Chapter 472: Chapter 472: Too Many Thoughts, Prone to Jealousy
Renee fell silent for a long moment after hearing what Layla said.
Sparkle had chosen to commit suicide because she couldnāt bear the bullying from Sasha and Layla.
She pursed her lips and asked in a low voice, "Layla, what was Sashaās reaction when she found out Sparkle had died?"
"She said..." Layla furrowed her brow. "Sasha said, āThatās great. Now that Sparkleās gone, the humans will like me.ā"
And in reality, it was just as Sasha had predicted. Without Sparkle, the humans started to like her.
"So Sasha was happy that Sparkle died?" Reneeās expression was complicated. She couldnāt believe Sasha could be so calculating.
Michelle Fuller was also shocked. "Doesnāt Sasha feel sad at all?"
"No." Layla shook her head. "Sasha wasnāt sad. She was very happy."
Hearing this, Renee sighed softly. "What Sasha is doing is wrong. Sheās gone too far."
Layla looked at Bonnie and offered another piece of information. "Sasha also told me sheās going to start bullying Bonnie just like she bullied Sparkle..."
Bonnie looked startled, her eyes wide. "Why?"
"Yes, why?" Renee asked, confused. "Bonnie is already avoiding Sasha. Why does she still want to bully her?"
Layla explained, "Sasha said Bonnie doesnāt listen to her, and sheās going to make her listen."
"Mean!" Bonnie huffed. "Sasha is so mean!"
Renee looked at Michelle Fuller and Zachary Conway and relayed the rest of the conversation, her tone grave. "Sashaās need for control is too strong."
"I know," Michelle Fuller sighed. "Does Sasha want the other orangutans to either obey her or die?"
"I have a feeling she does think that," Renee said pensively. "Can the two of you watch Bonnie and Layla? Iām going to go have a talk with Sasha."
"I have no problem with that," Zachary Conway replied.
Michelle Fuller also nodded. "Of course."
"Okay." Renee looked down at Bonnie in her arms and said softly, "You and Layla go play with Sister Michelle and Zeke, okay?"
Bonnie blinked her eyes and pointed at Zachary Conway. "Itās Brother Chris!"
Renee froze for a couple of seconds before she realized what was going on.
A moment ago, Zachary Conwayās second self-introduction had been "Chris."
She said with a laugh, "Thatās right, itās Brother Chris. How about you let Brother Chris hold you, Bonnie?"
Bonnie nodded obediently. "Okay!"
Layla, still not understanding the situation, tilted her little head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Renee handed Bonnie to Zachary Conway, then introduced Michelle Fuller and Zachary Conway to Layla.
Laylaās expression showed that she sort of understood. "Oh, so thatās whatās going on. I get it now."
"So you and Bonnie will go play with Sister Michelle and Brother Chris, alright?" Renee asked.
Layla agreed at once. "Okay!"
Renee looked at Michelle Fuller and Zachary Conway. "Iāll leave them with you, then."
"You can count on me," Michelle Fuller said, placing a hand on Reneeās shoulder with an air of worldly wisdom.
"Alright, Iāll be in touch." A small smile touched Reneeās lips as she turned and pulled out her phone to call Hilary.
"Hilary, Iām at..." She told her the location. "Can you bring Sasha here to meet me?"
Renee had originally planned to go find Hilary, but she figured it would be faster for Hilary to come to her, since this was her territory.
After hanging up, she found a place to sit and opened her messages with Sean Fuller. She sent him the old photograph from Sawyer.
[Hank, do you know anyone who can restore photos?]
Sheād meant to send it to Sean Fuller yesterday but had gotten sidetracked and forgotten.
He replied almost instantly: [Okay, Renee. Leave it to me.]
Renee: [Thanks, I appreciate it.]
Sean Fuller: [Itās no trouble, Renee. Did my sister go with you to Lyris to see the orangutans?]
Renee: [She did. Miss your sister already?]
Sean Fuller: [Hahahaha, I miss both my sisters! How about I pick you up from the airport when you get back?]
Renee: [Sure~]
Sean Fuller sent back a sticker of a cute kitten snuggling.
She put her phone down. About two minutes later, Hilaryās voice called out from a distance.
"Ms. Jennings!"
Renee looked toward the voice and saw Hilary and Brother Gus walking over with Sasha.
She got up and walked toward them. "Hilary, Brother Gus."
The moment Sasha saw Renee, she started clamoring, "Give me the hair clips! Give me the little purse! Hurry up! I have to get more than Bambi!"
Hearing Sashaās demands, Reneeās brow furrowed, her expression turning serious. "Sasha, I have something to ask you."
"Presents! I want my presents!" Sasha stretched her hand out toward Renee from a distance, holding it out right in front of her face.
Renee stopped walking, her tone cold. "Sasha, do you want presents that badly?"
"Of course I do!" Sasha said impatiently, urging, "Hurry, hurry, hurry! Give me the presents!"
She even reached out to tug on Reneeās clothes, baring her teeth and grunting.
"Sasha, donāt do that," Brother Gus quickly intervened. "Thatās not polite."
"I donāt care!" Sasha shoved his hand away and tried to lunge into Reneeās arms. "You canāt be nice to Bambi! You can only be nice to me!"
Renee frowned. "Sasha, why do you always have to compare yourself to Bonnie?"
"Duh!" Sasha said. "Iām prettier than Bambi and smarter than Bambi, so of course I have to get more presents than Bambi!"
Renee sighed. "Thatās not the right way to think. Every visitor has different tastes. They might like you, or they might like Bonnie, or Layla."
"No!" Sashaās expression turned fierce. "Everyone can only like me, Sasha!"
A complex look flickered in Reneeās clear eyes. She looked at Hilary and Gus. "Sashaās case is a bit serious. Sheās too calculating and gets jealous of the other orangutans very easily."
"Are you saying bad things about me?" Sasha asked, very unhappy. The human in front of her wasnāt giving her presents and now seemed to be badmouthing her.
Brother Gus and Hilary exchanged a worried glance. "What should we do then? Is there any way to reason with her?"
Renee didnāt answer Sasha or Brother Gus. Instead, she said softly, "Do you all remember Sparkle?"
"We do," Hilary said, her brow deeply furrowed. "Ms. Jennings, you mentioned Sparkle the day before yesterday, too. Does this have something to do with her?"
A sad look crossed Brother Gusās face. "Sparkle... Of course we remember her. Even now, sometimes I think I see her, waving at me."
"Why are you talking about Sparkle?" Sasha watched Renee warily, her posture becoming aggressive.
"Sasha," Renee said, looking right at her, her voice firm and certain. "You always bullied Sparkle. You dirtied her food... and in the end, you drove her to suicide. Didnāt you?"
Sasha instantly snarled and bared her teeth, trying to leap out of Brother Gusās arms to attack. "Youāre lying! I didnāt do anything! It has nothing to do with me! It was Sparkleās own fault for being bad!"