Chapter 462
Pearl found herself in a yard after walking for a while, but the pitiful cry she had heard earlier suddenly stopped. As she turned to leave, she realized that the door behind her had been shut, trapping her inside.
She immediately felt a sense of unease. The people she had encountered earlier might still have ill intentions toward her, and now that she was alone, they might have come up with new plans to harm her.
Pearl looked around, hoping to find a way out. She attempted to climb over a tall wall nearby, but it was too high for her to reach.
Desperate to escape, she decided to explore her surroundings. She passed through a long corridor and crossed a bridge before arriving at a large courtyard. Despite the brightness, an eerie sense of foreboding hung in the air, and the courtyard was filled with lingering smoke. As she cautiously approached, Pearl noticed an elderly man in his eighties. He was sitting on a cushion, dressed in clergy apparel, and engrossed in prayer
“Sir, I don’t mean to intrude…” Pearl began, but the old man interrupted her.
“Miss, I’ve been waiting for you for a very long time.”
Stunned, Pearl asked, “You’ve been waiting for me?”
“Yes.” The priest stood up and smiled solemnly. “May God bless your soul.”
Pearl grinned. “Logically speaking, I don’t trust this kind of thing.”
A different expression appeared on the priest’s face.
“I came here because I heard a strange voice. I wasn’t here to see you, sir.”
The priest’s smile stiffened.
“But I’m all ears if you have something to share,” Pearl added with a harmless smile, though the priest became increasingly reserved.
“It’s just that it’s been a long time since anyone visited. I thought it would be nice to have a chat with you, since you’ve suddenly appeared…”
This wasn’t what Pearl had anticipated. She initially thought the priest might be a fortune- teller who could reveal secrets or hidden knowledge. Now, she was puzzled by his guarded demeanor.
“Aren’t you going to tell me some secrets?” Pearl regarded him suspiciously.
“Miss, I’m just an ordinary man, and I don’t possess any secrets,” the priest admitted. “We should trust science.”
“Trust science…”
The leader of the church asked Pearl to believe in science.
Resigned, Pearl gave up. “Alright, I don’t even know how I ended up here. Can you please tell me how to leave?” Glancing at the peculiar old man, Pearl felt an urgent need to get out of there.
The priest seemed disappointed. “It’s been many years since someone accurately found their way here. Can’t you stay and chat with me for a while?”
“But…”
“It’s going to rain cats and dogs in an hour. No need to rush.” The priest gestured for her to take a seat. Pearl reluctantly sat down and tried to call Richard and Eric, only to discover that her phone had died. Panic began to creep over her,
“Miss, is your phone out of battery?”
Pearl nodded.
“Give it to me. I’ll charge it for you.”
Pearl found their conversation rather weird, but she handed her phone to him nonetheless.
“You seem like a friendly person. I’m sure you’re blessed.”
Pearl faked a laugh. “Thank you, sir.”
“Let me make a guess: your surname is Leighton.”
Since he knew her surname, he might also know her name. “Do you know me, sir?”
“Yes, I surf the Internet.”
Pearl was rendered speechless.
“But you look like the woman who used to frequent my church to make donations twenty years ago. “The priest gazed at her as though he were seeing someone from the past
“You’re talking about…”
“I’m guessing that person might be your mother, Miss Beah.”
“You know my mother? What else can you tell me?” Pearl’s disappointment was replaced by hope as she eagerly awaited any information.
The priest shook his head. “I’m not certain about your mother, but I can tell you that sometimes people are destined to meet again. There’s no need to rush things.”
His words were useless, making Pearl’s l*ps twitch. “Can you at least tell me something about my mother? Maybe it will give me some leads.”
The priest hesitated to dampen her excitement and curiosity. “She was a very gentle woman. For three years, she regularly visited our church to make donations. Everyone in the church remembers her.”
“And then?”
“After that, she began bringing a little girl with her on her visits. Eventually, she came less frequently and then stopped coming altogether. I assumed she might have become busy.”
Pearl’s disappointment was palpable as she hung her head. “No, she’s gone missing.”
Yet the priest remained composed. “Everything and everyone have their reasons. There are secrets that cannot be spoken of, and you must uncover the answers for yourself.”
“Are there no other options?”
After a brief pause, the priest continued, “Sometimes, what seems distant is actually quite
near.”
Pearl took a deep breath and suddenly grasped something. “Thank you, sir. I think I understand now. Can you show me the way out?”
The priest heaved a sigh. “Very well, I’ll guide you out of here.”
Following the priest, Pearl navigated the winding corridors until she reached the tree where it ail began. After bidding farewell to the priest, she started searching for Richard and soon found him at a nearby pavilion.
During her absence, Richard had called her numerous times, only to find her phone turned off. When he spotted Pearl, he rushed over and tightly gripped her shoulders. Anxiety and concern had replaced his usual composure. “Where were you? Do you realize how worried I was?”
Touched by the worry on Richard’s typically calm face, Pearl said, “I’m sorry, my phone was off. Plus, when I entered a place, someone suddenly closed the door behind me. I had no idea where I was. Luckily, a priest helped me get out.”
“Someone locked you in?” Richard’s brows furrowed.
“Yeah, I found it weird too. I had a feeling that some people were planning to ambush and harm us.”
Richard nodded. “Alright, let’s head down the mountain now. We have a shoot at night.”
Since their plan was to visit the Sanctuary of Passion in the morning and then proceed to Luisford for nighttime filming of a k*ssing scene, Pearl had not expected such an unexpected turn of events at the sanctuary.
“Okay, we’ve finished our prayers. Let’s head back.”
Eric had just come out of the restroom and was relieved to see Pearl safely return. “I thought you got lost. Richard and I have been searching for you for a while, and then we waited for you here at this conspicuous spot just in case you couldn’t find us when you got back.”
