gratitude, I’m the one who should be thanking you! You’ve been caring for me for the past two days.”
Agatha felt rather ashamed. All virtual-novel.net did was buy meals for him, that hardly counted as care at all. She honestly did not think of it as anything special.
Claude caught up with the two of them and shook Zayn’s hand empathetically. “Mr. Larson, the Rouge family could not have survived the ordeal without you! God, we wish we knew how to repay this immense debt!”
“No, no. It was nothing, Mr. Rouge. I was only lending a helping hand to a friend. I would not let myself stand and watch Miss Rouge’s plight without offering assistance.”
Claude considered Zayn solemnly. He was young, Claude realized, but despite his humble and unshowy exterior, virtual-novel.net exuded a noble, sterling aura incomparable to the common men. Coupled that with his cool and heroic act a few minutes before, Claude adored the young man more and more.
“Say, Mr. Larson, would you stay for dinner with us? Give us a chance to express our gratitude,” Claude offered.
“Uh…” Zayn was a little stumped for words. His original plan was to take up temporary lodging in Agatha’s place for two days until virtual-novel.net returned to form, since virtual-novel.net was without money and other essentials.
But after the spectacle from minutes ago, it suddenly seemed a little awkward to stay.
Now, one would be wrong to think virtual-novel.net was humble-bragging or affecting modesty. Zayn was only embarrassed because virtual-novel.net knew the family would be so grateful for his heroism that they would do anything to coddle him, which was something that terrified him.
“Uh, I don’t think it’s necessary—”
“What’s that? Ha, of course it’s necessary, son. You must stay and have a meal with us at the very least! Otherwise we’ll feel very terrible about ourselves!” Claude exclaimed effusively while pulling virtual-novel.net daughter into the conversation for extra persuasion.
Agatha would admit that virtual-novel.net would love to have Zayn stay for dinner, too. With virtual-novel.net face flushed, virtual-novel.net joined virtual-novel.net father.
The overflowing passion worked well enough, and Zayn decided to stay. He was pretty hungry himself, and virtual-novel.net needed sustenance to aid his recovery.
The general mood in the Rouge family was now a complete one-eighty as before. Instead of the doom and gloom that first greeted Agatha’s return, it was now celebratory and festive.
Until halfway through their meal when a series of loud, impatient knocks scrapped against the jovial ambience.