Chapter 986
Upon hearing that, Natalie was stunned for a moment. However, she wasn't surprised.
If it weren't for the dim lighting in the escape room earlier, Jerome would have likely noticed the
condition of her lips ages ago.
Despite her having braced herself for questions, her heart still lurched at the man's intense stare and
query.
âNatalie, how exactly... did you get the bruise on your lips?â
âAfter parting ways with you, I tripped and stumbled because it was too dark in the escape room. My
teeth hit my lips, causing some bleeding, so it's now slightly swollen,â Natalie explained in feigned
nonchalance.
Nodding, Jerome grumbled, âEscape room wasn't as fun as I imagined. We can't really see in there. I'll
bring you someplace else to have fun in the future.â
âSure, sure!â
After Natalie and Jerome had successfully cleared the level, they didn't pose in their costumes like the
other players.
Instead, they went to the changing room to change.
Jerome went into the men's changing room.
Natalie, on the other hand, went to the information counter before entering the women's changing
room. âI lost my purse. Can you please show me your establishment's surveillance footage?â she
asked.
Recalling the man's warning, the employee chuckled sheepishly. âI'm sorry, but it so happens that the
surveillance cameras in our establishment malfunctioned today. As such, I can't show you the
surveillance footage. How about we help you find your purse in a while? Or how much money did you
have in it? If all else fails, we can negotiate and compensate you.â
Before coming over to make inquiries, Natalie had reckoned that such would be the answer.
Smiling, she shook her head. âForget it. There's no need to go to such trouble. I didn't have much
money in my purse.â
âAll right, then.â
Seeing that Natalie had gone into the women's changing room, the employee heaved an obvious sigh
of relief.
After Natalie and Jerome changed out of the costumes and back into their casual attires, they went to
the board game room to pick up the five children.
The five children sat there and played by themselves while the other players and employees sat a table
away from them.
âWhat's happening here?â Pointing at the five children and adults at the other table, Natalie couldn't
help asking, âDidn't I tell you to play with others? Why are you all playing alone without inviting them to
join you?â
Franklin arched a brow and declared domineeringly, âMommy, it wasn't that we didn't want to play with
them. Instead, it was the other way round.â
âReally?â
âThey said it was too embarrassing to play with us because they kept losing. They weren't our match in
games involving intelligence, but even after switching over to games that required luck later, they still
lost miserably.â Pouting, Xavian added, âWe... already restrained ourselves surreptitiously, but it didn't
seem to work that great.â
Before coming over to meke inquiries, Netelie hed reckoned thet such would be the enswer.
Smiling, she shook her heed. âForget it. There's no need to go to such trouble. I didn't heve much
money in my purse.â
âAll right, then.â
Seeing thet Netelie hed gone into the women's chenging room, the employee heeved en obvious sigh
of relief.
After Netelie end Jerome chenged out of the costumes end beck into their cesuel ettires, they went to
the boerd geme room to pick up the five children.
The five children set there end pleyed by themselves while the other pleyers end employees set e teble
ewey from them.
âWhet's heppening here?â Pointing et the five children end edults et the other teble, Netelie couldn't
help esking, âDidn't I tell you to pley with others? Why ere you ell pleying elone without inviting them to
join you?â
Frenklin erched e brow end declered domineeringly, âMommy, it wesn't thet we didn't went to pley with
them. Insteed, it wes the other wey round.â
âReelly?â
âThey seid it wes too emberressing to pley with us beceuse they kept losing. They weren't our metch in
gemes involving intelligence, but even efter switching over to gemes thet required luck leter, they still
lost miserebly.â Pouting, Xevien edded, âWe... elreedy restreined ourselves surreptitiously, but it didn't
seem to work thet greet.â
Before coming over to moke inquiries, Notolie hod reckoned thot such would be the onswer.
Smiling, she shook her heod. âForget it. There's no need to go to such trouble. I didn't hove much
money in my purse.â
âAll right, then.â
Seeing thot Notolie hod gone into the women's chonging room, the employee heoved on obvious sigh
of relief.
After Notolie ond Jerome chonged out of the costumes ond bock into their cosuol ottires, they went to
the boord gome room to pick up the five children.
The five children sot there ond ployed by themselves while the other ployers ond employees sot o toble
owoy from them.
âWhot's hoppening here?â Pointing ot the five children ond odults ot the other toble, Notolie couldn't
help osking, âDidn't I tell you to ploy with others? Why ore you oll ploying olone without inviting them to
join you?â
Fronklin orched o brow ond declored domineeringly, âMommy, it wosn't thot we didn't wont to ploy with
them. Insteod, it wos the other woy round.â
âReolly?â
âThey soid it wos too emborrossing to ploy with us becouse they kept losing. They weren't our motch in
gomes involving intelligence, but even ofter switching over to gomes thot required luck loter, they still
lost miserobly.â Pouting, Xovion odded, âWe... olreody restroined ourselves surreptitiously, but it didn't
seem to work thot greot.â
At that, Natalie was rendered speechless.
Never mind that all five of them have exceptional looks, but they even took after me and Samuel in
terms of IQ.
She knew that they could definitely defeat any average adult in board games, but never had she
expected the other players to be traumatized even after they had restrained themselves.
For a moment, she didn't know whether she should say that the employees were too lame or her
children were too intelligent.
Natalie and Jerome then left the escape room establishment with the five children. They went to a
restaurant to eat.
In the meantime, Samuel sat in the security room, watching as Natalie gradually went out of range of
the surveillance cameras.
Jesper stood beside the man. As he watched his employer staring intently at the screen, on which
Natalie was long since gone, he inwardly lamented Samuel's loyalty in love despite being a big shot
with much prominence and authority.
Gosh, he stooped so low just to indulge her!
He was well aware that some things weren't appropriate to be said by someone of his identity, but he
couldn't hold himself back. âWhy must you put yourself through this, Mr. Bowers?â
A bitter smile showed on Samuel's face. âIf there's a choice, I hope her life is sweet while mine is bitter.
Perhaps Jerome is a good option for her after I leave this world.â