A bad feeling hit Alice's heart. She quickly pulled Sky from the bench, circling it slightly so that there was a barrier between them and the strangers.
"Mama, who are they?" Sky whispered as she put the satellite phone in her bag."I don't know, Honey," Alice whispered. She glanced around. There was no one else around them. Her brain immediately sent a danger signal."Honey, you've seen the view from here, right? How about we go down now? We can come back here next time."Sky nodded slowly. She could feel the same fear as her mother. "Yes, Mama."She hurriedly put her backpack on the shoulders. Unfortunately, when they were about to take a step, the strangers blocked their way."Why the rush? We've just arrived, Sweetie. How about we chat for a while? It must be fun with the beautiful scenery." The burly man fiddled with his eyebrows."Yeah, we haven't even known each other yet. Fate has brought usLaughter echoed again. "We are realistic people, Kid. We don't like to assume. Where is your father anyway? Could he get here in an instant? I believe he can't." "Besides," the other continued, "what could he do? He's alone, while we're two. He won't win. So, just give up. That's the best way for you." Realizing that the two men were slowly approaching, Alice swallowed hard. Her eyes glanced around, hoping for other visitors. Unfortunately, no one was passing by. Sniffing Alice's thicker fear, the two men smiled slyly. They could not wait to catch her. However, just as they were about to act, a laser beam hit the eyes of one of the men. Spontaneously, he blocked it with his hand. “What is that?” He squinted at the light. Seeing his friend's response, the other man stared in the same direction. "What is it?" "I don't know. It was like there was a laser shooting into my eyes." "Laser?" He squinted. Unexpectedly, the
"Papa, shoot again! Give them a lesson!" Sky exclaimed. The two men ran faster and faster. Alice could only shake her head watching that. "Honey, are you okay?" she asked after Sky stopped laughing. "Yes, Mama. I actually feel sorry for them. You saw how they ran? They must have been very scared. Oh, where is Grassy? Poor him. If he had a heart, it would have fallen out when he was hanging outside the fence." Sky spun around looking for her stuffed animal. When she found Grassy lying on the ground, she rushed to pick it up. "Grassy!" She hugged the bear tightly. After giving him a kiss, she spoke to Rocky Talkie. "Papa, thank you for saving us. Grassy is very happy. Me too! I've missed you since yesterday. Where are you now, Papa?" Sky turned to face the trees. "I can't wait to hug you again." Several seconds passed, no answer was heard. Edmund wasn't visible either. "Papa? Do you hear me
"Alice," Edmund moved closer to his wife. He stopped at a distance that felt right—neither too close, nor too far to convey a whisper. "Can we talk now?" Alice took a deep breath. Her head nodded faintly. "Yes." "How are you? That guy didn't hurt you, right?" Alice glanced thinly. She didn't expect that Edmund could still make small talk. "Fine. They didn't touch me. Sky protected me well." Edmund nodded. A faint sigh escaped his mouth. "Thank God. Then, how do you feel? Any better?" Alice froze. Her heart was turbulent, awakening feelings that she didn't understand. "You still mad at me?" Edmund asked carefully. Alice shook her head slightly. "I don't know. I also don't understand what I'm feeling right now. But I don't think it's anger." "Are you disappointed?" Alice closed her eyes for a moment. In the darkness and silence, she tried to find the answer. "I
"So, how is it, Darling? Are you still mad at me?" Edmund whispered, stroking the back of Alice's hand. "Come on, don't be jealous anymore. It was just a misunderstanding. I'm sorry if you're upset because I received help from another woman. Next time, I promise I won't touch any woman again. Only you and Sky can hug me. Nothing else," his voice was so soothing."Are you sure it's just me and Sky?" Edmund nodded. "Yes, I am sure." Alice withdrew her hand from him. Crossing her arms, she lifted her chin. "You're lying again." In an instant, Edmund's smile faded. His face turned serious again. "Why are you accusing me of lying?" "What about Mrs. Klein and your mother? You won't embrace them anymore?" Edmund was taken aback. Realizing the joke, he finally laughed. "Gosh .... How could I forget them? Okay then, it's just the four of you. I won't embrace the others." While looking a
Alice shook her head. "No, I'm not sad. I'm just relieved because Sky has been excited again. Her face looked so dim when we just got here. For the first time, I saw she wasn't excited about going on an adventure. She missed you too much." Smiling wryly, Edmund stroked Alice's back. "But now, she's cheerful again. You don't need to worry." Alice glanced at Edmund lovingly. "Yes, because of that, I am very grateful to have you. Sorry we disturbed your work. Scott must have panicked because you followed us here." All of a sudden, Edmund's expression stiffened. After a few blinks, he muttered, "I don't have a job anymore, Alice. How could you bother my work?" Alice's head spontaneously pushed back. "What do you mean?" Edmund took a deep breath. "I resign." "Are you serious? Why? The company is your dream, Ed." Edmund shook his head lightly. "I used to think so. But apparently, I was wrong. Living happil
"You know what, Louis? Papa doesn't work at the company anymore. He resigned so he could go on an adventure with Mama and me. Together, we will travel the world," Sky explained with a cheerful face.Louis' mouth rounded again. "Wow, that's cool. So you're not going back to Flagstaff?" Sky shook her head. "Not in a short time. We plan on traveling the world. Maybe we'll come home sometime." Louis nodded with a sad look. "Too bad, that means we'll likely have a harder time seeing each other again. But I'm happy for your plans, Sky." "Thank you, Louis. If we visit L City, we will definitely stop by your company. Savior Group, right?" Edmund's eyebrows arched high. His eyes twitched to check the memory. "Savior Group? Isn't that the biggest company in L City?" "Yes, that's right. If you come there, tell the receptionist that you are my friend, Louis Harper. They will welcome you and take you to my room."
The woman wearing a butterfly pin nodded. With sparkling eyes, she showed off Sky's photo on her phone. Sky was standing with her arms outstretched. A large waterfall looked so beautiful behind her. "Look at this. Isn't she adorable?" The others nodded in agreement. "Yes, she looks very happy. She must feel free there. Oh, I thought she was going to hug me." "But I think her pose in the photo I received is the cutest." All gazes immediately shifted to the woman in the white blazer. "What photo did you get?" She took out her phone proudly. "Look at how cute her expression is here! If I had been there, I would have pinched her cheeks." The other two women scrambled to check. When they saw Sky standing in the middle of the bridge surrounded by treetops, their laughter spread to the air. "Oh, why does she open her eyes and mouth that big?" "And why does she look like s
Smiling, Elizabeth said, "You are right. I am very lucky to have daughter-in-law and grandchild like Alice and Sky. Therefore, I can't wait to welcome them home." Her three friends nodded. When they were about to reply, their phones beeped. A breaking news notification had appeared. Reading the title, they all gasped. "Did I read it correctly? Giselle became a trending topic?" "Yeah, she's a trending topic." "But, is it true? She turns out to be this embarrassing?" Curious, Elizabeth took her phone. She did a manual search on the topic. When she found it, her breath hitched. Surprise escaped from her mouth. ***Lucas was lost in thought, his gaze fixed out the window. Canis, who was lying beside his chair, looked listless. Maybe he was bored of not getting attention from his owner. But when a knock came from the door, Canis straightened up again. He ran towards the door, pacing as if to te
"Sky, we should have brought that rifle too. Why did we leave it in the tent? The hunter could have taken it," Emily whispered as she shook Sky's hand. Feeling uncomfortable, Louis elbowed his sister in the arm. "Emily, there's nothing to regret. We'd better think of a way to defeat this evil man." "You think you can beat me?" The hunter laughed harshly. "Don't dream!" The hunter raised his rifle again. However, when he was about to aim, a strange sound came from above. Seeing a big orangutan about to jump from a branch, Sky hurriedly pulled the twins to run. She no longer cared about the rifle lying on the ground. She knew very well that angry orangutan was much more dangerous than the hunter. Meanwhile, the hunter was already stunned. He could only scream when the large mammal fell on him. The other hunters who watched did not dare to act. They didn't even move, afraid that the orangutan would think of them as their next target. "Aaargh! You guys .... Don't just sta
The twins fell silent. They didn't know what the right answer was. They didn't want to go back to that cramped confinement, but they also didn't want to be shot. Moreover, the hunter in front of them seemed serious about his threat. "Louis, I don't think we should fight back. He won't hesitate to shoot us. Look, his finger is ready to pull the trigger," Emily whispered anxiously. Louis swallowed hard. He agreed with his sister, but was reluctant to admit it. "Relax, Emily. There must be other ways to survive." He thought hard, forcing his brain to come up with spontaneous ideas. "Sir, how about we negotiate?" he said unexpectedly. The hunter pulled his eyes back from the lookout hole. One of his eyebrows rose. He didn't expect to hear those words. "What kind of negotiation can a little kid like you offer?" "We are not ordinary kids. We are the heirs of the Savior Group, potential great leaders in the future. If you are willing to free us, we will pay you a large amount.
"Papa, what a coincidence, Louis' GPS is with me. I'm looking at the coordinates of our location," Sky blinked stiffly. "That's great, Baby. Can you tell me the coordinates? I will be heading straight there." Sky swallowed hard. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. "That's the problem. I forgot the numbers I had memorized." Edmund fell silent for a moment. Sky could imagine him sighing in disappointment. "Papa, are you angry? Change." "No, Baby. I'm not angry. I understand that you are too nervous. Try to take a deep breath, calm your mind. You have managed to remember all the numbers and even letters, Darling. Slowly, you will be able to read them." Sky followed Edmund's advice. After closing her eyes for a moment, she looked carefully at the coordinates. "There's a little line sleeping here, Papa." "Okay. That's a negative sign. It means you are south of the equator. Then?" "There's an egg. It's zero, right?" "Yes. You're doing well so far. What's next, D
"Do I see correctly? There is a human child in the middle of the forest?" The man spoke a language that Louis and Emily didn't understand. An annoyed chuckle came from the other man. "Damn! Just adding to our work." "What should we do now?" "What else? We can't possibly let them escape. They can report to other people. Our plan could be ruined. Let's catch them!" The twins blinked at the rifle pointed at them. Emily immediately hid behind Louis' back, while Louis bravely stepped forward and stretched his arms in front of Mimi. "Don't hurt these orangutans! They are rare animals protected by the whole world. They should not be hunted and traded!" Louis exclaimed loudly. Over Louis' shoulder, Emily peeked out. "Yes! Orangutans must be conserved, not hunted. Don't you feel sorry for them? Look! The baby is scared!" Unexpectedly, the two hunters laughed. Not long after that, another person arrived with a frightening aura. His skin color was much paler than his friends. Obvio
"No, Louis." Emily frowned. "We can't leave Mimi here alone. She could die." "But that's what she wants. She wants her child to be safe! She will survive. We just need to save her child quickly. I think we can do it. We are trained children, you remember?" Once again, Emily shook her head firmly. "No, Louis. That's too risky. We can't be selfish and think about our own pleasure. How about we just call the forest house? This is a serious matter." While Louis took a deep breath, Sky knitted her eyebrows. She looked very serious with her lips folded inward. "I think Emily is right. We can't solve this problem alone. We need help from adults. Our parents and the foundation people. We have to report this to them. Mimi needs medical help, while the poachers need to be caught." Louis pondered for a moment. He was actually reluctant to contact his parents. He wanted to be independent. However, Emily and Sky's words made sense. The problem was too big for them. "Okay. I'll call Dad
"Sky, what's that sound?" Emily whispered in a choked voice. "Is that an explosion?" "I think it was the sound of a gun," Louis interrupted before grabbing the smaller girl's arm. "Sky, could it be a poacher?" Sky blinked angrily. "Maybe yes. This area is outside the scope of the foundation. The patrol team only checks it occasionally, when they have time." "Isn't illegal hunting prohibited? Only bad people still kill animals. What do you think they just shot, Sky? Is it an orangutan?" Louis asked with a serious expression. Emily immediately shuddered in horror. "Oh, if the hunters are targeting orangutan, I hope it manages to escape and survive. Orangutans are rare animals. It would be a shame if they became extinct." "And I hope it's not Mimi," Sky continued, stomping her foot. "She always takes her child everywhere. She must have difficulty moving and is vulnerable to attacks." "How about we check it? If it is indeed the work of poachers, we can immediately report this
"Honey, have you seen the kids?" Alice asked as she approached Edmund. "Kids?" Edmund looked away from his laptop. His eyebrows raised. "Aren't they still sleeping? I didn't see them come out of the tent." "I thought so too. But after I checked, they weren't there." Edmund looked around. His eyes and ears sharpened. However, no trace of the children was detected. "Are they playing in the back garden?" Alice shook her head. "I've checked it. They're not there." "Chicken coop? Who knows, Sky took the twins to see the chicks." "Not there too." Edmund snapped his fingers. "The geese coop! They must be playing with Gigi and Gusi." Alice took a deep breath. The lines on her forehead looked clearer. "I've looked everywhere, Ed. They're not anywhere." "Have you searched the house? Who knows, they might be playing hide and seek. They might be hiding somewhere." Edmund got up from the chair, about to check another room. At that moment, Russell ran out of the gue
Louis' brows furrowed at Edmund's question. "Why did you ask that, Sir? Of course I love Sky. She's my friend. She's like a little sister to me." Edmund blinked stiffly. "Is that so? You think of her as a little sister?" Louis nodded firmly. "Yeah, I think Emily is like that too. She used to want a younger sister. When Russell was born, she was sad. Sky's presence helped her to forget that disappointment." Edmund's lips slowly pursed. His hands were shoved into his pockets. "So, you consider my daughter to be your sister?" he muttered. For some reason, a feeling of relief rose in his heart. "Does it mean you will look after her like your little sister?" "Yes, I will take good care of Sky. I won't make her cry." Edmund's eyebrows knitted together. "But earlier, I saw you picking on Emily. Can you be trusted to look after your younger siblings?" Louis' lips suddenly twitched. While scratching his temple, he chuckled. "About that, I actually like teasing Emily. She's a cr
Everyone clapped when Sky and her animal friends finished performing. It wasn't just the Harper kids who were amazed, but their parents too. "Thank you, Sky. This is the sweetest welcome we have ever received," Kara said with a big smile. "Yes, this is an extraordinary welcome. How did you train those animals? Not just cat and dog, you also managed to train two geese." Frank gave Sky thumbs up. The little girl chuckled proudly. "That's because they're not just animals, Sir. They're my friends and they're smart. I think they want to follow my instructions because we get along well." "They're your friends?" Frank raised an eyebrow. The twins immediately scrambled to explain. "There are no other children here, Daddy. Therefore, Sky only plays with her animal friends." "Sky said she always fed them a lot. I think that's why the animals obey her. They like Sky!" Sky jumped enthusiastically. "Louis and Emily are right. Every day, I spend most of my time with my animal friend