Witnessing Samuel removing his pants, Sampson instinctively turned away.
Unbeknownst to Sampson, he discreetly retrieved Sampson’s phone and discreetly attempted to dial Matthew’s number while observing his actions.
Having a sharp memory, he easily remembered details like numbers after only seeing them once or twice.
Just as he punched in the digits, Sampson abruptly spoke up, “Hurry up!”
Samuel hummed in response, swiftly completing the dialing process.
Unexpectedly, Sampson turned around. Luckily, he moved sluggishly enough to grant Samuel a moment to conceal the phone. He promptly resumed clutching his stomach, feigning discomfort.
“Samuel.”
“Yeah.” Samuel groaned, acting as if in pain while gripping his abdomen.
“Would it be alright with you if I marry your mommy?” Sampson tentatively asked.
What the hell?
Of course, he didn’t want him to marry Mommy. Samuel would rather see Mommy with the Heartless Guy than be with him. Angry thoughts surged through Samuel’s mind.
But he couldn’t voice those sentiments aloud. “It will be… great.”
Expressing something so contrary to his true feelings left Samuel feeling queasy.
“Really?” Sampson still hoped for acceptance from Samuel and Simona.
If he didn’t have to, he didn’t want to resort to such vile methods.
He never wished to harm the children; he only intended to hide them temporarily and use them as leverage to coerce Dolores into marrying him.
He planned to bring them back safely.
Samuel felt like he was about to vomit.
Sampson disgusted him, yet he had the audacity to ask, “really?”
He’s truly strange! Samuel pondered silently.
“What’s wrong with you?” Sampson approached, but Samuel hastily waved his hand. “Don’t come over, I just can’t do it.”
“Then maybe your stomach doesn’t hurt, and you need to use the restroom.” Sampson continued advancing, saying, “Let’s go back. I’ll take you to a nice place.”
“W-where?” Samuel gulped.
Clearly, he couldn’t just let Sampson take him anywhere.
Unless they were going back to the city. But Sampson mentioned showing him a place.
Samuel’s heart raced. He didn’t even have a chance to call for help.
What should he do?
What could he do?
What if his grandmother and sister were truly in danger?
His anxiety grew, causing beads of sweat to form on his forehead.
“N-nothing.” Sampson stammered and explained, “When we get back to the city, I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“Let’s go.” Sampson reached out to pull him up.
Samuel quickly declined, saying, “I need to pull up my pants, don’t look at me.”
He pretended to be bashful.
Sampson smiled, “I’m also a man, and I’ve seen you before. When you were a baby, I used to change your diapers.”
“But I’m not a baby anymore.” Samuel tightly hugged his knees, the phone still concealed in his arms. If Sampson got too close, he would spot it.
“Okay, hurry up!” Sampson turned around without approaching further.
Samuel retrieved the phone once again, intending to make a call. Suddenly, the phone rang in his hands, and he panicked, trying to decline the call. The phone slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground. Nervousness caused his heart to beat so rapidly it felt ready to burst from his chest.
It was too late to pick it up.
Sampson turned around, fixing his gaze on the phone lying on the ground. His eyes narrowed. How could this phone be in Samuel’s hand? He was bewildered.
“I… I…” Samuel attempted to explain but couldn’t find a plausible reason. The phone had slipped from his hands, providing undeniable evidence.
He couldn’t explain it.
“You’ve been lying to me? Your stomach doesn’t hurt at all! You held onto me not because you were close to me, but because you wanted to steal my phone!” Sampson menacingly advanced step by step.
Samuel had never seen Sampson look so repulsive before, causing him to instinctively step back while holding his pants.
“Don’t come any closer!”
Sampson picked up the phone, and Samuel took advantage of the momentary distraction to flee, using Sampson stooping down as an opportunity.
There were no paths in this part of the woods.
He had only managed to take a few steps when Sampson caught him, gripping him tightly by the waist. “I’ve been so kind to you and your mommy. Why are you rejecting me? I trusted you, and you lied to me?!”
His expression was terrifying.
Samuel struggled fiercely. “Let me go! Release me now!”
At that moment, the phone in Sampson’s pocket rang once again.
He retrieved the phone, and the name ‘Maria’ shone on the screen.
He answered the call.
Maria’s voice came through urgently from the other end, “Why aren’t you here yet? Look at the time! And why didn’t you pick up my call?”
“Something happened to me…”
In that moment, Samuel sank his teeth into Sampson’s arm, causing him to wince in pain.
“Let go!” Sampson scolded angrily.
Despite Sampson’s protests, Samuel held on with all his strength, determined to bite off a piece of his flesh.
Sampson was in such agony that he slapped Samuel across the face. Instantly, Samuel’s cheek turned red, bearing the clear imprint of the five-fingered strike, which began to swell.
Sampson glared at Samuel, clutching his collar tightly. “How dare you bite me?”
“You bullied Mommy! I want to bite you until you regret it!” Samuel glared back fiercely.
Though visibly smaller and weaker compared to Sampson, he refused to admit defeat.
Sampson’s grip on his collar tightened. “Did your mommy put you up to this?”
“It’s none of your business!” Samuel retorted, his eyes filled with anger as he shouted.
“Fine then! Samuel, I underestimated you.” Sampson seized him by the collar and dragged him toward the side of the road.
Samuel clenched his teeth, refusing to make a sound, even as his ankle scraped painfully against the ground.
Observing this scene from the car, Jessica felt as if her heart had been pierced. Shock and pain engulfed her, leaving her breathless.
She embraced Simona tightly, stepping out of the car to confront the situation. “What the hell are you doing, Dr. Herbert?”
Sampson looked up and saw Jessica standing by the car, her eyes wide open with fury.
“Grandma, let go of me! Take Simona and run. He wants to kidnap us and use us as leverage to force Mommy into marriage,” Samuel yelled at Jessica.
What?
The revelation was so shocking that Jessica couldn’t respond for a moment. “What did you say?”
With no time to explain, Samuel shouted urgently, “Run! Hurry!”
“Jessica, don’t listen to this nonsense. It’s all a misunderstanding…”
Misunderstanding?
Jessica’s eyes turned red as she trembled with rage. “You’re abusing Samuel right in front of my eyes, and you call it a misunderstanding?”
Suddenly, her eyes grew even redder, filled with a chilling anger.
She had sensed something off about Sampson, and now it was confirmed. He had changed completely.
“Run!” Samuel’s anxiety reached its peak.
Jessica held Simona close, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t just abandon Samuel.
“Dr. Herbert, I think we need to talk,” she said, her voice trembling.
She was consumed by panic.
“No chance.” Ever since Dolores had discovered his intentions that night, Sampson had no choice but to proceed down this path.
For the sake of his sister’s happiness, his family’s well-being, and his own desires, there was no turning back.
“There’s no time to talk! Do you want him to capture all of us and use us as pawns against Mommy?” Samuel shouted.
Tears streamed down Jessica’s face.
How could she leave a child behind?
Simona, unaware of the situation, blinked and asked, “Grandma, what’s wrong with Samuel?”
Jessica looked down at Simona in her arms, realizing that she couldn’t allow them all to be caught.
She had to protect at least one of them and then return to save the others.
Embracing Simona tightly, she ran away.
Sampson threw Samuel into the car, intending to chase after Jessica, but Samuel held onto his arm tightly.
“Let go!”
Samuel vowed not to release his grip.
Unleashing his dark side in full view of others, Sampson lost all control. He grabbed Samuel by his hair, his voice filled with menace. “Even if they escape, I still have you! And your mommy will do anything to save you!”