Chapter 1499: My Name Is Nicole—Nicole as in “shallow,” Nicole as in “tide” [2]

At night, the heavy rain was still pouring down. Jose Floyd’s face was pale, his entire body frighteningly hot, drenched as he walked alone on the silent street.

Wandering through street after street, the cold rain slapped against his face. Jose Floyd’s eyes were a deep, solemn red, and his body was becoming increasingly feeble.

When passing by the marketplace, the once lively night market was now eerily quiet under the rain. As he unintentionally glanced over the night market, he saw a little figure sitting on the steps in front of a shopping mall where he had sat on the night he first arrived in this town.

Jose Floyd’s eyes brightened slightly, silently watching the little figure.

The little figure saw him too, and in that instant, her eyes sparkled with an exceptionally dazzling light, sweetly calling out, "Uncle~."

Her soft, adorable voice carried an undisguisable joy as she ran towards him.

Jose Floyd’s eyes momentarily changed as he looked at the child who had jogged up to him, clad in a little raincoat, "Regina, what are you doing here?"

Regina approached Jose Floyd, her delicate little face covered in rainwater, just like Jose Floyd’s. She pursed her small lips as she looked up at him, her voice carrying a hint of grievance: "Uncle, you said you’d come... Regina waited."

Jose Floyd’s fingers were held by Regina, both big and small hands icy cold. He bent down, looking at the little figure before him, a feeling indescribable, warm yet with a tinge of sadness, surged in his heart.

"Regina, did you stay here in such heavy rain just to wait for Uncle?" Jose Floyd’s voice was low.

Regina nodded, her little hands instantly wrapping around Jose Floyd’s bent neck, "Uncle, hug me."

Besides hugging Ryan Seys, Jose Floyd had never hugged even Iris Seys, yet under Regina’s sweet, coaxing words, he somehow reached out and held her in his arms.

"Regina—" Jose Floyd held Regina’s small body, a sensation indescribable spreading through his heart.

On a cold and disappointing rainy night, a little girl like her, having met him just once, waited alone in the rain because of his promise. The touch of being moved and a strange closeness began to permeate Jose Floyd’s heart, seeping in gradually.

Though wearing a little raincoat, Regina was soaked through, especially her hair and shoes. Wrapped in the wet raincoat, Jose Floyd tightened his grip, feeling the chill of her arm, and blurted out, "Why did you come out alone so late? Why didn’t you ask your mom to bring you to see Uncle? Do you know how dangerous it is? What if you encounter a human trafficker again..."

Thinking of their first meeting when she was almost taken by a human trafficker, a surge of panic and fear rose in Jose Floyd’s heart. Even though he had only seen Regina twice, he had placed her in his heart, genuinely liking her and not wanting her to get hurt.

Regina pouted, "I’m angry... Uncle, they said I don’t have a dad... I don’t want to go home anymore."

"You don’t have a dad?" Jose Floyd asked in a calm tone.

Regina nodded heavily, "He doesn’t want Regina... doesn’t want mom... bad man."

So Regina was a child abandoned by her own father.

Regina was so adorable; how blind must her father have been! Deep pity stirred in Jose Floyd’s heart for Regina.

At that moment, Regina pouted further, her voice filled with grievance, "Uncle, if only you were my dad..."

Before Jose Floyd could react to Regina’s words, she wrapped her arms around his neck and, with a hoarse voice, directly called out, "Uncle... Daddy..."