After a deep consideration, Rachel shook her head. "Sorry, Mr. Hills.""You think she wouldn't?" Edmund concluded in a thin, hoarse voice. His shoulders began to rise and fall, matching the breathing that was too difficult to suppress. "You think my wife wouldn't come home with me? She'd rather stay with her new husband?" Rachel took a deep breath. She actually couldn't bear to see Edmund's face suddenly pale with bloodshot eyes. However, she also didn't dare to give hope that could threaten her family. "Sorry, Mr. Hills. If your wife is happy with her new life, why don't you just let her go? I think ...." Rachel swallowed hard. "It's what's best for you guys. It's what's fairest for everyone." The wound in Edmund's heart was like being splashed with vinegar. His face wrinkled, he was about to grimace but restrained by common sense. "Fairest? I have hoped to be reunited with her for years, then I had to let her go into the arms of another man? You call it fair?" he whispered softl
"Uncle Ed, the fruit salad is ready. Let's eat together," Sky shouted as she walked cheerfully towards Edmund's room. Rachel quietly trailed behind. She was worried that Edmund would take out his disappointment on Sky. "Uncle Ed, what are you doing inside? Are you hiding because you're embarrassed?" Sky asked when she arrived at the door. Not getting an answer, she continued, "You don't need to be embarrassed, Uncle. Your eyes were drooping earlier. It's normal for you to hit the door. Come on, come out and eat rujak with me. Uncle Ed?" Feeling that the atmosphere was too quiet, Sky finally opened the door. Finding an empty room, she widened her eyes. "Oh? Where did Uncle Ed go?" Seeing her little daughter looking around, Rachel came out of hiding. "What is it, Honey?" "Mama, have you seen Uncle Ed? He's gone." Rachel's eyebrows arched high. Various assumptions appeared in her head. ‘Was he heartbroken because he failed to get me and Sky so he went away?’Wondering, Rachel che
"I think you're right, Mr. Green. Separating them from their families, and taking them somewhere else is selfish. We should let them be happy in their own homes." Hunter gasped at that statements. When he saw Edmund's red eyes, he finally realized that the man had just been crying. "You've changed your mind?" Hunter sighed, raising an eyebrow. Edmund shifted his gaze towards the gibbon. His eyes dimmed. "I don't want anyone to suffer the same fate as this poor animal. That's why," he handed Hunter a check with five million written on it. "There's nothing more I need to learn from this foundation. It's clear that you guys are doing the right thing. I want to support you all the way." Hunter stared at the numbers with round eyes. Just before he spoke, Edmund interrupted. "Can you prepare transportation for me to go home?" "When?" Hunter asked spontaneously. "Tomorrow morning." Hunter was getting more and more wide-eyed. "That fast?" With a sigh, Edmund stood up. He put the che
Rachel swallowed hard. Her feet subconsciously shifted backwards. "Why would I think that? It's ridiculous." "Calm down. I won't take Sky away from you. Tomorrow morning, I will leave this place." Rachel suddenly froze. Her eyes glanced at Edmund doubtfully. "Y-you want to go already?" Her speech became quiet. The curve of Edmund's lips turned sad. Deep down, he hoped Rachel would stop his plans. However, he realized that the woman actually wanted the opposite. The relationship between the two of them had been different, and so were the circumstances. They were no longer two people who loved each other and were inseparable. "Because of that, please allow me to have fun with Sky. We only have a little time left. I want to fill it with as much laughter and happy memories as possible." Rachel's throat grew dry. Her breath hitched, her fists tightened. She didn't understand what feeling hit her heart. It was definitely not joy, nor sadness. Failing to find an answer, Rachel finally
Seeing Sky lethargic, Edmund's feelings were in turmoil. Rachel didn't have the heart either. "Honey, what else do you want to do with Uncle Ed?" "There are many, Mama. One of them is camping in the yard and studying directions through the stars." "We can do it tonight, Sky," Edmund interrupted, not wanting her sadness to drag on. "Yes, but what about the others? We haven't joined the forest patrol, nor have we joined Uncle Green in releasing animals. I can't even read yet." "Haven't you memorized the letters?" This time, it was Hunter who interrupted. Sky glanced at him with a sad look. "Not all, Uncle. I still haven't memorized those strange letters." "Hey," Edmund rubbed Sky's back so it wouldn't bend too much. "Didn't you already know that the letter P is for panda and papaya?" Sky frowned. "Yes, but I haven't found a similarity in shape yet. I might forget later. Besides, I can't string letters together yet. You still have to teach me, Uncle Ed." Hearing the request, Edm
"Come on, Uncle Ed! Move faster! We have a lot on our agenda," Sky shouted as she stretched out the tent. "No need to rush, Sky. You'll end up not enjoying our time together." Edmund tried to relax even though in his heart, he felt sorry for the toddler. "We can only enjoy the moment when the tent is ready, Uncle. We can relax while studying the direction of the stars. Now, we have to hurry first!" Thinking that Sky's words made sense, Edmund let out a long sigh. "Okay." "Well then, I'm going to sing the ABC song. Once finished, our tent must be up. Otherwise, you will have to run around the house carrying me three laps." Edmund widened his eyes. "You think this is military training? That song is too short, Sky. Your rule isn't fair unless you repeat the song five times." Sky giggled happily. Without further ado, she started singing. Seeing Edmund increased his speed until he misplaced the frame of the tent, her laughter echoed. "Be careful, Uncle. The tent could tear." "This
"Here are all the supplies for tonight's party. Blanket, pillows, books, emergency lamps, binocular, bread for hungry stomach ...." As Sky checked out her luggage, Edmund chuckled amusedly. "You're like you're gonna move, Sky." "I did my best to prepare, Uncle. Tonight has to be the best night ever!" Sky gave a small jump, expressing excitement. Her behavior succeeded in stirring feelings in Edmund's chest. "Uncle, why do you stay still? Come on, help me carry these things. They are heavy." Sky tugged at the edge of the blanket in her tiny grip. Instead of helping, Edmund smiled faintly. He turned around and bent his knees. "Then get on my back. I'll take you to the tent." He patted his shoulder. Sky gaped in disbelief. "You want to carry me around the house? What if you sweat? You'll catch a cold if you shower at night." Edmund frowned. "Not around the house, just towards the tent. Don't you want me to carry you?" "Actually, I was just joking, Uncle. But if you want to carry
Edmund closed the book and put Sky into her sleeping bag. While the toddler was asleep, he lay on his side, supporting his head with one hand. "Thank you for growing into a good and smart kid, Sky. I'm very proud of you." Edmund stroked her hand gently. His smile was faint, his breathing heavy. His eyes never looked away from that cute face for a second. "I'm sorry that we have to separate. Sorry that I haven't had time to give you much. If only I had the chance to make amends, I would definitely be the best father to you." Edmund kissed Sky's hand, then pressed it to his cheek. He thought it could reduce his burden. But it turned out that the pressure in his chest actually increased. "If only I didn't kick you out ...." A single tear fell down Edmund's face. Afraid that Sky's hand would get wet, he quickly wiped his face with his shoulder. Then, without making a sound, he pulled Sky closer. While hugging her, he closed his eyes remembering their very short beautiful moment. Un
"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