Forbidden Passion
Chapter 721 Ollie, Hubert, and Noomi

Theodore had an air of noble arrogance, and Pamela immediately felt intimidated. She withdrew her hand and avoided Theodore's sharp gaze.

"Sir, I'm sorry. The kid is a bit naughty. He didn't hurt your cat, did he?" Pamela said.

Theodore glanced at Pamela. It was clear she wasn't the child's mother, more like a nanny. Otherwise, she would have checked if the child was scratched by the cat first, rather than worrying about Ollie. Theodore said with a blank expression, "My cat is fine."

Theodore squatted down in front of Noomi and stared at her. "Your name is Noomi?"

"Yes." Noomi nodded with a smile and pointed to Hubert, who had slipped from Pamela's arms and was running towards her. "His name is Hubert. He's my brother."

Hubert ran up to Noomi, his big eyes blinking as he stared at Ollie, looking like he wanted to touch but didn't dare.

"Sir, may I pet your cat?" Hubert looked at Theodore expectantly.

No one could refuse a cute child's request, especially such an extremely cute one. Theodore resisted the urge to ruffle his hair and nodded with a smile. "Of course, little guy." Hubert approached Ollie step by step. Ollie, sensing the external threat, glared at Hubert warily. As Hubert got closer, Ollie bared its teeth in a fierce display.

Hubert stopped as expected. He rubbed his chubby hands together and nervously tried to soothe Ollie. "My name is Hubert. Don't be afraid. I just want to be friends with you." Theodore, afraid Ollie might scare Hubert, warned, "Ollie, lie down!"

Under Theodore's sharp gaze, Ollie retracted its claws and obediently lay down. Noomi and Hubert were charmed.

Hubert and Noomi squatted beside Ollie and gently touched its fur. It was so soft that their eyes lit up with amazement.

"It's so soft," Noomi said and mimicked Hubert's actions, stroking Ollie's fur, her eyes curving into a smile, looking both beautiful and cute.

Ollie had initially resisted their approach, only submitting under Theodore's threat. But as the kids got closer, it smelled a familiar scent.

It lifted its head to sniff Hubert's hand, the scent too faint. It then rubbed its head against Hubert's small chest.

However, Ollie's action startled Pamela, who was watching nervously from the side. She quickly scooped Hubert up, eyeing Ollie warily, saying, "Stop!"

Ollie, startled, perked up its ears but didn't take an aggressive stance. It looked at Hubert in confusion and let out a soft meow.

Unable to reach Hubert, Ollie turned to rub against Noomi's hand. Noomi wasn't afraid at all and cupped the cat's face, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Ollie also smelled Phoebe's scent on Noomi. It meowed loudly, as if trying to remind Theodore of something.

However, despite his vast knowledge, Theodore didn't understand cat language. He mistook Ollie's agitation for reluctance to be touched by Hubert and Noomi. "Be obedient and let them pet you. I'll reward you with three fish when we get home."

Ollie lay back down on the lawn, allowing Noomi to pet it to her heart's content, letting out a contented hum.

Seeing that Ollie wasn't aggressive, Pamela finally felt at ease and put Hubert back on the ground to let him play with the cat.

Hubert and Noomi, tired of squatting, plopped down on the lawn. The crisp autumn air and dry ground meant they didn't have to worry about getting damp. "Sir, why is it called Ollie?" Hubert asked.

Hubert seemed to find the name Ollie amusing. He grabbed Ollie's front paw and said excitedly, "I want to eat cookies."

Hubert's voice grew softer, tinged with embarrassment.

"All you think about is eating." Noomi looked at him with disdain. But then her own stomach growled, and she said with a pained expression, "I want to eat too." After speaking, Hubert and Noomi both looked at Pamela with hopeful eyes.

Pamela understood their meaning and quickly reached into her backpack for snacks, only to be stopped by Theodore's gaze. Fearful of him, she nervously put the half-taken snack back and said to Hubert and Noomi, "We left in a hurry and forgot to bring food."

Hubert and Noomi drooped their heads in disappointment. Seeing this, Theodore reached out and patted Hubert's head. "There's a small store up ahead. How about I take you to buy some snacks?"

Hubert's eyes lit up, but then he seemed to remember something and shook his head. "No, Mom said we can't eat things from strangers."

Noomi nodded in agreement and said seriously, "We can't eat it."

Theodore was surprised. It seemed their parents had taught them well about safety, knowing not to take food from strangers at such a young age. He didn't want to undermine Hubert and Noomi's sense of caution, so he didn't insist. Hubert and Noomi continued petting Ollie, their stomachs growling but unwilling to leave. The sun eventually broke through the clouds, bathing the earth in bright light and gradually raising the temperature.

With their delicate skin, the children's cheeks soon turned rosy from the sun. Pamela glanced nervously at Theodore.

Pamela said with a slight smile, "The sun is getting strong. Hubert, Noomi, it's time to go home." The children were reluctant to leave Ollie. Noomi looked at Theodore. "Sir, do you live around here?" "I don't live here," Theodore replied.

Theodore himself didn't know why he had crossed half the city on a workday to walk his cat here. It was almost as if he had too much free time.

"Oh," Noomi responded dejectedly. "So we won't see the cat again?"

Sensing Noomi's sadness, Ollie lifted its upper body and rubbed its head against her neck.

Noomi was stunned, and the feeling of parting hit her hard. She suddenly hugged the cat and started crying, tears streaming down her face. "I would love to see this adorable kitten often." "Noomi, don't cry." Hubert, at a loss, tried to wipe Noomi's tears, but soon he started crying too. Hubert and Noomi cried so pitifully that even Theodore, usually so cold-hearted, felt his heart ache. Theodore helplessly leaned over and awkwardly patted their backs. He said in a soft tone, "Don't cry."

Pamela looked bewildered as she watched Theodore comfort Hubert and Noomi. She had no idea what had happened. They had been playing happily just a moment ago, so why were they suddenly crying?