Nicole decided that she must thank Stephen after everything had settled down.
The sun had just risen when Stephen called Levant to inform the latter of the good news. Stephen would hand the title over to Levant in exchange for the children’s safe return.
Levant was ecstatic.
The children were Nicole’s everything; holding them hostage was equivalent to hanging Nicole’s life on the balance. That was way more effective than threatening Stephen’s life, and Levant was sure that Stephen would agree to his terms.
I thought he’d take at least two days to think things through. Who would’ve thought that I’d receive the news that quickly?
After having his breakfast, Levant brought his bodyguards and returned to the estate with a gigantic smile on his face.
Nicole’s heart ached when she saw that her children were not with them.
“Where are my children?”
“Don’t worry. I will bring you to them as soon as I get what I want.”
How devious! He’s probably worried about sudden changes occurring.
Stephen handed the relevant paperwork and stamps over to Levant.
“Are you happy now?”
“Yes. After all this time, the estate is finally mine! Ever since I set foot in this place, your wife has been telling me that I will be the duke one day. I have been training myself to be its master ever since. After twenty years, I finally got my hands on it!” Levant exclaimed gleefully.
Stephen turned grim upon seeing Levant’s excitement. As Levant’s father, Stephen had failed to teach the boy, which resulted in him being that evil.
“Where are my children? Where are they?”
“Leave the estate right away. My men will take you to them as soon as you leave.”
Nicole was eager to see her children so she packed up quickly and left the estate in a hurry.
Stephen stood outside the estate and stared at the Musgrave family legacy. His heart was aching.
He never thought that he would live to see the day when his adopted son chased him out of the place.
They say a man’s greed was as vast as the sea. Stephen wondered if that was true. Does he really not care about the past twenty years I spent taking care of him and raising him? Are title and power really that important to him?
Evan saw how miserable Stephen’s aging face looked and how the latter’s eyes glowed with immense reluctance. The former walked over and promised again, “Trust me, I will settle this score with him once I settle the kids and Nicole.”
Levant still owed Evan a life, after all, and it was time Evan settled that debt.
Stephen nodded and added, “When the kids are safe, I will take you to the hidden passage, and we will hunt him down together!”
A hidden passage?
Evan was surprised to hear that. It never even occurred to him that the estate had a hidden passage.
“Hurry up. I’m worried that Maya is hungry. Nina might be bullied as well, and Juan and Kyle could be suffering. I want to see my sweethearts as soon as possible,” urged Nicole anxiously.
Evan and Stephen turned to one another and smiled simultaneously before hurrying over.
The children were discussing how they would feign being sick in order to escape when, to their surprise, they saw their parents there.
“Daddy! Mommy! You guys are so quick to come to our rescue!”
“Mommy was worried about you guys being bullied, so we hurried over.”
“Did that meanie, Levant, force you to marry him?”
“No,” replied Nicole while shaking her head.
“Then why did he use the robots to trick us into coming over?” asked Kyle, who was curious as well.
“He didn’t do that to marry Mommy. He was after something else.”
“What was he after?” interrogated Nina.
Nicole turned and looked apologetically at Stephen before answering, “He wanted the title. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
The children turned to each other. They had no idea what their mommy meant by title, but they stopped asking questions.
The four youngsters returned to the hotel safe and sound.
Evan immediately ordered John to take Nicole and the kids back to their country. Evan would stay on to help Stephen regain his dukedom.
I will also be settling the score with Levant.
“Daddy, we can stay and help you out.”
“Yeah, we’ll help you!”
Evan put a stern expression on his handsome face before turning to the kids. “No. It’s too dangerous for you kids to stay here. You will go home with Mommy right away!”
Nicole turned from Evan to Stephen.
Stephen had a warm smile on when he looked at her. His eyes oozed of fatherly love and he reminded her, “Have a safe flight. Take good care of the kids.”
Conflicting emotions rose in Nicole’s heart.
