Chapter 1376

Chapter 1376:

? ? ? ? ?

Without hesitation, I picked up the phone to call the babysitter.

Nicole tried tirelessly to reach the nanny, but instead of a response, she received a text that made her heart sink.

"Miss Lawrence, I told you that there are people at Mr. Schultz's house. He won't let me make calls to him. It would cause trouble if we were caught."

Nicole read the message over and over again, feeling a cold unease. The nanny's tone was odd. It wasn't like her at all. The nanny was a kind soul who treated Nicole and Austin like her own family, never using a tone that hinted at guilt.

And what was more suspicious, the nanny never referred to Jarrod as Mr. Schultz.

Knowing Nicole's aversion to hearing Jarrod's name, the nanny always called him "that person" instead, carefully avoiding his last name.

As Nicole's hands shook, she compared the most recent photos with the previous ones and noticed a worrying detail. Austin's nails were uncut, as if he had neglected them for weeks.

Unlike the babysitter, who knew Austin had to trim them regularly to prevent him from scratching himself during his nightly anxiety attacks.

The untrimmed nails in recent photos indicated a lack of attention to Austin's needs, a stark contrast to the meticulous care the nanny had provided for years.

Normally, something so insignificant would have gone unnoticed, but Austin was no ordinary child. Their needs were specific, and the nanny had always attended to them with precision. To Austin, the nanny was like a grandmother.

Growing increasingly concerned, Nicole sent a message, trying to sound casual.

"It's been so long since I heard Austin's voice. I'd love to hear it."

The reply came quickly. “Miss Lawrence, I will secretly record your voice and send it when the others are away. Don't worry. Austin is fine. “He hasn’t mentioned you at all.”

Nicole chose not to answer, her lips pressed into a thin line.

The last sentence of the answer seemed totally unnecessary, increasing his suspicions and leaving a chill in his heart.

The nanny knew how sensitive her heart was to such comments. How could the nanny tell her that Austin hadn't even mentioned her? The nanny knew it was a cruel jolt to her, a harsh reminder that her only family might not need her anymore.

The nanny had been working for Nicole not just one or two years, but seven whole years. They had come to trust each other.

The nanny, who had no children of her own, showed no signs of weakness that would lead her to harm Austin, even under duress.

Nicole had unwavering faith in the nanny. A sudden change in the nanny's behavior after seven years made no sense.

Nicole's mind raced toward the only conclusion that seemed plausible. The person she was communicating with now was not the nanny she knew.

A cold fear gripped Nicole. If she wasn't her trusted nanny, then where was she?

Nicole had been explicit with Jarrod that Austin needed that nanny of all people, and Jarrod had agreed to keep that nanny involved in Austin's care, independent of any other nanny. But now…

Later that night, a video quickly arrived. It showed Austin reciting a poem, with a woman's voice in the background. "Wow, Austin, you're doing great! Come here, let me wipe your sweat. Is that okay? You're so hot..."

It was Vicki's voice.

Nicole was surprised at how respectful and obedient Austin was with Vicki.

The emotion Nicole felt was unusual. It wasn't the kind of rage that usually comes from jealousy, but an uneasiness stemming from how unnaturally obedient Austin seemed.

At his age, such a high level of respect and obedience towards someone new was unsettling. No child behaved like that. What was wrong with Austin?

In the video, a pair of slender hands gently wiped Austin's forehead.

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