Chapter 112
"As the safest kindergarten in Emerald City, you actually let a child leave school early without notifying the family. If anything happens to the child, the school can't escape responsibility." Michael's voice carried a heavy warning.
"Mr. Smith, the person was brought by the principal herself..." The teacher was terrified, stammering.
"Get the principal here." Michael's tone was icy as he called David. "Check the surveillance around the kindergarten, see who took Samuel away, quickly."
Soon, the principal came running out. "Mr. Smith."
"My child is at your school, and anyone can just pick him up?" Michael's tone was so cold. He was already aloof by nature, and now with his anger barely contained, he was even more frightening.
"Mr. Smith, your child?" The principal was shocked for a long moment, then looked at the records. "You're talking about Samuel? Noah came in person, saying he was the child's grandfather, picking him up on behalf of the child's father."
Nora's hand holding her phone instantly froze. Noah?
He actually came in person to take Samuel away. What was he trying to do?
"The child has no father, no grandfather. Why did you let them take the child without my permission? Why! You clearly have my phone number." Nora's emotions were getting agitated.
Michael held Nora with one arm, his voice low. "The school better give me a satisfactory explanation for this."
With that, he led Nora away. "Since Noah acknowledges Samuel as part of the Wood family, he won't hurt him. Samuel is so smart, even human traffickers couldn't kidnap him. He wouldn't easily leave with strangers. Let's find Samuel and hear his explanation."
Nora's face was deathly pale, her body trembling constantly. She squatted on the ground weakly, her eyes burning hot.
She was afraid, afraid that the Wood family would really fight her for custody of Samuel.
"Nora, take a deep breath." Michael crouched in front of Nora, comforting her gently. "Look at me. Samuel will be fine. Don't be afraid. As long as you don't agree, no one can take Samuel away from you. Trust me."
Nora looked at Michael with rapid breathing, her gaze intense.
Perhaps it was momentary excitement, but Nora's mind went blank. She reached out and hugged Michael, starting to cry.
It was probably an unconscious impulse. She didn't realize her action was too intimate.
After crying for a while, Nora realized that Michael hated women getting close to him.
She instinctively let go of Michael, her face turning white with fear.
But Michael didn't push Nora away. When she reacted and instinctively pulled back, almost falling to the ground, he even protected her waist. "Have you calmed down?"
His voice was always so pleasant.
Nora felt Michael was like salvation in the deep sea, always able to make her instantly calm down and stop being anxious.
"I'm sorry."
The terrified principal on the side went weak in the knees. The relationship between Nora and Michael was too ambiguous.
"Mr. Smith, we only allowed them to take him after getting Samuel's consent. With Noah's status and social standing, we didn't think..." The principal desperately explained. "Noah said there was no need to notify Ms. Adams, and he brought a paternity test. Samuel is very smart. He stopped having reading difficulties before he was four."
Samuel was a rare little genius who could basically read without difficulty by around age four.
Jasper was very attentive to Samuel. When no kindergarten would take Samuel, he bought textbooks and taught him personally.
Now Samuel was almost five and a half. Recognizing a paternity test and knowing what it meant was no problem for him.
"The school is responsible for this. I've already contacted Noah's assistant. They said Samuel and Noah are both at Ripple Court International Hotel. Let's find the child first and make sure he's safe. Our school will definitely do everything to make up for this mistake." The principal was almost crying. The Smith Group was the school's financial backer. They couldn't offend them.
Michael snorted coldly, saying nothing, and led Nora to the car.
David also quickly called. "Mr. Smith, Ripple Court International Hotel. Noah came to Emerald City in person! Samuel is with him. He never planned to hide it."
After hanging up, Michael looked at Nora with some concern.
Noah didn't plan to hide it, and Samuel voluntarily went with Noah. This was also a dangerous signal.
The Wood family would definitely fight for custody of Samuel.
Nora stared at her phone numbly. Walter also called. "Nori! My grandfather took Samuel. I'm on my way there now. At Ripple Court International Hotel. Don't worry, Samuel will be fine."
"Walter." Nora's voice was hoarse. "You promised me you wouldn't fight me for Samuel."
On the other end, Walter fell silent. "Nora, I never wanted to fight you for Samuel. Samuel is yours, I won't fight for him. But the condition is, you have to be mine too."
Nora instinctively wanted to bite her finger, tears gathering in her eyes.
Michael quickly grabbed Nora's finger, frowning and shaking his head.
Nora looked at Michael pleadingly. What should she do?
What could she do to keep Samuel?
"Nora, I don't mean to threaten you. Think it through yourself. I really don't want you getting too close to Michael." Walter knew Michael and Nora were together.
No one knew how jealous he was.
After watching Nora get in Michael's car and leave, he was jealous to the point of madness.
These words weren't just for Nora to hear, but also for Michael.
Walter hung up. He knew Nora had no options and could only obediently listen.
Naturally, he didn't know that Nora had already gotten a marriage certificate with Michael.
Because in Walter's mind, this was impossible.
He couldn't marry Nora, and Michael even less so.
The Smith family cared even more about the company's reputation than the Wood family.
"Let's go get Samuel first." Michael offered a comforting word.
After all, Walter was Samuel's father. He couldn't say too much.
Nora lowered her eyes, gripping her phone tightly.
Samuel was Walter's child. This was an unsolvable problem.
Blood ties couldn't be broken. Sooner or later, they would take Samuel away.
How long could Michael help her?
After their three-year marriage ended, where would she go?
Where would Samuel go?
"Mr. Smith, you don't need to help me fight for custody of Samuel." As the car stopped in the parking lot of Ripple Court International Hotel, Nora spoke hoarsely.
Once Michael got involved in the custody issue, the Wood family would know about her marriage certificate with Michael.
Although Mountain Construction Group and the Smith Group were strategic partners, they were also competitors. Her bad reputation, and the fact that she was once James's fiancée, would bring Michael great trouble and could even become an indelible stain on him.
This was something the Smith family, something Nolan, would absolutely not allow.
It would also be very unfavorable for Michael's position in the Smith Group.
So she couldn't let Michael get involved.
Michael frowned. For the first time, he had this reckless, consequence-be-damned impulsive feeling.