Miracle Cutie Chapter 17: The Stairwell Secret

Hand in hand, the two people walked forward.

Nina stared out the window—and suddenly let out a sharp, excited "Ah!"

She had recognized them instantly.

Even with hats and masks on, she knew the disguised Zoe and Alistair.

She was especially sensitive to their presence.

Nelson, confused, leaned closer. "What's wrong?"

But before he could even finish, Nina slid right off her chair.

Her little legs pumped as fast as they could go, chasing after the two adults.

The waiter supervising them froze for a moment—exactly long enough for disaster. It was peak dining hour, and the restaurant was crowded shoulder-to-shoulder.

Nina, being the round little slippery fish she was, darted through the forest of long adult legs and vanished.

The waiter's soul left his body.

His knees turned to water.

Meanwhile, the targets of Nina's pursuit—Zoe and Alistair—were still lost in the thrill of sneaking around in public.

"Zoe, you like this, don't you?" Alistair's voice was low as he traced circles on her palm. “See? We can hold hands, even sneak a kiss, right here. No one recognizes us. Isn't it exciting?"

He knew exactly what Zoe liked.

To her fans, she was pure, innocent, untouchable.

But in private? She wasn't nearly as saintly.

And Alistair—well, he was a flirt by nature, with connections to some very questionable crowds.

A man like him knew exactly how to make a woman's heart race.

His teasing left Zoe breathless.

She curled her fingers back against his palm, answering him without words.

"Come on. This way."

Alistair tugged her toward a corner near the emergency exit—a security blind spot.

The moment they reached it, he pulled off his mask, pinned Zoe lightly against the wall, and kissed her.

It was heated, messy, hurried—two people chasing a forbidden rush.

Between kisses, Alistair's hand slipped into the hem of her shirt.

"Mmm—don't…" Zoe whispered, her protest soft and weak, more breath than words.

Alistair just gave a low, wicked chuckle and pressed closer.

Lost in their secret thrill, neither of them noticed the tiny figure peeking around the corner.

Nina had found them.

She peeked for only two seconds before a small hand suddenly reached out, grabbed her, and covered her eyes.

"Don't look."

Nelson, older by two years and far more aware, pulled her back firmly.

He knew enough to understand that these two adults were doing something that kids like them shouldn't be watching.

Nina immediately tried prying his hand away with her chubby fingers.

"Bad guy… bad…" she muttered. "Nina see bad guy."

She was determined to keep watching.

Nelson didn't let her.

He wrapped one arm around her to hold her still and lifted his other wrist.

His smartwatch.

He'd saved Daniel's number earlier, before they went into the restaurant.

Nelson quickly tapped it and sent a video call.

Daniel had barely stepped out of the restroom when a waiter rushed over to report Nina's disappearance.

The blood drained from his face instantly.

His heart dropped.

His knees nearly buckled.

Just then—Nelson's video call popped up.

"Daniel, Nina's here," Nelson said immediately, turning the camera on Nina's round little face.

Daniel almost cried from relief.

"You little scarecrow! You almost killed me!" he shouted, then hurried, "Where are you? Don't move—I'm coming right now!"

Nelson whispered their exact location, then didn't hang up.

He switched the camera again—back to Zoe and Alistair, who were still kissing feverishly and touching each other like no one else existed.

Daniel, who'd just been overjoyed to see Nina safe, suddenly looked like he'd been hit with a frying pan.

"Nelson… what are you filming?" Daniel hissed.

Nelson, cautious beyond his years, kept his voice down.

"Nina said they are bad guys."

Daniel's handsome face went from pale to pitch-black in one second.

He took off running.

The video call stayed open.

Nelson kept streaming the scene to him as proof.

"St-stop… someone might see," Zoe finally whispered breathlessly.

Nelson's watch was high-end, so her voice carried perfectly.

She tugged at Alistair's clothes, trying to push him away—not because she wasn't enjoying the thrill, but because even she had enough sense to stop before it crossed a line.

The rush she'd gotten was more than enough.