Chapter 349
Norton hadn’t been to class or even been seen on campus for a week. Incredibly, none of his professors or classmates had noticed. It was a cafeteria worker who finally mentioned it to Timothy.
“Hey, what happened to that kid who always dresses in bright colors? The one who’s always following you around? I haven’t seen him in the dining hall lately p>
The comment made Timothy realize something was wrong. Norton had no friends at school and, after deciding Timothy was his friend, had taken to seeking him out at least once a day, to Timothy’s endless annoyance. But he hadn’t seen him for several days.
Timothy immediately went to the business school and asked around. No one had seen Norton all week. Since Norton lived in an off-campus apartment, Timothy, who knew the passcode, rushed over. The moment he opened the door, he was hit by the smell of spoiled food from a half-eaten bowl of instant food on the coffee table. The place was a mess, clearly unoccupied for days.
Unable to find Norton at home, Timothy finally called Penelope.
Penelope didn’t hesitate. She drove over immediately. The apartment, though Timothy had tidied up a bit, was still chaotic. It was hard to imagine how Norton lived day to day.
“His suitcase and backpack are still here. It doesn’t look like he ran away,” Timothy observed.
If he didn’t run away, then what happened?
“Did anything happen to him at school recently?” Penelope asked.
“I heard from a classmate that he was being bullied by a group of guys from off- campus. They apparently beat him up last week. The classmate told him to report it to the school or the police, but he refused p>
A dark thought crossed Penelope’s mind, but she pushed it aside and went into the bedroom, hoping to find a clue. His bedroom was even messier. Books were piled on the floor instead of the bookshelf, while shoes were perched on the shelves. The bedding was twisted into a tight bundle.
As she began to sort through the mess, she spotted a piece of paper sticking out from under the desk. She moved the desk and picked it up. On it were a few lines of writing.
“My world has never known sunshine. I have never felt its warmth. My body has grown moldy, and it reeks of decay. It’s time to leave p>
“Perhaps a long, long time from now, someone will find my body. I hope by then it will be spring, and that tiny shoots of grass or flowers will grow from my rotted flesh, letting me become a part of the scenery p>
The words hit Penelope like a physical blow.
Norton… he couldn’t have p>
“You don’t think he’d do something stupid, do you?” Timothy asked, his voice shaking.
The same fear gripped Penelope, but
she forced herself to stay calm.
Takip breath, she pull
her phone and called Theatre.
After a few rings, a woman’s voice answered. It was Mrs. Stapleton.
“Theodore is busy. Don’t bother him today p>
“I have an emergency. I need to speak with him right now!” Penelope tried to control her voice, but a note of panic crept in.
“I told you, he’s busy p>
“It’s about Norton. He p>
“Let him die p>
Mrs. Stapleton let out a cold snort and hung up.
Let him die.
How could a mother hate her own son with such venom? Norton was innocent. He had done nothing wrong, yet he was forced to endure this cruelty The depth of his despair must have been fathomless.
Penelope composed herself. She told Timothy to keep searching the area while she sped toward the old Stapleton family manor. On the tree-lined avenue leading to the estate, she saw Theodore’s car
puthing out Without a second
thought, she swung her car
sideways, blocking the road.