Chapter 177 A Secret Only We Share
Tilda said, “I understand.”
Just like that, the tense moment faded away.
Dane picked up the writing board again. He scribbled, “You two, please leave.”
For once, a trace of displeasure crossed Dane’s face.
I had finally reunited with Tilda.
And now these two have to barge in.
So annoying.
River glanced at Manfred, unsure what to do.
Manfred looked troubled, too. He was torn. If something happened to Dane, how could they explain it to the higher-ups?
“It’s okay, Dane,” Tilda said gently. “Let them stay. I actually have a few questions for you both.”
She turned to Dane. “You can’t speak?”
That was the question weighing on Tilda’s mind.
Dane hesitated a little, then he wrote, “I only talk to mentors.”
Manfred explained, “Queen, we’ve had Professor Kerrigan checked from head to toe. His vocal cords work perfectly, he hears fine, and he can understand everything written or spoken. We just don’t know why… he can’t actually talk.”
Tilda’s heart jolted in surprise.
Maybe Dane was just like her?
A special blood type, which gave him incredible talents but also brought a harsh side effect.
This wasn’t something Tilda wanted to bring up, not with Manfred and River here. If it were true, it was a very private matter to discuss.
The group chatted for a while. Manfred and River slowly relaxed, but they couldn’t ignore how much Dane cared about Tilda. What if he wanted to be alone with her again?
Chapter 177 A Secret Only We Share
Sure enough, Dane wrote again on his board. “You two, please leave. I want to talk to Tilda alone.”
“Mr. Parker…” River looked at Manfred, clearly troubled. Usually, Tilda and Dane weren’t supposed to meet for so long. They only got this much time because Dane requested it—and because Lab Seven wanted to stay on Tilda’s good side. If they kept pushing, it would cross a line.
Manfred’s nerves were fried. He had no idea what to do.
Tilda noticed their struggle and spoke up first. “Dane, how about we meet again tomorrow?”
Dane’s eyes showed he was reluctant for her to leave. His eyes practically hinted, “Tilda, you don’t have to worry about them.”
But Tilda smiled and shook her head. “Dane, this is the dream that you fought for. I’m happy that we got to meet. Tomorrow, could we maybe get a little more time together, Mr. Parker?”
“Of course,” Manfred said at once. Queen was considerate enough to ease the pressure on Manfred. If Manfred said no now, it would just seem unreasonable.
They believe Queen wasn’t a threat. She did seem to be Dane’s junior, but there was still that tiny chance that things could go wrong. What if Queen had found out about Dane having a junior from some secret source and got close to him on purpose?
As long as there was such a possibility, Manfred couldn’t let his guard down. Dane was way too important—not just to the research lab, but to the whole country. If anything happened to Dane, Manfred would never forgive himself.
Dane pouted unhappily.
No one had ever seen that look on his face before. To Manfred and the others, Dane was always so calm and expressionless—like a robot, except when he was doing experiments. But now, after reuniting with Tilda, Dane was finally showing some real human feelings.
Chapter 177 A Secret Only We Share
“It’s okay, Dane. I already took some time off from school, so I’ll be staying in Hetsa for a while. We’ll have plenty of time to talk."
“The important thing is—we’ve found each other. I’m not letting you go again.”
Tilda gave Dane a bright, reassuring smile. She stood on tiptoe and patted Dane on the shoulder, just like Dane had comforted her a few minutes ago.
It was something she’d learned from their mentor. When she was little, whenever she felt lost about the future or worn out from Mentor’s tough training, there was always a big, gentle hand that would rest on her shoulder. It always seemed to make all the worries disappear.
That warm, safe feeling was a secret shared only between Dane and Tilda.
Finally, Dane nodded, even though he still looked reluctant to say goodbye.
Once they left the base, River’s attitude toward Tilda had clearly changed.
“Queen, let me show you to our guest room,” he offered.
“No thanks,” Tilda said. “Once you’ve sorted things out, just have Kaleb let me know what time we’ll meet tomorrow. I’d rather stay in the city. These cold, sterile labs just aren’t my style.”
Honestly, if Dane hadn’t been here, Tilda never would have come. She’d planned to help with the lab’s research projects remotely, through Andy as her go-between.
Even so, she was still determined to do her part for the country’s future.