Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria) novel Chapter 405

Chapter 405 

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At the mention of nicknames, Summer instantly felt embarrassed. She usually referred 

to him by his nickname in private, but for some reason, she accidentally made a slip of 

the tongue and called him by his nickname to his face. 

Just remembering that scene cringed her to the core. Recently though, Erik did not 

make a fuss about it, probably due to the circumstances. 

Now that he mentioned it, she was so embarrassed that she kept clenching her toes 

and scratching her head before replying, “I understand. I’ll stop calling you the devil 

from now on.” 

He added, “Other nicknames aren’t allowed as well.” 

She spoke up after a while, “Okay. Can we leave now?” 

Once she finished speaking, the car began moving, and she sighed in relief. 

After Victoria left the inn, she and the children continued forward. Terrified of being 

trailed, she could only try to walk toward the crowd. Luckily for them, it was not 

nighttime yet, so many people were still out on the streets. If she brought the children 

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Chapter 405 Holding On Until Help Artiven 

into the crowd, it would be difficult for others to spot them. 

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She had a stern expression because she knew she could not stay at hotels anymore. At 

first, she thought she only had to steer clear of high–end hotels but did not expect Bane 

would scrutinize cheap inns too. When she thought about it, it made sense because 

she barely had money or a phone with her, so she could only stay at such an inn with 

the amount Ethan gave her. 

As for the call she made earlier, she was unsure whether Summer received the call 

because it was from an unknown number. Would Summer have guessed it was from 

her? More importantly, although she timed her departure, someone was at the 

reception desk. What if the receptionist ended the call before it got through to her? If 

that were the case, things would be disastrous. 

“Mommy, where are we going now?” 

Hearing that, Victoria looked around their surroundings, not knowing what to answer. 

Since they could not stay at hotels, and she had children with her, where could they go? 

It was still early now, but later… 

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. 

Coincidentally, they passed by a grocery store, where she did not think twice before 

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Chapter 405 Holding On Until Help Arrives 

pulling her children inside. She realized it was one of those massive superstores, and 

this one just happened to be open for 24 hours. Then, she came to a decision and 

smiled at her children. “Why don’t we play some games upstairs?” 

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They could not find somewhere to sleep for the night, and their situation would either 

end with Summer finding them first or Bane’s men. If she were alone, she would have 

found somewhere to hide, but it was more difficult when she had children. She could 

not afford to play this cat–and–mouse game, nor could she put her children in danger, so 

she could only try to stay in the crowd and hold on. 

Since many were inside the arcade upstairs, the three instantly disappeared into the 

crowd upon entering. If those men came looking, they would need time to scan the 

place. A reception table was there as well, but Victoria was unsure whether they had a 

phone she could borrow. 

She let the children play while she went to check out the reception desk. Coincidentally, 

a young woman approached her while talking on the phone. She sounded frustrated, 

and Victoria heard her arguing on her phone, “Mom, I’ll come home later. I’m a 

grown–up, so you don’t have to worry about me.” 

“I got it!” In the end, the young woman hung up impatiently. 

Seeing the woman about to brush past her, Victoria blocked her way. “Hello.” 

Chapter 405 Holding On Until Help Arrives 

The young woman was startled when she saw Victoria. Since she was facing a 

stranger, her temper subsided as she looked at her in confusion. “Is there something I 

can help you with?” 

Victoria smiled. “Hello, young lady. Can I borrow your phone for a bit?” 

Hearing that, the young woman scrunched her nose. “No. Don’t you grownups have 

your phone? Are you trying to trick me?” 

Indeed, it was not easy to borrow someone else’s phone. Victoria bit her lip and was 

about to explain when Nicole came over from behind her. The kid gently grabbed the 

young woman’s hand, explaining, “Miss, a burglar took my mommy’s phone, and we 

don’t have any money. So, we want to call my dad and ask him to get us.” 

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When she spoke, her voice sounded gentle and delicate. Adding to her pretty looks, 

milky–white skin, and large eyes, she looked just like a doll. Her appearance could easily 

melt one’s heart, breaking down their defense. 

All this while, Victoria wanted to speak but stopped and observed the situation. As she 

had expected, the young woman seemed to waver a little after listening to Nicole’s 

explanation. “Your… Your phone got stolen?” 

Nicole blinked her watery eyes while nodding, rendering her mother speechless. “So, 

Chapter 405 Holding On Until Help Arrives 

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Miss, can you lend us your phone for a while? It’s just a while! We’ll return it to you after 

making a call.” 

Her mother watched from the side as pearl–like tears fell from the kid’s eyes, feeling a 

pang in her heart. If she had not known Nicole was such a good actress, she would 

have thought the little fellow was crying.