Ch. 2251..2260

Chapter 2251 There's No Such Person

Nicole's heart trembled. She knew that Grant came back with an answer, but she did not know if it was too late.

Nicole immediately excused herself and went to the side to answer the phone.

"Nicole, I just checked. There's no one named Jeff Lieberman in Canada in investment banking or other fields.I even asked my police officer friends to investigate. They only found that Jeff Lieberman is a registrant of a shell company. But there's no contact information or useful clues. He's currently not in Canada either. Is there something wrong with this person? Nicole was stunned by Grant's words. There was no one named Jeff.

A shell company...

Nicole immediately understood.

Jeff Lieberman was a name used to register a shell company, but that identity might not be real.

Nicole hung up the phone with a cold heart.

She thought of the lonely figure in the wheelchair that she saw on the deck. He sat there as if he was someone who did not exist in this world. He was dull and lifeless, and there was always a lingering sadness and despair around him.

When it was time to leave, Jeff did not get out of the elevator, which meant that he was not going ashore with the cruise ship. He was still at the bottom of the sea.

Thinking of this, Nicole felt that the blood in her body began to freeze.

Panic spread all over her body. She did not know why she would have such a big reaction to a stranger who was in danger.

They clearly did not know each other before this.

Was it just because she wanted to find the similar qualities Clayton had in Jeff? Nicole clutched her clothes tightly, so much so that her fingertips began to turn white.

If Jeff became a test subject, then he would completely disappear from this world, and no one would know.

What a pity! Seeing that her expression was off, Camille sighed.

"Ms.Stanton, can you help us find that place? We need to end this farce. Otherwise, I don't know what price will be paid..."

Nicole pursed her lips. She wanted to find that laboratory more than they did.

Thinking about it, Nicole immediately called Roland over.

Roland was still a little baffled.

"Ms.Stanton, is there something wrong?"

Nicole paused.

"Contact the cruise line and tell them that I left my important jewelry in the room.I must get it back. Then contact Sebastian and say that I'm suddenly interested in that project.I want to invest in it and go back or the cruise again."

Roland looked at her in shock and almost forgot to control his expression.

Camille, who was on the side, looked at Leighton happily. She did not expect Nicole to help them like this.

"Thank you, Ms.Stanton. I'll contact the company and the police so that they can go with you."

Camille looked at Leighton excitedly.

Leighton rubbed his hands. His face was solemn, and he remained motionless.

Nicole took a deep breath.

"Ms.Malone, don't get your hopes up just yet.I went back on my word, so Sebastian may not agree to let me go back since he doesn't need my investment now."

George Quay had cancer and was willing to dump in a lot of capital, so he should be Sebastian's ideal partner.

A sick person would always want to live longer.

George saw hope, so he would definitely help Sebastian. He would be a much better investor than the wavering Nicole.

Roland turned around and went out to contact the organizer of the reception.

Not long after, he came back and shook his head.

"Ms.Stanton, the people on the cruise ship said that they can compensate you according to the value of your jewelry, but you can't go onto the cruise ship without an invitation. Mr.Shaw's secretary said that Mr.Shaw will look forward to your next cooperation with him."

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Camille's expression changed from anticipation to disappointment in just a few seconds.

Nicole clenched her fists tightly. Her face was also a little pale. She did not lose her composure because she was trying her best to control her emotions.

It did not matter if she could not save Jeff.

Why should she spend so much energy on an insignificant person? She just thought that it was miserable to end one's life as a test subject.

There was an inexplicable sadness and throbbing pain in her heart.

Thus, Nicole comforted herself that she regarded Jeff as a substitute.

But Clayton was irreplaceable.

Clayton was the brightest existence in her life. He would not be such a dark and dull person like Jeff Lieberman who did not even have an identity. Nicole hated this feeling, so she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Maybe it was a good thing that Jeff disappeared.

Nicole lowered her head and looked up at them.

"I have no other way, Ms. Malone. How else can I help you?"

Camille also had some regrets. She smiled and said, "It's okay, Ms.Stanton. When will you leave and return to Mediania?"

Nicole paused.

"If there's no change in plans, I'll leave tomorrow."

Camille was disappointed, and her eyes dimmed.

"So soon?"

Nicole was the only one who could provide clues for them.

If Nicole left, their company would be running around like headless chickens again.

They would not know when they would find Sebastian.

However, Camille did not have any reason to ask Nicole to stay and help them.

After all, it was their business that their research results were stolen.

Innocent people should not be involved in this.

Nicole pursed her lips and was about to say something when she suddenly saw the butler approaching.

"Miss, we have a visitor."

As he said that, he also took out an elegant greeting card.

Nicole took it and was still a little puzzled because she did not know who it was.

On the greeting card, a signature was written with a quill pen - Linda.

Nicole did not know who that was, but she did not refuse so simply.

Instead, she looked at Camille.

Camille and Leighton understood what Nicole meant and stood up.

"In that case, thanks for your help, Ms.Stanton. We won't bother you any longer."

Leighton's voice was hoarse as he kept his emotions hidden.

Although Camille did not want to give up so quickly, they had no choice but to leave first.

Nicole nodded and looked at the butler.

"Get Fischer to come over."

Nicole looked at Camille and Leighton with a smile and said, "It's rare for you all to see each other. Fischer is also reluctant to part with you, so it's better to let him say goodbye to you." Camille nodded with red eyes. She looked at Nicole with gratitude.

Soon, Fischer came skipping over.

He stood in front of Nicole and did not run over to hug his parents.

Although Fischer spent a full day with his parents yesterday, he was still closer to Nicole because Nicole was with him every day.

Fischer's clear eyes were full of reluctance.

Although he was somewhat distant from his parents, he was also reluctant to leave them.

However, he knew that he had no choice.

No matter how he cried or made a fuss, his parents would still leave him.

Thus, he could only stand there quietly and watch them leave.

Camille went up and hugged him, reluctant to part.

"Fischer, Daddy and Mommy are leaving now. We'll see you again when we go back to Mediania, so you have to take care of yourself!"

Leighton went over and patted Fischer's head.

"Don't forget what Daddy told you. You have to be a man when you grow up, so you have to learn to take care of others. That way, you'll be a valuable person when you're older." Fischer nodded obediently

 

Chapter 2252 Price of The Exchange

Although Fischer was calm, his eyes were red and teary.

Nicole touched his shoulder. "Fischer, say goodbye to Daddy and Mommy."

"Goodbye, Daddy and Mommy. I'll be a good boy."

Fischer thoughtfully went over and held their hands.

Camille sniffled and looked at Nicole.

"Ms. Stanton, since you have guests, you don't have to send US off. Thank you for your help."

Nicole smiled and insisted on sending them outside.

Fischer stood there with downcast eyes as he watched his parents' car leave. His head was lowered, and he was quite sad.

Nicole sighed and patted his head.

"Next time when Uncle Grant goes on a business trip, ask him to bring you along so that you can come and see your parents. Uncle Grant comes here often." Fischer nodded, smiled, and looked up at Nicole.

"Where's Chatty and Uncle K?" Nicole asked Fischer because he called Kai earlier, so he should know where they were.

Fischer replied with a smile, 'They went shopping. Chatty bought me a lot of presents..."

Seeing that his mood improved, Nicole also felt happy.

"Okay. Then go in and wait for them. I still have something to do."

"Okay!"

Fischer skipped inside again.

Nicole looked at the butler, who quickly said, 'The guest is waiting in the west hall."

Nicole nodded and walked toward the west hall.

The west hall was exquisite.

When Nicole went in, she was a little shocked to see a woman sitting there.

The woman looked to be about forty years old, with long and slightly curly blonde hair which had been meticulously styled.

From the back, the woman looked elegant, clean, and regal.

When the woman heard Nicole's footsteps, she turned around. She had blue, deep-set eyes and a beautiful figure. Her deep eyes were charming with an undisguised ambition. Nicole was a little stunned when she suddenly realized who the woman in front of her was.

The woman went around the sofa, walked toward Nicole, and looked at her with a smile. She stretched out her hand and spoke in fluent English," Hello, my name is Linda."

Nicole reached out and shook her hand briefly.

"You're Michael's aunt?"

A look of surprise flashed in Linda's eyes.

"Yes, I am. You're really smart, Ms. Stanton. No wonder Michael always talks about you every time I see him. He said that you're the prettiest, smartest, and best woman he has ever seen and that he's lucky to become a part of your family."

Nicole's eyes moved slightly as a warm current flowed through her heart.

She met Michael when he was just a child. He was so short and clueless back then.

Then, Clayton sent Michael to study abroad, so Michael went back to Mediania very few times.

That was why Nicole did not expect Michael to have such a high evaluation of her since they did not meet frequently.

Nicole smiled and looked at Linda.

'Thanks for telling me this. I feel like I haven't done enough for him."

Linda raised her eyebrows and said with a smile, "I heard that Clayton died, so I came here to look for you."

Nicole's face darkened slightly. Her smile also faded.

Linda saw Nicole's change in expression and sat down unceremoniously. She took a sip of coffee and praised Nicole.

'The coffee at your home is amazing. I really like it."

"Drink more if you like."

Nicole walked over patiently. She could vaguely sense the animosity from Linda.

Moreover, Clayton had told Nicole before that Michael's aunt wanted to take Michael away. Michael's aunt's background was also shady.

If Linda took custody of Michael, Michael's future might be ruined.

Then, the road that Clayton spent so much effort to pave for Michael would go to waste.

Nicole took a deep breath, sat down, and looked at the graceful Linda.

Linda put down the coffee. Her eyes were shrewd.

"We were supposed to meet yesterday, but someone bought my ticket to the cruise at a high price, so I had to visit you later. Ms. Stanton, I guess you knew who bought my ticket, right?" The corner of Nicole's mouth twitched as she asked knowingly, "I don't know. Who was it?"

Linda tilted her head and replied, "Eric Ferguson. He found many old acquaintances of mine just to get this ticket, and he was the one who told me the news of Clayton's death. If he hadn't provided such valuable information, how could I have given up the opportunity to join in the fun?"

Nicole was extremely disgusted by Eric and knew that he had no good intentions.

However, she did not show it because she knew the purpose of Linda's visit was not just to tell her this irrelevant news.

Linda's eyes dimmed slightly when she saw Nicole's expression. It was not the reaction Linda expected, so she was a little disappointed.

"It seems like you're not interested in him. It's different from what he told me. If you won't be with him, will you still give up Michael's custody?"

Nicole finally understood that Linda wanted Michael's custody.

Nicole frowned, and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Linda, if you have something to say, just say it straight. I have nothing to do with Mr. Ferguson, so please don't speculate."

Linda chuckled, pondered for a few seconds, and spoke slowly.

"Clayton didn't agree with me taking custody of Michael before, and Michael listened to him, so Michael always ignored me. But he's my nephew after all, so how can I leave him alone? My elder sister died early and left him when he was just a baby. As his aunt, I have the duty to take care of him on behalf of my elder sister. Since Clayton is dead and you have your own child, you probably won't put too much effort into a child who's not your blood. So you should give me his custody, and I'll raise him well"

Nicole laughed and looked at Linda like she was being ridiculous.

'There's no way I'll hand him over to you. Michael is following the best path that Clayton has planned for him, so he'll be much better off than if he's under your care."

Linda sneered.

'The best path? It's nothing more than studying hard in school like everyone else. So what? A student with excellent grades will be just a mediocre corporate slave when he grows up. If he's under my care, it'll be different. I can give him the best of everything, and he can get whatever he wants. In the future, he'll be better than his friends and

classmates, and his life will be smooth sailing. Also, wealth is the best asset that anyone can have. It's useless no matter how many books you read. You're a capitalist too, so

don't you understand this truth? Or do you deliberately want Michael to stay away from the business world and raise him into an ordinary person who only knows work and study?" Linda accused Nicole and said what was in her heart bluntly.

Nicole lowered her eyes. The light from the window fell on her fair face, which made her look fragile yet tough. She just felt heartbroken for Michael.

Chapter 2253 Lost Something

Linda belittled the future that Clayton had thoughtfully planned for Michael as if it was worthless.

However, Clayton could not even defend himself.

It seemed as if all the sewage in the world was poured on Clayton.

This made Nicole feel uncomfortable.

Nicole raised her eyes slowly. Her gaze was stern and cold.

"Linda, you haven't raised Michael for a day, so you have no right to comment on how Clayton raised him. You know very well what kind of people are around you. If Michael is under your care, do you think he'll come out clean in the future?"

Linda was slightly startled by Nicole's attitude because she did not expect this seemingly weak woman to have such a tough side.

She did not mind Nicole's evaluation of her and was even proud of it.

"Since you know my network, you should know that Michael can get things that others can't even dream of if he comes with me. I have inexhaustible money and power, so much so that it'll even exceed your imagination.

Compared to you all working hard in business, my life is considered perfect. If it wasn't for that conservative Clayton who insisted on raising Michael, Michael would've been a little prince that everyone envies now!"

Linda stretched out her hand and made a gesture. Her eyes were curved upward into a beautiful arc.

Nicole chuckled lightly.

'That's what you think. If Michael followed your path, he would be ridiculed and looked down upon his whole life."

Nicole leaned back on the sofa and folded her arms nonchalantly as she looked at Linda contemptuously.

She ignored Linda's angry face and continued in a gentle voice, "Of course, it's your ability that you have your current achievements. For a woman, it is indeed enviable. But it's not for Michael. He has to be independent, and what we can do for him is to give him a plan and purpose. Whether he can achieve it depends on his own efforts. Wealth and power do not conflict with the path he's taking now, and he'll get both eventually. I know that you're concerned for Michael because you're his aunt, but if you're going to interfere with Clayton's plan for Michael, I'll have no choice but to bring him back to Mediania." Linda's face changed slightly.

"You..."

Seeing Nicole's calm smile, Linda gritted her teeth.

"I didn't expect Clayton to have a wife that's just as difficult to deal with. I thought all stepmothers don't want their stepchildren to do well?"

Nicole hooked her lips and smiled slightly.

"So, you know that what you're doing isn't good for Michael?"

Linda was speechless.

Nicole smiled and said, "It doesn't matter if I'm his stepmother. Michael and I are a family. We trust and rely on each other. I can tolerate you visiting him because you're his aunt, but don't even think about scheming against him. You need to know that Michael still listens to me."

Linda's face froze. She stood up angrily and was about to leave.

However, she stopped halfway and turned to look at Nicole.

"Although I'm pissed, I won't argue with you since you've taken care of him. If you ever need my help over here, you can come to me Of course, Linda was hinting that there would be a price to pay.Nicole paused and turned her head away. "Butler, please send her off."

"Yes, Miss."

Linda gave Nicole a meaningful look before she turned around and left.

Nicole sat there and looked out the window.

It was already afternoon, but the sky was still bright.

There had been a thin layer of clouds since this morning.

Not long after, Logan came back.

He looked worn out like he had left the house early in the morning.

"Ms. Stanton, I've talked to Michael's bodyguard and nanny. They said that Michael's aunt tried to approach him many times, but he avoided her.

There were also a few times when she planned to take him away forcefully, but the bodyguard got rid of them. Should we send more bodyguards to him?"

Nicole paused and frowned slightly. "I thought she wanted to do something when she came here today, but what happened was a bit unexpected. She didn't seem too determined to take Michael away, nor was she too persistent."

Logan was stunned for a few seconds and suddenly thought of something.

"Oh, by the way, I heard that she's pregnant, but it's only been two months. Since she has her own child, she won't force Michael anymore."

Nicole nodded knowingly.

If this was the reason, then it would make sense.

Nicole was relieved.

"We should still get more bodyguards for Michael. I don't know if she'll take the opportunity to do something when we leave, soit's better to be prepared." Logan nodded.

The next second, he suddenly thought of something.

"Ms. Stanton, I met someone outside just now and found out where Roland went earty in the morning of the day before yesterday."

Nicole was stunned. Logan quickly said, "He went to the hotel suite that Mr. Sloan booked out all-year-round to look for something, but that thing is gone..."

Before Nicole could react, Roland showed up at the door.

"Logan, I didn't lose that thing. Don't talk nonsense."

Logan was caught talking about Roland behind his back, but he was not embarrassed. He just smiled and stood behind Nicole.

Nicole rolled her eyes speechlessly.

Logan's action implied that Nicole had asked him to inquire about Roland.

How brainless!

Luckily, Roland was not offended. He sighed and explained, "Ms. Stanton, there's a hard drive that contained some of Mr. Sloan's important secrets which we may need for the transfer procedures. But that day someone from the hotel called me all of a sudden, saying that Mr. Sloan's safe had been tampered with. I was startled and ran over to check it out, but the hard drive inside was gone." The hard drive inside was missing.

Nicole frowned. "Did you find anything unusual in the surveillance footage?"

Roland touched his head and was a little confused.

"No. There's no trace of theft either. There are still a lot of jewelry and gold bars in the safe that no one has touched. Now I wonder if the hard drive was in the safe. Could it be that I was mistaken?"

If there was nothing unusual, then Roland could only blame himself for remembering wrongly.

Roland looked hesitant. "Or perhaps Mr. Sloan put the hard drive in other places that I wasn't aware of. After all, if this was theft, why would they leave the gold bars and jewelry and take a heavily encrypted hard drive?"

Logan also nodded in deep thought.

"Maybe you remembered it wrong. Will that hard drive expose anything?"

Roland pursed his lips. "Even if it's missing, the other party won't be able to break through the firewall. It doesn't matter even if they got lucky and decrypted it. There's no important secret in the hard drive, but more of Mr. Sloan's investment domain and his network from back then. It won't create a scandal."

Chapter 2254 Someone Escaped

Nicole nodded, "Forget it. Since it's gone, don't waste time looking for it. Pack up your things. We're leaving tomorrow."

Roland and Logan nodded.

Nicole heard Chatty far away shouting Fischer's name.

Chatty's clear baby voice was very recognizable. It looked like she came back from shopping with Kai.

The servants carried shopping bags of various sizes from the car. Roland was slightly stunned.

"So many presents?"

Logan was already used to it. "It's for the family. The Third Young Master is really generous."

Roland, who had never seen this before, felt that he had learned a lot.

Roland only saw so many gifts when he was tasked to prepare New Year's gifts for Clayton's business partners and family.

Kai came in with a smile. His smooth jawline made him look extraordinarily handsome and suave.

"Where's my sister?"

Logan smiled and replied, "Inside."

Kai nodded. He saw that Chatty was running around looking for Fischer and did not forget to tell her to be careful.

Then, he turned around and went to the living room inside.

Nicole sat there leisurely, drinking coffee. The rich aroma of coffee filled the air, which gave off a relaxing vibe that afternoon.

She crossed her legs on the sofa and covered herself with a blanket. When she saw Kai walking in, she smiled absent-mindedly and asked, 'Third Brother, you guys shopped until now?"

Kai clicked his tongue. "Chatty is really like you... She has so many opinions when we shop. When I wanted to buy everything in the store, she said I have no taste and even looked down on my choices. She has the same stupid habits as you!"

Nicole lifted her chin and said with a smile, 'That's called being particular. Of course my daughter is like me."

The butler came in with a cup of coffee. Kai took it with a smile and chatted with Nicole for a while.

Seeing that Logan and Roland brought Chatty upstairs, Kai sat back and looked at Nicole solemnly.

"I met someone."

Nicole blinked. She did not understand why Kai was so serious all of a sudden.

"It's Yasmin, or Angie. Eric's ex-wife?"

Nicole's smile froze for a moment before it subsided.

"Yasmin?"

Kai nodded, took a sip of coffee, and put it on the table.

"She probably snuck out by herself. For some reason, she hid in my car, but I didn't let her go. I don't know why she's here. Does Eric know about it?"

Nicole took a deep breath. Her face was serious and glum. However, she felt that it was weird.

If this was the case, then they would have a breakthrough in finding Sebastian.

This was simply a good opportunity presented to them.

"She has nothing to do with Eric. She's not Angie. She's a test subject..." Nicole paused.

'Test subject?"

Kai was in disbelief.

Nicole nodded. She did not want to tell Kai about what she saw before because she was not interested in the project and felt disgusted by it.

However, she could not hide it from Kai anymore now that they reached this point.

Thus, Nicole told him everything in detail. Kai's complexion changed. It was complex and gloomy.

"What the hell..."

Kai could not find a suitable adjective to express his mood.

If Sebastian could really bring the dead back to life, it could really change the world. It was difficult to criticize the progress of science and technology. However, he could not bring himself to praise Sebastian either.

Thus, Kai stayed out of it and did not know what evaluation was appropriate.

Kai frowned. "I even thought of sending her to Eric just to annoy him. I guess all that thought was for nothing."

The corner of Nicole's mouth twitched. "Leave her to me. It looks like we won't be able to leave tomorrow."

Now that Nicole had the opportunity to go back onto the cruise ship, she did not want to give up like that. What if it was too late?

No matter how hard Nicole tried to persuade herself to ignore Jeff, she could not stop thinking about his figure in the wheelchair. Even if he was an insignificant person, she wanted to try her best to save him.

Kai raised his eyebrows and looked at her.

"Of course. Just do as you please. I kept

locked up in a hote downtown."

After that, Kai stood up.

Nicole pursed her lips, put on her shoes, and walked out with her phone.

'Third Brother, I'll leave the kids to you. I need to go out for a bit."

She found Leighton's business card that Camille gave her.

Before this, she did not look at it carefully.

There was no company title on Leighton's business card. Only his name and contact information was provided. It was simple and elegant.

Luca watched Nicole walk out and opened the car door for her without hesitation.

"Miss, where are you going?"

Nicole told him the address of the hotel and got into the car.

Someone answered the call as soon as she dialed the number.

"Hello."

"I'm Nicole."

"Ms. Stanton?" Leighton's voice was hoarse.

Nicole sighed. 'Yasmin escaped. She's now in a hotel downtown. She must know more about the project than I do, so if you're interested, do you want to come along to talk to her?" "Of course. We'll meet you there."

Although they had already left a while ago, they would rush over for such an important matter no matter how far away they were.

After they hung up the phone, Leighton told Camille about it.

Camille was overjoyed.

"I'll contact the company to get the hospital's laboratory ready. That way, we can see how far Sebastian has gone in his experiment." Leighton nodded thoughtfully.

They arrived quickly and got there before Nicole's car arrived.

However, they did not dare to act rashly because they were afraid that they would alarm Yasmin by going up first.

When Camille saw Nicole getting out of the car, she stepped forward excitedly.

"Ms. Stanton, thank you so much. We didn't expect such a big surprise."

Leighton frowned slightly and asked, "Ms. Stanton, did you suddenly change your mind?"

Nicole knew that Leighton had misunderstood, but she was not angry. Instead, she explained with a faint smile.

'Yasmin hid in my brother's car. I didn't know about it until he came back. I also hope you guys can find Sebastian because I have a very important friend with him. I'm afraid something would happen to him..." Camille immediately understood. She sighed and went over to hold Nicole's hand.

"Don't worry, Ms. Stanton. We'll do our best."

Nicole nodded.

Everyone went in straight.

Kai had always been meticulous in doing things, and he would not lie to Nicole.

He told her that he had people watching Yasmin and booked out the entire floor. There was also a line of bodyguards standing at the door of the room. Unless Yasmin jumped out from the window of the 70th floor, she would not be able to leave the place.

The person standing closest to the door was Kai's bodyguard, who recognized Nicole and nodded immediately.

"Good day, Ms. Stanton."

Nicole walked over with a smile. "Is she inside?"

The bodyguard nodded.

Nicole looked at Camille, approached the door, and knocked on it.

They could hear footsteps inside. Soon after, someone came to open the door.

Chapter 2255 He Lied to Me

Yasmin stood there with red-rimmed eyes. She looked so pitiful, which made her seem even weaker and paler than before. It might also be because of fear.

When Yasmin saw Nicole, she took a few seconds to think before she recalled who Nicole was.

"Ms. Stanton?"

Nicole nodded. "If you don't mind, can I go in? I brought two friends with me."

She was polite, but it was completely unnecessary.

However, she pitied Yasmin, so she showed her some respect.

Yasmin nodded and stepped aside to open the door.

Camille was a woman, so Yasmin accepted her.

However, Leighton was tall and big, and he gave off an oppressive vibe.

Yasmin did not want him to come in, but when she saw that Nicole had already sat inside, she did not say anything. She closed the door.

There were only four of them in the room.

Camille looked at Yasmin and seemed to be in deep thought.

Nicole smiled at Yasmin and said softly, "Yasmin, why did you run out of the cruise ship? I couldn't believe it when my brother told me."

"He's your brother? He looked like a movie star that I saw on TV. But he was a bit fierce and wouldn't let me go."

Yasmin said with a dumbfounded face.

Nicole lowered her eyes slightly and explained with a smile, "I'll apologize to you on his behalf. He didn't have any bad intentions. He just recognized the wrong person." Camille coughed from the side, looked at Nicole, and seemed a little anxious.

Nicole smiled in understanding.

"Yasmin, there must be a reason why you ran out and didn't want Mr. Shaw to find you, right? Perhaps I can help if you tell me the reason."

Nicole looked at Yasmin. Although Yasmin was very protective of Sebastian when they were on the cruise, Nicole could see Yasmin's dilemma and bewilderment.

Yasmin lowered her eyes slightly and clutched her clothes tightly with both hands.

"I don't need anyone's help. I just want to come ashore to check it out. I've come back to life, but he won't let me out and wants me to stay at sea. But I want to live a normal life." Camille could not help but interrupt her.

"A normal life? Don't you feel that your bodily functions are deteriorating? Your organs weren't seriously damaged in the first place, so if you received timely treatment from the hospital, you would have a high chance of returning to normal. But Sebastian replaced all your organs. Based on the results of his experiments, your body would have already rejected the replaced organs. It won't be long before all your organ functions decline and you meet your demise."

Yasmin's face turned pale. Even the corners of her mouth were white.

Leighton looked at Nicole. 'You feel lethargic and constantly thirsty, right? Do you also have unbearable pain out of the blue?"

Yasmin was stunned and felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

A bit of panic flashed across her face. She quickly explained, "No, no. Mr. Shaw said that it was a normal reaction. As long as I take the medicine on time, I'll gradually get better. I've been taking the medicine every day."

Camille looked at her sympathetically.

'Those drugs are just painkillers. No drugs can solve the pain of incompatibility between the body and gene-edited organs."

Yasmin's breathing became more rapid.

Her complexion was so pale that she looked blue as if she could faint at any moment.

Nicole pursed her lips. "Yasmin, I know that you're very grateful to Mr. Shaw and trust him. But he used you as a human test subject because someone happened to steal your identity, so your life became irrelevant. Sebastian stole this experiment from them, and the only people who can save you now are these two people in front of you. They are the founders of this experiment. I believe it'll do your body good if you cooperate with them."

Nicole could not lie that nothing would happen to Yasmin because she felt uncomfortable lying to someone who was dying. Yasmin sat there sluggishly. She looked like a puppet, dull and in despair. "He really lied to me."

She slowly clutched her chest. Her voice was so soft that they could barely hear her.

"I could feel my heart beating differently, but he told me to endure it."

Her tears fell. In the next second, she stretched out her hand and pulled her hair. It was a wig, which she threw to the ground.

The two women looked at her in shock and pitied Yasmin.

The bald woman did not want to hide it anymore. She was not a fool who blindly believed in others.

Sebastian treated her well, but only as his experimental product because she was useful to him.

He was just like her family back then. When Yasmin dropped out of school and earned money to pay for her elder brother's tuition, her elder brother kept saying that he would repay her. However, when her elder brother got married, Yasmin was kicked to the curb. Her brother even asked her sister-in-law to trick her into the wilderness to get raped.

Yasmin experienced it once and learned her lesson.

However, she was in a foreign country and did not know anything or anyone.

Camille sighed, grabbed Yasmin's hand, and said gently, "Come with US. If possible, we're willing to do our best to help you. Our company created this project, so no one understands the theory behind this better than we do. Your body is already exhausted, and without our help, you'll die soon. The organs inside your body aren't yours, so they won't be able to protect you. I hope that you can cooperate with US. Sebastian stole our results. If we can't find him, he'll deceive more people like you to conduct experiments. More people will be deceived. Yasmin, we don't have the power to publicize this project, so we must stop it. Otherwise, it'll be a huge problem."

Sebastian was ambitious.

He was looking for the rich elites.

If any one of these people had an accident, it would not simply be a matter of losing money to settle the situation. It might even involve disputes between countries, and it would be detrimental to their company. Thus, they must stop Sebastian immediately.

Camille looked at Yasmin nervously.

Yasmin was silent for a few seconds. Her eyes flickered slightly as she was nervous and deliberating her options.

"But... He saved me. His project was a success. Would it do him harm if I betray him?"

Nicole pursed her lips, reached out, and pressed on Yasmin's shoulder.

"Yasmin, he didn't help you. He helped himself. He used you to attract a large capital. In fact, you're of no use to him now, so that's why he hasn't looked for you. You can no longer go back on the cruise."

Chapter 2256 Can Cooperate

Yasmin's expression changed, and she suddenly looked at Nicole.

Nicole's voice was gentle and calm.

"Even if you don't run away, he'll find a way to get rid of you. It's to his liking that you ran away because he knows that your days are numbered, and you don't know anyone abroad. That's why he's not worried about you running around and causing trouble. Yasmin, he won't be grateful to you for worrying about him. Moreover, you can't delay treatment any longer. This couple is the initiator of this project, so only they can help you."

Yasmin gritted her teeth nervously.

Leighton paused and looked at her with dark and deep eyes.

"Yasmin, you have the right to refuse US. Why don't you contact Sebastian now? If he's willing to send someone to pick you up, we won't force you to stay. Then you can pretend that we haven't said anything. His voice was deep and clear.

Yasmin's expression changed slightly. She suddenly thought of something and stood up to go to the bedside table. Then, she took out an old mobile phone. Camille was anxious and was about to stand up when Leighton pulled her back, signaling for her not to worry.

Thus, she sat back down.

They all watched as Yasmin dialed a number.

Nicole pursed her lips and thought, 'I thought there was no signal at the bottom of the sea? Or was the signal blocked to outsiders when we visited?

The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up.

"Mr. Shaw, it's me, Yasmin."

Sebastian's voice came through the phone.

"Oh, Yasmin! Where have you been? Why didn't I see you at the celebratory banquet just now?"

Yasmin looked slightly startled.

"I went ashore with the cruise ship, and I'm in a hotel now. Can you pick me up?"

She glanced nervously in Nicole and Leighton's direction.

Sebastian was silent for more than ten seconds over the phone. He seemed to have gone to a quieter place.

"You went ashore?"

His voice was gruff and displeased.

Yasmin felt guilty as if she had done something wrong.

"Well, I just wanted to come up and take a look. Mr. Shaw, you said that you'll let me out after you get the investment. Can you send someone to pick me up?" She looked apprehensive.

Soon, Sebastian sighed and said, "Yasmin, you ran away without telling me. What should I do? You can come back if you want but now isn't the right time. The cruise ship docked on the shore, and the captain already left. How about this? You can find a place to live first. I'll come to get you after a while. Remember to take your medicine on time. By the way, your illness can't be cured by ordinary hospitals, so you shouldn't go to the hospital. If you don't feel well, just take some painkillers and sleeping pills. The pain will pass if you bear with it. Just wait for me to come to you. I still have some important things to do here. Since you're outside, you should travel and have fun!"

After he finished speaking, Sebastian hung up the phone.

Yasmin stood there with a pale face. She could not hold on any longer and looked like she would collapse at any moment. The phone screen went dark.

Leighton stood up and looked at her with a deep gaze.

"Yasmin, you should already know that you've been abandoned. There's nothing we can do if you don't believe US. But if you're willing to cooperate with us, we'll do our best to help you. If you don't want to, you can wait here for Sebastian to come."

Of course, that was if Sebastian would come. However, Sebastian's hint was obvious enough. With that said, Leighton glanced at Camille and said, "Let's go." Camille was stunned for a moment. She was unwilling to leave, but she did not persist after she saw Leighton's gaze. She looked at Nicole and pursed her lips.

"Ms. Stanton, thanks for your help. Since Yasmin doesn't want our help, we shouldn't force her. Shall we go back?"

Nicole nodded and stood up.

'Yasmin, I'll tell everyone outside to leave. If you want to stay in this hotel, I'll extend the room for three months. After three months, you'll have to figure out where you're going by yourself." After all, Yasmin probably had about three months left.

Nicole glanced at her, nodded lightly, and turned to walk out. Before the three of them reached the door, Yasmin suddenly called out to them.

'Wait a moment!"

Camille turned her head abruptly.

Yasmin looked at them. "I want to live! If you'll save me, I'll help you."

Camille smiled.

"Good."

Nicole looked back at her. Yasmin's timidity was replaced by disappointment and panic.

Yasmin was like a drifter floating at sea who would perish at any moment. She would hold onto anything tightly if it could keep her afloat. Leighton looked at Nicole and pursed his lips.

"Ms. Stanton, we'll take her away."

Nicole nodded and looked at Yasmin.

"I want to know the specific location of the laboratory. Is there a fixed time for the cruise ship to go there?" Yasmin paused and shook her head.

"The cruise ship will only go there if Mr. Shaw allows it. Only that cruise ship has a positioning device that can automatically connect to the underwater laboratory, otherwise, no one will be able to find it." "How frequently does Sebastian let the cruise ship go there? It's such a large laboratory, so they would need food and water supplies." Camille asked.

Yasmin pondered for a few seconds. "From what I can recall, it's about once a week. I didn't pay attention to the schedule, because Sebastian usually doesn't let me go on the cruise."

Camille nodded, looked at Leighton, and said, "Why don't we get our people to stand guard at the pier so we'll know if they pass by?"

Leighton nodded. "Yes, but it'll be too late. I think Ms. Stanton can't wait."

He looked at Nicole.

Nicole's gaze changed slightly. She nodded and said frankly, "I have a friend there. I'm afraid that he'll be deceived by Sebastian, so I can't wait that long."

Yasmin lowered her head to ponder and suddenly looked up at them.

"If your friend is undergoing surgery, they'll need about a week for the vitals to stabilize. That's what I heard from the doctor. Mr. Shaw didn't like that it was taking too long and wanted to shorten the time, but the doctor refused. If Mr. Shaw found an investor, that investor could enter and exit at will without limits."

Nicole's eyes flickered slightly. She looked disappointed. It was a pity that she gave up on the project because it was so difficult to get in again.

The most determined investor Sebastian had was George Quay, the rich man with heart disease.

However, Nicole did not know George well, and she did not have any business dealings with him. This was a difficult situation.

Chapter 2257 Pleading Attitude

There were a few seconds of silence.

Nicole pursed her lips and said to Camille and Leighton, "How about this? I'll go back and contact a few people to see if there's a way to go on the cruise. You two can take Yasmin back first. Her health is important."

Leighton nodded.

Nicole looked at Yasmin and smiled. "Thanks for telling me, Yasmin. Goodbye."

Then, Nicole left.Camille walked to Yasmin's side and picked up the wig Yasmin had thrown aside.

"Yasmin, do you want to come with me?" Yasmin nodded.

Nicole went out and looked at Kai's bodyguards outside. "You don't need to stay here anymore. You can go back now."

"Yes, Miss."

When she got downstairs, Luca opened the car door for her.

'Where are we going?"

"Let's look for Eric Ferguson."

Nicole spoke calmly and could not help but rub her forehead. She did not even know how to ask Eric for help.

Nicole did not usually beg for help from others, but this was inevitable in the business world at times.

However, Nicole did not want to have any more contact with Eric.

In the end, she still had to go to Eric because she suddenly remembered something.

Before the divorce, Nicole did not know anything about Eric's itinerary.

If she wanted to know, she had to leam from the people around Eric, which was Mitchell and the Ferguson family.

When Nicole wanted to ask Eric if would come home for dinner and called the Ferguson Villa, Ingrid would usually pick up.

Ingrid said, "My brother is having dinner with George Quay, the richest man in Liberty, so he doesn't have time for you. Keep the garbage you made for yourself." George Quay, the richest man in Liberty. He was the man on the cruise ship who had heart disease.

If Nicole remembered correctly, it meant that Eric had a private connection with George.

If Nicole contacted Grant now to find a way to contact George, she was afraid it would take a while, and the matter would not go smoothly.

It would be more convenient to go straight to Eric, but would he help her? Nicole looked out of the window anxiously.

When they arrived at the hotel that Eric was staying in, Nicole looked up, took a deep breath, and walked in.

The lobby of the hotel was magnificent and extravagant. The decor was expensive, and this was not a place that ordinary people could afford.

If she remembered correctly, this hotel belonged to Eric. She was just about to go to the reception when a little boy ran in from the entrance with a look of surprise.

"Auntie?"

Nicole turned her head and saw that it was Chance. He still had a hamburger in his hand and had eaten half of it. When he ran in, he even dropped a few pieces of lettuce. However, no one dared to scold Chance for his faux pas. Some people were waiting to go over and clean up his mess.

'Why are you here?" Nicole asked him.

Chance smiled and put away the burger in embarrassment.

"I was hungry, and Daddy was in a meeting, so no one dared to bring food in. That's why I ran out by myself."

Nicole was taken aback. "Are you still hungry?"

Eric took Chance in, but he did not care much about Chance.

Eric was a workaholic who would forget to eat and sleep when he was busy. Thus, he did not let anyone deliver meals to him. He also forgot that Chance also had to eat. Without Eric's order, the hotel staff would not dare to go in, and they would not take the initiative to please a child that Eric did not like.

Moreover, there was no need for that.

In the past, Nicole might just scold Eric and forget about it. She would not meddle in his business.

However, since Nicole had a child of her own, she had extra empathy for children of this age.

She suddenly felt a little heartbroken when she saw that Chance had to live in caution at such a young age because of his father.

Nicole patted his head. "If you're interested, you can go to Auntie's house and play with Chatty and Fischer. But you can only come alone!" Chance's eyes lit up, and there was a bit of surprise in his beautiful eyes.

He nodded heavily. "Ok."

Just as Nicole was about to say something, she heard heavy footsteps from behind.

"Mr. Ferguson..."

The staff at the side quickly looked behind Nicole respectfully.

Then, the footsteps approached.

"Nicole, is that you?"

Eric could not hide the joy in his voice.

Chance stood there timidly and hid the burger behind his back as he greeted Eric. "Hi, Daddy."

Eric ignored Chance and walked over to Nicole. He was pleasantly surprised.

"Why did you come here?"

Nicole pursed her lips. "I thought you went back to Mediania."

"I found out that you canceled your ticket, so I canceled mine too. I'll leave whenever you leave."

Eric stated his purpose frankly.

Nicole's heart felt heavy as if it was being compressed.

Nicole calmed herself down and pretended that nothing had happened, then turned to look at him.

"I have a favor I'd like to ask from you."

"Of course, I'll do anything for you."

It was rare for Eric's stern face to look joyful and amicable.

Nicole lowered her eyes.

Eric glanced outside. "If you haven't eaten yet, shall we have dinner together?"

Of course, he would not miss such a good opportunity.

Nicole frowned. Although she did not want to eat, she knew she could not reject him.

Otherwise, it would just be counterproductive. She glanced at Chance and nodded. "Okay. Let's all go together."

Chance glanced at her happily, but he was soon met by Eric's disappointed gaze.

Eric noticed Nicole's gaze and frowned at Chance, especially when he saw the hamburger that Chance hid behind his back. His face suddenly turned cold.

'Who allowed you to eat this garbage?"

Chance hid the burger behind his back and lowered his head as if he had done something wrong. He was flustered.

His innocent face was full of panic, and his eyes were slightly red. His fair and tender face was anxious and remorseful as if he had really done something terribly wrong.

Chance was too hungry earlier, so he went to ask the driver for something to eat. This was the only thing that he could eat immediately. The last time, Eric was obviously very happy when they ate hamburgers with Nicole and Chatty.

Why did Eric blame him for eating this "garbage" all of a sudden?

Seeing that Chance was about to cry, Eric impatiently scolded him.

'That's enough. Since you like to eat junk food, you don't need to eat dinner. Go back to your room and reflect on your behavior."

Chance looked up at Eric with grievance, and the tears in his eyes soon overflowed.

Nicole's heart tightened. She had her own child, so she could not stand seeing others treat children like this.

Eric obviously had not changed one bit. He did not participate in Chance's growth, so he did not have much affection for him.

However, Nicole had no right to accuse Eric because she needed his help. She could not pick on his faults before she asked for help.

Chapter 2258 Junk Food

Nicole pursed her lips and coughed.

"Chance, it's been a long time since we met. Why don't we go together? I heard that the restaurant in this hotel is great, and the children will like it. Will you help me taste the kid's menu so I can take it back Chatty later?"

Chance's eyes flickered as he looked at Eric timidly.He did not dare to speak, let alone promise Nicole anything.

Of course, Chance was willing to join Nicole for dinner and taste the menu for Chatty, but he was afraid of Eric.

Eric glanced at Nicole with complicated eyes. Although he was very reluctant, he still allowed it. "Nevermind. I'll let it go this time. If you eat junk food again, you won't have to eat for the day."

Chance nodded timidly.

Eric looked at Nicole with a relaxed expression.

"Let's go."

Nicole reached out and took Chance's little hand.

Chance's wrinkled and pitiful little face gradually softened. He raised his head and smiled at Nicole from the bottom of his heart. He was thankful to Nicole.

Just as Eric was about to follow them into the elevator, he suddenly saw his driver at the door, hesitating to speak.

Eric thought something was wrong, so he looked at Nicole and said, "You two can go up first. I've already reserved the table and will join you later."

Nicole let out a sigh of relief because she did not have to share an elevator with him.

Eric walked over. "Do you have something to say?"

The driver nodded and rubbed his hands.

"Mr. Ferguson, I want to ask if Young Master Chance got a stomachache..."

Eric frowned and looked at him silently.

Without Eric asking any more questions, the driver told him the whole story.

'Young Master Chance hasn't eaten for a whole day and couldn't withstand the hunger. Initially, I bought two hamburgers for myself, but he told me that he was starving, so I gave him one of the burgers. Now that I think about it, I wasn't thoughtful enough. How could I let Young Master Chance eat that kind of fast food? I was afraid that the hygiene of the fast food chain wasn't up to standard, and Young Master Chance would get a stomachache, so I was a little worried..."

Eric looked at the driver with dark eyes and mixed feelings.

All of a sudden, his gaze became complicated.

Just now, Chance looked like he was about to cry, and he seemed to be condemning Eric's irresponsibility as a parent.

The child had not eaten all day, so of course he would be hungry.

Eric was not even aware.

It was common for Eric not to eat, but he forgot to ask someone to bring food to Chance.

Damn it!

His face turned glum, and the driver was still wondering if he had done something wrong.

"Mr. Ferguson, I'm sorry. I won't do it again..."

The driver thought he had made a mistake by feeding someone like Chance fast food.

Eric would skin him alive.

Less than three seconds passed.

Eric glanced at him with a dark face. "Never mind."

The driver breathed a sigh of relief, and his face relaxed.

Eric's voice was deep as he said, "When we get back to Mediania, you can go to Mitchell and ask him to increase your salary by 20%."

The driver was stunned for a moment. He was so shocked that he did not react.

Eric had already turned around and walked into the elevator.

The driver got such a big surprise that he did not know how to react for a while.

When Nicole and Chance went upstairs, the hotel staff did not recognize Nicole, but they knew who Chance was.

The waiter came up immediately.

"Is it Mr. Ferguson's reservation? This way please..."

Nicole nodded and went over to sit with Chance.

Chance sat beside her with a smile.

After all the waiters had gone out. Chance leaned over and said cautiously, "Auntie, I like you very much."

Nicole raised her eyebrows slightly and smiled.

"Oh? Thanks for liking me."

She also liked such a cute and straightforward child.

Chance looked at her with clear eyes.

"Daddy likes you too, but you don't like Daddy, right?"

Nicole raised her eyebrows and thought, 'Was it so obvious? Even a child can see it, but Eric still doesn't understand!'

Chance pursed his lips, lowered his head, and said, "Although I really want you to be my mommy and Chatty to be my sister, I know you don't like Daddy. Daddy has a bad temper too. I'm afraid he'll scold you and Chatty, then you'll be as scared as me. Nevermind... I don't want you guys to be like me..."

He did not want Chatty to be starved or walk on eggshells around Eric. It would be too cruel.

After listening to his words, Nicole suddenly felt bitterness in her heart for some reason.

Chance was only a few months older than Fischer, but he was already so mature to be considerate of others. He suppressed his own thoughts and wanted others to be happy.

Many adults could not achieve this. However, as Eric's son, Chance already learned how to read people's expressions. He was so sensible and pitiful.

Although Fischer was sent to the Stanton Mansion, he did not suffer one bit or feel aggrieved for living under someone's roof. Instead, Fischer made himself at home and loved the Stanton family.

Fischer played with Chatty all day long and had anything he wanted in the Stanton Mansion.

On the contrary, Chance had to learn to read expressions and live cautiously in his own home. How pitiful!

Nicole reached out and touched Chance's head with distress.

"Chance, if you think it's not good for your father to lose his temper or that he pays too little attention to you, you shouldn't just stay silent and put up with it. You have to tell him frankly."

"I know that Daddy doesn't like my mommy. Daddy was the happiest when he found out Mommy died. Mommy gave birth to me, so Daddy doesn't like me either."

When Chance said this, he lowered his head, and his voice was very soft.

That was his inner feelings.

To Chance, outsiders, and Eric, Chance was redundant.

His existence in Eric's world was redundant, and he was a stain and a burden to Eric.

Chance felt so redundant that he had to be cautious.

Having a blood relationship did not guarantee a bond between family members.

It was just Eric's obligation to take care of him.

Chance was well aware.

Nicole was shocked. She squinted her eyes.

She did not know who said these words to Chance before, but it was obvious that Eric and the people around Eric had shown their indifference and disgust toward Chance.

That was why the child had this thought.

Chance was a tool that Angie used to tie Eric down, but he was just a child.

What did he do wrong?

Nicole touched his head and sighed.

"Chance, don't think this way. Your father may like you more than you think. If he doesn't care about you, he wouldn't let you into his house. Maybe he's just careless. He doesn't mean to make life difficult for you. You see, he's being a father for the first time, so he has no experience. If you don't communicate with him, he won't know what you're thinking. Maybe he'll change if you tell him how you feel."

Chance looked up at her in a daze. His eyes were dumbfounded and confused.

"Will he?"

Chapter 2259 Refuse to Help

Nicole smiled. "He might. Also, eating too much fast food like hamburgers isn't good for your health because there's no nutritional value. I usually don't let Chatty and Fischer eat hamburgers. Your father had good intentions to stop you from eating these things out of concern for you. Next time, you should tell him that you're hungry so he'll know!"

She felt sorry for Chance..

Eric was not a great father, but he was not horrible.

At least, Eric did not leave Chance to fend for himself in this world.

Eric allowed Chance to appear in the eyes of the public with dignity and announced Chance's identity. This meant no one could replace Chance's status. However, some short-sighted people only looked at Eric's attitude and treated Chance badly, so it more or less made Chance feel uncomfortable.

Not everyone was as obsessed with being a father as Clayton was or enjoyed it.

At that thought, Nicole fell silent for a moment.

Clayton took care of Chatty in every possible way and even knew what Chatty was feeling.

When Chatty was still babbling nonsense, Clayton keenly knew what she wanted to express.

This used to shock Nicole.

That was why Chatty had never experienced anything negative from the family and society.

Suddenly, a hunched figure appeared in Nicole's mind.

The way the man left with a cane, and the back view of him facing the sea while sitting in a wheelchair seemed to leave an impression in her mind. Nicole could not ignore it.

At some point, Eric walked over.

Their table was near the window, and the outside was covered by a divider, forming a semi-open space.

The people sitting down could clearly see the people coming in from the outside.

Nicole was so immersed in her own thoughts that she did not notice Eric was already in front of her.

Eric curled his fingers and tapped on the table.

"Have you ordered?"

Nicole paused before she replied, "No."

Eric pursed his lips and made himself comfortable. He glanced at Chance, who was sitting there obediently, with complicated eyes.

"Let's try the chefs specialties."

He beckoned for the waiter.

Not long after, the waiter came over with a children's meal and put it in front of Chance.

Chance looked at Eric opposite him in bewilderment.

Eric pursed his lips. His eyes darkened.

"Weren't you hungry? Eat it."

Chance was shocked. He blinked his eyes and looked at Nicole again. He gritted his teeth. His eyes were watery and aggrieved, but he soon looked up and smiled. "Thank you, Daddy."

Eric snorted expressionlessly. He pursed his lips and looked at Chance with a serious face.

"In the future, you can go upstairs to the restaurant when you're hungry. You don't have to wait for someone to deliver meals to your room. You're no longer three years old, so why are you waiting for someone to feed you?" Seeing that the relaxed atmosphere turned tense again, Nicole was shocked.

She was helpless and speechless.

Chance nodded silently.

Nicole coughed and took a deep breath.

"Mr. Ferguson, I came here today to ask for your help."

Eric glanced at her with dark eyes as if he was restraining some complicated emotions.

"You know that I won't refuse any of your requests."

Nicole said, "I know that you're acquainted with George. If possible, can you introduce me?"

Eric stared at her blankly and frowned slightly.

'Why? Do you need something from him?"

Nicole fell silent. She did not want to tell him.

Eric lowered his eyes slightly. "If you don't tell me, I won't help you because I can't be sure if it'll bring you danger. Nicole, you know that I only wish the best for you."

They should have plenty of opportunities to sit together peacefully to eat and chat like today.

They would eventually become a family.

Nicole rubbed her forehead and glanced out the window.

"I want to look for Sebastian. His experiment results are new and not yet feasible. My friends are the initiators of this project, and they need to stop Sebastian's experiment. But Sebastian refused entry to outsiders, and I can't find his specific location. Only his business partner will know the precise location of the lab. If I remember correctly, George Quay agreed to invest in the project when we were there." After she finished speaking, she looked at Eric's solemn face with indescribable emotions in her eyes.

"Is that all?"

'What else can I say?"

Nicole was puzzled.

Eric pursed his lips. "You also want to save that crippled man, right?"

Nicole's face froze slightly. Her gaze turned cold. She did not know if it was because Eric saw through her motives or because of Eric's rude address to Jeff.

Nicole was disgusted by Eric.

"Shouldn't innocent people be saved?" She asked patiently.

Eric said, 'There are so many innocent people in the world, so why do you want to save him?"

"Among so many innocent people, I only know him, so I thought of helping him casually. Mr. Ferguson, I don't understand why you're so hostile toward a stranger." Nicole looked at him with incomprehension.

Jeff probably did not offend Eric, but Eric kept targeting and looking down on Jeff.

When she said this, Eric was slightly taken aback. He also did not realize why he was so cold to Jeff.

Soon, he came to his senses.

"He doesn't look like a good person. He was the one who was stalking you that day whether you believe it or not. Anyway, I would never trust him."

Nicole sighed.

There was nothing she could do to reverse Eric's impression of Jeff. There was no way she would tell Eric about her attitude toward Jeff because she did not know how to describe that subtle feeling. Was it jus because Jeff had a similar temperament to Clayton?

No one would believe her.

Nicole shrugged. "Well, even if it's not because of him, my friend asked me to help, so I won't turn a blind eye to it. You've seen how cruel Sebastian's experiment is. If we don't stop him, he'll scam more people."

Eric's jaw tightened. His eyes were dark and deep.

For his own sake, he did not want to meddle in other people's business.

At most, he would just tip off the police when he left. Whether the police could take Sebastian down was their business.

However, he would not stay out of it if Nicole wanted to get involved.

'What if I don't introduce you to him?" Eric asked suddenly.

Nicole squinted her eyes and stood up immediately.

Why else would she stay?

How could she pin her hopes on this man?

Nicole felt like she came to the wrong person. She walked out without saying a word.

Eric chased after her in a few steps. He controlled his temper, ignored the gazes from other customers, and lowered his voice, "I just said what if... Why are you leaving?"

Chapter 2260 State a Condition

"Mr. Ferguson, I'd be an idiot if I didn't know how to read cues. Since you're not in the mood to help, then forget it. I won't force you to. Anyway, I don't believe that you're the only one who knows George Quay. Haven't you heard of a theory? Everyone is just six or fewer social connections away from each other."

Nicole looked at Eric nonchalantly and was about to leave after she spoke.

Eric gritted his teeth and sighed.

"I really don't know what to do with you..."

His voice was low, and he sounded helpless.

'You might as well ask me since you'd need to find at least five people to get to George, and he might not meet you either. But if you beg me, I can let you meet him right now."

His voice had a deep pull as if he was drawing a huge net, trying to trap her in it.

Of course, Nicole was not that stupid.

Nicole immediately stopped. She brushed her hair aside and looked at him solemnly.

"I beg you."

In the meantime, she even bowed with a begging attitude.

Eric froze slightly. He looked at her with complicated eyes and felt as if he just punched cotton. His heart felt stuffy. He did not know what else to say.

How could he let go of such a good opportunity?

Eric coughed.

"Okay. Let's go back and eat first. We can talk about this later."

Nicole knew that Eric would not agree so quickly. She pursed her lips and turned around.

It was not that Nicole was afraid of trouble. It was because she did not want to delay this for toa long.

It would be best if she could resolve this today. If it took too long, it would be detrimental to Jeff, who was in the laboratory.

Chance blinked and did not understand what the adults were talking about.

However, it was so rare to see so many complicated expressions on Eric's face.

Thus, he sneaked a few glances.

When Chance saw that Nicole and Eric were coming back again, he quickly lowered his head and continued eating.

The waiter served the food and left.

Eric's complexion improved slightly.

"How are you so sure that you can persuade George to help you? After all, his cancer doesn't have a cure, and Sebastian is his only hope." Seeing that Nicole's complexion was still glum because of what happened just now, he deliberately raised this topic to divert her attention. Sure enough, Nicole paused and nodded.

'That's because Sebastian isn't the initiator of the real project, so he won't be able to save George."

Eric obviously looked tired. He hooked his lips and said, "But your friends can't save George either, right?"

"At least George won't be deceived, right?"

"How do you know if George didn't willingly get deceived? The only person who can deceive him that there is a cure for cancer is Sebastian."

"Mr. Ferguson, do you want to help or not?"

Nicole looked at him, puzzled. Why did he have to go against her again and again?

Eric raised his eyebrows and sighed.

"I'll help you, but I have one condition."

"I knew you wouldn't help for nothing," Nicole murmured in a muffled voice.

Eric squinted his eyes. He did not hear her clearly, but Chance, who was sitting next to her, could hear it clearly.

Chance glanced at Eric and wanted to say something, but he lowered his head again.

Chance thought, 'Forget it. Daddy likes Auntie Nicole so much, but he still didn't agree with her immediately. If I speak up, Daddy won't agree at all. I don't understand. If he likes her, shouldn't he want to give her all the good things? Every time I see Chaitty, I want to give her everything. Although I didn't have any good things, at least Chatty didn't look down on me when we met..."

Nicole looked at Eric, who was opposite her, seriously.

"Go ahead."

Eric paused. He lowered his head and laughed.

"You should know what my condition is..."

"Eric."

Nicole interrupted him with a deep voice. It was as if she knew what he wanted to say, but she was serious and upfront.

'You should know that I'm not familiar with Mr. Lieberman, so the lengths I'm willing to go to for a stranger is limited. The condition you propose should be less than what I'm willing to offer for me to agree to it. Otherwise, it's better to just keep it to yourself."

After hearing this, Eric laughed as if his mood suddenly improved.

'You're trying to get something in exchange for nothing, huh? Just say that you don't want to agree to my conditions then."

Nicole was speechless. It was not that she did not want to agree to his conditions, but she was just afraid that Eric would state something ridiculous. She was too exhausted to deal with him.

"Don't worry. I won't take advantage of you and ask you to marry me. Were you worried that I'd raise this condition?"

Eric looked at her with an intense gaze.

Nicole was silent.

However, it was a kind of acquiescence.

Eric curled his lips into a wry smile. His voice was deep and charming.

"I'm not that despicable and shameless. How can you marry me because of that cripple? That's just insulting to me."

Nicole pursed her lips. 'Then what is it?"

Eric glanced at Chance, who was eating with his head down, casually. He suddenly thought of an idea.

"Chance is acquainted with Grant's son, and they're quite close, right?"

Nicole nodded. 'Yeah."

"How about this? I usually don't have time to pick him up and drop him off at school. My subordinates aren't doing their job properly, and Mitchell has no way of doing this either.

Why don't you get someone to pick him up after school, and I'll pick him up from your place after work? If I can't go, I'll get someone else to go in my stead."

Chance's eyes lit up, and he looked at Eric in disbelief as he thought, 'Why is Daddy so out of character today?'

Eric looked at Nicole, who seemed to be thinking about his proposal. He sighed. "Chance doesn't have many friends. He only has Levi. I wouldn't have suggested this if I didn't think he was pitiful." "Are you taking my house as a childcare center?"

Nicole was speechless. She did not want to get too involved with Eric and would rather give him a sum of money.

"No. I actually want Chance to go to Grant's place with Levi, but I heard that his wife is pregnant with their second child. I didn't want to be a bother to her, so I have no choice but to start with you. What do you think?'

Eric looked at her.

This was not a difficult thing to do. It was such little effort.

Nicole just had to take Chance to the Stanton Mansion to play with Levi and wait for Eric's people to pick him up. No matter what, it was not a loss to Nicole. However, the Stanton family and the Ferguson family were not so close to this point.

If something happened to Chance in the Stanton Mansion, it would be difficult for them to explain it. Eric was trying to pull the two families closer.

This was his real purpose.

Nicole stared at Eric and did not express her thoughts directly.

Before she could react, Chance looked at Nicole nervously from the side. He put down the spoon in his hand and carefully held Nicole's sleeve.

"Auntie, I'll be good. Please let me play with Levi. I promise not to make trouble. I don't want to go back home alone because the people at home who take care of me don't like me..."