Miss Josefina: Nobody's Princess novel Chapter 1188

Deanna kept a cheerful smile on her face, not showing a hint of displeasure.

"Josie, I'm heading out too. Just going to check back on things," she said.

Josie, as her friends liked to call her, nodded, "Keep me updated if anything comes up."

"Of course, thanks Josie."

With that, Josie shot a quick message to Alex before heading out. As she walked, she spotted Makiko, who seemed to be in quite a rush, leaving the scene. Josie picked up her pace, trying to follow her without being noticed.

...

Makiko slipped into an apartment building and vanished from Josie's view. Josie muttered a curse under her breath. She’d lost her.

Meanwhile, Makiko had already entered an apartment. It was a cramped three-bedroom flat, currently home to six middle-aged men. The room was thick with smoke, and the stench was so foul it nearly made Makiko gag.

As soon as the men saw Makiko, they quickly stubbed out their cigarettes, switched on the exhaust fans, and cracked open a window just enough to let some air in, careful not to draw any attention to their presence.

"This place is a dump! What are you, a bunch of pigs?" Makiko sneered, eyeing a chair with disdain before deciding against sitting.

The men, who had been cooped up in there for days, cut off from the outside world, bristled at her scolding.

"Makiko, we can’t just stay holed up here forever. Isn’t there something you can do to get us out?"

"My experiment was in progress, and now it’s on hold because of this. I'll have to start all over when I get back."

"Time is money, Makiko. We want out of this godforsaken place."

"I can't take another day in this hellhole. Every day here is torture."

"If you won’t help us leave, I’ll go on my own!"

Her words left no room for argument. The men sat in sullen silence, their frustration simmering beneath the surface, but Makiko could see it.

"Don’t worry, even if you’re not working, I'll make sure you're well taken care of. You'll receive your pay for this month as usual."

Her visit was clearly meant to reassure them.

"Thank you, Makiko."

With a curt nod, Makiko turned on her heel and left the apartment.

...

Josie had taken cover at the spot where she'd lost sight of Makiko. She’d called Luke and his assistant over, positioning them at the entrances, ready to spring into action once Makiko reappeared.

After a little while, Josie spotted Makiko again, slipping back into view.