Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire - Chapter 148

Chapter 148: Where Did You Escape to?
Accompanied by the gentle rustle of the flowers and leaves dancing, alongside the faint chatters of the visitors, Nathaniel and Elsie continued sitting under the hanging wisterias.

Nathaniel wasn’t in a rush as he slowly swiped the screen, looking from one photo to the next. He occasionally rubbed his teary eyes, his lips curling into a faint smile.

The photos showed collections of Lorianna as she grew up. From being a tiny baby inside a swaddle to her taking her first steps also running around the flower fields.

In one, Lorianne seemed to be around one or two years old. Her chubby face and hands were smeared by the red juice of the watermelon slice she held.

In another, Lorianne cutely showed the bundle of flowers she picked. Her brown eyes glittered under the sunlight.

In the next, Lorianne sat on the ground while hugging a baby goat. Dressed in a denim overall and bright pink kids’ boots, she laughed at the camera.

Lorianne was truly an adorable child. She had already charmed her way into Nathaniel’s heart despite not meeting each other yet.

“Thank you, Elsie… for taking care of Lorianne well…”

Those words slipped out of Nathaniel’s mouth as he reached for the last photo of the gallery album. He lifted his eyes from the screen, smiling at Elsie across the table.

Seeing the bright smiles on the child’s face, and also how healthy she appeared was enough to tell Nathaniel how much Elsie had taken good care of Lorianne.

“…you don’t have to thank me,” Elsie answered awkwardly, her green eyes still had lingering traces of red, “Lorrie is an easy child. She has never troubled me much.”

Elsie was telling Nathaniel the truth. From the first day of Lorianne being born, she didn’t have much difficulty. She just needed to familiarize herself with taking care of the little one first.

Also, it was due to the support she received from the people who cared for her.

Nathaniel exhaled a sigh. He returned his gaze to the phone screen, locking his brown eyes to Lorianne’s who shared the same color as his.

“If you have them and… if you allow me to,” Nathaniel began, his voice still having the traces of tremors as he spoke, “Can you give me… any videos of hers? Even when she was a baby.”

Nathaniel knew he couldn’t do anything to return the past five years. It was regrettable but, he had missed the early years of Lorianne’s life.

He didn’t get to cradle her right after birth, feeling her small palm clutching his finger tightly.

He didn’t get to see her taking her first steps, be it rolling or crawling on the floor or walking.

He didn’t get to hear her laughing and calling her ‘Daddy’, showing her adorable gummy smile.

He had missed out on everything. He could only live the moments through the photos and videos taken during the past five years.

Understanding what Nathaniel meant, Elsie nodded, easily agreeing with his request. She clasped her hands together, hidden under the table.

Nathaniel reluctantly returned the phone to Elsie despite knowing she had e-mailed him the copies. Refraining from sighing, his mind began pondering on the next questions he should ask her.

“Five years ago… You…”

Nathaniel paused right after speaking, stopped by his own uncertainty. His eyes lingered on Elsie as he quietly took in the cloudy look on her countenance. He pushed through his doubts.

“Where and how did you escape? You don’t have to tell me the details if you don’t want to. I know… the incident traumatized you.”

Nathaniel didn’t undergo what Elsie went through on that day five years ago but, he believed saying the experience was unpleasant was an understatement.

Elsie already anticipated this inquiry from Nathaniel. She unconsciously clenched her hands into fists, bracing herself for this moment.

“…I gave birth right after I ran away. Lorrie was born prematurely. Thankfully, she only had to stay in the hospital for two weeks. I actually was still in this country for two months before I left.”

Elsie’s words froze Nathaniel. His eyes widened, the shock was evident in his brown orbs. He unconsciously held his breath for a few seconds.

“You were still… here before?” Nathaniel blinked, still unable to believe Elsie, “B-but… I didn’t find you anywhere.”

Nathaniel ordered his people to look for Elsie right after she disappeared. The last trace was captured by a surveillance camera far from their residence.

Nathaniel tried looking at all the hospitals and clinics in the country, thinking Elsie might seek refuge there but, his attempts were futile.

Then… where did Elsie give birth to Lorianne? Why couldn’t his men find them?

Nathaniel believed a premature baby like Lorianne required more care than infants from regular births. Also, Elsie might be recovering from her injuries as well.

Driven by her anxiousness, Elsie swallowed a few times. She understood why Nathaniel was surprised to hear that. At the same time, she also knew he was actively looking for her before.

“You couldn’t find me because… my adoptive parents hid me and Lorrie.”

Nathaniel was once again stunned. He barely found his voice as he blurted out, “…adoptive parents? Who?”

Aside from a few good friends in Norvonna, Nathaniel knew that Elsie had no one else. She also hadn’t formed deep friendships with anyone during her stay in Velondia five years ago.

To hear Elsie say that her adoptive parents helped her flooded Nathaniel’s mind with more confusion. This was something he never expected to hear from her.

“The Winslows. I’m no longer Elsie Clark, Niel. I’m Elsie Winslow now, Lorrie also has the surname. Lorianne Winslow.”

Elsie muttered the surname Nathaniel didn’t recognized. It sounded a little familiar, but he didn’t recall who.

Before he could ask anything, she explained more about the couple who adopted her even as an adult.

“They’re my lecturer’s good friends. You know, Mrs. Mathison. I contacted her and… she said her friends would help me. They were in Velondia when it happened.”

Under Nathaniel’s blank gaze, Elsie continued speaking. Her voice was barely higher above the fluttering petals and leaves.

“I didn’t know… who to ask help from. I called Mrs. Mathison. She… she quickly arranged for the Winslows to get me.”

If not for the benevolent Winslow spouses, Elsie believed she might lose Lorianne for good.