Chapter 148: Tigers Running Towards Each Other
Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Tigers Running Towards Each Other
"Director Wyatt." Renee gave her a slight nod.
"Evan said you were a huge help again," Faye Wyatt said with a bright smile.
Renee let out a soft laugh. "It was nothing, really."
Faye Wyatt stood up and walked over to her. "It may seem like a small thing to you," she said warmly, "but it means a lot to me."
Renee blinked, unsure how to respond.
"This is a small token of my gratitude." Faye Wyatt suddenly pulled a thick envelope from her trench coat pocket. "Please, you must accept it."
But she was no longer the money-driven person she used to be.
She raised a hand to refuse it, explaining calmly, "Director Wyatt, those tigers are my friends. It’s only right that I help them. There’s no need for this."
"But you never accept my gifts. It’s getting embarrassing," Faye Wyatt said, having failed to give Renee a gift on several previous occasions.
"Anyway, I won’t accept it," Renee said, then added with a raised eyebrow, "If you were offering me a full-grown tiger, on the other hand, I might just take it."
Faye Wyatt knew she was joking and replied teasingly, "A big tiger might be a little difficult, but how about a tigress? Would you want one?"
"You mean you?" Renee immediately shook her head. "I wouldn’t dare."
"Lynfell Zoo just sent over the video of Petunia!" Evan Griffin announced excitedly. "Our lovesick tiger can finally see the tiger of his dreams!"
Evan Griffin quickly forwarded the video to Renee and strode over to her. "Consultant Jennings, we’ll have to ask you to go into the Tiger Park again."
"Of course." Renee opened the video of Petunia and started watching.
The Petunia in the video was sprawled on the ground, looking equally listless.
Renee said softly, "Petunia looks just like Sol did when I saw him earlier. Could she be missing him too?"
The words had barely left her lips when she heard Petunia let out a low growl from the video: "Sol, where have you gone?"
Renee laughed.
Evan Griffin and Faye Wyatt both looked at her, curious.
Renee turned to meet their gazes, beaming. "It’s not unrequited love for Sol. The feeling is mutual."
"Really?!" Evan Griffin was ecstatic, practically jumping for joy. "This is great! Now we don’t have to act so desperate when we talk to Lynfell."
Both Renee and Faye Wyatt laughed at his comment.
Renee took the video to find Sol.
Upon hearing that the one he liked was also missing him, Sol was ecstatic, roaring continuously at the Petunia in the video.
"Petunia, I miss you too! I miss you so, so much! I even dream about us stargazing together!"
"Petunia, did you hear that? Renee already promised me she’d let us meet!"
"Petunia! I like you, I miss you..."
Renee pursed her lips, debating whether she should tell Sol that Petunia couldn’t hear a word he was saying.
**
Faye Wyatt stopped Renee as she was leaving Tiger Park.
"If you won’t take my gift, surely you can let me buy you dinner?"
Amused, Renee nodded. "Alright."
After dinner, Renee returned to Blissborne Garden. She parked her car, went upstairs, grabbed Rhea Dempsey’s electric scooter keys, and rode to a local pickup station to retrieve a pile of packages.
Dalton Jenson came downstairs to help her with the packages, frowning. "What did you buy? This is so heavy!"
Renee replied, "Just some pet supplies."
"Anything in there for me?" Dalton Jenson asked offhandedly.
Renee stopped in her tracks and turned back to ask, "What do you want? I’ll buy it for you."
"Buy what?" Rhea Dempsey was standing in the doorway, having overheard the father-daughter conversation. Arms crossed, she eyed Dalton Jenson. "What are you asking your daughter to buy for you?"
He immediately wilted under her gaze, chuckling nervously. "Oh, nothing! I wasn’t asking for anything. You already provide me with everything I eat, wear, and use. I’m not missing a thing."
"As long as you know," Rhea said, then reached out to help Renee with the packages.
"I’ve got it, they’re not heavy," Renee said, putting the packages on the floor. "Don’t open them yet. I’m going to take a shower."
After drying her hair, Renee got into bed, planning to browse her phone for a bit before sleeping. That’s when she saw several new messages from Henry Stark.
[Herbert Lee came from a remote mountain area in Tarian Province. He only got out by testing into a university.]
[He has a new girlfriend now.]
[I had Kai go talk to him. He said he and Elaine Rivers broke up a while ago, on February 10th.]
After reading the messages, Renee tossed and turned all night. The next morning, she left to find Michelle Fuller without even eating breakfast.
Or more accurately, to find Bubbles.
Bubbles was wearing a beautiful, poofy dress and a cute little hair clip. Renee almost didn’t recognize him.
She squatted in front of Bubbles and fiddled with his strawberry hair clip. "My, how you’ve blossomed into a young lady," she teased.
"Isn’t he beautiful!" Michelle Fuller said smugly. "Bring Blueberry and Cici over, and I promise I can give them a princess makeover too."
"I wouldn’t mind Blueberry and Cici becoming princess kittens," Renee said, taking the clip from Bubbles’ head and clipping it onto Michelle’s hair with a grin. "But this outfit isn’t quite right for Bubbles."
"But why?" Michelle Fuller asked, her big, beautiful eyes gazing at Renee with a look of pure, innocent cluelessness.
Renee said, "Because Bubbles is a boy."
Michelle Fuller: "..."
"No wonder!" she exclaimed, her expression a mix of laughter and exasperation. "No wonder he always turned his head away when I tried to show him how pretty he looked in the mirror."
The mystery was finally solved.
Looking at Bubbles, Michelle finally understood his resentful expression.
She quickly apologized, "Bubbles, I’m so sorry! I was being so clueless. I’ll take this little clip off right now."
Michelle Fuller put the clip away and took off his poofy dress. "How about I buy you a handsome new outfit, okay?"
Bubbles meowed sullenly, "As long as you’re happy."
Michelle immediately looked to Renee.
Renee got the hint and translated, "Bubbles says as long as you’re happy."
"Aww, Bubbles, you’re the sweetest," Michelle cooed, planting a big kiss on his fluffy cheek. "I love you!"
Renee: "..."
’It suddenly occurred to her that Michelle was the perfect pet owner.’
’She never acted like this with her own furry children at home.’
Michelle Fuller picked up her phone and started browsing online for little suits for Bubbles.
Renee watched her for a moment, then her gaze fell on the lazy Cheesie cat. "Bubbles," she said softly, "there’s something I need to ask you."
"What is it?" Bubbles propped his head up and looked back at her.
Renee’s tone turned serious. "Last time, you told me Lana left you with her friend because she was going on a long trip with her boyfriend, right?"
At the mention of Lana, Bubbles got up, walked over to Renee, and sat down opposite her, his round feline eyes gazing at her intently.
"That’s right, that’s what happened!"
Renee asked, "Do you know what Lana’s boyfriend’s name is?"
Bubbles furrowed his brow in thought. "I think it was... something with ’Han’? Lana always called him Hank."