Chapter: 1098

“He's dealing with something in Glophia. I can handle myself. I hate being a bother."

“He's not ‘someone else’, Norah. He's your support system," Marlin countered, a pang of empathy tugging at his heart as he saw the loneliness flicker in her eyes.

She was a catch, and he knew it. Many would vie for her attention.

"My girlfriend wouldn't feel alone or helpless. Rain or shine, I'd be there, not letting her face hospital solitude."

He stopped at a red light, swiveling to face Norah with a serious expression.

"It's a hop, skip, and a jump from Glophia. Besides, Sean has the means — a private plane, perhaps? A quick flight wouldn't break the bank. The reality is, he just isn't prioritizing you."

He continued, his voice softening, “Listen, Norah, you project strength, but it's okay to lean on someone. No judgment here."

Marlin didn't realize his words were laced with affection.

Norah lowered her head. “Thank you for your concern. It's noted."

Her disinterest was a clear sign to Marlin: she and Sean were in the throes of passion, and his words wouldn't penetrate the love bubble.

He dropped her off at the hotel, watching her disappear into the building.

There would come a day, he vowed, when he'd stand beside her as her boyfriend.

The moment Norah entered her room, she switched on her computer.

Hacking into the local government's website, she unearthed information about Ivy. Ivy's rural Glophian roots were documented, along with her deceased husband.

Ivy's son's appearance in Silverdale - could it be a family reunion?

Norah navigated to an international hacker forum, initiating a private chat with JW.

"Remember that program for intercepting faces from global surveillance networks? Any progress?"

JW's response arrived. “If memory serves, I mentioned its complexity and shelved it halfway through."

"Do you still have the semi-finished code?" she inquired.

"Sure," JW replied. "But a heads-up: it's a long shot. To ID people globally via surveillance footage, we'd need to breach every monitoring system and have top-notch facial recognition software.

It's practically impossible."

He'd conceived the idea, only to be bogged down by insurmountable technical hurdles.

Unmotivated, he'd abandoned it. He hadn't anticipated Norah reviving the project.

"Send it over," Norah instructed.