Abandoned by All I Took It All Back novel Chapter 84

"Take this and buy yourself something to eat. And stop stealing."

The old man didn't look up or say a word.

Janina took two steps back. "How about I call the police? They can help you get home."

The old man remained silent, as if he hadn't heard her.

Janina shook her head. Perhaps he was deaf. There wasn't much more she could do. She turned to leave.

Just as she opened her car door and sat down, the back door was pulled open.

The disheveled old man had climbed into the back seat.

Janina froze. "Sir, please get out. I need to go home."

Her first instinct was to offer to take him to the police station, but she was afraid to have a stranger sitting behind her. What if he was dangerous and tried to strangle her from behind?

The old man leaned back against the seat. "Then take me home."

Janina turned to face him. "Where do you live?"

The old man thought for a moment, a guarded look in his eyes. "Why are you asking so many questions? Are you trying to hurt me?"

Janina was speechless. This old man really did have some issues.

She tried to explain patiently, "If you don't tell me where you live, how can I take you home?"

The old man glared at her, huffing, "I don't remember where I live. And I'm not getting out of the car."

Janina started to think the stall owner had a point. The old man was surprisingly shrewd. "What's your name?"

She took out her phone, ready to call the police and let them help him find his family. There was no way she was driving him anywhere.

The old man looked her up and down, his strange gaze lingering on her. "I don't have a name. Why does a pregnant woman ask so many questions?"

Janina's mind went blank.

Was he talking about her?

She paused her call, suddenly suspicious. "Pregnant? Are you talking about me?"

The old man scoffed. "Who else? The dog?"

Janina was floored.

"Sir, let me take you to the police station. They'll help you find your family."

At the mention of the police, the old man grew visibly tense and immediately waved his hands.

"No, you can't take me to the police station. They're bad people. They'll beat me. I won't go."

Janina was at a loss. If the police were all bad people, then there were no good people left in the world. She tried to reason with him.

"That's not true. They're good people, they'll help you. Don't you want to go home? Or I can take you to a shelter. You can choose."

The old man's expression turned fierce. "You could take me to your house."

Janina was speechless. He really had some nerve.

"Aren't you afraid I'll sell you?"

The old man stroked his chin, pondering for a moment. "I'm probably worth quite a bit. But I trust you won't sell me. I have a feeling you're a good person."

Janina ran a hand through her hair, deciding to just call the police. The old man's words were nonsensical, and his confidence was bizarre.

Just as she raised her phone, a hand shot out from behind and slapped it down…