"Where's my mother?"
Nicole was so worried that she let go of Samuel and ran back towards home.
"Nicole, be careful."
Samuel watched her with concern, following her back home.
She couldn't find Audrey anywhere at home and burst into tears.
"My mother doesn't want me anymore. She doesn't want to see me. I know it. She wouldn't have
showed up here if grandpa hadn't called her and asked her to do so. She was a soldier and diplomat. It
was her duty to come and see me. In fact, she wasn't waiting for me. She was waiting for Martha. Now
that Martha has turned herself in, mom disappears again. How can she do this to me? "
Nicole felt so hurt and kept crying.
Samuel couldn't bear seeing her crying like this.
"It's not like that. Maybe she has something else to do and has to leave first. Don't over think about it."
"It is like that. Grandpa said that she wanted to be somewhere that no one knew her, and spent the rest
of her life there alone. She has never seen me as her daughter!"
Nicole was acting like a child.
Samuel didn't know what to say or do to make her feel better.
As Nicole cried helplessly, Audrey's voice came from behind her.
"What happened? Samuel, what did you do to her?"
Samuel smiled and didn't know what to say.
When Nicole heard Audrey's voice, she turned around immediately.
"Mom, you are still here."
"Where else am I supposed to be? I have a few words with the captain. What happened to you?"
"I'm glad that you are still here. I thought you had left me again."
Nicole hugged her.
Audrey paused for a moment and started to realize why she was crying. She smiled and said, "You are
a mother too now. How can you still cry like a little girl?"
"That's not the point. As long as I am with you, I am always a little girl, your spoiled little girl."
Nicole hugged her tightly, for fear of her mother leaving again.
Samuel shook his head and said, "Mom, I will leave you and Nicole alone. I need to go out and take a
look. Martha is not anybody. I guess Mr. Shaw will come here soon to pick her up."
Audrey paused for a moment and looked a little uncomfortable.
"Is he coming too? He is too old to get involved in these trivial matters. Besides, he is retired. Why don't
ask someone else to do it for him?"
Nicole realized that Audrey didn't want to see Mr. Shaw. She quickly raised her head and said, "Mom,
you still hold grudges against grandpa?"
"What are you talking about?"
Audrey felt a little awkward.
Nicole smiled and said, "Grandpa told me that he separated you and dad. But we have to accept our
fate. You and grandpa have been mad with each other for so many years. Why don't you just let it go?
Grandpa is old and alone. He misses you very much. Your room is tidy. He must clean it every day. You
and grandpa are both so stubborn and neither of you would break the ice first. You've waisted all these
years. How longer do you want to keep things going on this way? I like Grandpa a lot anyway. "
As Nicole said, Audrey's eyes were getting wet.
"Don't you hate him?"
"For what?"
Nicole was puzzled.
Audrey bit her lower lip and said, "He separated me and your dad; otherwise, we will have a happy
family now."
Nicole finally knew what her mother’s hidden scar was.
She held Audrey's hand and said softly, "Mom, I don't think dad would be with you no matter how."
Back then, you were just a young girl, but dad shouldered the responsibilities of supporting his whole
family. He had to go to the battleground to protect his country, and didn't want you to keep waiting for
him. Perhaps grandpa gave dad good reasons to make up his mind and break up with you. But you
can't say that dad didn't have that idea on his mind. He loved you and didn't want you to be worried
about him. He wanted to keep you sound and safe. So, breaking up with you was the only choice. It
had nothing to do with grandpa. Besides, even if you didn't break up and got married, dad would still
sacrifice his life for his country. Right? "
Audrey was convinced.
Nicole knew that she talked her mom through.
She took Audrey to a chair and continued, "Grandpa did nothing wrong. He loves you, and wants to
give you the best. He failed to give you a happy family and life. You couldn't even be there when
grandma died. Grandpa feels that he owes you a lot, and doesn't want you to repeat his life. You are
his only daughter, he has no one else but you to care for. Grandpa may not only come for Martha. He
just wants to take you home."
Audrey straightened up and felt a little awkward.
"Home?"
"Yes, home. Home is where love is; home is where family is. Grandfather will not take the military
compound as home unless you are there. And for me, the place where you live is my harbor. Mom,
please come home with us and continue the treatment. Every single day spent with you means much to
me. Let me take care of you, OK?"
Nicole was so sincere that Audrey found no excuse to say no.
This was the reason why she didn't want to face Nicole.
Audrey knew that she was actually lonely inside. She wanted her child to be around, but didn't think
she deserved that.
Now Audrey was totally touched by Nicole, with tears dripping along her face.
"Alright, I will listen to you."
"Mom, you are the best."
Nicole hugged Audrey happily.
This was the first time that Audrey felt she was bonded with her daughter.
In the past, she always felt guilty when she was with Nicole. She always felt that Nicole kept distance
from her. She thought that Nicole did not like having her around or in her life. So she left.
Audrey thought that Nicole's parents from the Bush family cared for her, so she didn't have to stay by
Nicole's side. Things with Nicole would be fine anyway. After all, she was absent from Nicole's life for
more than twenty years.
But just now, she came to realize that Nicole loved her and needed her.
The feeling of being needed gave Audrey a reason to continue her life.
She wanted to go back to her father and daughter, witnessing Nicole to give birth to babies watching
them to grow up.
She suddenly felt that life was too short.
She had been wasting her life, and now realized that she didn't have much time left when she wanted
to do something.
Luckily, she still had time to make up for her mistakes and played a part in the life of her child.
Audrey suddenly let go of her burden, and got relaxed.
Nicole was happy to see that.
At this moment, Morgan knocked on the door and asked, "Is it all over?"
"We can leave things to the military from here. Why? You can't wait to see Joseph?"
Nicole had promised Morgan something.
As for why Morgan didn't want to see her in the past, Nicole didn't care anymore.
Sometimes, you had to muddle through. Things were perfect for Nicole as long as Morgan wanted to
be with them now.
Morgan looked at Nicole and lowered her voice, "A moment, please. I have something for you."
"Alright."
Nicole looked at Audrey and walked out of the room after Audrey assured her that she would be fine
herself.
Morgan sent Cara to her room, and told her to stay in bed and rest for a week. Laurence and Samuel
were not home either.
Morgan invited Nicole to her room, and closed the door, which tensed Nicole up.
"What do you want? Are going to do something to me?"
Nicole joked.
Morgan looked at her and suddenly said, "You come to me to find out the truth about Adela's death,
right?"
Nicole changed colors all of a sudden.
She planned to ask Morgan about the matter later or tomorrow, when Morgan calmed down. She didn't
expect Morgan to start the conversation.
Nicole put on a serious look.
"Yes, you're right. Adela is my friend, and Laurence, too. I want to know how Adela died."
Morgan looked at Nicole and said after a while, "You'd better keep Laurence from knowing how Adela
died."
"Why?"
Nicole was surprised.
Morgan turned around and said in a low voice, "Adela plotted her death."
"What do you mean?"
Nicole was extremely shocked. She had never expected things were going on in this way.
Morgan looked at Nicole and said in a low voice, "Adela was doing this for Laurence."
"What happened to Laurence?"
"There's something wrong with the electrolytes in Laurence's body. It seems like he was born with
chronic toxin, which has gradually spread across his body. This was found out by Professor Miller. Most
patients like Laurence won't live long, at least no more than thirty. He hadn't felt well at the end of last
year, but he couldn't remember anything because of the memory loss."
Hearing Morgan's words, Nicole seemed to have guessed something.
"So Adela did this for Laurence?"
"Yes, Adela suddenly fainted, not because she was sick, but because she was cultivating an antibody
that could relieve the toxins in Laurence's body. However, the antibody needed to be tested before
being used on Laurence. Adela took the test herself. But she overlooked the fact that she was a normal
person, while Laurence was not. After being injected with the antibody designed for Laurence, she got
poisoned. However, Adela hid it from Laurence. She suffered from it for a long time, until she suddenly
fainted. Laurence came to me and I found out Adela's secret. She begged me not to tell Laurence
about it. At that time, she was already on the verge of death. Meanwhile, Laurel wanted Professor
Miller to kill Adela and make you marry Allen. So Adela took advantage of this opportunity and drank
the medicine offered by Laurel, attributing her death to Laurel. In fact, Adela was doing this to avoid
causing suspicion from Laurence, so that Laurence would live in peace."
Nicole was shocked at Morgan's words.
Was it the truth?
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