Chapter 72

The man took advantage of the chaos to hop into his car and quickly sped away. In the passenger seat, Teri and I felt tense and anxious. The man navigated through a maze of streets before finally coming to a halt in a secluded area. As he opened the door, Teri and I stood trembling by the roadside. The man got out of the car and pulled out a cigarette. With a smile, he asked, "So, Ari, how do you plan to thank me for today?" The way he addressed me sent a shiver down my spine, and suddenly it clicked. "Are you Norman?" "Yes." Norman leaned casually against the car door and lit his cigarette. He raised his eyebrows and smiled. "It's a bit disappointing that it took you this long to recognize me," he added. I awkwardly replied, "I didn't notice you earlier with all the commotion, but thank you for stepping in and helping us." Teri then asked, "And who might you be?" Norman smiled, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "Let me introduce myself—I'm Norman Wood, an admirer of Ms. Yo