Chapter 51 Please Save My Child

Nicola hadn't died.


Although she lost her baby, she had survived Nicole's abandonment thanks to the timely intervention of her mother, Mary Reed. She only learned about what happened to Nicola at school after she was taken to the hospital.

Mary raised Nicola alone since her husband's death, couldn't bear seeing her daughter bullied. Furious, she confronted the school, only to be met with deflection and blame from the administration.

Mary, a working-class mother, struggled to afford Nicola's tuition on her late husband's pension. She had hoped for Nicola to attend a good school, but she never imagined the difficulties she would face.

Frustrated by the school's refusal to accept responsibility, Mary turned to the internet, believing that an online influencer had fueled the incident. Her goal was to get justice for Nicola, but her actions would land them in deeper trouble.

Nicola, unmarried and pregnant, sought refuge in an abandoned building with ‘the intention of taking her own life.’ Initially met with sympathy online, the narrative quickly changed, with commentators questioning her decisions and morality.

[She's unmarried, pregnant, and afraid that her family will find out, so she is attempting suicide in the teaching building. Her academic performance is poor, and her personal life is disorganized.]

[Agreed. Teenage love carries risks. It is critical to proceed with caution when starting a family.]

[Who is the guy? If she is attempting suicide, it is most likely because her partner has abandoned her, correct? Nowadays, young girls are so irrational, willing to end their lives for trivial reasons.]

[She lacks self-respect; she deserves to be abandoned.]

[Getting pregnant due to infatuation is her own fault.]

[I have heard that some female students “work part-time jobs”. Could Nicola be doing the same thing?]

[You've uncovered the truth.]

[Seriously? That is sickening.]

[I'm curious what kind of upbringing her parents gave her. Attempting to elicit sympathy online, her entire family is appalling.]

Initially, only a few people led the conversation, but soon, the entire comment section was focused on Nicola's alleged involvement in "part-time jobs" that led to her pregnancy. This unfounded rumor fueled a new round of condemnation for her.

As the online vitriol grew, even those who came across the comments accepted them as true, adding to the chorus of condemnation against Nicola. The situation spiraled out of control, exacerbating the harassment she faced.

Mary, desperate to defend her daughter, found herself powerless in the face of popular opinion. Even her colleagues and neighbors turned against her, adding to her distress.

Some people went so far as to locate Nicola's contact information, send her derogatory messages, and solicit her services.

When Nicola regained consciousness, she was greeted with a barrage of insults and humiliations. Despite her youth and vulnerability, the constant malice took its toll.

Overwhelmed by the cruelty and injustice, Nicola withdrew into herself, showing signs of severe psychological distress. Though she appeared calm, her silence concealed a deep internal turmoil.

Mary blamed herself for Nicola's condition and desperately sought treatment and support. Nicola's condition did not improve despite the fact that they had exhausted their savings and her own job had been jeopardised.

One day, Fred, the true culprit in Nicola's ordeal, paid her a visit. Mary learned about Fred's involvement in Nicola's suffering, including the Jensen family's orchestrated online harassment to shield him from scrutiny.

Despite knowing the damage his family had done, Fred hypocritically offered to "compensate" Nicola, adding insult to injury.

Mary harbored deep resentment for Fred and wished she could end his life right then. Her desire for vengeance, however, was tempered by her feelings of responsibility for Nicola. Mary knew that if she acted on her impulse and ended up in jail, there would be no one to look after Nicola. Despite the criticisms and judgments she received for her perceived weakness and incompetence, Mary made the difficult decision to separate herself from Fred and the Jensen family. But no matter how far she ran, the Jensens were always able to track them down.

Following each encounter with Fred, Mary faced threats from the Jensen family, forcing her to uproot her and Nicola's lives once more. "To ensure Nicola's safety and peace, I even went so far as publicly announcing her death," Mary confided, her face clouded with sadness as she shared her story with Olivia.

"People online have long forgotten about Nicola's existence. I don't want anyone to know that she is still alive and disturb her. I'm not sure how you found out about Nicola, but if you plan to help her via the internet, I must decline. I don't want her to be exposed and disturbed," Mary said, her voice tinged with exhaustion and apprehension.

Olivia could feel Mary's pain and regret despite her inability to express them. Olivia, moved by compassion, extended her hand to provide comfort and support. "Don't worry. When I say I want to help Nicola, I mean to help her regain her mental health," Olivia assured Mary.

Mary shook her head. "You can't do that. So many hospitals have said they can't cure her, and I have accepted it."

She treated it as if Nicola had gotten Alzheimer's. Despite the difficulties, Mary was determined to care for her daughter to the best of her ability.

Olivia, sensing Mary's skepticism, decided to demonstrate her abilities. She used a subtle gesture to summon a magic card, which hovered above Nicola's head, defying the laws of physics. Mary was taken aback when Nicola, who had been completely unresponsive to her surroundings, lifted her head to look at the magic card, drawn to its enchanting presence.

Mary was stunned by the sight, her eyes widening as she stared at Olivia. This unexpected display of magic gave Mary hope, sparking a newfound belief that there might still be a way to help Nicola reclaim her sanity.

Olivia explained, "The reason why she hasn't reacted to anything is because a part of her soul had become trapped on the roof of an abandoned teaching building. Olivia had located this fragment of her soul using Nicola's energy as guidance."

She presented a lantern made of magic cards from her backpack. The lantern was hollow, and there was clearly nothing inside, but it emitted a faint light.

She said, "If you trust me, I will try to bring back the part of her soul that she lost and return it to her body." Mary looked at the magic card floating in the air above her head, then at the paper lantern in Olivia's hand. At this point, she already believed Olivia and her eyes instantly became red as she nodded fiercely. "I believe you! I believe you, Master Sinclair, please save Nicola, please save my daughter."

With Mary's trust, Olivia finally nodded.

She took out a pen and quickly drew a Soul Drawing Card, placing it on Nicola's forehead. Then, she cast the Soul Drawing Spell, using her magic to help Nicola's soul reunite with her body.

As Olivia finished the Soul Drawing Spell, the magic card floating above Nicola's head enveloped the paper lantern, connecting them. A red thread appeared, connecting the center of Nicola's forehead to the lantern wrapped in the magic card. Inside the lantern, a faint glow represented the missing piece of Nicola's soul, which moved closer to her forehead along the thread.

Mary, filled with anticipation and fear, held her breath, afraid that any movement would disrupt the delicate process of soul retrieval.

As the glow approached Nicola's forehead, a piercing cry echoed, reminiscent of a newborn's wail, causing Mary's ears to throb. In an unexpected twist of fate, the glow, on the verge of reintegration, was violently yanked back by an unseen force, retreating into the paper lantern with an abruptness that startled Mary.