For years, the supermarket owner, Mrs. Thompson, had been looking after the siblings. When she heard he was heading to Greenfield and that Lindsay had arranged for someone to pick him up, she was intrigued.
"Auntie, that's the situation. Here's my house key. Could you help by going over and cooking meals?" Maggie asked.
Mrs. Thompson looked at Maggie, her eyes filled with both curiosity and concern. Maggie didn't seem to be in financial need, dressed as she was, and her brother, well, he was a special child. Besides, Maggie was a friend of Lindsay's. Lindsay had bought a lot when she visited last time, and it seemed she had made some money over there. Taking her brother for a few days didn't sound so unreasonable.
"Alright, but make sure you come back soon," Mrs. Thompson replied.
"Thank you, Auntie," Maggie said, nodding appreciatively.
Though her brother was simple-minded, he was polite. He quickly packed a couple of shirts and was ready to go with Maggie.
They traveled in a private car, and for her brother, it was his first time venturing far from home, and he had a ton of questions.
Maggie, lacking patience, started to mock him. "Have you ever wondered how your sister suddenly started making money? Maybe she's seeing another man. You're not much use to her, after all. Maybe she's lying next to some guy right now, laughing at you," she sneered.
He didn't understand what she meant, but he knew Lindsay wasn't like that. His sister adored him. He leaned against the window, watching the landscape blur by, a smile on his face.
Maggie had intended to quiet him with her words, but seeing him smile even after suggesting his sister's infidelity confirmed her belief of his simplicity.
By the following evening, they finally arrived in Greenfield.
Maggie, still in her disguise as a beggar, coaxed her brother into wearing similar ragged clothes. They skulked through the streets, avoiding attention. For him, dressing up like this wasn't distressing; he found it amusing.
"What are we doing?" he asked.
"There are bad guys looking for us. To protect your sister, you should keep quiet," Maggie instructed.
He nodded eagerly, eyes bright with the prospect of seeing his sister.
Meanwhile, in a nearby villa, Lindsay felt uneasy, though she couldn't pinpoint why. She was hoping Athena would contact her soon, but she hadn't heard anything. Then Tyler showed up, advising her to stay indoors because Athena was working solo now.
Lindsay found it hard to believe. Weren't Tyler and Athena married? How could he not know his wife's plans?
Fearing she might inadvertently disrupt Athena's schemes, Lindsay decided to stay put.
Surprisingly, he did. It was the one set of numbers he knew by heart.
Maggie's smile widened. She had swiped another phone earlier and handed it to him.
"Call your sister and tell her to come get you. Just don’t mention me. Say you missed her and came on your own. She'll come."
He hesitated, a rare moment of clarity crossing his features. "Did my sister really not send you to get me?"
"Of course she did. We just had a little argument, and I don’t want her to know I’m here. Just call her," Maggie urged.
Reluctantly, he dialed Lindsay's number.
"Hi, sis," he said softly.
Lindsay's heart melted at his voice. She was about to ask about home when he continued, "I came to Greenfield to find you. I miss you so much."

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