Chapter 742
Nicole's eyes hardened when she saw that William had now dragged her into his sorry state of affairs.
She could count on one hand the number of times he had spent time with her.
When she was a child, she believed that William stayed out at night because he was busy with work. When she had
grown up and her parents divorced, she learned that he stayed out at night because he was seeing another
woman.
She couldn't keep a handle on her temper as she shouted, "Enough! Stop making up these grand excuses for
yourself!"
William saw that they'd seen through all his deceptions, so he had no choice but to go for broke.
"Nicole, I really did want to turn myself in. Your mother stopped me. She said you needed a father. That's why she
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changed places with me. Why else do you think she went to prison in my place?"
She glared at him like he was roadkill. Now that her mother was dead, he was spinning whatever tale he wanted.
"My mother would never get herself involved in something like this. My mother's dead; don't you dare slander her!"
Nothing he said could move her. Nicole knew for herself that William was an unscrupulous man and how far he
would go in order to achieve his goals.
When he realized he couldn't stir her sympathy, he turned toward Colton.
"President Gardner, I didn't know I hit your grandmother. I'm the only family Nicole has left. If I'm found guilty, then
she'll also be implicated. The Gardners won't accept her."
Colton's eyes betrayed no emotion, but Nicole gently tugged his arm at Willian's threat.
When he turned his head toward her, he saw her shaking her head.
He lowered his gaze and didn't say anything else.
The two walked out of the visiting room, paying William no further attention.
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William gripped the bars desperately as he cried at the departing pair, "I'm your only family, Nicole! No matter what
I've done, I'm still your father!"
She was unusually apathetic in the face of his distraught screams. For the last decade of her life, whatever love or
respect she harbored for her father had slowly decayed under his neglect.
In her eyes, her son was the only family she had left.
As they left the cells, Colton suddenly grabbed Nicole's hand. His hand encased her in a warm grip, and she couldn't
help but feel a wave of reassurance.
He comforted her hoarsely, "Don't worry. This is all William's doing. It has nothing to do with you."
Nicole smiled bitterly because she knew that William was right about one thing. No matter what he did, he was her
biological father. Nothing could erase this fact.
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She murmured, "Let's go to the Gardner Residence. We have to tell Old Mr. Benedict about this."
She had proven that her mother was innocent, but there was no joy at the discovery.
Her chest seemed weighed down by a heavy stone, and her legs felt like it was dragged down by lead.
Colton nodded. "Very well."
Thus, when they departed from the police station, they headed straight to the Gardner Residence. Today was the
last day of Old Mr. Benedict's deadline.
She raised her head as she gazed at the imposing structure of the Gardner Residence. Although she knew who had
murdered the family's late matriarch, the knowledge brought her no relief.
Colton gave her a small smile as though he had sensed her trepidation.
"Don't worry, my dad and grandfather aren't unreasonable people. They'll understand, I'm sure."
Perhaps it was because he was by her side, so she felt an inexplicable peace bloom within her.
Hence, she calmly followed him into the old mansion. She didn't know that apart from Benedict, Colton's father, and
Olivia, a bunch of other people were awaiting her arrival.