Chapter 173: Irene's New Discovery

Back in the days before the development of information technology, DNA testing wasn't very advanced either. When a family lost a child, they had two choices: either travel across the country tirelessly searching, or give up and have another child. They would raise the new child while continuing to search for the one they lost. The Norman family, however, did something unusual. Not only did they find a girl who looked somewhat like the missing Eighth Miss, but that girl also turned out to be the younger sister of the eldest son’s wife. Irene had never encountered such a situation before. According to Itha, the story was even more complex. Back then, the eldest son’s wife had been bullied by the family, and the eldest son, having fallen in love, decided to help both his wife and her younger sister. Coincidentally, that younger sister bore a striking resemblance to the missing Eighth Miss. Robertson, the old master, took pity on the girl’s unfortunate circumstances and, seeing her resemblance to the missing family member, felt a deep sense of compassion. So, the girl was allowed to stay with the family. Even after hearing this explanation, Irene felt a strong aversion to the Norman family. The thought that the family might have brought in a complete stranger to replace their beloved daughter or sister repelled her. She couldn’t quite understand why she felt this way. Itha, observing Irene, could sense her resistance even though she appeared unchanged outwardly. He wondered why. She didn’t seem to dislike him personally, so could it be that she resented the Norman family? The thought left Itha feeling inexplicably disappointed. Perhaps he was just missing his sister too much and was projecting those feelings onto Irene, who was about the same age as his lost sibling. Itha turned his gaze to Stefan. Although he knew Stefan, they hadn’t interacted much due to the age difference. Stefan was the same age as Itha’s youngest brother, so they hadn’t crossed paths during Itha’s younger years. The Mosinaghan family wasn’t part of the upper echelon of society in the capital or A City. He had heard that Stefan had broken off an engagement with someone from his own family, something Itha wasn’t entirely pleased about. Stefan seemed like a good man—disciplined, straightforward, and self-controlled. Losing such a man meant it would be hard to find another like him. However, Itha hadn’t forgotten that Stefan had mentioned Irene was his girlfriend. Well, good men could always be found again, but it might take some effort. And looking at Stefan and Irene, they did seem to be a good match. As for his sister, she was still missing. If they couldn’t find her in ten or twenty years, would it be fair to let Stefan live alone forever? That would be wasting his life. Itha looked at Stefan, his eyes earnest. "Can you let me handle this? I owe you a favor." Irene noticed the urgency in Itha’s voice and glanced at him again. They were standing close to each other. Despite his serious injuries, Itha had just positioned himself in front of her, ready to protect her. Whether it was out of gentlemanly manners or a soldier’s sense of duty, Irene appreciated and respected him. Previously, Irene might have found someone like Itha rigid and inflexible, but now she felt a positive connection toward him. Despite her aversion to the Norman family, she couldn’t bring herself to dislike Itha. It was strange. Normally, if someone disrupted the peaceful life she shared with her grandmother, she wouldn’t have a kind word to say to their family. Could it be because she had narrowly escaped harm from Mag and those involved in human trafficking? Was it some kind of “comradeship”? It seemed a bit far-fetched. Irene mused silently, staring at Itha for so long that Stefan, noticing, glanced between them several times within a second, his tone cooling noticeably. "Very well. But shouldn’t the frightened young lady over there return to her boyfriend?" Irene smiled, placing her hand on Stefan’s arm. Stefan watched Irene closely, only relaxing once he saw no signs of injury on her. He then slipped a sapphire-blue ring onto her finger. The blue gem gleamed against Irene’s pale skin, making her hand look especially beautiful. Irene hesitated. "I can’t accept this." They were standing so close that Irene was practically nestled against Stefan, her nose filled with the familiar scent of his cologne. It was the same fragrance he always wore. Stefan, with his hair brushing lightly against Irene’s, leaned down and whispered, "Wear it. Otherwise, you’re sure to have nightmares tonight." His voice was gentle, and Irene, slightly dazed, looked up and asked, "Nightmares?" It seemed amusing to her. "I don’t have nightmares." Irene chuckled, but Stefan continued, "Seeing the hideous faces of Sol and his friends in your dreams—that wouldn’t be a nightmare?" Irene laughed softly. He was right; by that standard, it would indeed be a nightmare. As she twirled a strand of Stefan’s golden hair around her finger, Irene said, "I found a place where they were hiding trafficked girls, about several kilometers from the village. But I couldn’t bring them back at the time. Plus, every household there keeps dogs." Stefan gently kissed Irene’s hair. "Don’t worry, leave it to me." At that moment, Harper approached. "Boss, we found a car registered under Mag’s name on the highway closest to the town." Stefan responded calmly, "Stop them immediately!" When Stefan, Irene, Itha, and Assistant Barton arrived, Mag and her husband were causing a scene. They had shoved someone aside, and Mag was sitting on the ground, wailing loudly, "Everyone, look! These soldiers are bullying us!" The soldiers, holding their rifles, had their expressions hidden by tactical masks, but Irene could sense their impatience. These soldiers were part of a special forces unit, typically accustomed to having free rein. Now, they were being embarrassed by these two troublemakers, making them look foolish. The soldiers wanted to shoot but refrained since these two were key witnesses. So, they had no choice but to handcuff Mag and her husband. But even in handcuffs, these two were causing a scene, lying on the ground and making a fuss, showing the soldiers a new side of human behavior. Klan was rolling on the ground, shouting, "Let me go! Let me go! You’re all a bunch of thieves!" At that moment, he heard the soldiers suddenly speak in unison, "The criminals have been apprehended! Awaiting further orders!" Klan and Mag looked up, their faces draining of color. It was Irene and her boyfriend standing before them.