Noticing that Mrs. Don came out, Nicole turned serious.
No matter what, Lucas did that thing today, so she had to humor Mrs. Don.
"Mrs. Don."
Nicole said calmly.
Hearing Nicole call her that, Mrs. Don felt a little awkward but snorted coldly, saying, "What? Do you
have a problem with me? If you have any objections, you can say them to me. You asked a child to
cause trouble for us Dons? Do you think you can do whatever you want to us? Nicole, let me tell you. I
don't accept you. Even if your son messes us up, my attitude towards you will remain the same! Don't
think for a minute that your son is the game changer. I can't pretend that nothing happened and let this
go. That's impossible!"
Samuel wanted to argue back when he heard Mrs. Don's harsh words, but Nicole stopped him.
Nicole said with a faint smile, "Mrs. Don, I think you've misunderstood. I don't want anything to do with
your family. My son made a mistake today. Please tell me how you would like this to be handled."
Nicole's cold face displeased Mrs. Don, but she didn't want to get off her high horse, so she coldly
snorted and said, "I want you to tell me. Say it."
"We Greens will double the compensation for everything your family has lost."
Samuel had enough of the old woman and said.
Mrs. Don glared at him.
"Do you think we are short of money?"
"Then what do you want? Give me a direct answer!"
Samuel didn't want Nicole to waste her time with Mrs. Don. The old woman was hard to deal with.
Therefore, he wished this could end quickly so that he and Nicole could go back home for dinner.
Mrs. Don was already uncomfortable and grew even angrier offended by Samuel.
"Look at my face. This is paint! Your son actually splashed paint at me! If it hadn't been cleaned in time,
my skin would be ruined!"
Mrs. Don thought of how painful it was to remove the paint and wished she could whip that brat Lucas.
Samuel laughed.
"Well, next time I'll have him use something else. After all, this doesn't come off easily."
"You...."
Mrs. Don almost fainted from anger.
Nicole tugged at Samuel's sleeve and shot him a look.
They were here to solve the problem, not starting one. Why was Samuel trying to provoke Mrs. Don?
She didn't know how to explain it away if Mrs. Don got sick from anger.
Samuel restrained himself a little understanding what Nicole meant.
Mrs. Don's servants quickly massaged her. One even handed her a cup of hot water.
She drank a mouthful of it and finally calmed down. She stared at Nicole and said, "You and your
husband deserve each other. I can't let this matter go easily. Your son hit me. I must vent my anger.
Kneel down! This matter can only be over after I give you ten lashes."
Samuel's expression changed when he heard Mrs. Don's words.
"Mrs. Don, you'd better think it through. It's one thing for a child to be naughty, but it's another for you to
whip my wife. I'll stand here today and see who dares to lay a finger on her!"
Nicole's expression also changed.
After all, Lucas was a child. Lucas was responsible for this incident, but why would she suffer ten
lashes for it?
Nicole looked at Mrs. Don, and Mrs. Don looked back at her.
"What? You don't agree? Then get out of my face! Tomorrow, I'll let everyone in Seapolis City know
what kind of child you Greens have raised. I want to know if everyone is blind!"
The corner of Mrs. Don's lips curled up slightly. She knew for sure that Nicole had to compromise for
her child.
Nicole knew what game the old woman was playing. She just wanted to use this opportunity to punish
Nicole.
Nicole had offended Mrs. Don in her history with Viola and Audrey. The old woman had long wanted to
revenge on Nicole, but Jason had been in the way. So, today she couldn't let this chance to slip
through her fingers.
Samuel looked at Nicole, not knowing what she was thinking, and pulled her behind himself.
"If you have to whip someone to vent your anger, that's fine. It's my fault that my son behaved that way.
Let me take the blame. It's just ten lashes. Come on! Hit me instead."
As he spoke, Samuel unbuttoned his shirt and revealed his strong chest.
Nicole's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Don't be like this. She wants me."
"We are in this together. What's the difference? She just wanted to blow some steam. We'll let her have
it."
Samuel spoke the truth.
Mrs. Don was seen through. She was not angry and smiled, saying, "Alright. You ask for this."
"Come on. Cut the crap! But Mrs. Don, I advise you to tread carefully. Otherwise, it will come back to
you, and there will be nothing you can do then."
Samuel's words got under Mrs. Don's skin.
"Get me the whip!"
The Dons were a family of military officials and politicians. They believed a child could only be
disciplined by force. Naturally, whips were common in their house.
Someone took the order and brought the whip over to Mrs. Don.
Mrs. Don said to the butler beside her, "You, come!"
She would love to thrash Nicole but was afraid to burn herself out hitting Samuel, because he was too
strong.
The butler naturally didn't dare to make a move.
"What are you afraid of? We are on the right side of this."
Mrs. Don glared at the butler.
Nicole's heart ached for Samuel. She wanted to pull him up, but he gripped her wrist.
He smiled and said, "Your man has been through things much worse than this. It is just ten lashes.
Don't be afraid. Close your eyes and count. When it ends, we will go home for dinner. Mom made your
favorite mango chicken stew today."
Seeing Samuel's joyful expression, Nicole cried again.
She knew that Samuel would suffer because of her.
"Hit him!"
Mrs. Don was angered by how they loved each other.
What did they mean?
Showing their affection?
Was he insinuating that she was awful to her own granddaughter?
The more she thought about it, the angrier Mrs. Don became.
The butler did not dare to disobey her. So, he swung his whip towards Samuel's back.
He hit him hard. Samuel snorted, and Nicole felt her heart break.
"Samuel."
"It's nothing! Close your eyes. Don't look."
Samuel's voice was gentle, as if he had not been punished.
Nicole's tears rolled down her cheeks after all.
She didn't do anything, so why did Mrs. Don hate her so much?
Not only that, but Samuel was hurt because of her. She felt herself the bane of his life.
Nicole kept blaming herself, counting the number in her head.
The ten lashes were torture for Nicole.
When it was finally over, Nicole quickly opened her eyes. Seeing the whip wounds on Samuel's body,
she sobbed again.
"Mrs. Don, are you satisfied now?"
Nicole's voice carried a trace of questioning.
She didn't understand why her kin would do this to her.
Did the old woman enjoy hurting her own family?
It was the first time that Mrs. Don had seen Nicole stare at her with such resentment.
Nicole didn't look at her this way even when she asked her to leave the family.
Nicole's gaze was like a sharp blade piercing straight into Mrs. Don's heart.
"You brought this to yourselves!"
"Yes, that's right! I shouldn't have come back to this family. I shouldn't have bonded with you Dons.
Twenty years have passed. You weren't there for me when I needed you the most. Why would I
connect with you now? You are just strangers whom I am related to! If you weren't my relatives, I
wouldn't have let you do this. If I ask Lucas to apologize, would you do the same thing to that four-year-
old boy? What have I done wrong? What have I done to this family to deserve your contempt? And you
wish I were gone. Fine. If my presence displeases you so much, I'll leave Seapolis City. You can ask
whomever you like to be your granddaughter. I don't care! I'll remember these ten lashes. I swear I
won't help any of you no matter what happens. We are done!"
After saying that, Nicole pulled Samuel up and put on his clothes. She was very careful when she did
that, afraid it might touch his wounds.
Seeing Nicole's tears, Samuel was heartbroken.
"I'm fine. I don't feel any pain."
"How can it not hurt? You're not made of iron."
Nicole felt Samuel was so unlucky to marry her. Why was bad luck following her?
"It's okay. They are just scratches. We don't owe them anything now."
After Samuel finished speaking, he left holding Nicole's hand.
Mrs. Don felt uneasy. She feared Nicole would never come back after she left today.
She panicked.
"Stop! Did I tell you to leave?"
Mrs. Don berated them sternly because she was too proud to ask them to stay.
Nicole paused for a moment, then turned around, and said coldly, "What? You want more? You want
me to have ten lashes, too?"
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