Chapter 135: Chapter 135: White Moonlight
"Who’s this?" the other person asked.
Victoria Monroe was caught off guard, never expecting a woman to answer the call.
There was a time difference between abroad and back home; it was already night in her home country. Was she interrupting something important?
However, the call went through, and hesitating now would just make it seem like she had something to hide.
Victoria adjusted her mindset and spoke, "Hello, I’m a friend of Rhys Hawthorne. Could you please pass on a message to him? My grandmother and I are safe, and I thank him for his continued care."
She just wanted to clarify things, but little did she know, upon hearing it was a woman who addressed Rhys by name, Selene Lowell guessed their relationship wasn’t ordinary.
After all, Rhys was inherently aloof; wasn’t he known outside as ’Third Master’?
Even among peers, most would respectfully call him ’Brother Rhys’.
Importantly, this was Rhys’s private phone. Only family and the most important people knew the number.
Even she had to go through Assistant Woods to reach him, but this woman had his contact details!
Could it be that shameless Shawcross girl?
But the voice didn’t quite match, though it sounded somewhat familiar. Selene Lowell couldn’t immediately remember who it might be.
Whatever, let’s not dwell on it.
I’ve bet with that obnoxious peacock from the Shawcross Family: I must win Rhys over.
Selene Lowell smiled and said, "Alright, I’ll pass your message to Rhys once he’s done with his shower. But what’s your last name, Miss?"
"Rhys will know. I won’t disturb you anymore, goodbye."
Victoria hung up the call, opened the webpage, and indeed found the news Julian Fordham had shown her.
It must be this girl who answered the call, her voice was sweet. So, Rhys liked this type of lively, cheerful girl.
He’s cool and detached, a stark contrast, yet their pairing was quite intriguing.
Afraid this phone might get exposed, she immediately turned it off for future safety.
Selene Lowell saw the call ended and wanted to delete it, but the phone automatically locked.
As she was fiddling with the password, Rhys Hawthorne appeared behind her without a sound, his cool voice coming from above, "What are you doing?"
"Oh my!" Selene Lowell leapt up from her chair, caught in the act, hiding Rhys’s phone behind her.
Rhys frowned slightly; he disliked others touching his belongings.
He had kept the phone accessible, not wasting any chance for Victoria Monroe to contact him. While charging it with a battery pack, he stepped away for a moment.
Rhys focused on Selene Lowell’s guilty expression as he extended his hand, "Give it back."
Selene returned the phone, "Rhys, what’s the number for this phone? I have to route through Assistant Woods every time I need to reach you; it’s so inconvenient."
His voice was detached, "Sorry, I like peace."
"What peace? You just don’t want to say." Selene felt disgruntled; if that peacock got his number first, she’d be endlessly mocked.
Gazing at her toes, Selene fretted, "You clearly gave it to other women, I..."
Just as Rhys planned to have Assistant Woods send her back home, he sharply looked at her, "What women are you talking about?"
Selene wished she could slap herself, accidentally revealing her true thoughts like this.
She met Rhys’s dark eyes, turbulent and heavy like layers of storm clouds, tremendously intimidating.
Unable to hide anymore, she explained what had just happened.
"Rhys, who is she? Is she possibly your girlfriend?" Selene cautiously asked.
Rhys replied, "No."
Selene sighed in relief, "I knew you couldn’t have a girlfriend; it must be those outside women..."
Before she finished, Rhys added, "She is the moonlight in my heart."
Selene’s eyes widened: ???
Is it the meaning she thought?
Could it be the legendary ’White Moonlight’?
Wow, someone like Rhys actually has a ’White Moonlight’.
The next second, Selene felt a huge sense of crisis; could it be that Shawcross peacock?
If it were her, Selene would be ready to fight!
Flora Shawcross had competed with her for everything from childhood to adulthood; she could lose to anyone but Flora Shawcross.
Selene looked aggrieved, her tears instantly falling, "Rhys, the one you like is Shaw..."
"It’s not her. She’s a very good girl, and I’ll introduce you all to her when there’s a chance."
Rhys knew Selene had no ill intentions, just a bit mischievous; she was essentially a young and naive sister in his eyes, given the familial ties and their desire for an alliance, creating opportunities on purpose.
Before he could comfort Selene, he saw her pat her chest and casually wipe her tears, appearing at ease, "Good thing it’s not Flora Shawcross."
It seemed anyone but Flora Shawcross would be fine as his beloved.
"Selene, I’m still pursuing her, and no one in the family knows. I hope you can keep it a secret."
Selene blinked, "Then tell me your private phone number, and I’ll keep your secret."
Rhys: "Deal."
A minute later, Selene skipped out of the dining room.
As she left, Rhys overheard her, phone in hand, smugly sending a voice message to Flora Shawcross.
"I got Rhys’s private number, jealous yet?"
"Today it’s the phone number, tomorrow it’s hand-holding, and the day after, it’s marriage—I’ll keep you beneath me forever, hahaha! Flora Shawcross, call me ’Daddy’!"
Rhys ignored it, confident that while the girl had quite the temper, once she’d promised him secrecy, she wouldn’t disclose it.
Rhys quickly unlocked the phone, checked the first overseas phone number, and immediately called back.
The other side had already powered off.
Rhys deduced Victoria Monroe’s current situation; she must’ve just gotten the phone, intending to give him peace of mind.
And he had missed it by just half a minute.
However, since Julian Fordham deeply loved her, she had just undergone a miscarriage; he wouldn’t do anything to her.
Victoria was safe, Rhys was certain of that.
He just worried about the child she’d been carrying, and if Julian found out, he wouldn’t let go easily.
But if things remained hidden, history might repeat itself.
Rhys quickly composed several messages, hoping Victoria would contact him as soon as she powered on the phone.
During this time, he was in Europe, searching for Victoria’s whereabouts while tending to business matters.
It coincided with Selene Lowell visiting for a show; family had requested a meal, leading to photos returning to Portoros and becoming front-page news.
Thankfully, his face wasn’t shown, nor was his identity discovered, so Rhys hadn’t made any moves.
Now the most important thing was finding Victoria as soon as possible.
He sent the number to Assistant Woods, his tone cold and stern, "Locate the owner of this number immediately."
Soon after, Assistant Woods hurried over, "Third Master, it’s been found."