Tabitha's POV
In front of me was a face I didn't recognize. This girl had delicate eyebrows and eyes, but there was no sense of familiarity about her, so she likely wasn't someone I knew.
Yet, the way she looked at me, it was like she knew me.
"Do you know me?" I asked proactively.
The expression on her face returned to calm, with a hint of a smile. "Let's say we're acquainted."
She rose to her feet with an air of grace and confidence, extending her hand towards me as she introduced herself, "Hello, I'm Melissa Hartley."
This name... I couldn't help but ask, "Are you from the Hartley family?"
I still had Dwayne's business card in my bag, and it was hard to believe that I'd run into another Hartley so soon.
Although I was also surnamed Hartley, the difference between me and the Hartley family who owned Apex Wulfen International was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.
"Well, my brother once told us that without you, we might never have found Cynthia's remains. I've been wanting to meet you for a while, and I certainly didn't expect our paths to cross here. You're even more stunning in real life than your photos online."
Melissa smiled gently, her left cheek dimpling just a bit, which brought a breath of fresh air to those around her.
I asked Derek, and Derek briefly mentioned it, letting me know the reason behind the matter.
"It's just a small favor. No need to dwell on it. I have some things to take care of, so I'll be on my way."
Melissa reached out and grabbed me.
I turned my head to look at her, puzzled, and she seemed to sense her abruptness, quickly pulling back her hand.
"I'm sorry, Tabitha, but could you possibly give me your contact information? I'm just visiting this city for a short while and will be leaving soon. I'd like to have dinner with you before I go to express my gratitude."
"Thank you for your kind offer, but I really didn't do much. I appreciate the gesture, but the dinner isn't necessary." With that, I nodded and followed the salesperson away.
I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, but I always felt like there was a pair of eyes following me.
As I was about to turn the corner, I glanced back one last time. The corridor was deserted, with not a person in sight.
I came to my senses and shook my head. It was probably just my own illusion.
After I finished the measurements, I headed to find Andrea. The moment I stepped into the shop, I could feel an unusual atmosphere.
Andrea was seated on a high stool, legs crossed, radiating an air of queenly authority without even speaking a word.
Not far from her stood a woman. Despite her age, she had maintained herself well, with a figure as slender as a young girl's.
Her makeup was subtle, but upon closer inspection, the woman appeared simple, yet every detail from head to toe was deliberately crafted.
Of course, these things could only be noticed by women. Men wouldn't pay any attention to them at all.
The woman exuded a gentle and graceful aura as if she had stepped out from a tranquil small town, carrying an air of freshness and natural elegance.
But compared to Andrea's innate nobility and elegance, to be honest, they were not even in the same league.
With a look of distress, she said, "Mrs. Greenwood, I didn’t know the necklace was for you. I'm so sorry. Let me buy it and give it to you as a gift."
"Mrs. Greenwood?" Andrea placed her coffee down and glanced at the woman contemptuously.
The woman seemed to be waiting for Andrea to continue speaking, but Andrea just gave a light snort and then fell silent, as if in her eyes, the woman was nothing more than a jester.
The woman continued, "By the way, Mrs. Greenwood, it's been a while since you've seen Ambrose, hasn't it? He's actually here today. I've always felt remorse about what happened back then, and I haven't had the chance to see you all these years. I apologize for that..."
Andrea didn't even look at her this time, but caught a glimpse of me and waved at me, saying, "Come here."
I had a feeling that something was off, so I obediently walked over to Andrea's side and called out, "Andrea, this is..."
"Don't worry about strangers you don't know. Just try on the jewelry that I picked for you."
I looked at Andrea, hoping she could give me some explanations.
Andrea, however, did not speak. She simply handed me the jewelry and asked me to try it on.