Chapter: 1020

A gunshot echoed and the leader collapsed, his eyes wide with shock.

He had been shot by an unseen assailant.

The other kidnappers scattered in chaos. One tried to grab Marlin, while the other went after Manley.

They both had been fatally shot with a pistol.

Then, a striking woman emerged from the building, her smile enchanting as she approached Marlin.

Her precise shots quickly decimated the kidnappers.

She stooped to clutch Marlin's arm, guiding him toward Manley.

Unnoticed by her, Marlin's eyes fluttered open, gazing at her in bewilderment.

Manley accepted Marlin with gratitude, but Marlin, clutching at Norah's garment, inadvertently revealed a tattoo of a rosebud.

“May I know your name? We'll find a way to repay you, Manley offered, his voice filled with earnest gratitude.

With a tilt of her head and her lips a vivid red, Norah replied, "Norah Wilson."

"And what would you like in return?" Manley inquired.

Norah turned to leave.

Over her shoulder, she uttered, "You can invite me to dinner when I visit Silverdale."

That was the whole story.

With her eyes wide and her mouth agape, Yolande stammered out, "Oh my god! Norah, you are incredible!"

She had sneaked into the kidnappers’ hiding spot all by herself and successfully rescued the hostage. Wasn't that something straight out of a TV show?

Yolande wasn't concerned about Norah lying to her; she could easily verify the story with her father later.

She also recalled that Marlin had been kidnapped years before. Since his rescue, he had grown increasingly withdrawn, focusing solely on his work, seemingly indifferent to everything else.

Now, unexpectedly, he had fallen for a woman. Yet, it was all a misunderstanding.

As Yolande pieced together the entire saga, she became convinced that Dolores had been mistaken for Norah all along.

After all, Dolores was too fragile to have rescued Manley and Marlin from those kidnappers. But why hadn't Manley told Marlin the truth?

Then Yolande shared with Norah the portraits she had seen in Marlin's room.

"Marlin always said they were Dolores in the paintings, but when I saw you, something felt familiar, so I had to meet and talk about it."