Noticing Samuel's grim expression, Nicole associated this new information with her experience of being
poisoned with bugs.
She thought that she was pregnant but was in fact poisoned. As a result, her health was undermined.
Nicole's eyes turned cold.
So it was Aaron!
Back then, she didn't think that Viola was capable of doing it. That's why she thought it was Major's
doing. However, she never thought that it had something to do with Aaron.
In other words, Aaron and Major were on the same side, or were they cooperating?
This thought made Nicole's expression turn cold.
While looking after Jarrod, Amelia also paid attention to Nicole and Samuel. When she noticed their
cold gazes, she became vigilant.
"What do you want to do? Mr. Aaron's men are outside. It I scream, none of you would be able to
leave."
"I mean no harm to him."
Samuel tried to explain.
Now Jarrod quieted down. He seemed to have fallen asleep, but his state made one worried.
Having mixed feelings, Samuel couldn't help walking over.
He remembered seeing Jarrod crying in front of Vincent's tombstone.
Jarrod was not that cold-blooded after all.
When Samuel got closer, Amelia was put on full alert. Nicole pulled her to sit down aside. Still, Amelia
fixed her eyes on Samuel. She was ready to fight if he did anything to Jarrod.
Samuel smiled at Amelia's nervousness and said, "You are very loyal to him."
Amelia said nothing, and her mood was not affected by Samuel. She kept staring at him.
Samuel ignored Amelia, and took a look at the wounds on Jarrod's body.
There were many scars, both new and old. And most of them were cuts.
When seeing the new wound on Jarrod's chest, Samuel seemed to understand.
Did Jarrod always cut himself to take out the bugs?
Had he gone mad?
Or had he thought that he was immortal?
Samuel's eyes turned red, and his mood became gloomy.
Among him and his two brothers, only Vincent lived an easy life, which was unfortunately very short. In
a way of speaking, they were fellow sufferers.
Jarrod helped him, knowing that he himself would be severely punished. Whether it was a sympathy-
getting ploy or a sincere help, Samuel's heart was softened.
"Let's take him with us. If Aaron doesn't treat him well, then he'd better come back to me."
After finishing speaking, Samuel shouldered Jarrod, but then heard a moan.
"Are you trying to make it worse for me now that I'm still alive? Samuel, I'm not your man. What do you
mean by saying 'come back to me'?"
Jarrod's voice was low and weak. Still, the words stunned the three people present.
"Mr. Jarrod!"
Amelia broke free from Nicole and rushed over.
"Mr. Jarrod, are you awake? Does it still hurt? I'll go and find you some painkillers. I..."
"Shut up! You are noisy."
Jarrod let out a low roar and frowned.
Amelia immediately shut her mouth, but her eyes were filled with worry and concern.
Jarrod ignored her, but looked up at Samuel.
Samuel's eyes were cold and his face was expressionless, but Jarrod thought that he was very cute
and warm at this time.
"Why are you here?"
"I come to see if you're dead. If you are, I'll bury you. I've prepared a tomb for you beside Vincent's.
Then Vincent won't feel lonely down there."
Samuel said with a cold face. Yet, his icy tone made Jarrod grin.
"You really want me dead, don't you? Samuel, put me down. You can't get out. It's impossible for you to
double back. There must be barricades now. The forest that you entered through is probably under
control. If you don't try to leave, you can survive. Otherwise, you'll die. Who will bury me then?"
Jarrod coughed and struggled to get free from Samuel.
Seeing this, Amelia hurriedly supported him.
"Mr. Jarrod."
Jarrod glanced at her.
"Why are you in such a state? You look ugly."
Hearing this, Amelia lowered her head and said, "It's for the sake of convenience. I can better walk
around in the forest in this dress."
"Help me sit down."
Amelia did as she was told. Samuel left Jarrod to Amelia and walked to Nicole's side, holding her in his
arms.
Nicole leaned against him and smiled, "I think he's right. This place is safe. Aaron would never have
thought that we would be here."
"Yes. Let's take a rest."
Samuel helped Nicole sit down and handed her a hardtack.
"Eat this so you can replenish your strength."
Jarrod couldn't help but feel a little depressed when he saw the scene.
"I'm sick. You have food with you, but you didn't think giving it to me? Samuel, aren't you ashamed of
yourself?"
"She's my wife, so I should give her food. Who are you? Why should I give you food?"
Jarrod was slightly hurt by the words.
"Who am I? Don't you know?"
"I don't know, nor do I want to know."
After saying so, Samuel tore open the package of the hardtack and fed it to Nicole. He said softly, "It's
a bit dry. Eat slowly so you won't choke on it. I'll see if there's any water."
"OK."
Nicole smiled as she ate. And she glanced at Jarrod from time to time.
She felt that Jarrod, who was bickering with Samuel, was like a child. It was fun.
Jarrod pursed his lips and said dejectedly, "Samuel, you're going too far."
"Mr. Jarrod, I have hardtacks with me. I'll get some for you."
However, Jarrod rejected Amelia's offer.
"I don't want yours. I want his."
Amelia had never seen Jarrod being so childish, so she was stunned.
Jarrod ignored her and said to Samuel, "Will you give it to me or not? I'll scream if you don't, then none
of you can leave here. No matter what, I'm Aaron's son, and I catch you guys. It's enough to offset my
faults. Then I'll eat delicious food without sharing with you."
Surprised by Jarrod, Nicole couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Samuel smiled, too.
"Just for a hardtack?"
Samuel looked at Jarrod with a rare sense of joy.
"Are you going to give me or not?"
"Here you are. How dare I not give it to you when you threaten me like this?"
Samuel threw a hardtack over.
Jarrod said to Amelia, "Be quick. Bring it to me."
Amelia thought that Jarrod was starving, so she hurriedly opened it and handed it to Jarrod.
Jarrod ate with relish, grinning from ear to ear.
Seeing how happy Jarrod was, Samuel smiled and said, "I forgot to tell you. This hardtack was
Amelia's. She gave us some to satisfy our hunger. So the hardtacks Amelia offered you are no different
from ours."
Jarrod was stunned, and then looked at Amelia.
Amelia nodded and said, "Yes, Mrs. Green was weak. There was nothing else I could do, so I gave her
the hardtacks."
Nicole chuckled and tugged at Samuel's sleeve and whispered, "Don't be so wicked."
"I'm just telling him the truth. Little kids like to snatch others' food because they think the food tastes
better, but Jarrod didn't know that our food was actually his."
Samuel's words made Jarrod depressed.
Nicole thought that he would be angry, but Jarrod smiled and said, "I like to snatch other people's
things, even if the things were mine. You got a problem?"
Samuel thought that Jarrod was like a scamp.
"Childish."
"Weren't you childish? Didn't you tease me like I'm a little kid?"
Jarrod snorted. He then looked at the remaining hardtack in his hand and lost his appetite.
"I don't want to eat."
He then gave the hardtack to Amelia.
Amelia was not sure whether Jarrod was angry. She put the hardtack away and went to find water.
After Amelia left, Jarrod looked at Samuel and said, "I should stay here for another three to five days.
And that's the time you got. You should think of a way to leave this place this morning."
"What if I say no?"
Hearing such reply, Jerrod had mixed feeling. Samuel noticed but still asked coldly, "Where is Emory?"
"He's not here."
"Then where is he?"
Samuel's persistence made Jarrod somewhat depressed.
"Save your own skin. Why do you care about him? He is fine. You guys think that he's been taken away
for confinement, and maybe will be secretly executed, right? Then let me tell you — that's not what has
happened. He wasn't hurt at all! And there are troops at his disposal. If he hadn't come here, my father
wouldn't have been impeded. So you really don't need to worry about him. You are in greater danger
now. Only an idiot like you would come to the Harper Town for him."
Jarrod was torn.
Nicole and Samuel were shocked.
Emory had a secret army working for him.
Why didn't he contact Samuel or his own family?
Why the higher-ups had him taken away and ensured everyone knew about it?
Could it be something of a red herring? Were they trying to have Emory to investigate what was going
on here?
Samuel suddenly remembered what Morty had said.
"There are things you don't see," he said, "but Mr. Shaw knows what's what."
Samuel seemed to understand, feeling that it all fell into place.
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