Anneliese understood, smiled reassuringly, and clapped gently.
Ellie looked at her. Anneliese said softly, "You're amazing and brave, Ellie. This is for you!"
She clapped a few more times and gave Ellie a thumbs-up.
Ellie shyly smiled. Her big eyes sparkled, making her look even softer and cuter.
She could speak now, and clearly, the little girl herself was happy too.
But she didn't know how she had managed to make a sound just now.
Anneliese smiled warmly. "We all heard how beautiful your voice is. Right, Grandma?"
She looked at her grandmother, and Nishay quickly nodded.
Nishay hadn't even known before that such a pretty, adorable little girl couldn't talk.
She hurried to encourage her, saying, "It sounded lovely."
Wendy nodded as well. "That's right. Your voice sounds lovely. Let's hear it again!"
Encouraged gently by the elders, Ellie seemed to gather her courage again. She opened her little mouth, but still couldn't make a sound.
Worried she might feel pressured, Anneliese quickly said, "Ellie, would you like to meet tomorrow? I still haven't done what I promised you yesterday."
Ellie had just been feeling lost and upset because she couldn't speak again, but now, her attention was instantly pulled away by this new topic.
She turned to look at Anneliese and nodded excitedly.
Of course she wanted to see her!
Yesterday, Anneliese had promised to make delicious little cookies for her. Only then had she agreed to leave with Adrian.
She hadn't expected to get to see Anneliese again so soon.
Only then did Anneliese look back at Wendy, giving her a calm, reassuring look so she wouldn't get too anxious and scare the child.
She then asked, "Ms. Chalmont, I'm going to take part in the National Low-Altitude Logistics Algorithm Challenge tomorrow. Each participant can invite two family members or friends to watch. If you and Ellie are free tomorrow, would you come cheer for me?"
Nishay was hospitalized, and she couldn't go anywhere crowded.
At first, Anneliese had planned on inviting Penelope and Derek.
But when she called Penelope that morning, she found out the two of them were visiting friends at a resort outside Oceaton and wouldn't be back for two days.
Of course, if they forced her, it would only backfire.
Wendy truly felt grateful to Anneliese for inviting Ellie like a friend, thinking the little girl wouldn't refuse.
Sure enough, Ellie barely hesitated before nodding firmly.
"Great. Tomorrow, we'll visit Ms. Anneliese and cheer her on!"
Anneliese immediately smiled. "I'm really looking forward to it!"
Then, she said to Wendy, "I'll send the invitation over later by courier."
Wendy quickly waved her hand. "There's no need to trouble yourself. I'll have my assistant pick it up."
After they hung up, Ellie jumped down from Wendy's lap, held her hand, and led her out of the study.
"Ellie, where are you taking me?"
Wendy followed her as Ellie pulled her to the wardrobe in the children's room and opened it.
Wendy instantly understood. "You want to pick your outfit for tomorrow, don't you? Alright, I'll help you!"

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese and Zacharias)
No new chapters...
Wow.. one chapter a day now. Sad...
COME ON!!! Really, just one chapter?! What is really going on? Please just upload the chapters and stop playing with us readers. These inconsistencies really ruin the reading experience and cause people to become disinterested....
It's been two days without any updates. Please update as soon as possible with more than 10 chapters please. I'm having withdrawal not being able to continue the story. Why is some on the story in blue with scratches through it, and why does is captcha required to unlock the end of the each chapter now?...