Chapter 217: Chapter 217: "Renee, She Is the Thief!

Renee froze for a few seconds when she heard Nini, then frowned and asked in a low voice, "What thief? Are they still hiding in the house?"

"No." Nini shook her fluffy head. "The thief hasn’t come yet."

Renee blinked, finding it strange. ’Does this thief come every day?’

Nini said, "Sometimes every day, sometimes every other day!"

Renee asked, "And Mrs. Forrest and Auntie Brooks haven’t noticed?"

"No."

Just as Renee was about to ask for more details, Mrs. Forrest approached her with a plate of fruit.

"Renee, have some fruit."

"Alright, thank you, Mrs. Forrest."

Mrs. Forrest gazed at her, her aged eyes full of affection. "You know, Renee, it’s quite a coincidence. I was at the old estate a few days ago, tidying up, when I found a photo of a friend from when she was young. I realized you look so much like her."

Renee raised an eyebrow slightly and smiled. "Oh, really? That certainly is a coincidence."

"I’ll go get it and show you." Mrs. Forrest got up and went into the bedroom.

As soon as she was gone, Renee looked down and asked Nini, "So, what’s the deal with this thief?"

Nini looked up, meeting her gaze. "The thief seems to be a relative of Auntie Brooks. She comes to see Auntie Brooks and chats with Mrs. Forrest. She’s really good at charming Mrs. Forrest, who was so happy she told the woman to visit often."

"And then?" Renee asked.

Nini replied, "Then she started coming all the time, and every time, she steals Mrs. Forrest’s shiny things. But Mrs. Forrest and Auntie Brooks haven’t noticed."

Only Nini had noticed, but Mrs. Forrest and Auntie Brooks couldn’t understand her.

Every time she saw the thief come over, she would get frantic.

"Renee, take a look." Mrs. Forrest returned to the living room and handed her a faded old photograph. "See the resemblance?"

Renee took the photograph and glanced at it, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "Mrs. Forrest, is this your friend?"

"Yes," Mrs. Forrest sighed. "Unfortunately, she’s no longer with us."

"That’s a shame," Renee said, studying the person in the photograph. "I was hoping I might get to meet her and get a sneak peek of what I’ll look like when I’m older."

She studied it for another moment before handing the photograph back.

Mrs. Forrest took the photo and, looking at Renee’s delicate features, smiled. "I have photos of her from later on, too. Do you want to see?"

Seeing how excited she was, Renee nodded. "Sure."

Just as Mrs. Forrest was about to look for the photos, the doorbell suddenly rang.

"Someone’s here," said Mrs. Forrest. "I’ll get the door."

"I’ll get it." Renee got up, holding Nini, and walked over.

She opened the door to find a stylish young woman standing outside. Her false eyelashes were so thick and curled they looked like tiny fans.

"Who are you?" the young woman asked.

Renee didn’t answer, but she heard a cry from Nini in her arms.

"Renee, that’s her! She’s the thief!"

Renee’s eyes narrowed slightly as she sized the other woman up.

The young woman met her gaze and frowned. "I’m talking to you. Didn’t you hear me?"

"Is that you, Rhonda?" Mrs. Forrest called out as she walked over.

Rhonda Brooks’s voice immediately brightened. "Mrs. Forrest, I came to see you! I brought some dumplings I made today."

Renee turned and went back to the living room, still holding Nini.

Nini squirmed in her arms, her voice urgent in Renee’s head. "Renee, you have to tell Mrs. Forrest! That Rhonda is a thief! She’s stolen so many things from her!"

"I will," Renee said, reassuringly stroking her head.

Rhonda Brooks followed Mrs. Forrest inside. Her eyes landed on Renee’s back as she asked in a hushed voice, "Mrs. Forrest, who is that?"

Mrs. Forrest smiled. "She’s a friend of mine."

"Your friend is so young," Rhonda said, looking surprised.

"She is, isn’t she?" Mrs. Forrest said, motioning for her to take a seat.

Rhonda Brooks placed the dumplings on the coffee table, then sat down across from Renee and stared at her.

Mrs. Forrest came back to Renee’s side and said with a smile, "Renee, Rhonda is Auntie Brooks’s niece. She’s been coming to keep us company often lately."

"Oh, I see," Renee said with a faint smile.

"Mrs. Forrest, is my aunt home?" Rhonda Brooks asked.

Mrs. Forrest pointed toward the kitchen. "She’s in there preparing dinner."

"Already?" Rhonda Brooks quickly got up. "That’s why I brought the dumplings over early, I was afraid you’d already started on dinner. I’ll go tell my aunt not to bother. We can just have dumplings."

"It’s alright, Rhonda," Mrs. Forrest said, stopping her. "We can put the dumplings in the freezer. I’ve invited Renee over for dinner tonight."

Rhonda Brooks stopped in her tracks. "Okay, Mrs. Forrest. I’ll put them in the freezer."

Mrs. Forrest nodded. "Alright. Thank you, dear."

Renee glanced at Rhonda Brooks’s retreating back, then turned her gaze to Mrs. Forrest. "Mrs. Forrest," she began softly, "does Auntie Brooks’s niece come to keep you company often?"

"She’s been coming over quite often recently," Mrs. Forrest said. "It makes the house more lively."

When you get older, you appreciate the liveliness.

Renee smiled. "After dinner, I’ll take a walk with you."

"Oh, I’d love that!" Mrs. Forrest agreed happily.

Rhonda Brooks emerged from the kitchen and said to Mrs. Forrest, "Mrs. Forrest, I’ll leave you two to chat. I’m going to go mop the floors."

"Rhonda, don’t trouble yourself," Mrs. Forrest said with a sigh. "Come and sit. The cleaning service will be here on their regular schedule."

Rhonda Brooks tied up her hair, rolled up her sleeves, and said with a grin, "Mrs. Forrest, the cleaning service is definitely not as thorough as I am."

Mrs. Forrest remarked to Renee, "She’s such a capable girl. Every time she comes over, she cleans the whole house until it’s spotless. She gets upset if you try to stop her, says she can’t stand being idle."

Hearing this, Renee scoffed internally.

’If we don’t let her "help," how is she supposed to find an opportunity to steal things?’

Renee stroked Nini’s head and whispered, "Go see what she takes and where she puts it."

"Got it!" Nini replied, leaping gracefully from her arms and landing steadily on the floor.

By the time Rhonda Brooks finished cleaning, Auntie Brooks had dinner ready.

"Mrs. Forrest, Auntie, I’ve finished mopping the floors. Since you have a guest, I won’t intrude," Rhonda Brooks said, grabbing her purse as she prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Mrs. Forrest got up and urged her to stay. "Rhonda, stay and have dinner with us."

Renee also chimed in with a smile, "Yes, please join us."

Auntie Brooks, however, didn’t say anything. There was a guest tonight, after all.

Rhonda Brooks hesitated for a few seconds before a smile spread across her face. "Well, if you insist! Thank you."

After dinner, Renee went for a walk with Mrs. Forrest, while Rhonda Brooks stayed behind to help Auntie Brooks clear the table.

The bright moonlight draped the earth like a silver veil. A gentle breeze drifted by, bringing with it a hint of a chill, and the green leaves on the branches swayed softly in the wind.

Renee thought about what Nini had said. She pursed her lips before asking slowly, "Mrs. Forrest, how well do you know this Rhonda Brooks?"

"Rhonda? Oh, she’s a poor girl who’s had a very hard life. From what she’s told me, her family is quite poor, and she has two younger brothers. Her parents play favorites." Mrs. Forrest’s voice was tinged with pity. "She’s had it really tough."

Upon hearing this, Renee said coolly, "But that’s no excuse for stealing."

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