Ch. 2241..2250

Chapter 2241 To Tell or Not to Tell

Roland subconsciously looked down.

Sure enough, it was Chatty's shiny and invaluable diamond hairpin.

'Thank you. This is the Young Miss's favorite hairpin recently."

He quickly squatted down to pick it up.

He could not afford to lose it!

At the same time, Jeff controlled the wheelchair and went back to his room.

The moment Roland picked up the hairpin, he suddenly froze.

It was as if someone hit him on the head with a bat. The feeling of dizziness enveloped him instantly.

What did Jeff call him just now?

Roland?

However, Roland had never seen this person before. He only knew of Jeff’s identity when Eric mentioned it earlier.

How did Jeff know Roland's name?

Most importantly, how did he know that Roland was an assistant?

Roland had been playing with Chatty since he boarded the cruise ship, and his identity had never been revealed to anyone.

This person...

Roland fell silent for a moment.

However, the wheelchair disappeared from sight.

Roland panicked.

He intended to leave and go back to his room downstairs, but Nicole called and asked him to go to her room first.

Roland walked to the door in a daze. Only then did he realize that he was still holding Chatty's hairpin.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Hearing Nicole's familiar voice, Roland went in.

He did not know whether to tell Nicole what he had just discovered.

Was Clayton really still alive?

Was Chatty so attached to that man because of the father-daughter bond?

But if Clayton was alive, why didn't he go home?

If Jeff was not Clayton, how did Jeff know his identity?

Roland’s mind was a mess.

Nicole was hugging Chatty and playing with her while Kai coaxed her.

Chatty’s mood finally became stable.

When Chatty saw Roland, she smiled and said, "It's true! If you don’t believe me, you can ask him. He saw Daddy too!"

Nicole looked at Roland in surprise, then frowned slightly.

"Roland, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale?"

Nicole looked at him with concern.

"Shall I call a doctor for you? Are you feeling unwell?"

Roland came to his senses and quickly shook his head.

"No, no... I'm just a little seasick. I'll be fine in a while. Chatty dropped her hairpin earlier..."

He handed it over.

Nicole took the hairpin over with a smile and returned it to Chatty.

"Chatty, if you're so careless again, I won't buy you another one next time!"

Chatty received it in surprise and quickly promised.

"I won't be careless. Thanks, Uncle Roland."

Nicole put Chatty down and patted her head.

"Go and tidy up your room by yourself. Mommy wants to talk to Uncle K and Uncle Roland."

Chatty simply nodded her head and could not wait to run to her new room.

Nicole stood up and looked at Roland:

"Have a seat."

Kai made himself at home and went to the bar to make coffee.

Nicole looked at Roland's awful complexion. She did not hesitate and asked, "Roland, did something unpleasant happen just now? I was taking a nap, but the sound insulation in this room is so good that I didn’t hear anything. What happened outside?"

Kai poured the brewed coffee into three cups and brought them to the table.

"Roland, tell me what happened. I want to know."

Roland picked up the coffee cup and took a sip. Then, he took a deep breath.

Nicole frowned and wanted to know what was wrong with him.

Even Kai noticed Roland's unusual behavior.

Roland quickly put the coffee down, wiped his lips with a tissue, and said," This was a misunderstanding. Chatty recognized the wrong person. She thought that Jeff Lieberman was Mr. Sloan..."

He pursed his lips and told her the truth without hiding anything.

After all, Roland did not help Eric because what Eric said was really harsh.

However, Roland did not tell Nicole about what happened after Chatty and Kai left.

Roland still had to verify what happened with the hairpin because he did not want Nicole to get her hopes up.

It would be so disappointing if it was just a coincidence.

Nicole listened quietly. Her expressionless face slowly turned cold and disdainful.

Eric had seriously affected their lives.

It seemed that she must keep a clear distance from him.

Kai laughed, sipped his coffee slowly, and said nonchalantly, "I don't think Mr. Ferguson has any bad intentions. He wanted to help, but he approached it wrongly. Of course, it's okay to butter up to Chatty, but Chatty isn't an ordinary child who will be bribed easily. Our little princess has been pampered since she was a child. Eric's sternness will only make Chatty hate him more. His plan failed."

Nicole gave him a blank look.

"Kai, will you stop making sarcastic remarks? You've disappeared since we came here. Why did you suddenly show up?"

Kai smiled.

"I can’t help it. I went to a show in the past few days that Julie forced me into. I can’t stand her up since she collected the money for me. So, I have no choice but to go. Fortunately, there was no delay and I got on the cruise ship in time. By the way, have you seen the project? How was it?"

Nicole pursed her lips. "It’s nothing. I'm not interested in it."

'That’s fine. Grant just wanted you to come out and have some fun anyway."

Kai said indifferently.

Roland paused and stood up.

"Ms. Stanton, if there's nothing else, I'll head back first."

Seeing that Roland's complexion was pale, Nicole nodded.

"I'll get the doctor on board to do a checkup for you."

"It's fine. I brought some medicine," Roland said.

Nicole replied, "Alright."

After Roland left, Kai’s eyes flickered, and he hesitated for a moment.

"I never heard of Roland being seasick. If he told US earlier, we would've brought Logan instead."

Nicole smiled helplessly.

"Please. We're not here for fun, so how can we just choose an assistant at random?"

Kai raised his eyebrows. "Alright, but you can’t be soft-hearted toward Eric this time. You should get him to change his temper. Otherwise, if you really end up with him, wouldn't..."

Before Kai finished speaking, Nicole stared at him with a glum face.

Kai swallowed the rest of his words in time.

"I mean... Just in case... Forget it. Anyway, he won't be able to take over Clayton’s position for a while. But what he said makes sense. We shouldn’t lie to Chatty for too long. Otherwise, Chatty will get suspicious if she doesn't see Clayton after a while..."

Nicole fell silent after Kai finished speaking.

She nodded lightly. "I know. I'll think of a way that won't hurt her."

Kai took a sip of coffee and looked around.

"Alright. Which room is mine?"

Nicole looked at him quietly.

'You're not staying here."

Chapter 2242 Meet at the Restaurant

"What?"

Kai was shocked.

"I don't have a room for you in this suite. You can ask the butler to get a room for you."

Kai stretched out his hand helplessly.

"I don't have an invitation, so I won’t be able to get a room upstairs. I don't want to stay downstairs because there are too many people. Also, I have to protect you and Chatty. What if bad guys break-in in the middle of the night and hurt you two?"

He had such a high-sounding excuse.

Nicole laughed with glimmering eyes.

'Third Brother, I really admire your thick-skinned personality!"

Kai rolled his eyes. "I'll stay with Chatty then. She's still young anyway, so she can sleep in a crib. I'll sleep on her big bed!"

As he said that, he was about to occupy Chatty's room.

Nicole was helpless. "Nevermind. You can go to the guest room. I'm trying to get her to cultivate a habit of sleeping independently, so I won't let you ruin her progress."

Kai smiled triumphantly.

"Okay!"

He was satisfied and went to tidy up his room.

Even the guest bedroom in the upstairs suite had nice scenery.

Moreover, the suite was luxuriously decorated, and the rooms downstairs could not compare to the suite.

Besides, Floyd instructed Kai not to leave Nicole's room at night.

Kai had to watch Nicole fall asleep before he could take a nap.

He had to listen to his father.

Roland went out.

He wanted to take the elevator downstairs, but when he went to the elevator, he suddenly saw a man in a wheelchair.

Roland froze for a moment and clenched his fists tightly.

He was excited.

Once that idea was born, Roland felt that Chatty’s intuition might not be wrong.

He took a step forward and looked at Jeff nervously and carefully.

"Mr. Sloan... Are you Mr. Sloan?"

Jeff's eyes were dark. He looked at Roland for more than ten seconds and slowly curled his lips.

No one noticed that his hands that were holding the handle of the wheelchair turned slightly white.

Jeff smiled and showed an unfamiliar smile.

"Mr. Sloan? I don't understand."

Roland frowned. His face changed.

"But if you’re not Mr. Sloan, how would you know my identity?"

Roland stared closely at the person in front of him and tried to find a flaw in his expression.

He wanted to prove his inference.

However, Jeff always looked dull, sick, and pale.

There was a gloom in his eyes that made him look completely different from Clayton.

"Your identity? I don't know much. Before I met you, I was with Ms. Stanton to inspect the project. She mentioned that she brought her daughter and her assistant. The only child on this cruise ship is Ms. Stanton’s daughter, and since you were by the child's side, I assumed that you're Ms. Stanton's assistant."

Jeff seemed to be testing Roland.

Roland also noticed it and pursed his lips.

"Oh, so Ms. Stanton told you..."

Roland murmured with disappointment.

Jeff smiled and continued to speak calmly.

"By the way, I'd like to ask what's Ms. Stanton's next itinerary. Is she interested in this project?"

Roland instantly became vigilant.

"You're inquiring about my boss?"

The professional habit that he built up over the years made him come to his senses immediately.

Jeff smiled faintly. "If I have any cooperation with Ms. Stanton in the future,

I won't treat you badly."

'Thanks, but Ms. Stanton treats me well, so you don’t need to worry about it." After Roland finished speaking, he nodded at Jeff and entered the elevator.

He did not want to say one more word to Jeff.

Roland thought his inference was wrong. How could this person be Clayton?

If it was really Clayton, how could Clayton remain indifferent after seeing Nicole and Chatty?

Talking too much to strangers was taboo in the workplace.

Roland thought that Jeff was a good man, but it seemed like his kindness was just a disguise. His real purpose was to get close to Nicole.

Roland would not allow others to take advantage of Nicole. How could such a person be Clayton?

Roland immediately ignored his suspicion earlier.

That man in the wheelchair could never compare to someone as bright and handsome as Mr. Sloan.

The elevator closed slowly.

Jeff breathed a sigh of relief.

Time seemed to stand still.

His burden was relieved, and he suddenly relaxed.

His back was so straight that when he suddenly bent down, he looked downcast. He looked so lonely and lost.

This proved that he was right in choosing Roland back then.

Roland was straightforward and frank without any sly intentions. He was not annoying either.

Roland was not suitable to be Clayton's assistant, but Clayton needed a loyal person who was not too smart back then when he wanted to move his business to Mediania.

That was why Clayton chose Roland.

When Clayton was in Liberty, he chose the shrewd Julius. Julius left long ago, and Roland became more capable through experience.

Ten minutes ago, he accidentally exposed his identity because of a reminder, so he waited there because he knew Roland well.

Roland would definitely find a way to ask for proof.

Sure enough, Roland showed up as expected.

He looked in the direction of Nicole's room for the longest time and sighed in a low voice before he went to the room next door.

Chatty was tired from playing, so she took a nap.

Neither Nicole nor Kai bothered her.

It was getting late.

The sea breeze blew into the room, and the sound of the waves made Nicole feel down.

No matter how comfortable the room was, Nicole could not stay there.

Thus, while Chatty was asleep, she changed into a casual dress and planned to go out.

Kai saw her and asked in surprise. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the restaurant."

"Don’t they have food delivery?"

After the private reception was over, their meals would be served by the butler.

If they had the intention to cooperate, then they could also have dinner with Sebastian.

However, Nicole obviously was not interested in the project.

She brushed her messy hair and sighed.

"I'm going to the restaurant to take a breather. You can wait for the butler to bring over the meal and take care of Chatty in the meantime.

Kai was speechless as he thought that he had no freedom when he was here.

Nicole closed the door and left.

The private restaurants on the top floor of this cruise ship were reserved for the ten VIPs upstairs. The guests downstairs could not eat upstairs.

Thus, it was relatively quiet.

Moreover, the other guests were all busy investing in Sebastian’s projects, so they would not be in the mood to go there for dinner.

When Nicole went to the restaurant, no one else was there.

However, she saw a figure sitting in a wheelchair near the deck. The man's back was hunched over, and his arms were on the wheelchair. He looked so lonely and down.

He seemed like he was just a fragile black dot that would get swallowed by the boundless sea.

Chapter 2243 Met Yesterday

It seemed like Jeff would disappear when the huge waves hit.

For some reason, Nicole encountered him quite frequently lately.

However, considering the size of the cruise ship, this was unavoidable.

When they returned to Mediania, they probably would not have the chance to meet again.

Nicole did not want to disturb Jeff's alone time because it seemed a little abrupt.

After all, they were not familiar with each other even though her heart was moved because of the sense of familiarity he gave her.

At that thought, Nicole planned to turn around and leave, but the person sitting there suddenly turned back.

He probably heard her.

Jeff still wore a mask and a hat.

He was shrouded in gloom.

It was as if he had wrapped himself in a thick cocoon so that no one could walk in.

When he saw Nicole, he was a little surprised, and he froze slightly.

Nicole pursed her lips and smiled shyly.

"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was here."

Jeff nodded lightly.

His voice was a little hoarse, and he sounded like he was not in good spirits.

"Ms.Stanton, please sit."

Nicole hesitated for a few seconds before walking over. It would be rude to just leave.

A small part of the deck was open-air.

The sea breeze howled.

The sky and the sea were vast, and the huge waves were strong and overwhelming.

There was a chair and a table near the railing.

There was originally a chair opposite the table, but it was taken away because of Jeff's wheelchair. Nicole sat on the chair and could vaguely hear the orchestra and the lively dance from downstairs.

It was as if these were not happening at the same time.

"I heard from my third brother about what happened earlier. My daughter recognized the wrong person. She's still young, and I'd like to apologize to you on her behalf."

Jeff's face turned pale as he held back some emotions.

After a few seconds, he said calmly, "It's nothing. She's really cute and didn't bother me."

Nicole secretly breathed a sigh of relief as she was relieved to hear that he was not angry. However, according to what Kai told her, Jeff was not a bad person. He was very patient with Chatty.

If Nicole could take a closer look at his face under the mask, she would find that his breathing was much slower at this time. His eyes were reddish, and the veins on the back of his hands were bulging.

"In fact, we seem to have met before this. There was a performance yesterday in the amusement park, and I swapped seats with someone at the last minute. That was how I ended up sitting next to you. Do you remember, Mr.Lieberman?"

Nicole could not help but ask him.

After a while, Jeff hesitated to speak.

"No. Although I was there, I left quickly because of a last-minute engagement. Unfortunately, I didn't pay much attention to others. Please forgive me, Ms.Stanton."

Nicole smiled and did not care much. They did not know each other before.

If she did not sense that familiarity with Jeff, she would not have noticed him or paid extra attention to him.

Presumably to Jeff, Nicole was the same as any ordinary person there. She was just a stranger, so there was no point in noticing her.

Thinking about it this way, Nicole naturally became more open-minded.

"It's alright.I'm just curious how you ended up there?"

Jeff looked a little nervous. He pursed his lips, and his tone was calm as he said, "I just wanted to join in the fun when I heard that there was a new performance."

Nicole nodded.

No wonder.

After all, there were quite a few people at the performance, including adults and children.

The two were silent for a while.

Jeff looked at the void sea with an incomprehensible emotion in his eyes.

Nicole's heart finally calmed down.

After a while, the restaurant manager brought some people over and looked at Nicole and Jeff with a smile.

"Mr.Lieberman, Ms.Stanton, what would you like to eat? Our chef can prepare anything for you."

Jeff paused.

"I'm not hungry. Thank you."

Nicole did not come over to eat. She only came up to get some fresh air.

At that moment, she had no appetite.

After thinking about it for a few seconds.

She said, "Can I have a cup of coffee?"

Before the supervisor readily agreed, Jeff subconsciously said, "Drinking coffee at night isn't good for your health."

Nicole and the restaurant manager looked at him in surprise.

Jeff suddenly realized his gaffe.

Most businesspeople drink coffee at night to boost their energy levels, and it was normal for Nicole.

However, Nicole fell into silence because of his words. It was more than silence. Her heart was beating so fast that it was hard to restrain it. That sense of familiarity came surging back His face was unfamiliar to her, and he was a stranger, but that feeling could not fool anyone.

Why was there such a sense of familiarity between two complete strangers?

"Drinking coffee at night isn't good for your health."

This was what Clayton often nagged in her ear. His voice and those words were so familiar.

Gradually, Nicole stopped drinking coffee at night or in the evening. However, after Clayton left, she could not sleep at all. She did not want to fall asleep either.

The caffeine in the coffee relaxed her and allowed her to get rid of the stress and torment.

Thus, she resumed her old habits. It was just that no one nagged at her anymore to say that coffee was bad for her health.

Hearing what the person in front of her said by chance, Nicole was in a trance for a moment.

It felt as if her husband was still around.It was as if that tragedy never happened.

When Nicole subconsciously looked at Jeff, he looked away nervously.

His whole body was tense, and his clenched fists exposed his nervousness.

Jeff's smile was pale, and he tried to make up for what he said just now.

"This is just my personal suggestion. Back then, I drank coffee quite often and suffered from insomnia. That's how I became like this."

Nicole's hope gradually dimmed.

Instead, she felt a strong disappointment and pain that could not go away.

When she lowered her eyes, she suppressed all her emotions.

The corners of her mouth twitched slightly as she said, "Yeah.It just reminded me of someone who used to nag at me often, and I may never get to hear it again..."

There was a moment of silence and coldness in the air.

Jeff's face was slightly pale. He grabbed the wheelchair with his fingers, which revealed his emotions.

"Oh, really? It seems to be someone important to you."

Nicole smiled and looked at the restaurant manager.

"I'll have a glass of milk."

"Alright, Ms.Stanton. Please wait a moment."

They talked about another topic and naturally, they did not want others to listen in on their conversation.

As soon as the restaurant manager left, there was a subtle chemistry between Nicole and Jeff.

Nicole continued the previous topic and could not help but say, "Yeah, it was my husband. He's very important to me. The reason why my daughter and I mistakenly recognized you as him is because you resemble him to some extent."

Chapter 2244 He Doesn't Care

Somehow, Nicole wanted to confide in Jeff when she clearly could not even say these to her family.

Perhaps it was because they were at sea, and he was a complete stranger.

Thus, she could calmly let out her emotions. He could also analyze the reasons for her emotional changes from the perspective of a bystander.

Anyway, they would not meet again in the future.

She would just treat him as an object she could vent her feelings to. It was along time before Jeff responded.

His voice was slightly hoarse and dry.

"How do I resemble him? Do we look alike?"

Nicole shook her head. Her voice was distant and gentle.

"No, you two don't look alike at all. I don't know. Maybe it's the temperament."

Nicole was also confused. How could Jeff's expression be exactly the same as Clayton's? Jeff relaxed slightly. He sat back in the wheelchair, folded his hands in front of him, and looked far away.His voice was calm as he said, "That's really a coincidence. If there's a chance, I hope to meet him and say hello."

Nicole's face changed slightly as if her heart had been stabbed viciously. Her face turned pale from the pain.

"You may not get that chance anymore..."

Her voice trembled a little as she suppressed her emotions.

Jeff immediately regretted what he had said. He forgot how much Clayton's departure would affect Nicole. He was suffering, and so was she.

However, at this moment, he gritted his teeth and pretended to be nonchalant and ignorant. He asked her lightly, "Oh? Why?"

He was so cruel.

Although he was facing the sea at this time, he was not attracted to the sea anymore.

Nicole's voice was soft, but it did not sound like her usual voice. Her gentle voice spoke the harsh truth.

"He may be in another part of this world, or he may not be in this world anymore."

After speaking, the air felt stagnant for a moment.

The sea breeze was cold.

The surrounding noises seemed to freeze, and the two of them seemed to be trapped in an airtight space.

No one could penetrate their space.

Jeff felt that his heart seemed to clench.

He was trembling as he felt the pain accumulating.

Even if he was facing the person who he thought about all day and night, he could not reveal his true identity.

A perfect person like Nicole should have a perfect life.

The person by her side should be decent, glamorous, and capable to accompany her and take care of her for the rest of her life.

However, that person should not be his current self. He could no longer walk upright, run, and jump freely. He could not even carry her or Chatty.

If he appeared in front of her at this time, he would only bring her humiliation and mockery.

Even if she did not care for three to five years, what about ten or twenty years later? Would she really have no regrets if she sees the happiness of other people's families? Would she regret that he did not die

in the earthquake? Why drag his disabled body and stay in her life like that? Why should he stain her glamorous life with his existence? He knew that Nicole was not that kind of person, but he cared.

He cared about other people's sympathetic gazes toward Nicole and Chatty.

Others would pity the perfect mother and daughter for having a disabled husband and father.

Chatty would become inferior and sensitive because of it, and she would hate him more as she grew up.

All of that affection would gradually be exhausted.

He would have wished to die in that earthquake if Nicole or Chatty had even the slightest thought of regret and inferiority.

That was the sharpest and coldest blade that could cut him into pieces.

That was why he dared not go back or face them.

He did not dare to face their indifference after the joy of his return faded.

He had a strong self-esteem, and he could not accept being rejected by others.

He could feel her pain, but there was nothing he could do.

He could only lower his head even more and remain silent while his heart ached.

After a while, Nicole suddenly asked him, "Do you think he'll come back?"

Her voice was weak and somewhat bewildered.

Jeff's eyes were gloomy and dark.

"Regardless of whether he'll come back, I'm sure he hopes that you and your family are safe and healthy."

Nicole chuckled lightly and mockingly.

"Safe? He should just tell me his wish in person. Others regard him as a kind person, but I know that he's quite protective and territorial. He hates seeing others get involved in our lives, so I'm guessing if he would want me to accompany him..."

Her voice faded.

Jeff looked up at her quickly.

There was no time to hide the pain and horror in his eyes.

The sharp pain in his chest made his limbs numb and cold. His lips were pale, and he opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

However, at this time, the restaurant manager came and put two glasses of milk on the table for the two of them.

"Enjoy.

"Nicole nodded and said with a smile, "Thanks."

The restaurant manager smiled and left.

The restaurant manager's arrival disturbed the mood of the man in the wheelchair.

He suddenly did not know what to say.He looked at the person sitting opposite him, who looked at the sea with calm and gentle eyes.

The evening sun enveloped her, and she was surrounded by a halo of light.

Her side profile was well-outlined, and she looked amazing.

Nicole only looked a little thinner.

The man's eyes gradually turned sore, and his heart was heavy.

It felt like a huge boulder was pressing on his chest.

The indescribable despair was like a boulder that was crushing a straw, and he had to bend with the weight.

Nicole did not touch the glass of milk and kept looking out to sea.

The rolling waves crashed against the deck below.

Some seawater washed up and disappeared in an instant.

There was a chill in the evening wind.

The two people upstairs seemed to be immersed in this feeling and were not bothered by the cold.

At this moment, Jeff could not calm down.

He locked at Nicole, pursed his lips, and said, "Ms.Stanton, you shouldn't think like that.......I don't think he wants you to accompany him. You have such a well-behaved and cute daughter, so how can you leave her alone?"

There was some tension and apprehension in his eyes. He did not even realize that his palms were sweating.

He always felt that Nicole was strong, so how could she be overwhelmed by his departure? She would eventually walk out of it and get better with time.

His chest was heaving, and his heart was pounding like a drum, so much so that he could not breathe properly.

Nicole still had Chatty. She still had someone who needed her.

He never thought of this, nor did he think that it was possible. Her thoughts were decisive and dangerous, which made him fearful.

Chapter 2245 Date Him

Nicole's response was very calm. She smiled faintly with a layer of mist in her eyes. She suppressed her emotions and said, "Yeah, I know I shouldn't think that way. My relatives shouldn't lose me because of what happened to my husband. No matter how much I love him, I need to continue living."

Her voice was a little hoarse, and it faded with the wind.

However, every word struck Jeff's heart. He breathed a sigh of relief, but he also felt flustered. His heart was painful as if a thin thread tightened around it, and Nicole's gentle smile was even more hurtful. His eyes were distressed and complex, and he could not say a word.

This was the third time he felt powerless.

The first time was the time he was born because he was unable to choose his family.

The second time was when the earthquake hit.He could not stop the natural disaster.

When he fell from the top of the mountain, he only had one thought in his mind, 'What will happen to my Nicole?' The third time was this moment.

The raging waves drowned his inner voice.

No one could hear his internal struggle. He wanted to cry and complain about the injustice of fate, but he could not. He could not expose his unease because he was Jeff, not Clayton. He wanted to comfort her as a bystander, but he could not do it. He could not utter a word because his throat seemed to be burning, and the pain made his body tense and twitch.

Fortunately, Nicole was so immersed in her own despair that she did not notice anything wrong with him.

After a while, Nicole's phone rang.

Kai video-called her.

Nicole picked it up without even thinking about it.

"Mommy, I didn't see you when I woke up.I miss you so much..."

Chatty looked at Nicole through the phone and pouted cutely, acting like a baby. Kai, who was on the side, helplessly straightened the phone for Chatty. "This big baby refuses to drink milk. She said she'll only drink it if you coax her."

Nicole's heart softened.

A completely different smile appeared on her face. This tenderness had some temperature.

That smile was as if she found comfort for the rest of her life.

Nicole smiled and said, "Be a good baby and drink your milk so you can grow taller and fight monsters."

Chatty raised her chin obediently, and her big eyes glowed with wit.

"Mommy, are you on a date with Daddy?"

Nicole was stunned. Her smile froze, then she turned her phone in a certain direction.

"This is Uncle Jeff, not Daddy!"

Chatty's excited eyes lit up when she saw Jeff.

"It's Daddy, the transformed Daddy! Mommy, you shouldn't lie to children. I'll wait for you two to come back! Bye bye..."

Chatty knew not to disturb Daddy and Mommy's date, so she hung up the phone even if she was reluctant. She excitedly hugged Kai and rolled around. "Oh, Uncle K! My daddy is back!"

Kai was speechless as he was crushed by Chatty, who treated him like he was a horse. He was helpless and doting toward her.

Nicole looked at the call that was hung up and was forced to swallow the explanation she had.

Thus, she could only look at Jeff apologetically.

"Sorry, my daughter just misses her dad so much. I'll explain it to her."

Jeff could not even force himself to smile.

He felt that it was even painful to breathe, and he trembled in pain.

After a long time, he said in a calm and understanding voice, "It's okay.I don't mind."

Nicole smiled gratefully with a lingering bitterness.

"I'll just have to wait a while for her to grow up to tell her this. I'll also have to confirm that he's gone forever before announcing this news."

Jeff's expression was stiff and despondent.

If it were not for his mask hiding his expression, Nicole would have spotted his anomaly.

After some time, he suddenly mustered up his courage and asked in a faint voice, "Ms.Stanton, perhaps you should consider starting over. Instead of waiting for someone who might never come back, it might be better to find someone who you can spend the rest of your life with."

He felt a throbbing pain in his heart after he said this. His body was so cold as if he was bobbing up and down in the freezing seawater. He looked forward to seeing her perfect life, but he also regretted that he was not the one who would accompany her.

However, as long as she was happy, he would wish the best for her even if he was on the other side of the world.

When he looked at her, he saw that she was quietly shedding tears.

Every teardrop felt like hot oil dripping on his heart. He could not stay calm anymore. He suddenly realized how cruel his words were. He was sprinkling salt on her wound as he ignored her sincerity and feelings. This was not something Clayton would do. His breathing became heavy.

"I'm sorry, Nicole.I didn't mean that..."

Could she pretend that he did not say it? He was flustered and did not know what to say. He almost blurted out that he was Clayton. He was not dead, and he was right here in front of her...

However, in the next second, Nicole wiped her tears and stood up indifferently.

Without saying a word, she turned around and left with crisp and heavy footsteps.

Every step of her high heels clicking on the ground brought a dull pain to his heart as she distanced himself from him. It felt more like a sharp stone piercing through his heart. It was so painful that he could not say a word of apology. He frowned, and tears fell uncontrollably from his reddened eyes. He beat his legs fiercely in resentment.He hated that he could not catch up to her to comfort her. He also hated himself for saying those words, and for doubting and hurting her. He hated his existence even more. He could already see his bleak life ending, but he could not do anything about it.

The restaurant manager saw this and panicked, but he did not dare to go forward.

Instead, he called Sebastian because he knew that each of the ten VIPs was Sebastian's most honored guest.

Soon, some hurried footsteps gradually approached from behind.

At this time, Jeff had calmed his emotions.

He was so depressed that he could not lift his head up.

It looked as if he had lost his soul.

Sebastian sighed and called out to him.

"Mr.Lieberman, even if you don't want to cooperate with me anymore, you should still accept my offer. You'll get a chance to stand up again, so why do you have to torture yourself? Not many powerful people will have your conscience. No one else has the chance to come here.If they did, they would've rushed forward like the other eight people."

Jeff hung his head and remained silent. He clenched his fists tightly, and his eyes were dark and deep. He always knew that he was not a nice guy. He also knew of all the immoral things Sebastian did. However, he just gave Sebastian some money thinking that Sebastian would not succeed.

Due to this, Sebastian remembered his kindness.

Unexpectedly, Sebastian actually succeeded.

If Clayton were his former self, he would invest in the project without hesitation and make the most out of it.

He could find a way to get out unscathed while he earned a huge profit. However, he was no longer the former Clayton.

Chapter 2246 His Jealousy

Nicole taught him how to be gentle, sincere, frank, and kind.She also taught him how to love someone.

Clayton was when he saw Nicole.

However, when he saw Nicole and Eric refusing to cooperate with Sebastian and leaving side by side, looking like they despised such profiteering behavior of exchanging one's health for the lives of those marine animals, he felt like Eric and Nicole belonged together.

Eric's righteousness, decency, and purity made him extremely jealous.

Even if Nicole would not consider Eric, Clayton could not help but compare his dark thoughts with Eric's integrity and brilliance.

Right.

Whoever stood beside Nicole should be like this instead of sacrificing the lives of so many sea creatures for their own benefit even if it was just fish.

Those sea creatures were not ordinary fish either.

They were rare marine animals that were about to go extinct.

This was on the conscience of the rich.

Thus, Clayton left and suppressed the greed that was rising in his heart. He wanted to prove that he was the same as Nicole and Eric. He blinked his dry and sore eyes. His face was tear-stained and felt tight after the tears dried from the sea breeze, which made him feel a little uncomfortable.

However, he dared not wipe it off because he did not have the medication, so he would expose his identity.

"Mr.Shaw, didn't I remind you that the risk is too high? Are you not afraid of being banned by international organizations?"

His voice was indifferent.

Sebastian smiled and sounded proud as he said, "I've already found a way out for myself.I have prepared a new identity, and all the money I earn will be transferred to the new account. I'll use this project to make a fortune, and before they find out, I'll already be on the run. Then I'll just wait for 8 to 10 years. Isn't it great that one of my projects can change the course of humankind? There will be more people offering sky-high prices just to survive."

He stepped forward and patted Jeff's thin shoulders.

"Before that, I want to cure you because you gave me hope.Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Jeff's face was tense.

His eyes were dark and gloomy like ink, so much so that Sebastian could not distinguish the emotions inside.

Clayton felt that the mental torment was greater than his physical pain.

"Come with me. One of my latest experiments is to atomize the toxin from marine animals to stimulate necrotic bone cells. There may be a response. Yasmin doesn't meet the requirements of this experiment, but you do. Mr.Lieberman, no one is more suitable for this than you."

Sebastian's words slowly reached his ears.

Jeff slowly raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot and gloomy, and his voice seemed scratchy.

"What if it fails?"

Sebastian's smile was stifled.

His eyes flickered, but he spoke bluntly, "If it fails, we'll try our best to rescue you."

Nicole walked back and felt suffocated.

Those words were probably what everyone wanted to say to her, but for some reason, when she heard those words coming out of Jeff's mouth, she felt an indescribable sadness. She did not care whether he was being sincere or not.

Jeff made her feel uncomfortable, so she withdrew her desire to confide in him, isolated herself, and left immediately.

However, no matter how much she tried to ignore it, she still felt sad. She went to her room door.

The opposite door suddenly opened.

Eric was dressed in a gray sweatsuit as he stood there and saw her pursed lips.

"Wait a moment."

He bent down, lowered his head, picked up something from the ground, and handed it over.

"I didn't mean to make Chatty cry.Please give this to her."

"No need."

Nicole suddenly felt very tired.

Eric stubbornly raised his arm. He looked a bit forceful.

"Please give it to her and apologize to her on my behalf.I don't know how to coax little girls, and I'm sorry for upsetting her."

Nicole glanced at him.

Seeing that he did not mention anything else, she suddenly felt guilty. She sighed, took it over, and glanced at it casually.It was the latest Barbie doll that was very beautiful.

She pursed her lips.

"You don't need to apologize.If Jeff was a bad person, I would've been grateful to you for stepping in.Chatty has been spoiled since she was born, so she's quite reckless. I've already lectured her." It was rare for Nicole to talk to Eric for so long.

Eric's mood instantly improved. He suppressed the excitement in his eyes, and his lips were raised slightly.

"It's okay.Girls should have a little temper so that they won't get bullied. Will she like this gift? If she does, I have many more..."

Nicole's mind was a mess. She felt an oncoming headache and interrupted him.

"She won't like it. You don't have to buy her toys in the future.She hates this kind of doll the most. I've already donated countless dolls at home."

Eric nodded in frustration. His eyes were dark, but he did not question her more or show his anger.

"Okay, I get it.Nicole, what I really want to apologize for isn't my attitude.I shouldn't have exposed Clayton's death in public."

Nicole's face darkened. She was already in a bad mood, so her tone was impatient as she said, "It's good that you know your mistake.

Others can't intervene in how I teach my daughter, and I hope that you won't cross the line again."

Nicole did not want Eric to think too much.

At this time, Eric looked depressed without the slightest energy. He was standing in front of her and was a head taller than her, but he was inexplicably cautious and ingratiating to her.

Nicole did not want to continue the conversation.

There were a few seconds of silence before she gritted her teeth and said, "I don't want my daughter to find out about Clayton from outsiders. Eric, let me make it clear. Chatty has a father, and she doesn't need anyone else. This won't change even if Clayton is dead. Chatty will never have another father."

Eric's face gradually turned pale. His body was tense, and he felt weak.

"Okay.I won't talk nonsense in front of her again. But Nicole, I won't give up like this either. I've missed out on too much. It's horrible seeing you get married to someone else."

Eric wanted Nicole. He was very determined about this.

Clayton was no longer by her side, and no one else was with her, so was this not the best time for him to pursue her? Eric did not continue the topic because he considered her feelings. However, he had already started his pursuit.

Nicole did not want to listen to his nonsense, so she turned around and opened the door to enter her room.

After she went in, she realized that she was still carrying a toy that Chatty did not like. She did not want to turn back and see Eric again, so she placed it at the door.

When Kai heard the commotion, he came out of Chatty's room, full of sweat.

"You're finally back. I'm exhausted!"

Chapter 2247 He Didn't Leave

The corners of Nicole's mouth twitched. She took a deep breath and made herself look more energetic.

"Did Chatty behave herself and eat after she woke up?"

Kai was helpless.

"She ate, but she didn't behave herself. She's exactly like you! She wants me to sing and perform for her while she eats. What the hell! I thought I went back in time twenty years ago when I was babysitting you!"

Why did he still have to go through this when he was in his thirties? Nicole smiled helplessly.

"Third brother, she never asks for these things when we eat with her. You obviously pampered her too much!"

Kai slumped helplessly on the sofa and looked exhausted.

"Well, am I allowed not to pamper her? That little thing is smarter than a monkey. It's more tiring to coax her to eat than being on set!"

Nicole laughed helplessly.

"So, have you eaten?" Kai nodded.

"Yeah, I ate.I got someone to deliver the meal to me.Chatty fell asleep after she got tired from playing just now."

Nicole breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright. I'll go check on her and wash up. You should go to bed early too!"

Just as Kai was about to stand up and go back to his room, he inadvertently saw something at the door. He narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue. "Eric gave that to you, huh?"

Nicole paused and hummed.Kai chuckled and touched his chin.

"He really doesn't know how to buy gifts that people like, but he has good intentions. Oh well, at least he's sincere. But his emotional intelligence is a little low." Nicole took a deep breath.

"If you don't want to rest, you can send the gift back."

With that said, she went straight into her room.

Kai was speechless. He shot himself in the foot by being so nosy.

Nicole slept soundly.

Early the next morning, the cruise ship had docked by the time they woke up.

Everything was calm like a dream.

Nicole had nothing much to pack, only a few items she brought with her.

Chatty obediently ate breakfast under Nicole's gaze and wanted to run around and play.

However, Kai picked her up and walked out.

Roland followed behind Nicole and looked dispirited.

Nicole glanced at him.

"Are you feeling better, or are you still seasick?"

Roland was taken aback.

Then, he nodded quickly.

"I'm feeling better after taking some medicine."

In fact, he was not seasick at all.

However, the suspicion he had yesterday shocked him, so he used seasickness as an excuse for his gaffe.

At this moment, Nicole was still concerned about him, which made him feel a little guilty.

Thinking of this, he cheered up.

Nicole nodded.

They had to go downstairs before disembarking to say goodbye to their acquaintances and to get to know some people in the industry.

Of course, a few disinterested bigwigs had already left early from the private passage.

Although Nicole was not interested either, Roland mentioned before that many of the guests here were friends who had worked with Clayton in the past. Thus, this was a good opportunity for future collaborations.

Besides, Michael's aunt was among them, and Nicole wanted to know who she was.

Kai was ahead of them with Chatty.

Nicole and Roland fell behind.

While waiting for the elevator, they saw two men - one standing, and one sitting.

When Eric saw Nicole, he smiled gently, but somehow, it was not heart-warming.

"Since you're here, shall we go together?"

Nicole's eyes flickered. She refused.

"We're not going the same way."

The elevator arrived.

The butler, who was in the elevator, smiled and looked at them.

Jeff, who was sitting in a wheelchair, heard Nicole's voice, but he did not look back. He was worried that Nicole was still angry because of what he said last night. He felt uneasy, and he blamed himself all night. No one got on the elevator, so the butler was a little puzzled.

In the end, Jeff, who was wearing a mask and a hat, sighed and lowered his head. He touched the wheelchair lightly and entered the elevator. Then, he turned the wheelchair around.

Jeff then raised his head and looked straight at Nicole.

Eric's face darkened.

Before he could say anything, Roland took the lead and walked into the elevator.

He said to Nicole, "Ms.Stanton, please come in."

Nicole raised her eyebrows and walked in as if nothing had happened. Eric also walked in.

There was an awkward tension between the few people.

The elevator was huge.

Jeff stood at the back with the butler beside him while Roland stood right in front of Jeff to block Jeff's sight of Nicole.

Roland tried his best to block Jeff because he knew that Jeff approached Nicole with ulterior motives.

Thus, he would never let others take advantage of her.

Nicole stood there and thought that it was strange.

When she moved to the side, Roland, who was behind her, also moved.

Nicole took a deep look at Roland.

She did not understand why he was acting so out of character today.

Roland just looked innocent and bewildered as if he did not know what he did wrong.

Eric, who was standing by the side, kept casting approving glances at Roland. He thought that Roland had a bright future.

If Roland was working in Ferguson Corporation, he would have been promoted and gotten a salary increment.

Soon, the elevator arrived.

Nicole, Roland, and Eric went out of the elevator.

She paused slightly but did not hear the sound of the wheelchair.

Thus, she subconsciously looked back and saw the elevator doors closing slowly.

Jeff was still inside. He looked so frail sitting in the wheelchair. His eyes were dark and gloomy without a hint of light.

The moment the elevator doors closed, he seemed to have fallen into darkness forever. The moment they looked at each other, Nicole's heart trembled.

Her heart shrank without warning, and the pain was sharp and piercing.

However, it soon returned to normal.

"Why didn't he leave?"

Nicole murmured.

Eric was naturally unwilling to talk about Jeff, and Roland was unaware of his situation.

All Roland cared about was for Jeff to stay away from Nicole.

Roland hurried over when he saw a familiar person.

"Ms.Stanton, the man in the front is Mason Long from Wall Street Securities. He brought his wife here on vacation."

Nicole quickly suppressed her doubts earlier and put on a polite and professional smile.

The dance downstairs was still ongoing.

Thus, even if the cruise ship was docked, no one downstairs left yet.

Everyone saw Nicole and Eric coming over, so they went over to say hello.

Roland introduced Clayton's friends in the industry to Nicole one by one.

Nicole knew many of them.

For a moment, she felt that the world was really small.

Back then when she was doing business with these people, they were also acquainted with Clayton.

However, she and Clayton did not know each other yet.

A wonderful fate brought them together.

Nicole suddenly felt an indescribable sense of regret.

How great would it be if she got to know Clayton earlier? Nicole looked around and did not see Michael's aunt, so she was a little disappointed.

Before the dance was over, Nicole left the cruise ship.

Chapter 2248

Be a Test Subject Eric breathed a sigh of relief when he came out.

The driver was already waiting for Nicole, and she got into the car without saying goodbye to Eric.

Roland followed closely behind.

Before they left, Zuthi walked toward them with a smile.

He smiled brightly, and there was a blonde girl beside him.

"Ms. Stanton, wait a minute..." Nicole looked over and frowned slightly.

"Mr. Camus?" Among all those people, she had the deepest impression of Zuthi Camus.

It was not just because of his glorious story of having three wives, but because of his babbling mouth.

Nicole was speechless.

Zuthi walked over with a smile and handed over a business card.

"Ms. Stanton, this is my business card.

I'm going home, so I won't get to see you often in the future, but let's keep in touch." Nicole smiled, took it over, and glanced at Roland.

Roland immediately took out one of her business cards.

Nicole took the business card from Roland and handed it over to Zuthi with a smile.

"This is my business card, Mr. Camus.

Are you going back now? Weren't you very interested in this project?" Zuthi sighed and looked into the distance.

"T thought about it.

This investment is too risky, and I need to be cautious when handling money since I have four wives to support! T'll let others get involved in this life-changing project." Nicole frowned. "Four? Isn't it three?" Zuthi smiled and pointed to the blonde girl behind him.

"This is my fourth wife.

She promised to come back with me, so I'm about to have a fourth wife!" For a moment, Nicole looked like she ate a fly.

She did not know what to say to Zuthi.

The customs and laws of Zuthi's country were different from Mediania, so Nicole could not accept Zuthi's behavior.

Zuthi was lustful, but he also took responsibility and married the woman he liked.

He was not that annoying in retrospect.

Fortunately, Nicole would not have any business interactions with him in the future, so it was not difficult for her to maintain superficial politeness.

Nicole looked at him with a smile.

"Congratulations, Mr. Camus." This topic could have ended here, but Zuthi saw Eric walking toward them and had an idea.

Zuthi did not like Eric's arrogance, so he deliberately leaned closer to Nicole to provoke Eric.

"Ms. Stanton, do you still remember the disabled person sitting in the wheelchair from yesterday?" Nicole subconsciously nodded.

"T heard that Sebastian intends to use him as a test subject to attract investment.

A few investors even bet on it.

If Sebastian can get rid of his disability, they will quadruple their investment.

If Sebastian fails, they'll pull out their investment.

It sounds like Sebastian really has a way.

Do you think that Sebastian hired that disabled person to put up an act?" The blood gradually drained from Nicole's face. Even the corners of her lips turned white.

Test subject...

For some reason, when Nicole heard this news, she felt suffocated as if she had been struck by some heavy object.

The dull pain lingered, and Nicole panicked.

"Ms. Stanton, why do you look so pale?" Zuthi did not know what he said that made her upset.

Nicole pursed her lips stiffly.

Eric stepped forward and pushed Zuthi away.

"What did you say?" Zuthi stood there, flustered and confused.

"T don't know..." When Nicole saw Eric, the panic she felt was gradually replaced by irritation.

"It's nothing.

I'm just not used to being on the ground.

Mr. Camus, my apologies.

I have to get going." Zuthi nodded quickly.

"Go ahead! Let's talk later, Ms. Stanton!" "She has nothing to talk about with you.

Mr. Camus, you should mind your own business." Eric could not help but speak up.

Zuthi sneered and looked at Eric.

"at least she has more to talk about with me than with you.

Mr. Ferguson, you don't need to worry about me and Ms. Stanton." After he finished speaking, Zuthi tidied his clothes, hummed happily, and walked toward the blonde beauty. Zuthi was in a great mood.

Eric's face was dark and gloomy.

Roland did not know why Nicole had a sudden change in attitude.

He was just a little worried about her health.

"Ms. Stanton, shall we go home now?" Nicole nodded.

Eric glanced at her worriedly: "You should go to the hospital first." Nicole pursed her lips as her heart gradually calmed down.

"No need, I'm going back first.

Goodbye." She closed the car door so as not to give Eric any hope.

The driver started the car.

Roland pursed his lips and said: "Mis.

Stanton, are you worried about Jeff Lieberman?" Nicole's eyes flickered slightly.

The mention of that person's name made her feel suffocated.

"you know him?" "He looked for me yesterday." Roland thought about it for a while and answered honestly, "He promised me benefits and wanted to take the opportunity to get close to you.

I guess he has bad intentions and ulterior motives.

But since we're leaving soon, we probably won't have a chance to see him again." He raised his eyebrows.

Nicole was extremely calm in the back seat.

He could not help but glance back.

Nicole closed her eyes and looked as if she was asleep.

However, only she knew that her emotions were surging.

If what Roland said was true, that Jeff deliberately approached Nicole, why did she not notice anything wrong with him when they were on the deck of the cruise ship? Nicole could not see any worldly greed or corruption in Jeff.

He did not look like someone who was chasing money and power.

In her perception, Jeff was completely different from what Roland saw.

Thus, she could not accept such a contradictory comment.

Never mind.

She did not need to worry about it.

He was just a stranger who she met by chance.

Nicole noticed that her attention to Jeff had surpassed that of a stranger, which she should not have.

She was just looking for the same kind of vibe that Clayton had in Jeff.

However, if she really got to know him, she might find him to be the exact opposite.

Thus, there was no need to waste effort.

Her life had to go on, and Jeff was just a passing stranger.

After they arrived at the castle, Nicole got out of the car, exhausted.

The butler had already drawn a bath for her and prepared her meal.

However, Nicole did not have much appetite, so she took a bath to relax first.

Before she went upstairs, the butler went over and reported to her.

"Miss, Fischer's parents are here.

They're in the living room." Nicole raised her eyebrows and saw Fischer bouncing over.

"Godmother! Where's Chatty?" She could tell that Fischer had a lot of fun because there was a lot of sweat on his forehead.

Nicole smiled and wiped his forehead.

"Chatty should be back by now.

If she isn't back yet, it means that Uncle K took her shopping.

Why don't you call them if you're worried?"

Chapter 2249

Sebastian Is a Fraud Fischer nodded excitedly.

Soon after, Fischer's parents came over.

"Ms. Stanton, sorry to bother you.

We were supposed to send Fischer back last night after spending some time with him, but he fell asleep.

We couldn't bear to send him back overnight, so we waited until now." Nicole smiled.

"It's a good thing that you can spend more time with him.

You can send him back anytime.

Why don't you two stay for dinner?" Camille looked at her with a smile.

"We've put off work for too long.

I'm afraid we won't be able to have dinner together.

Maybe next time when there's a chance, we'll treat you to dinner." Nicole replied, "Sure, no problem." Camille said, "We should treat you to a nice meal because you've taken such good care of Fischer.

We can tell that Fischer didn't suffer one bit with you all, and he's certainly happier than when he was with my father." She just saw Nicole wipe Fischer's sweat with her handkerchief without hesitation earlier. Nicole was so gentle and casual like this was common for her.

If this was not the habit they accumulated over time, Fischer would not have been so calm.

Camille could see that the Stantons had been very thoughtful and attentive in taking care of Fischer.

Leighton nodded.

He took out a business card from the bag beside him and handed it over.

"This is our contact information, Ms. Stanton.

If you need anything in the future, you can contact us at any time." Nicole took it with both hands and glanced at it.

Her face froze instantly.

She subconsciously muttered.

"Myriad Group?" Leighton nodded.

"Ms. Stanton, you've heard of it?" Camille glanced at her husband.

"It's not unusual that Ms. Stanton heard of this.

Not to mention, Myriad Group is quite well-known here." Leighton nodded in agreement.

Nicole's face turned pale as she squeezed the business card in her hand.

"Myriad Group organized the reception on the cruise that I attended last night.

Turns out it's your company?" She had a feeling that someone was trying to get her involved with Myriad Group.

Nicole was puzzled.

She frowned, and her expression turned glum.

"So, you two are researching customized human organs?" Camille and Leighton looked at each other.

Their faces instantly became serious and cold.

Leighton stepped forward and stared at Nicole closely.

"That's not our company's project, and we didn't organize any cruise reception.

Ms. Stanton, have you seen the project you mentioned with your own eyes?" Seeing that Leighton's tone was worsening, Camille quickly nudged him and looked at Nicole apologetically. "Ms. Stanton, he has no malice.

My husband isn't just a researcher, he also holds an important position in the company.

That's why he's aware of everything happening in the company." Seeing that Nicole's expression was not right, Camille took a step forward.

"Ms. Stanton, you didn't invest in that project, right? That project has major problems, so please don't be impulsive." Nicole looked at her with doubt and pursed her lips.

"T didn't.

But what's the problem with the project? If it's not your company's project, how do you know about it? The organizer of this reception reached out to the world's top elites, and the capital involved is certainly no less than hundreds of billions of dollars.

Is Sebastian Shaw scamming them?" Nicole paused and thought about the seemingly dignified and mysterious Sebastian.

She suddenly became confused and asked, " Isn't Sebastian Shaw the boss of your company?" Camille sighed.

"Of course not.

He's not our boss.

He's just one of the founders of the company.

It's just too coincidental that his company shares our company's name.

When the company expanded, Sebastian had his own philosophy that differed from most people, so he left the company, and no longer an employee of our company.

Ms. Stanton, can you tell me where he is now? Did he take you to his research base?" In other words, Myriad Group was not Sebastian's.

Sebastian just used someone else's company as a cover to deceive so many people.

Seeing Camille's excited look, Nicole was a little uncertain.

Her sensitivity and doubt that she developed over the years in business made her skeptical of everyone.

She did not dare to trust Camille and Leighton so easily.

Moreover, Sebastian only dared to take them to the laboratory because everyone's electronic devices had no signal when they were underwater at that time.

Thus, no one would know the precise location of the lab.

However, Camille seemed to be hostile toward Sebastian.

Nicole did not know what to do.

She would not betray Sebastian easily because of confidentiality in business.

Seeing that Nicole was hesitant, Camille knew that she was a little too anxious earlier.

Camille pursed her lips, sighed, and looked back at her husband.

"I think we should tell Ms. Stanton what's going on.

We need her help." Leighton glanced at Nicole with a complicated gaze, then looked at his son.

Finally, he nodded.

The three adults sat down while the butler served them coffee.

Fischer was in the small living room next door, talking on the phone with Kai and telling them to come back quickly.

Camille looked serious.

She rubbed her hands together and looked a little nervous.

"Ms. Stanton, don't get me wrong.

We're not bad guys.

My husband and I are just researchers." "Ms. Malone, if you want to get any useful information from me, T'll need a valid reason." Nicole was also very straightforward. She could not just blindly believe them because of Fischer.

After all, people were complicated beings.

Not to mention, Nicole barely knew them.

Camille nodded and glanced at her husband. Leighton frowned.

He looked solemn and hesitant.

There was silence in the air.

Camille spoke first.

"T understand what you mean.

I presume that Sebastian showed you his latest research results and brought out a girl who he claimed to have resurrected, right?" Nicole nodded and looked doubtful.

"Yes, I'm sure that Yasmin was dead because someone had plastic surgery to look like her before.

That woman showed up in my life pretending to be Yasmin, but the real Yasmin was already dead...

But this time, she really came back to life." Leighton's expression became even gloomier.

"That's fake.

It's all a show.

Sebastian stole our company's research results and used the project to scam others.

We've been looking for him, but we haven't found his secret laboratory!" Camille nodded solemnly.

"Yes, my husband and I participated in that research project, and it was stolen by Sebastian in the final stage.

That's why our team's research had to stop.

But that's not the most important part.

The research results that Sebastian stole aren't conclusive, and we haven't conducted clinical trials yet.

It hasn't been approved to be commercialized either.

If he promotes that project so dangerously, people will get hurt or killed."

Chapter 2250 It's Not Black Technology

"what?"

Nicole was very surprised.

Camille nodded.

"This is a secret within our company, and this experiment was carried out decades ago. We only made a breakthrough in the past few years, but due to humanitarian concerns in recent years, this experiment has been shut down. That's why we've never really done any human experiments, let alone made the project public. That's also why Sebastian dared to recruit people unscrupulously and set up a shell company in private.In fact, the experiment isn't feasible. The woman that he claimed to have resurrected isn't the result of this project."

Nicole's face gradually turned pale.

Suddenly, she remembered the look on Jeff's face when their eyes met the moment she left the elevator.

If Sebastian's project was immature and if it failed, then George Quay, who had cancer, would die sooner.

Jeff also stayed behind...

Zuthi said that Jeff would become Sebastian's test subject.

If this was true, his already bleak life would never get the opportunity to see the light again.

Nicole did not believe that Jeff was the kind of person that Roland described. She trusted her instincts more.

Nicole suddenly stood up.

"Hold on.Let me make a call first."

She interrupted Camille, who was surprised for a moment.

In the end, Camille nodded.

Nicole took out her phone and called Grant.

Grant was far away in Mediania, and it should be nighttime at that moment.

However, he sounded calm and reserved when he answered the phone.

"Hey, Lil N, what's the matter?"

Grant might be impatient if someone else disturbed him, but he had no temper with Nicole.

Aida, who was by his side, seemed to be woken up too.

"Is it Nicole? What's wrong?"

Grant made a hush gesture and comforted Aida softly.

"It's okay. You should go back to sleep. I'll go to the study."

Nicole heard the rustling over the phone and quickly said, "Big Brother, have you heard of a Canadian man named Jeff Lieberman? He seems to be in investment banking."

Grant walked out a few steps before he spoke.

"No, I don't have any impression of that name.I've stayed in Canada before, but I don't recall such a person in investment banking. But it may be because it's been too long since I was there.I can contact my friends in Canada. Do you want an answer now?"

Nicole responded and said firmly, "Yes, [ need it immediately.It's best if you can get Jeff Lieberman's contact number."

"Okay, I'll hang up then."

Grant hung up the phone and investigated the person for her.

Nicole paused, took a deep breath, and turned back.

Leighton's face was glum, and Camille looked anxious and solemn.

Nicole gradually began to believe what they said.

Bringing the dead back to life did not seem likely even if humankind progressed for another hundred years.

It violated the laws of human ethics and seemed like a trap no matter how she saw it.

Nicole walked over with a gloomy face and looked at them seriously.

"Then can you tell me how much you know about Yasmin?"

George Quay and Wayne Loewe were tempted simply because they saw Yasmin.

Yasmin was Sebastian's success story, so how did Sebastian do it? Nicole did not dare to think about it.

Leighton said in a calm voice, "It's gene cloning technology. This kind of technology isn't considered advanced, but the difference is that now it's possible to extract the genes of specific organs and do gene editing to prevent growth and clone the exact same organs in the fastest time possible. Back then, cloning was the replication of cells into complete individuals. Currently, it's possible to edit and clone a certain part of the body at will. After more than ten years of research, our team had a breakthrough in this technology.It's no different from customization, but there's a large price to pay.It needs the genetic assistance of some rare animals and plants in the deep sea to ensure that the cloned organs won't be rejected by the individual."

Nicole slowly understood. She also figured out why Sebastian's laboratory was at the bottom of the sea.

Sebastian had spent a lot of effort building such a large underwater research base.

Camille continued, "Yasmin wasn't dead at all. When she was brought back, she was still alive. It's just that someone gave her a high concentration of drugs that made her feel like she came back from the dead. That's why she has a sense of dependence on Sebastian when she wakes up. Although her internal organs have been edited, the shortcoming of this organ cloning and editing technology is that it's uncontrollable.Even if her organs have been replaced with new ones, she probably won't live more than three months."

When they spoke, it was as if they were talking about a set of experimental data.

There were no emotions attached.

They were precise and clear.

Nicole's heart sank slightly as she thought about Yasmin's delighted expression from having been revived.

"why?"

"That's because the current cloning and gene-editing research are still lacking. Although organs can be cloned in the shortest time possible into the same size as the original organs, the drug used to induce growth is a problematic liquid. The disadvantage of this liquid is that after the cells are generated, it'll destroy the reproduction and metabolism of the cells. Due to this, the organ won't be recognized by the body and will soon lose its function. I'm guessing that Yasmin only recovered in the past two days, and Sebastian quickly exhibited her because she was afraid that she would soon lose her value."

Nicole was stunned. She did not know whether she should be happy that she did not invest in the project or if she should worry about others.

Leighton chuckled lightly and said indifferently, "The so-called black technology is nothing more than piecing together existing technologies. It didn't break the current limitations.Sebastian's behavior will implicate our company sooner or later."

As he spoke, he was about to take out his phone when Camille hurriedly stopped him and frowned.

"Don't be impulsive. We don't know where Sebastian's base is. If there's no evidence, it's useless to call the cops. Our company has already issued a gag order, so we can't mention this research. Let's wait and see if he'll slip up, okay?"

Camille finished speaking and looked at Nicole.

"Ms.Stanton, can you provide any clues?"

Nicole pursed her lips.

"As soon as the cruise ship went out to sea, we lost contact with the outside world. At that time, we didn't think much about it.All I know is that his research base is at the bottom of the sea, and the elevator of the cruise ship can access that laboratory. But the cruise ship is wandering around, and I think it'll be difficult to find the entrance of the elevator without the cruise ship."

Camille lowered her eyes and remained silent as she was shocked.

"No wonder the people we sent out couldn't find his laboratory. It turns out he hid the laboratory under the sea."

Leighton said, "There will be trouble sooner or later."

Just as Nicole was about to say something, her phone rang.

It was a call from Grant.