Chapter 603: Chapter 603: Suddenly Going Offline
KelseyLee stared at the live comments, a mix of shock and anger on her face. "My God, they swindled me out of 500,000, and now they want to saddle me with debt? What did I even get married for..."
Renee Jennings spoke gently, "Do you two have any children?"
"Not yet." KelseyLee shook her head. "I donāt want to get pregnant so soon. I was planning on waiting a couple of years before having kids."
"How is your relationship with your husband?"
"I think itās pretty good, not much different from when we were dating. We go out for dinner and movies after work, and we take short trips together on holidays."
Renee Jennings gave a slight nod and said softly, "In that case, you could try talking to your husband first. Donāt let on that you know his ācousinā is actually his biological brother. See if you can get him to persuade your parents-in-law to sell the house in their hometown."
KelseyLee frowned and nodded hesitantly. "Okay, Iāll try talking to him first."
[I bet even if the husband agrees, the parents-in-law wonāt.]
[This is a long shot. After all, thatās the house theyāre planning to leave to their younger son.]
[The only silver lining here is that KelseyLee isnāt pregnant.]
Renee Jennings smiled. "KelseyLee, shall we leave it at that for today?"
"Okay, I wonāt take up any more of your time." Before hanging up, KelseyLee asked one more question, "Can I message you after I talk to my husband?"
"Of course."
"Thank you!"
After thanking her, KelseyLee disconnected from the call and sent a virtual paper crane gift.
As Renee Jennings was about to take another call, a flying figure on the windowsill caught her eye.
She turned her head to look and recognized him. "Zephyr?"
Outside, Zephyr pecked at the glass with his beak, squawking, "Open up! Iām here!"
"Everyone, hold on a moment. A friend just showed up." After letting her viewers know, Renee Jennings got up, walked to the window, and slid it open.
"So youāre finally home," Zephyr said, his tone tinged with resentment.
Renee Jennings raised an eyebrow. "I heard you came looking for me. Whatās up?"
"Yup," Zephyr said, fluttering inside and landing on the desk.
"So what do you need me for?" Renee Jennings returned to the camera and saw the comments on the public feed.
[Weird, how come I didnāt hear the streamerās friend talking?]
[I donāt think I heard anything either.]
[Everyoneās forgetting the most important thing: the streamerās friends arenāt necessarily human.]
[Good point! Who is it then?]
Renee Jennings arched an eyebrow and said softly, "This friend is officially recognized."
[A nationally protected animal?]
[Can we see?]
"Zephyr, come over here," Renee Jennings called out.
Zephyr grumbled as he shuffled his talons over. "You tell a falcon to come, and heās supposed to just come? What do you take me for?"
Renee Jennings: "I take you for my friend."
Zephyr: "...Fine."
Zephyr moved next to Renee Jennings, and they appeared on camera together.
[Holy cow, so itās him!]
[What kind of bird is that? An eagle or something?]
[Thatās a peregrine falcon, a hunter of the skies.]
"Thatās right, this is a peregrine falcon, a bird of prey." Renee Jennings tapped its head with her finger. "Alright, spit it out. What did you need me for?"
Zephyr leaned in toward the phone screen, staring at it curiously for a few seconds before turning to Renee Jennings. "I want to report a male human."
Hearing this, Renee Jenningsās slender eyebrows furrowed slightly, her tone laced with confusion. "Why?"
Zephyr: "Two days ago, I saw a male human tie up his friend."
Renee Jenningsās expression grew serious. She addressed her audience, "Sorry, everyone, I have to end the stream early. Somethingās come up that I need to handle."
[Huh? Why are you ending the stream so early today? Youāve only talked to one person!]
[What happened? Why the sudden sign-off?]
[You can end the stream, but you have to make it up to us!!!]
"Alright, Iāll make it up as soon as I have time." Renee Jennings said, then ended the stream.
Only then did Michelle Fuller speak up. "Renee, did something happen?"
"Zephyr said he saw a man tie up his friend." Renee Jennings looked at Zephyr and pressed, "Where did you see it? Why would that man tie up his friend?"
"Inside a very, very tall building," Zephyr answered. "I saw him slap his friendās face and say, āI just wanted to stay at your place for a few days, and you couldnāt even let me do that? What kind of friend are you?ā"
Zephyr paused, then said with a deadpan expression, "Of course, thatās not why Iām reporting him. Iām reporting him because he forced his friend to lick his toes."
Renee Jennings: "..."
āThatās disgusting!ā
She took out her phone, dialed Henry Starkās number, and explained the situation. "I want to put a tracker and a camera on Zephyr first."
Henry Stark replied in a gentle voice, "Okay, Iāll bring the tracker and camera over now."
"Alright, Iām at Eastgate Villa." Renee Jennings put down her phone and looked at Zephyr. "Want some meat?"
Zephyr nodded vigorously. "Yes."
āGot to improve my meals somehow.ā
The three of them went downstairs with Zephyr.
Rhea Dempsey was sitting in the living room. Hearing footsteps, she turned her head and looked over. "Renee, why did the stream suddenly stop? Do you have to go out again?"
She had been watching the live stream cast to the TV and saw it suddenly end.
"Not for now," Renee Jennings explained. "Henry Stark is coming over soon. Iām going to get some meat for Zephyr first."
"Let me get it," Rhea Dempsey said, rising from the sofa. "You all just sit."
"Okay, Iāll leave it to you then." Renee Jennings sat down in the living room with Zephyr.
Zephyr saw the slider in the terrarium, flapped his wings, and flew over. "Well, well, you old bastard. We meet again."
The slider cursed back, "Shut your beak, you damn hawk."
"Whoāre you calling a hawk, you old bastard!"
"Heh. This turtle canāt be bothered to argue with an idiot."
"Is it that embarrassing to admit you canāt out-argue me?"
Renee Jennings: "..."
āHow did these two get into a fight?ā
Rhea Dempsey quickly returned with a plate of thawed fresh meat.
Zephyr stopped arguing with the slider, his attention now focused solely on the meat.
Just as he finished the meat, Renee Jenningsās phone rang. The caller ID showed Henry Stark.
She answered the phone, getting up and walking toward the door. "Henry, are you here?"
"Iām at the gate."
"Okay, Iām coming out now."
Renee Jennings first used her phone to open the gate. As she neared the entrance, Henry Stark was still standing by his SUV.
"Why didnāt you come in?" she asked, jogging over to him.
Henry Stark arched an eyebrow and chuckled. "You didnāt tell me to."
Renee Jennings teased, "Do I have to spell it out? Youāre the brilliant Captain Stark, after all."
"Then perhaps Iād rather not be," Henry quipped, a rare moment of humor for him.
Back in the living room, Rhea Dempsey greeted him with a cheerful smile before heading upstairs to rest.
Henry Stark had heard the voices of Michelle Fuller and her brother, Sean Fuller, during the live stream, so he wasnāt surprised to see them there.
Zephyr sized up Henry Stark and blurted out, "This male human is handsome."
"You have a sense of aesthetics?" Renee Jennings asked, surprised.
Henry Stark felt Zephyrās gaze on him and guessed the falcon had said something about him. He looked at Renee Jennings with curiosity. "What did he say?"