Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
She had not estimated the length properly, so it was too short.
She wanted to unravel and knit it over again. However, Roscoe liked it so much that he didn’t want to take it off for now. He said he would just take it off later in the evening when he came back.
Nicole didn’t argue with him, so she let him wear it.
They agreed to visit the town today since it was the village fair.
There would be lanterns at night, and villagers from different villages had set up stalls, creating a festive atmosphere.
When they arrived in town, Nicole was tempted by the snacks they saw in the different stalls.
But since she had a weak stomach, she couldn’t eat too much. Roscoe allowed her to taste a small amount of each food.
She loved mochi. However, it was sticky and hard to digest. So, after allowing her to digest one piece, Roscoe grabbed the rest and gobbled them up.
They had no idea that a pair of deep and cold eyes had been watching their playful tussle over food not far away.
Nicole was unaware of the eyes on her as she stomped her foot at Roscoe in irritation, exclaiming, “Why didn’t you just buy your own?”
“Eating yours is tastier,” Roscoe replied cheekily, popping another piece into his mouth.
Turning away, Nicole walked off, declaring, “I’m really angry now.”
Deep down, she knew Roscoe was just being mindful of her sensitive stomach. She was merely joking.
Nicole advanced several paces into the dark night, not noticing a man dressed in black blending into the shadows. She accidentally walked into a surprisingly broad chest.
“Sorry.. She said automatically but then stopped, her senses alert to a familiar scent. This unmistakable scent… It was just like Jarrod’s!”
Nicole’s heart skipped a beat as she raised her eyes to meet a face, cold and expressionless. A metaphorical thunderclap shattered her calm.
“It’s been a while,” Jarrod’s mysteriously calm voice sounded, his features shrouded in the dark, unreadable.
Nicole’s scalp prickled, a sensation like ants crawling over her, goosebumps spreading. Her mind screamed, “Run, just run!” Yet, her legs were as heavy as lead, rooted to the spot.
Jarrod effortlessly lifted her into his arms, heading to a secluded area of the building.
Nicole didn’t resist, aware that any objection might put Roscoe at risk.
Jarrod wasn’t alone. Two muscular men were with him.
Nicole’s foremost thought was to protect Roscoe.
From their hidden spot, Nicole saw Roscoe below, anxiously looking for her, his concern evident. Yet, he refrained from shouting her name, wary of the consequences. He approached each passerby, describing her features.
Nicole had never seen Roscoe look so desperate. Tears rolled down her cheeks, her heart wrenching painfully.
“Does that hurt?” Jarrod’s cold voice rang out next to her.
Facing him squarely, Nicole replied, “You better not touch him!”
Jarrod’s smile was thin and chilling. “Do you think you’re in any position to talk to me that way?”
Nicole looked notably better than when they were together before.
Back then, although pretty, she constantly seemed troubled, hardly ever smiled at him, and appeared painfully thin, almost fragile.
Now, she looked vibrant and healthy, glowing with the warmth of someone well-loved, reminiscent of her college days when they were in love.
A surge of anger rose within Jarrod. Nicole had truly moved on… It was clear she loved someone else.
“So, you’ve been enjoying yourself since you ran away,” Jarrod commented, his voice dripping with venom.
Nicole knew that shouting or trying to escape would be pointless.
Jarrod had found her and had no intention of letting her go.
Resigned, she said, “Jarrod, I don’t want revenge anymore. I tried to get you locked up behind the bar last time but failed. Let’s call it even. Can’t we just go our separate ways and live our own lives?”
“Even?” Jarrod scoffed, holding her chin forcefully. “How do you justify your stabbing me? How will you make things right for what you did to me before?”
Nicole grimaced in pain as Jarrod’s grip tightened, her voice faltering. “Jarrod… Why can’t you let me go? You’re engaged… You have a fianc?e. What else do you want from me?”
“What do I want?” Jarrod smirked, his hand sliding inside her jacket, “There’s much I could do…”
“You monster!” Nicole shoved him back forcefully, yelling, “You’re inhuman!”
Jarrod’s eyes grew colder, his grip firmer. “You knew exactly what I was long before now.”
Nicole shook her head violently. “I will not go with you, Jarrod. I’d rather die than go with you. If you want to take me, you’ll have to take a corpse.”
Jarrod’s smile was faint, unfazed. “Don’t be so sure of that.”
Nicole’s eyes widened in terror. “What are you planning to do?”
With a sly smirk, Jarrod asked, “Has he been close to you?”
Feeling humiliated and physically overpowered, Nicole realized escape was impossible this time. Roscoe had narrowly escaped death before.
This time, Jarrod seemed intent on leaving no one alive.
Determined, Nicole understood that begging would only provoke Jarrod to be more ruthless. She turned to him, intentionally adopting a calm expression to counter his evil intentions. Wasn’t he just waiting to see her distressed and suffering, to justify his abusive actions? She would not let him have it his way!
Nicole said coldly, “That’s none of your business.”
To Jarrod, her response almost confirmed her closeness with Roscoe.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with fury. “Did you enjoy betraying me?”
Nicole laughed. “Jarrod, I’ve decided to marry him. My relationship with him is legitimate, not a betrayal.”
Jarrod was left momentarily speechless, consumed by rage. After a brief pause, he exploded, “Nicole, what about your heart? I’ve been kind to you and made every compromise for you, and this is how you repay me, by planning to marry him?”
“Why shouldn’t I?” Nicole shot back coldly. “Your kindness? Do you mean ignoring my feelings, forcing your way with me in his presence, making me a woman who can no longer face society? Is that your idea of a compromise? Jarrod, such ‘kindness’ are outrageous, and frankly, they’re unbearable.”
Jarrod was furious yet unreflective of his own actions. In his view, Nicole was his to control. She had no right to betray or leave him.
He sneered, “If you had been obedient, I wouldn’t have had to act that way. What else have you done besides defy me?”
“Obedient? Ha!” Nicole burst out in mocking laughter.
“Am I some pet you’ve trained, Jarrod? Why should I be submissive to you?) If you were seeking a compliant woman, that wouldn’t be difficult to find. You just haven’t conquered me. Once I gave in, you’d find me dull and unremarkable. In the end, it’s always my fault. You excel at making excuses and are, frankly, despicable!”
Nicole spoke with intensity.
Jarrod’s face turned even more somber. He smirked and questioned, “I’m despicable, and he isn’t?”
“He respects me, protects me, treats me kindly, and would never hurt me. He is the finest man alive. In our relationship, I’m the one unworthy of him. He’s so genuine, and I’m so flawed,” Nicole expressed this with a slight smile. She and Roscoe had decided to overcome the obstacles together. Jarrod was merely another obstacle they would surpass.
Determined, she announced, “In my heart, Roscoe is already my husband. If he dies, I will join him. We’ll wait together in heaven, watching your downfall.”
Her words deeply enraged Jarrod. He pushed her against the railing, holding her tightly, and yelled, “You think you’ll die together? What a fantasy!”
Nicole chuckled amidst her tears, resigned to whatever came her way.
Luckily, she had set aside sufficient funds for Austin. Once she was gone, the lawyer she trusted would find the nanny on her behalf to await a donor for Austin. She had also left behind years of salary and various insurance policies for the nanny. She had _ prepared thoroughly.
Nicole had seen through it. Roscoe was too stubborn. He couldn’t bear to let her go. Rather than him dying for her, they might as well leave this world together.
On the street below, Roscoe was still earnestly questioning passersby, trying to locate Nicole.
Observing the emptiness in her eyes, Jarrod’s fury intensified, and he grabbed the back of her neck, demanding, “Why don’t you look up?”
On the rooftop of the nearby building, a shadowy figure held a Large flowerpot, ominous and threatening as if it might topple over at any second.
Nicole’s face drained of color as she looked up in shock. “Jarrod, you’re insane!”
“Someone dared to touch my woman, so shouldn’t I teach him a lesson?”
Jarrod tugged at his lip, offering a cold smile. “Where should this flowerpot land? On his head, neck, hand, or leg…”
As Jarrod listed each option, his icy hand traced these areas of Nicole’s, ultimately grabbing her leg harshly and pressing down painfully.
Nicole gasped in pain, her face drained of color in the moonlight.
“You’re insane! You won’t meet a peaceful end!”
Her eyes brimmed with hatred. If she had a knife, she’d not doubt using it on Jarrod.
“Aren’t you indifferent to death, wanting to die with him?” Jarrod tilted Nicole’s chin up, forcing her to gaze downwards. “Then shout for him. See how frantically he’s looking for you.”