Lauren Howell and Jace Kingsley were both in Ava Sterling’s apartment. They tried to reach Ava Sterling as time went by, but they couldn’t get in touch with her. Lauren even called Eric, Ava’s acquaintances, and all the places Ava might go, but no one could find Ava. Lauren became worried. Jace was worried too. So Lauren suggested going to Ava Sterling’s apartment to see if they could find any information that could help locate Ava. And so, the two of them arrived at the apartment and started searching. This was Jace Kingsley’s first time entering Ava Sterling’s home, and it was very clean and tidy inside. The maid would come at regular times to clean and ventilate the space, so even though Ava hadn’t lived there for quite a while, it still looked the same as before, showing no signs of change. However, the interior was different from what Jace had imagined. There were pink sheer curtains, a cream-colored curved sofa that could fit a person, and a bar with tables in beige tones, even the carpet was the same. Upon closer inspection, the carpet bore patterns of cute cartoon animals. The living room predominantly used white tones, with white walls, a white ceiling, and a beautiful crystal chandelier in the center, giving an overall soft and comfortable, simple and relaxing vibe. Especially the entire wall of shelves by the wall, filled with dolls, crystal balls, and little trinkets, all suggesting the owner had a childlike heart. "Young Master Kingsley, you look around first, I’ll go check Ava’s bedroom." This was Jace’s first visit here, and Lauren knew it was natural for him to look around. Bringing Jace was not really about expecting him to find anything, but mainly to let him understand Ava Sterling’s interests and personality. The entire decor was based on Ava’s likes, and what she likes naturally represents her character. Though Ava appeared like a queen with an aura that overawed everyone, at heart she was a little girl with a child’s heart. She loved dolls, the color pink, and things bursting with childlike innocence. The things she didn’t have as a child, she would buy now. Like the Barbie dolls, crystal balls, toys, and even fairy tale books that girls loved, you could see all of them here. Even some of her everyday items were of the kind used for children. You could say that Ava Sterling was someone with a strong exterior but a little princess within. She is very pure, simple, and honest. "Never mind, let’s find Ava first." Jace took a quick look around the living room and then followed Lauren into Ava’s bedroom. When he stepped into Ava’s bedroom, he was taken aback. The room was fully carpeted in a soft pinkish tone, the bed was cream-colored, with a dreamy white canopy top draped on both sides, sheer white curtains, and entirely pink bed linens. These were secondary, what was important were the dolls everywhere—in the bedroom, on the nightstand, the carpet, and the sofa—so many varieties it was unbelievable. Jace knew Ava liked dolls but didn’t expect her room to have so many. As Lauren walked into the room, she started searching while saying, "Young Master Kingsley, you know Ava loves pink and dolls, but did you know she’s this fond of these two things?" Lauren was right. He knew but didn’t realize Ava would be so fond, to the point of obsession. The room didn’t look like an adult’s bedroom, rather like a little girl’s. Very princess-like, very dreamy, and very innocent. Jace nodded, warmth gradually filling his heart: "Ava’s had a tough time over the years." Jace was well aware of Ava Sterling’s family circumstances and how hard it was for her to struggle alone all these years. He felt deep sympathy for her and a strong desire to treat her well. He wanted to love her dearly, protect her, and make sure no one would ever hurt her again. Hearing the slight low tone that was different from usual, Lauren glanced at Jace and saw his eyes filled with tender care, love, and compassion. These emotions were sincere, not feigned. Lauren sighed: "Ava had a tough childhood, except for her grandmother who treated her well, no one else did. She started working at a tender age in a big city; you can imagine how hard it was." "But fortunately, she’s a simple-minded person, not someone who dwells on misery, so no matter how hard it was, she still managed well." Lauren’s smile carried a multitude of emotions. Sympathy, helplessness, gratitude, relief. The intertwining of these emotions weighed heavily on her heart. She knew better than anyone what Ava had gone through. Jace’s gaze shifted slightly, turning to look sincerely at Lauren: "Miss Halloway, thank you so much for staying by Ava’s side all these years." Lauren was Ava Sterling’s best friend, and her feelings for Ava were no less than his. He felt grateful to Lauren for accompanying Ava through her difficult years up until now. Lauren chuckled: "Young Master Kingsley, the reason I help you is because I want Ava to be happy, hoping there’s someone who truly cherishes her." "If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t be helping you." Jace’s expression turned serious: "I understand. Don’t worry, as long as I’m by Ava’s side, I won’t let her get hurt." Lauren smiled and shook her head: "That’s unnecessary, Ava’s temperament is not one easily contained, no ordinary person can manage her." "I just hope that when Ava truly needs it, there will be someone by her side." "I understand, and I’ll make sure of it." After their heartfelt exchange, Lauren proceeded to tell Jace where Ava usually kept her important things, asking him to help search. After all, Ava hadn’t contacted them yet, and the situation could be big or small, so they couldn’t delay. Jace nodded, stopped looking around, and joined Lauren in the search. From the bedroom to the study, then to the storeroom, kitchen, they searched everywhere they could, but found nothing amiss. Lauren furrowed her brows: "How could it be?" "Judging by Ava’s character, there should be some clues, it can’t be that she didn’t leave any hint." Lauren even began to doubt herself, questioning if she really didn’t understand Ava after all these years. Jace’s gaze focused briefly, suggesting, "What if Ava deliberately hid it, deliberately kept it from you?" Lauren’s expression turned solemn: "If that’s the case, it would be more troublesome." Jace lowered his gaze, contemplating for a moment before asking, "Then what should we do?" Lauren was struck by an idea, then looked at Jace with a serious, determined look: "Follow her." "There’s no choice but to follow her." Jace frowned slightly: "Is that...alright?" "There’s no alternative, if I don’t do this, how would I know what she’s up to? What she’s hiding from me? Besides, sometimes I trust her, sometimes I worry, and given her character, understanding her would reveal it’s easy to resolve." "I’m also concerned about her being taken advantage of, like you said, she’s too kind-hearted." "Then...do you need my help?" "No need for now. If you have someone tail her and she finds out, she would definitely get angry, but it would be different for me." Follow current novᴇls on novèlfire.net Jace knitted his brows, his eyes filled with concern: "If there’s anything I can help with, don’t hesitate to ask." After their conversation, an atmosphere of silence settled, neither knowing what to do. It was at this moment that Jace’s phone rang.