Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
But adults often masked their feelings well. It was hard for Austin to judge Jarrod’s mood. He was too young to grasp the complexities of Jarrod’s feelings.
Actually, Jarrod was quite pleased just then, compared with his usual self.
Austin bowed his head, anxiously fidgeting with his fingers. He desperately wanted to see his mother.
Suddenly, Vicki’s phone beeped with a message from Jarrod. It was concise and clear. “Get prepared for the wedding.”
“No shit!” Vicki erupted into laughter, tears of joy welling in her eyes.
She knew it! She had bet on the right horse! Jarrod did care about Austin and making him believe she treated Austin tenderly had made a difference.
Vicki’s face softened significantly. She bent down to Austin and whispered, “Your father said you did well earlier. Just a bit more effort and you’ll get to see your mommy.”
Austin’s eyes widened in hopeful surprise. “Really?”
“Absolutely. Not only will you see your mother, but you’ll also get to live happily with her,” Vicki said, her eyes flashing with malice.
She vowed to deal with Nicole and Austin once she achieved her objectives, tying up any loose ends and making them vanish for good.
Austin’s face beamed with hope to reunite with Nicole, oblivious to Vicki’s ulterior motives. The mere thought of seeing Nicole again after all these days filled him with joy.
Seizing the moment to capture a photo of Austin’s joyful face, Vicki sent Austin back and had the nanny take care of his evening routine.
Only when Austin went to bed did she text Jarrod back. “I have been playing with Austin and only saw your message just now. I’m so thrilled you want to make this official. I love you.”
She attached the photo of Austin’s genuine smile she had captured earlier and sent it off to Jarrod.
Then, Vicki exchanged a knowing look with the nanny taking care of Austin’s evening routine, who nodded and followed her.
Vicki moved to a secluded corner, away from any surveillance, and asked, “How’s that nanny holding up lately?”
Vicki was referring to the nanny originally responsible for Austin’s care, arranged by Nicole. That nanny truly cared for Austin and would never hurt him. No amount of money could sway her loyalty.
Therefore, Vicki had resorted to poisoning this loyal nanny, stealthily administering small doses of poison in the latter’s food and beverages. Over a month, the toxins built up, and the nanny fell sick as expected.
Subsequently, the loyal nanny was in no condition to continue caring for Austin. Within the hospital Vicki had arranged, no doctors could pinpoint the exact issue, attributing the nanny’s symptoms to gastrointestinal troubles.
Concerned, the loyal nanny was reluctant to leave Austin’s side since Nicole had entrusted Austin’s care to her. She considered Austin almost her own, determined to protect him.
Because the loyal nanny refused hospitalization, Vicki relocated her to a storage area behind the villa, under the pretext of preventing Austin from catching any illness.
Vicki also ensured that medical staff attended to the loyal nanny, thus averting any suspicion about her actions.
Even Alec, such a sharp man, didn’t notice anything amiss and praised Vicki when briefing Jarrod on the situation.
The nanny, having just taken care of Austin’s evening routine and was led away by Vicki, peered outside and murmured, “It won’t be long now. She probably won’t make it to the next month.”
Vicki’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she smiled. “Please ensure she’s well taken care of. I don’t want her to pass away before my wedding. It will bring bad luck.”
The nanny nodded.
Vicki said, “I’ve transferred the funds for your son’s expenses abroad. Once this is all settled, I’ll send over three years’ worth of costs.”
The nanny was overjoyed and expressed her gratitude profusely.
Originally, this nanny’s son couldn’t afford to study overseas due to financial constraints. Influenced by a peer, he insisted on pursuing education abroad.
The nanny had tried talking sense into him, telling him about their family’s money troubles. But her son went to extremes, refused to eat, and hurt himself to protest. Feeling like she had no choice, the nanny agreed to work with Vicki.
Vicki promised to cover her son’s educational and living expenses in exchange for the nanny’s assistance in a darker scheme.
The nanny wouldn’t dare target Jarrod’s son, nor did she want to face Jarrod’s potential wrath. After all, Jarrod was a respected figure, not easily crossed.
Yet, normally speaking, one wouldn’t suspect a nanny, should anything go amiss. As long as one played it safe, nobody would find out a thing.
Over time without rousing anyone’s suspicion, the nanny transitioned from anxiety to the lack of a guilty conscience. Threading carefully seemed like a minor sacrifice for her son’s bright future.
On the other side. Nicole sent another message to the nanny she had arranged for Austin, inquiring about Austin’s well-being. The response was reassuring with a photo.
The photo of Austin was taken recently, evident in Austin’s season-appropriate attire, looking healthy and well-cared for.
Nicole stared at Austin’s photo, a mix of yearning and turmoil in her eyes. There had been a time when her own pain was too great, making it unbearable for her to see Austin’s face. Austin’s presence was a painful reminder of Jarrod.
She loved Austin deeply, yet despised Jarrod with every fiber of her being. These conflicting feelings rendered her unable to be the emotionally stable mother she wanted to be.
Her psychiatrist had recommended a temporary separation from Austin to help her stabilize emotionally.
Reluctantly, Nicole followed this advice, and during their time apart, she found solace in his photos. She studied each new photo intently, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.
Her fingers traced his photo tenderly, a loving expression on her face. Sometimes, she felt it might be a good idea to let Jarrod take care of Austin if he could provide a stable home. Maybe then, she could watch Austin grow up from afar and be there if he ever needed her.
Recently, Austin seemed to be adjusting well and hadn’t mentioned her.
A pang of self-pity struck Nicole. Perhaps Austin preferred his new family… Maybe he found her too emotionally unstable. She shied away from even watching Austin from a distance, terrified of not being accepted by him.
If Austin detested her, she resolved to let him go. She didn’t see Austin just as her child, but as an independent individual whose thoughts she deeply respected.
As Nicole looked at the photo again, her finger gently caressed his cheek, but suddenly, her finger slipped, and the page rolled down to the bottom of the photo.
Something at the bottom of the picture caught her eye. Squinting, she enlarged the photo, a sense of dread washing over her as she spotted something amiss.
Without hesitation, she reached for the phone to call the nanny.
Nicole tried relentlessly as she attempted to reach the nanny, but instead of a response, she received a text that made her heart sink.
“Miss Lawrence, I had told you there are people at Mr. Schultz’s house. He won’t allow me to make calls to you. It would cause trouble if we were caught.”
Nicole read the message over and over, feeling a cold unease. The nanny’s tone was off. It wasn’t like her at all. The nanny was a kind soul who treated Nicole and Austin like her own family, never using a tone that hinted at blame.
More suspiciously, the nanny never referred to Jarrod as Mr. Schultz.
Knowing Nicole’s aversion to hearing Jarrod’s name, the nanny always called him “that person” instead, carefully avoiding his surname.
As Nicole’s hands trembled, she compared the newest photos with earlier ones and noticed a troubling detail. Austin’s fingernails were untrimmed, appearing to have been neglected for weeks.
This was unlike the nanny, who knew to trim Austin’s nails regularly to prevent him from scratching himself during his anxiety attacks at night.
The uncut nails in the recent photos indicated a lack of attention to Austin’s needs, a stark contrast to the meticulous care the nanny had provided for years.
Normally, such a small thing would have gone unnoticed, but Austin wasn’t just any child. His needs were specific, and the nanny had always catered to them with precision. To Austin, the nanny was like a grandmother.
With growing concern, Nicole sent a message, trying to sound casual.
“It’s been so long since I’ve heard Austin’s voice. I’d love to hear.”
The reply came quickly. “Miss Lawrence, I’ll record his voice secretly and send it when the others aren’t around. Don’t worry. Austin is fine. He hasn’t mentioned you at all.”
Nicole chose not to respond, her lips tightening in a thin line.
That last sentence of the reply struck her as entirely unnecessary, heightening her suspicions and leaving a chill in her heart.
The nanny knew how sensitive her own heart was to such remarks. How could the nanny tell her that Austin hadn’t even mentioned her? The nanny knew it was a cruel jolt to her, a stark reminder that her only family might not need her anymore.
The nanny had been working for Nicole not just for a year or two, but for seven solid years. They had grown to rely on each other.
The nanny, having no children of her own, showed no signs of any weaknesses that might lead her to harm Austin, even under duress.
Nicole had unshakeable faith in the nanny. A sudden change in the nanny’s demeanor after seven years didn’t make sense.
Nicole’s mind raced to the only conclusion that seemed plausible. The person she was communicating with now wasn’t the nanny she knew.
A cold fear gripped Nicole. If this was not her trusted nanny, then where was she?
Nicole had been explicit with Jarrod that Austin needed that very nanny, and Jarrod had agreed to have that nanny remain involved in Austin’s care, regardless of any other nannies. But now…
Later that night, a video arrived swiftly. It showed Austin reciting a poem, with a woman’s voice in the background. “Wow, Austin, you’re doing so well! Come here, let me wipe your sweat. Is that okay? You’re so warm…”
It was Vicki’s voice.
Nicole was taken aback by how respectfully and obediently Austin interacted with Vicki.
The emotion Nicole felt was unusual. It was not the kind of anger that typically flared from jealousy, but a discomfort stemming from how unnaturally obedient Austin seemed.
At his age, such a high level of respect and compliance toward someone new was unsettling. No child behaved as such. What was the matter with Austin?
In the video, a pair of slender hands gently wiped Austin’s forehead.
Then, Vicki’s voice chimed in, “Austin, do you want some mango? It’s sweet and delicious…”
Austin nodded in the video.