GoodReadJarrod’s face was an icy mask, his expression unyielding.
He hadn't anticipated that Nicole, even with an injured hand, would dare such an act.
He realized he had miscalculated, underestimating Nicole's resourcefulness.
He should never have let his guard down, not even for a moment.
"Nicole, this is the last time I'm telling you.
Let Jamie go!" Jarrod demanded.
His intense gaze fixed on Nicole, his eyes sharp and accusing as if trying to penetrate her very soul.
Anyone would feel intimidated by such a look, including Nicole.
Nicole had seen Jarrod angry before, but today his fury was exceptional, almost palpable, as if he could lash out at her any
second.
Nicole thought Jarrod’s anger stemmed from the fact that Jamie was held hostage, the very person Jarrod valued above all
others.
Nicole wouldn't have dared, knowing the backlash it would cause, but she was desperate.
She couldn't let her father remain vulnerable to Jarrod's whims, risking imprisonment at his displeasure.
Nicole knew her father wouldn't survive long in jail, especially in his declining health.
She might never see him again if he were incarcerated.
Thus, she decided to take a risk.
Holding the fork against Jamie's neck, Nicole faced Jarrod defiantly.
"Jarrod, you have twenty minutes.
If I don't see the contract and the documents, I'll do it," she stated calmly.
This was the deadline she set for herself.
In her weakened state, she couldn't prolong this standoff.
She had to act quickly.
Jarrod’s eyes darkened with anger.
"Nicole, you're courting death!" he said, each word laced with a chilling intensity.
His voice, colder than the deepest freeze, made listeners shiver.
She glanced at the wall clock and said evenly, "Mr.
Schultz, you have nineteen minutes and thirty seconds left." Bang! Jarrod's hand, charged with anger, swept a valuable vase off
its perch.
The vase crashed to the floor, shattering into countless pieces.
His face twisted in fury, he gritted his teeth and warned, "Nicole, have you considered’ the consequences?" "I have, but what
other choice do I have?" Nicole's expression didn't waver.
For her, it was a choice between a dire situation and an even worse one.
Seizing the opportunity to act seemed the only way to secure her family's future.
Jamie, caught in the middle, hadn't anticipated Nicole's audacity to use her as a bargaining chip against Jarrod.
This situation underscored the strained relationship between Nicole and Jarrod, forcing Nicole to take drastic actions.
At that moment, Jamie refused to be taken advantage of by Nicole.
If Nicole's plan succeeded, how could she possibly assert control over Nicole later? Jamie subtly shifted her wrist, contemplating
if she could overpower Nicole in the latter’s weakened state.
But as she attempted to move, a sharp pain at her neck stopped her.
"Hss..." Jamie let out a stifled groan, feeling something wet trickle down.
In the next second, a drop of blood hit the floor.
Nicole, pressing her finger against Jamie's vein, threatened, "Jamie, don't try anything, or I'll do it!" Jamie's realization that the
blood was hers heightened her panic.
"Ah! Help! Jarrod, save me! She's going to kill me!" Jamie's cries were filled with hysteria.
Jarrod's frown deepened at Jamie's terrified voice, his eyes growing colder.
Dealing with Nicole alone was manageable, but he couldn't jeopardize Jamie's safety.
Jarrod quickly made a call, his voice icy, "Bring the A7E8 contracts now." After hanging up, he glared at Nicole with a sneer, "I
hope you're ready for the end of your life.” But Nicole was unexpectedly composed.
Facing death with the cancer, she found a strange sense of calm.
After all, what could be more frightening than death itself? Soon, Alec arrived with documents and disks in hand.
He presented them to Nicole, who meticulously checked each one, confirming their authenticity.
Once satisfied, Nicole said with disdain, "Burn them." Alec glanced at Jarrod, who commanded with a dark expression, "Do it.
Nicole's usually calm demeanor broke, revealing a flicker of trrumph.
She had eliminated the threat, sparing her father from prison.
As the last of the documents turned to ash, Jarrod, dressed in black, exuded a menacing elegance.
His stare bore into Nicole as he gritted out, "Let Jamie go!” Nicole, still gripping Jamie's throat, bargained, "I have one more
condition.” "Nicole Lawrence!" Jarrod roared.
"Don't force me to take away your parents this instant!” Every line of Jarrod's face radiated lethal intent.
He almost lost his remaining bit of reason.
He couldn't stand being manipulated..Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
"Then let's see who acts faster,” Nicole retorted calmly, masking her stiffened hand.
With her right hand injured, she relied on her arm's strength to restrain Jamie, enduring excruciating pain every passing single
moment.
The fork in Nicole's hand teetered, close to falling.
Her time to negotiate was running short.
Without waiting for Jarrod's response, she made her demand clear, "Promise me you won't harm my parents.
I'll face the consequences of my actions, but leave them out of it!" Nicole was prepared to face whatever Jarrod had in store for
her as long as her parents were safe.
She was aware that with her life fading, her moment of final rest was nearing.
It was only a matter of enduring more pain and suffering until then.
Yet, in a way, this pain served as a vivid reminder of her being alive.
Silence enveloped the room.
Jamie, tears streaming down her face, whimpered, "Jarrod, it hurts...” Finally, Jarrod, through clenched teeth, agreed, "Fine.
You have my word." Nicole, hearing this, felt a wave of relief, but her body was reaching its limit.
She cautiously loosened her grip.
Jamie, noticing Nicole's weakening hold, saw an opportunity.
Her eyes gleamed with a sudden insight, as a sinister plan swiftly formed in her thoughts.
Suddenly, the fork plunged into Jamie's neck.
It happened so fast that nobody quite caught how it occurred, not even Nicole.
Jamie clutched her neck, screaming.
"Jarrod, she's going to kill me..." Then, she collapsed to the floor.
"Jamie!" Jarrod rushed to Jamie, his expression panicked.
In a swift move, he kicked Nicole in the chest with a forceful blow.
Caught off guard, Nicole was thrown backward, crashing against a flower rack.
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