Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts novel Chapter 448

Ines sometimes thought of herself as a harbinger of doom speaker. Just a few days ago, she had a hunch that Phoebe and Noel’s mother might not get along well. And now, within a few days, Noel was at her doorstep.

Ines was still asleep when Ethan woke her up. “Izzy, wake up. Noel is here to see you.”

Groggily, Ines opened her eyes to see Ethan’s handsome face looming over her. She couldn’t help but reach out and smack him playfully. “Ethan, you’re such a pest. I’m still sleepy. Don’t disturb me.”

Lately, Ethan had been very demanding in bed. Despite her protests, he would confidently argue that she could recuperate during the day without worrying about feeling weak. She was always indulgent towards him, so she couldn’t sleep well at night at all. That was why she often slept till almost noon.

Ethan chuckled at her grumpy morning demeanor. He found her adorable even when she was practically swatting him away like swatting a bothersome mosquito. Watching her cute appearance, his gaze softened, and he leaned down to kiss her lips.

“Ethan, enough, will you let me rest?”

Ethan chuckled softly, tweaking her pert nose. “Izzy, it’s not me who’s disturbing you, it’s Noel. He is here because Phoebe has gone missing.”

If he didn’t tell her promptly, she would probably demand an answer from him later. She could be quite petulant at times.

Sure enough, the mention of “Phoebe” made Ines sit up straight, and her eyes wide with concern. “What happened? What do you mean she’s missing?”

Ethan placated her. “Izzy, don’t panic. I’m not entirely sure what’s going on. Noel didn’t elaborate. You will have to ask him yourself.”

Ines wasted no more time, quickly getting up to change her clothes and freshen up before heading out.

Seeing the numerous love bites on her neck, Ethan took off her hair tie, letting her long hair cascade down to cover them.

“Why did you take off my hair tie? It’s quite warm today. Having my hair down makes it unbearable.”

Ethan pointed to the marks on her neck with a teasing smile. “These aren’t exactly suitable for public view.”

Ines blushed, realizing what he meant. “It’s all your fault, you pervert.”

Ethan chuckled, rubbing his nose. “Okay, let’s hurry downstairs. Noel is almost frantic.” As they descended the staircase, they found Noel pacing anxiously in the living room. Phillip, with a smirk playing on his lips, teased, “Noel, you’re finally getting a taste of your own medicine. You used to have a flock of girls trailing behind you. Now you’ve been courting a girl for nearly two years, and she’s run off. I don’t even know what to say.”

“Phillip, stop making fun of me. Where are Izzy and Ethan? They’re taking forever,” Noel replied. His face was a picture of consternation.

Phillip chuckled, deciding not to push him further. The others shook their heads in amusement but remained silent.

Ines stayed silent for a moment, more convinced than ever that Phoebe’s disappearance was not due to a fight with Sarah. However, she felt Noel was being too slow to catch on. “Oh, Noel, I don’t even know what to say. It’s clear as day she was wrapping up her work to go away, but you didn’t notice?”

Noel sighed heavily. He had indeed overlooked that. “Izzy, I can’t think of any other reason why she would leave without a word.”

“Don’t worry too much. First, find out where she’s gone, then we’ll go look for her.”

Ines knew Phoebe well. She wasn’t irresponsible. If she wanted to break up with Noel, she would tell him directly instead of just disappearing. Noel’s worries were unfounded.

“I’ve found out she’s gone to Aelston, but that place is huge. Where do I start looking for her?” Noel appeared dejected and helpless.

He had hoped that Phoebe had confided in Ines about her whereabouts, but it seemed she had kept it a secret from her too. The situation was far from simple.

“Relax. Phoebe’s home is here, and she hasn’t resigned from her job. She’s just taken a leave of absence, indicating she doesn’t plan to leave permanently. She’s probably gone somewhere temporarily and will return once her leave is over.” Ines reassured him.

Noel’s fists clenched tightly. “I know, but I can’t stand the thought of her out there alone.”

It was rare for Ines to see this side of Noel. He had always seemed somewhat carefree to her. “You can put your mind at ease,” she reassured him. “Phoebe’s not some little girl. She’s nearly thirty. She knows how to look after herself. Her job also often requires her to go to different cities. She will be just fine.”