Chapter 4

Ashley lowered her head and exclaimed, “Ah, my shoes got dirty from the dust just now.”

Cole spoke softly. “I will buy you another pair this afternoon.”

Ashley’s eyes reddened as she cried quietly. “These were a gift from you. Why did Nicola keep bullying me?”

She gave me a cautious glance.

Cole frowned at me. “Clean Ashley’s shoes for her.”

The housekeeper beside her sneered. “Mrs. Jackman, I can teach you how to serve others.”

He looked up at Cole as if he wanted praise, and Cole silently approved his behavior.

My face was pressed against Ashley’s shoes.

Ashley laughed with triumph and took several photos. After a moment, she screamed again. “My feet hurt so much. Nicola, you do not have to make me suffer if you do not want to clean my shoes. Pregnant women are afraid of getting hurt.”

Cole grabbed my collar and slapped me. “You are cruel. Make her kneel in the yard. She can get up only when Ashley calms down. Find that hidden child and make him kneel at the monastery to pray.”

I was forced to kneel in the pouring rain with my shoulders held down. I clutched Oliver’s ashes tightly in my arms and numbly watched Cole feed Ashley in the living room.

The priest Ashley hired returned and waved his rosary while chanting. “The harmful aura has not been removed. We must find the child quickly and make him pray.”

Cole stood under the umbrella while holding Ashley. “Push her into the pool to clear her head. Throw away the urn she is holding. The sight of it bothers me.”

I screamed in disbelief. “That is Oliver’s ashes. Are you even human?”

I refused to let Oliver lose his peace.

I knelt on the ground and begged Cole. “You cannot do this.”

Cole kicked me away with a cold expression.

Someone snatched the urn and threw it to the ground. The scattered ashes were washed away by the rain.

I was pushed into the pool, and water rushed into my throat. When I was close to losing consciousness, Cole ordered people to pull me out.

The priest sighed and spoke helplessly. “Since we cannot find the child, there is only one method left. The child came from the mother’s womb, and the mother and child are connected by blood. We will use one of Ms. Darcy’s organs, soak it in holy water, and burn it in a large fire.”

Cole frowned. “Will that work?”

Ashley clutched her stomach. “Ouch.”

The priest’s eyes widened. “The harmful aura is starting to gather. We must hurry.”

Cole took the knife from the housekeeper. “Nicola, I will take only one of your kidneys. I will treat Oliver as my own child to make it up to you.”

The knife pierced my skin, and I laughed with disbelief. “You ungrateful man. I should not have invested tens of billions of dollars into the Jackman Group.”

Cole’s hand froze as he stared at me. “What did you say?”