Nicole and Samuel immediately felt nervous.
Samuel looked at the caller ID. It was an unfamiliar number.
Nicole seemed to have anticipated something.
"Do we need to record the call?"
"Since he dares to call us, he won't show any clues. Perhaps his voices have been specially altered."
Nicole frowned slightly.
"Should we answer it?"
"Yes, why not? I'd like to see what he is planning."
Samuel's eyes were cold as he quickly answered the phone.
A cold mechanical voice came from the other side of the phone. The voice was obviously altered by a
voice changer.
Nicole was put on speaker, so she could hear it.
"Samuel, have you received your brother's jade pendant? What do you think?"
The person on the other end of the phone was extremely arrogant.
Samuel said coldly, "Who are you? What is your purpose?"
"I don't know what my purpose is, but I just like to see you worried. Today, I can easily give the jade
pendant to your son. Do you think I can easily take your son away tomorrow so that you and your wife
will never see him again for the rest of your life?"
Just as the stranger finished speaking, Nicole tightly grabbed onto Samuel's sleeve.
She was worried.
And they didn't even know who he was.
Samuel's eyes became even colder.
"You're a vile wretch who dare not show up. Are you threatening me? There are few people who know
that Vincent and I have jade pendants. Even if I am foolish, I can still find out who you are by checking
each insider. If you dare to harm my son, you must be crazy. You should inquire about me in the
Seapolis City. If anything happens to my children, you'd better pray for your family."
Samuel hung up the phone after he finished speaking.
The phone on the other end had been encrypted and it was impossible to track. His voice had also
been altered by a voice changer. Therefore, there was no point in continuing this conversation. It would
only make Nicole to be worried and afraid.
"It will be fine. Don't worry. I'll ask Uncle Mark to take the children to study in the military base. Although
it's hard for us, it's best for the children to be safe. If possible, you can stay in the military base as well.
You're Mark's niece. He should have a way to let you in."
Samuel intended to face the unknown dangers outside alone, but Nicole will not agree to that.
"I don't mind sending the children away, but don't think you can send me away too. I am your wife. I'm
staying by your side. Besides, can't you hear the tone of that person's voice just now? He's targeting
us! Besides, the design competition is going to start in less than a month. I can't give up. Since we
have overcome a lot of challenges, we can overcome this one."
Samuel was especially touched by what Nicole said.
He held Nicole's hand tightly and said, "You should not be in danger in your condition. I'm worried
about you."
"Don't worry, I will protect our children well. What happened last time will not happen again. So don't
push me away. I want to stay with you."
Seeing Nicole be so determined, Samuel knew that he couldn't possibly talk her out of it.
He nodded and felt better.
"OK, I will do my best to protect you."
"I will try my best to protect myself!"
The couple looked at each other and laughed.
"Let's go out. The children are still playing outside. They don't know what happened, but we can't let
them think that we two parents are idle in the room all day, right? This is not good!"
Samuel was shocked for a moment, and then he smiled, "What are you worried about? Other than
Lucas, the other two children are not smart enough to guess what we are doing in the room."
"Fuck off!"
Nicole gently kicked Samuel. She looked at Samuel and said, "Help me up. I want to go downstairs to
find the children."
"OK, I'll help you."
Samuel stood up and carefully helped Nicole get up. And then they went down the stairs.
The children were still having fun in the living room, while Mark was having fun in the kitchen. Nicole
wanted to find Mark, but she was stopped by Samuel.
"The kitchen is full of the smoke of cooking oil. Play with the children in the living room. I'll go talk to
Uncle Mark."
"Alright. Don't quarrel with him."
"OK."
Samuel sat Nicole down on the sofa before he came to Mark.
When Lucas saw Nicole coming down, he hurriedly walked over.
"Mommy, what are you planning with Samuel behind my back?"
"We're planning to send you to the army."
Nicole gently rubbed Lucas' nose.
Lucas was excited by what Nicole said.
"Did Samuel agree?"
"What do you think? Is your daddy that unreasonable in your eyes?"
"Great!"
Lucas leapt with joy.
Zoe and Joseph also ran over.
"Mommy, you are having fun without me and Joseph? Lucas often disappears for a long time. We are
not used to it. I want to stay with Lucas."
Zoe pouted unhappily.
"I also want to stay with Lucas."
Joseph said, blushing.
Nicole was somewhat confused about how to tell the children about this. Now that she heard their
request, she couldn't help but smile, "You'll go to the military base with Lucas, OK?"
"Really?"
Joseph immediately became happy.
Zoe did not know where the military base was. As long as her two brothers were going there, she
would go with them.
"OK! I agree!"
Zoe raised her hands in agreement.
Looking at her daughter's cute look, Nicole says worriedly, "Zoe, the military base is not as fun as you
think. On the contrary, it will be very hard. Do you really want to go there with Lucas?"
"Can Lucas stick it out there?"
Zoe looked at Nicole and innocently asked.
"Of course I can hold on. That's my dream. One day, I'll be wearing a military uniform, flying in the sky
or sailing freely on the sea. Imagine that! How amazing would that be!"
When Lucas talked about this, he looked as if he was shining.
Nicole had never seen her son so keen on one thing. He seemed to love the military.
Joseph couldn't help but feel envious.
"I want to go there, too."
Perhaps every man dreamed to be a soldier. Even though they were only boys now.
Nicole looked at them and was reluctant to part with them. Like other mothers, she wanted to cherish
her children and take good care of them, but the situation was critical now and she couldn't do that.
She hugged them tightly in her arms and choked, "The life in the military base is very hard. I really don't
want you to experience the hardship at such a young age, but I have no choice."
"Mommy, it's fine. I don't think it's hard at all."
Lucas comforted Nicole.
Joseph said, "I won't complain about the life in military base, Mommy."
The two boys occupied Nicole's embrace. Zoe said somewhat discontentedly, "You two are elder
brothers. How can you bully me like this? Mommy hugs you. What about me? I also want a hug."
Seeing that Zoe was somewhat disappointed, Nicole quickly released Joseph and Lucas. She smiled at
Zoe, saying, "Zoe, come, let me hug you."
"Mommy!"
Zoe hurriedly threw herself into Nicole's arms.
Nicole carried Zoe and let Zoe sit on her lap.
Perhaps Lucas and Joseph could be up for a bit hardship in life. But Zoe had always been a spoiled
little girl. Nicole wondered if Zoe would cry when she was off for the military base. And she would not
go with Zoe, so she was worried that Zoe would cry her eyes out.
When she thought of that, Nicole felt distressed, and she even wasn't that sure about sending Zoe to
the military base.
"Zoe, can you stay at home with me?"
"No, I want to go with brothers."
Zoe insisted on following her two brothers.
Nicole said, "You'll be in a very difficult condition in the military base. I and your daddy will not be by
your side. You will cry."
"No, I won't cry!"
Nothing Nicole could do to persuade Zoe.
"Mommy, don't worry. We'll take good care of Zoe."
Joseph guaranteed, patting himself on the chest.
Lucas was silent and said nothing.
Since Zoe particularly wanted to go to the military base, Nicole whispered, "If you can't hold on, tell
Grandpa Mark and ask him to send you back. Do you understand?"
"I see."
"Mommy, I'm taking Zoe to have fun."
Joseph held Zoe's hand and Zoe jumped down from Nicole's lap. They pulled Lucas.
"Lucas, join us."
"I'll join you later. I'll stay with Mommy for a while."
Lucas smiled faintly.
Joseph and Zoe ran out to play.
After they left, Lucas turned to look at Nicole and asked, "Mommy, did something happen? Does it have
anything to do with the jade pendant I bought?"
"No, you're overthinking it. Your daddy and I think that the three of you can stay together for a while, so
that your relationship will be stronger. You're just a kid. Don't bother yourself with all this nonsense."
Nicole's smile looked very natural.
Lucas whispered, "Mommy, don't lie to me. I can see how reluctant you are to part with Zoe. Moreover,
ever since I took out that jade pendant, there is something wrong with Samuel. He took me to look for
the peddler like crazy. It is absolutely not because this jade pendant is fake, right? Mommy, what the
hell happened? You don't want Joseph to know, but you can tell me. At least I can know how to take
care of them."
Nicole was touched. Lucas was so thoughtful and sensible, but she hadn't given him the care and
attention he deserved.
Nicole hugged Lucas tightly in her arms and whispered, "Good boy, don't worry about adults' affairs.
Just focus on your dream. All I want from you is to take good care of yourself and Joseph and Zoe. Can
you do that?"
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