Chapter 442: Chapter 442: Leaving
In the blink of an eye, several days passed.
Nicole’s bruises had faded somewhat, and Ivy struggled all night before finally saying to Ivana Monroe, "Ivana, I want to leave here."
Ivana frowned, "Why? Are you not comfortable living here?"
Ivy shook her head, "No, I... I want to take Nicole to see distant places."
Nicole tugged at Ivy’s sleeve, her soft voice saying, "Mommy, no. Nicole likes it here, likes Aunt Ivana, and likes Brother Timmy."
After hesitating for a moment, Nicole thought of the face that looked exactly like Timmy’s, but cooler. She added, "Nicole... also likes Brother Ian."
She just didn’t want to leave!
Ivy gently stroked her daughter’s head and comforted her, "Timmy and Brother Ian have to go to school every day, Nicole. You can’t disturb them, you understand?"
Nicole seemed to vaguely understand, "Nicole promises not to disturb the two brothers studying, Nicole promises."
Seeing her daughter like this, Ivy felt guilty, but she had to take Nicole away because... Ivana had helped her enough, and she couldn’t selfishly burden her any longer.
"Nicole, be good. Let’s go out for a while and after some time, come back to play with the two brothers, okay?"
"No, no." Nicole shook her head, "Nicole doesn’t want to go anywhere, just wants to stay with Aunt Ivana."
"Nicole, why are you so disobedient? You’re really disappointing Mommy." Ivy said sternly.
Nicole had never seen Ivy be so serious with her, and her little mouth quivered before she suddenly burst into tears.
Ivy’s heart ached terribly. If it were before, she would surely have gently comforted Nicole.
But this time wasn’t the same.
She withheld her heartache and said, "Nicole, if you don’t behave, Mommy will leave you here alone."
Nicole hugged Ivy tightly, shaking her head as she cried, "Mommy, no! Nicole will behave, Nicole will listen to Mommy."
Seeing this, Ivana Monroe felt heartbroken. Nicole had suffered such abuse at the old Lockwood estate a few days ago and had been playing well with Timmy for a couple of days, just forgetting those pains. Now Ivy wanted to take Nicole away.
Nicole was so pitiful.
"Ivy, how about this? Stay for a bit longer before leaving."
"No, I want to go back to my parents’ house and visit my parents. Nicole hasn’t seen her grandparents for a long time either." Since Samuel’s mother came, she hadn’t been allowed to take Nicole back to her parents’ house.
Samuel’s mother had a funny excuse, saying her parents’ home was in the countryside, not clean, full of bacteria, and that Nicole would get sick if she went.
All just excuses.
Samuel’s mother had no respect for her parents in the slightest, so she revoked Nicole’s right to see her grandparents.
"Alright then!" With Ivy’s firm attitude, Ivana couldn’t make her stay, "I’ll call a driver to take you both."
Ivana planned to ask a bodyguard to be Ivy’s driver and send them back to her parents’ home.
Because...
Samuel Lockwood had come looking for Ivy, but was stopped by the bodyguard. Later, Samuel Lockwood sent people to watch her, but they were discovered by the bodyguard and ended up in the hospital.
Even though there hadn’t been any strangers lurking outside the villa since yesterday.
Yet...
Ivana felt Samuel Lockwood wouldn’t easily let Ivy and Nicole go.
"No need." Ivy refused.
"It’s necessary. If you don’t agree, I won’t let you leave."
Ivana wasn’t going to let Ivy take Nicole out alone.
"Okay."
Ivy relented.
Ivana smiled and said to Auntie Chapman, "You have Old Stuart help buy a few cups of milk tea in the city first, then have Kevin take Ivy and Nicole to their parents’ home."
Milk tea?
The young lady never drinks milk tea.
Auntie Chapman didn’t ask further and replied, "Alright, young lady."
Old Stuart drove away from the villa.
In the corner outside: "Look, a car’s coming out. Let’s follow and you’ll call President Lockwood."
A moment later, a van sped out from a dark corner and chased after the luxury car ahead.
Once the van completely disappeared.
Another luxury car carrying Ivy and Nicole slowly drove out of the villa, heading in another direction.
About an hour later.
Kevin called Ivana.
"Are they there yet? Kevin, don’t come back for now. Protect Ivy and Nicole."
"Young lady, I’m afraid I can’t protect them. Ms. Linden took her daughter and didn’t go to her parents’ home. She asked me to drive to the airport, saying she’d already bought tickets, and the flight’s taking off in fifteen minutes."
At this point, there wasn’t enough time for Kevin to buy a ticket.
Ivana: "..."
She hung up the phone.
Ivana received a text message from Ivy Linden.
"Ivana, I’m sorry, I lied to you. I didn’t take Nicole to my parents’ home. I’ve booked tickets to Lindenburg. We’ve decided to leave Ravenswood for Lindenburg to live. Because... in Ravenswood, Samuel Lockwood won’t let us mother and daughter go. He’ll take Nicole away from me."
Ivy didn’t tell Ivana that the day after Nicole returned, Samuel Lockwood had crazily called her. When she didn’t answer, he texted her, asking her to voluntarily return Nicole to him, otherwise... he would use every means possible and even threatened her with cruel words: perish together if necessary.
In Ivy’s understanding, Samuel Lockwood was always gentle, rational, and a warm man who cherished people.
Such words as perish together were impossible to come from Samuel Lockwood’s mouth.
Ivy mocked herself, realizing she was too foolish before, never discovering Samuel Lockwood’s true face, always living in the warmth and care he falsely displayed.
Ivy boarded the plane with Nicole, received Ivana’s message before turning off her phone.
"Take care, once you’re settled, send me your address so I can bring Timmy and Ian over to play."
Ivy smiled and replied, "Okay."
"Mommy, didn’t you say you were taking me to see Grandpa and Grandma?" Nicole’s innocent voice asked.
"Mommy changed her mind. We’re going to take Nicole to see distant places first. We’ll buy gifts and then visit Grandpa and Grandma, okay?"
"Okay."
Nicole said listlessly. She turned her head and gazed outside the closed transparent window of the plane, her little face full of reluctance. "Brother Timmy, Nicole misses you, wishes to be at Aunt Ivana’s villa, waiting for you to come home from school to play."
And Brother Ian, although you always have a stern face towards Nicole, when you speak to Aunt Ivana and are hugged by her, you show a smile.
That is the best-looking smile Nicole has ever seen.
Brother Ian, Nicole really wants to tell you: you should smile more, you look so nice when you smile.
Samuel Lockwood received the call and immediately left Wendy Quinn’s hospital room.
"Brother Samuel, where are you going? Where are you going? Don’t leave! Ah... my stomach hurts so much, Brother Samuel..." No matter how much Wendy called, Samuel Lockwood left the room without turning his head.
Wendy was furious, angrily knocking over the water glass and fruit on the bedside cabinet, her face solemn as she said, "Ivy Linden, it must be Ivy Linden. Damn Ivy Linden, why hasn’t she died yet? Oh..."
Wendy’s face was full of pain, her anger attacking her heart, and this time it really hurt.