Chapter 1678:

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Nicole was sitting in the mall lounge, anxiety rising. An on-site doctor advised her to relax to avoid any stress that could harm her or induce premature labor. During this tense period, Ethel stayed by Nicole’s side, reassuring her and even accompanying her to the bathroom.

To reassure herself, Nicole splashed cold water on her face. Ethel comforted her by saying, “Don’t worry. Your mother is strong and has faced worse. She will be fine. Trust the police and Jarrod’s team.”

Despite trying to remain calm, Nicole was still overcome with worry, anxiously awaiting any news from Jarrod. Just then, Nicole’s phone rang. It was Jarrod.

In her haste to answer, Nicole accidentally dropped the phone. Ethel noticed Nicole struggling to get down and quickly said, “Don’t move. I’ll get it.”

Ethel picked up Nicole’s phone and handed it to her. Just then, Ethel’s phone rang with a call from a colleague, apparently with urgent news.

“Go check it out. I’ll be fine,” Nicole reassured her.

Ethel, seeing Nicole’s composure, replied, “I’ll be right back. Security is outside if you need anything. Just let us know.”

Nicole nodded and waited for Ethel to leave before answering her own phone. Jarrod’s voice came urgently through the line. “Is anyone with you?”

“No, I’m in the bathroom, but there are guards outside. I’m fine,” Nicole replied.

Jarrod instructed her, “Someone stay with you immediately. Isn’t there an officer around?”

“Okay. How’s it going on your end?” inquired Nicole.

Lаtєst chαptєrs in g𝗮l𝗻ov𝗲ls.ｃοm

Jarrod’s response was grave. “We’ve been had. Your mother wasn’t in the car. The driver used fake license plates, claiming it was to avoid traffic violations. We’ll see if he’s lying when the police investigate.”

Holding the phone tightly, Nicole was stunned, muttering, “How could this have happened… Where could Dora be?”

Jarrod sternly instructed her, “Quickly locate an officer to accompany you. My instinct tells me that person might still be at the mall. I’ll be right back.”

Nicole suddenly stopped breathing. Her gaze was riveted to the front.

A man in a white fox mask stood in front of Nicole, holding a woman hostage. The woman was none other than Dora, whom everyone had been looking for.

Jarrod had hit the nail on the head. Dora was still in the mall.

Jarrod kept talking, but Nicole’s voice caught in his throat. Her mother had never been taken out of the mall. The sneaky masked man had hidden Dora inside the building, using the “most dangerous place was the safest place” tactic.

The car with the fake license plate was no coincidence. It dawned on Nicole that the man had probably set it up as a distraction. He turned out to be much smarter than she had assumed. He could anticipate the thoughts of others.

The masked man instructed Nicole to keep her mouth shut, instructing her to cut the call. Fearing for her mother’s safety, Nicole obeyed and cut the call.

The masked man ordered, “Turn off the phone and throw it to me.”

Nicole followed his instructions, turned off the phone and tossed it to him. He then hurriedly asked, “Who are you? What do you want? Please don’t hurt my mother.”

Nicole struggled to maintain her composure as she questioned him, hoping to remain focused on protecting her mother.

As he spoke, Nicole furtively scanned her surroundings. The masked man had chosen the location shrewdly. The bathroom was located inside the living room, next to a back window. The masked man had positioned himself next to the door, blocking Nicole’s escape route and forcing her into a narrow, enclosed space.

The masked man held a gun. Upon closer inspection, Nicole saw that it was a makeshift object similar to a pistol. She chased away the urge to tear it apart, restraining her reckless impulses.

“Who I am is irrelevant. Just follow my instructions,” the masked man replied. His voice was robotic, obviously altered by a voice changer. Nicole couldn’t guess his exact age, but he looked like a tall, strong man in his mid-thirties.

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