19 INVESTIGATION

Jojie Rivera, Eli's mom, came forward and held Belle's arm. She led her to the living room and started chatting with her to avoid the awkward silence. "I'm glad that you have come. I was really looking forward to see you but Eli is so stingy with your time," she said and turned Eli to throw a sharp glare at him.

"Mom, you know that she's recovering. You can't disturb just come and disturb her rest."

"Look who's talking? Instead of taking care of her, you forced her to review that boring stuff about nursing and whatnot! You're impossible!"

"Ma'am, Eli was -"

"Just call me Auntie Jo."

Belle smiled and nodded her head in agreement but she didn't say anything. She wasn't ready to call her that knowing that they were just deceiving the woman.

"Come! Come! Neon told me what you like to eat and I cooked them with him. My husband will be home for lunch so, we can have a meal together. Do you mind tasting them for me?"

"My dear mother, she's exhausted. How about we let her rest first and I can do the taste test for you?"

Jojie pouted as she stood up from the couch. "Fine. I'll listen to the doctor." She expressed and pushed her son away when she passed by him. His mother can be very childish if someone meddles with what she wants to do.

"Eli, you are making Auntie sad." Neon commented and left to follow the older woman to the kitchen, leaving the stunned Eli and the grinning Belle.

"Am I the bad guy now?"

Belle chuckled at the turn of events and since Eli's mother didn't show any hostility according to Ceres, she finally felt relieved from the tension she had been keeping to herself.

Hearing her faint laughter and seeing her beautiful smile, Eli rubbed the back of his neck. He felt a little hot. "I'll take you to your room," he said before his mind starts to wander to something else. "I made sure that you'd be staying next to Neon's room and it's also closer to mine."

"Thank you so much, doc."

"No worries. You are helping me as well and I can't just take advantage of you all the time."

Belle nodded her head and just walked beside him while he carried the small bag that contained her personal belongings. Eli finally stopped walking and Belle found herself standing in front of the door with her name written on the hanging wooden plaque. She didn't expect he would prepare this much for her.

[Are you touched?] Ceres teased upon seeing Belle's name. [I wish it's my name written on it.]

(I can change it to your name. Do you want me to?)

[Are you an idiot?! Do you want him to suspect that there's something wrong with you?!]

(Then, stop being jealous of me. I'll let you use my body later. You can spend time with him as much as you want.)

[Promise?! You can't go back on your words!]

"This will be your room, starting today. You don't have to hurry in finding a new apartment to stay. You can save first and find a new place once you have enough savings. Don't forget that Neon's class will resume next month."

Belle returned back to her senses because of what Eli said. He was right. There were so many things that she needed to think and do aside from house hunting.

"Then, can I borrow your laptop? I just need to check on something again."

"Sure, I'll send it later." Eli placed Belle's bag on the bed and checked the room to see if he was missing anything. "I don't know much of a girl's need so, if you are missing anything, don't hesitate to let me know. My mom would think I'm bullying you if you lack some of the basic needs."

"Thanks, doc. I'll be sure to fulfill my role."

"Hn. I know you would. Have a good rest. I'll ask Neon to come and call once it's time for lunch."

Eli left her alone in her room and went to get his laptop. After giving it to her, he left once again and made sure to lock the room to give her space.

[Now, let's get to business.] Ceres told her and Belle started opening Eli's laptop. Using Ceres' knowledge, she looked for the information of the man she wanted to chat again. [I don't understand this world at all. How come he's existing here if the Raptors don't?]

"Are you sure it's this guy?" Belle asked while saving the e-mail address and logged into her own e-mail account.

[I would never mistake him for someone else. If he replies then, he must know something that I don't.]

Belle composed her message and sent it to the e-mail address that she found which matches the information that Ceres has in her last life.

Not five minutes later, the man replied and there was a link that Ceres was most familiar of. [That's really him! He's in this world!]

"We still have to be careful. Even if this man is the same person that you know in the last life, let us not forget that you are currently in the body of someone else."

[O-okay. I agree with you on that. Anyway, let's use the remaining of your savings to pay him for an investigation.]

"Is he that reliable?"

[I trust him.]

Belle clicked on the link and submitted the information that Ceres gave her. She also sent the payment for this investigation.

-Two hours-

"What does he mean by two hours?"

[He'll give us the result in two hours. We'll just have to wait.]

"If you know this person in the past, he must know who you are as well, right?"

[We never met in person. Our means of contact was through email so I have no idea how exactly he looked. Though, with his skills, I am sure he knew me. If his case is the same as mine, he must be able to tell who I am. If he's not a transmigrator and just a reincarnation, there is a high chance that he doesn't remember me.]

"I'm starting to think that I am just going crazy with all the information right now. I'm probably hallucinating, right?"

[This is real! I am existing inside you.]

"It is still unbelievable."

Since they'll get the result in two hours, Belle decided to take a nap and just rest her mind. "You take over my body after my nap. My brain cells are tired."