Reborn As Mr. Coldwell's Wife
Chapter 165: Catching Up

Chapter 165: Catching Up

Ellen looked at Helga’s house and smiled, her footsteps light as she made her way over. Helga had called earlier, asking Ellen to come over, and with nothing much on her agenda for the day, Ellen was more than happy to say yes. It had been a couple of days since she last saw Helga, and she was genuinely looking forward to catching up with her neighbor.

Ellen approached the house, the familiar sight of Helga’s potted plants lining the porch greeting her. She knocked on the door, and it wasn’t long before it swung open to reveal Helga, her face lighting up with excitement.

"Ellen! She stepped forward, wrapping Ellen in a big hug. "I missed you so much!"

Ellen returned the hug, a smile tugging at her lips. "I missed you too, Helga."

Helga pulled back, her hands still resting on Ellen’s shoulders as she looked her over. "Come in, come in! It’s so good to see you," she said, stepping aside and motioning for Ellen to enter.

As they walked further inside, Helga gave her a playful nudge. "So, what have you been up to, my dear?"

Ellen chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Not much, honestly. Just the usual, you know."

"Well, I’ve got plenty to tell you." She led Ellen to the living room, motioning for her to sit on the couch. Ellen took a seat, sinking into the soft cushions, and Helga sat down beside her.

"So, how was your trip?" Ellen asked, genuinely curious. She knew Helga had been away with Jax on a business trip, just to a nearby town, but she hadn’t heard the details yet.

Helga let out a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes for effect. "It was fun, thank goodness," she answered. "Jax managed to spare some time for me aside from all his meetings, or I swear, I would’ve died of boredom."

Ellen laughed, imagining Helga trailing behind Jax, bored out of her mind while he attended meeting after meeting. "I’m glad he made time for you."

"Oh, trust me, we had fun."

They chatted for a while, catching up on the little things that had happened over the past few days. Helga told Ellen about the places she and Jax had visited, while Ellen talked about staying at her dad’s house while Mason was in Dubai.

Helga apologized for making Ellen come over, thinking she was just nearby, but Ellen quickly assured her it was all good.

Helga then clapped her hands together, a look of excitement crossing her face. "Alright, you stay right here," she said, getting up from the couch. "I have something for you!"

A moment later, Helga returned, her arms full of shopping bags—colorful ones, with elegant logos printed on them. She walked over to the table, setting the bags down with a big smile.

Ellen’s eyes widened in surprise. "Helga, what is all this?"

Helga plopped down on the couch beside Ellen, her eyes shining. "Gifts for you!" she replied. "I managed to pick up a few things while we were away. I saw them and immediately thought of you."

"Aw, you’re so sweet, Helga,"

Helga waved her hand dismissively, though her smile never faded. "Oh, stop it. You deserve it, Ellen."

Ellen smiled at her, but then her expression shifted to something a bit more serious. "By the way, Helga," Ellen began. "Did you happen to see any strange person coming to my house recently?"

Helga’s eyebrows furrowed, a look of confusion flashing across her face as she tilted her head slightly. "A strange person?" she repeated. She shook her head slowly. "Not that I know of... But, I mean, I was away for a few days, remember? So I can’t really say for sure."

Ellen nodded, a small frown appearing as she glanced down at her hands resting in her lap. "Yeah, I know," she said. "I was just wondering if maybe you saw something before you left, maybe?"

Helga’s expression grew more thoughtful, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to recall. She tapped a finger against her chin. After a moment, she shook her head again, her eyes meeting Ellen’s once more. "No, I don’t think so," she replied, her tone filled with regret. "I can’t recall anything weird or out of place."

Ellen let out a soft sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly as she nodded. "I see," she murmured. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but the disappointment was evident in her eyes. She had hoped that maybe Helga had seen something—anything—that could give her a clue about the mysterious roses that had been left at her door. But it seemed that she was out of luck.

Helga watched her neighbor, her brow furrowing with concern. She reached over, placing a hand on Ellen’s arm, her touch gentle. "What’s going on, Ellen?" she asked, her eyes filled with worry. "Why are you asking about strange people? Did something happen?"

Ellen hesitated for a moment, her gaze dropping to her lap. She didn’t want to worry Helga, didn’t want to make a big deal out of something that might end up being nothing.

She forced a small smile, lifting her gaze to meet Helga’s once more. "Oh, it’s nothing, really," she replied, waving her hand as if to shrug it off. "I was just... I don’t know, worried that maybe there was a thief or something like that."

Helga’s eyes widened slightly, a look of surprise flashing across her face. "A thief?" she repeated, her voice rising slightly in alarm. She leaned back, her hand still resting on Ellen’s arm. "Why would you think that?"

Ellen shrugged, trying to keep her expression casual. "I don’t know," she said. "It’s probably nothing. It’s just... with me and Mason being away, that’s all."

After a moment, she gave Ellen’s arm a reassuring squeeze, a smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, Ellen," she said, her tone gentle. "You shouldn’t worry so much. You’ve got security, don’t you? They’d take care of anything like that."

Ellen forced another smile, nodding slowly. "Yeah, you’re right," she said.

She turned her gaze to the window, feeling frustration rising inside her, mixed with a feeling of helplessness.

She had hoped that maybe Helga had seen something that could help her figure out who had left the roses, but it seemed that she was no closer to finding any answers.