Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
In the blink of an eye, Jarrod’s gaze shifted to Alec’s hand, and without warning, he swiftly raised the window, trapping it tightly.
Alec winced in agony, biting his tongue to stifle a cry of pain.
Alec knew this was Jarrod’s way of disciplining him for overstepping his boundaries. He had indeed violated one of Jarrod’s rules, and he accepted the consequences. Yet, he remained steadfast in his belief that he had done no wrong. He was a straightforward man, not one for schemes.
It wasn’t until Jarrod spoke again that Alec felt a shiver down his spine.
“No matter how long you have served by my side, if you ignore my orders and act on your own, even if you’re capable, you’re no more valuable than a rat in my eyes,” Jarrod’s icy voice declared.
Alec felt a wave of sadness wash over him as he absorbed the rebuke.
Alec had always held Jarrod in high regard. Yet, despite his years of dedicated service, he still fell short compared to Nicole in Jarrod’s heart.
It was only when Alec’s fingers turned purple and black, numbing to the point of losing all feeling, that Jarrod finally rolled down his car window.
Alec tried moving his numb hand with his other.
“There won’t be a next time,” Jarrod stated coldly.
Then, the car pulled away, leaving Alec kneeling on the ground, utterly defeated.
Alec puzzled over whether he had really erred. Nicole, that relentless woman, was fixated on driving Jarrod to his demise.
Despite losing her child’s custody, her resolve remained unbroken.
Alec felt he had only intended to shield Jarrod from complications.
Why, even after everything, did Jarrod’s feelings for Nicole linger?
Undoubtedly, Vicki from the Hampton family was a better choice. She had shown support to the Schultz Group and was wholeheartedly devoted to Jarrod. In comparison, Nicole was utterly ineffectual.
Alec grappled with confusion and disbelief. One thing remained clear.
He would put no stops in ensuring no harm came Jarrod’s way. Should anyone dare to pose risks to Jarrod’s well-being, he wouldn’t hesitate to deal with them.
Determination filled his eyes. He would not allow Nicole to pose threats to Jarrod.
Nicole’s car was struck by Derek’s silver sedan and flipped over.
Fortunately, it landed in a muddy ditch where the soft earth cushioned the impact, and the timely deployment of the airbag prevented more severe injuries.
Momentarily stunned, Nicole soon felt an overwhelming pain in her back as if her spine had shattered.
She grimaced, struggling with the safety belt, and then dragged herself from the wreckage.
The window was cracked but held together just enough for Nicole to force the remaining shards apart with her hands. As she did so, the glass sliced into her skin, causing her to bleed. Nonetheless, she pushed on, pulling herself free from the car.
She scanned her surroundings. Quite the isolation. There was no one nearby, no passing cars, and with her phone destroyed in the crash, she couldn’t call for help.
Turning her attention to a nearby noise, Nicole noticed Derek’s car crumpled against a tree, smoke rising from its engine.
The faint sound of music and a blinking light suggested Derek’s phone was active inside. Her heart racing, Nicole limped toward it.
Inside, Derek lay unconscious, his phone within sight but just out of reach on the passenger seat.
She stretched and twisted, finally grasping the device.
But as she prepared to use Derek’s phone, a drop of something wet hit her hand, unsettling her. More drops followed, prompting her to recoil and turn back.
To her horror, Derek, bloody and weak, was reaching for Nicole, barely able to whisper. “Save me… Save me…”
Only then did Nicole notice Derek’s other hand was pinned under the steering wheel, severely injured. The pain appeared intense. He struggled to breathe, likely having broken several ribs.
Immobilized, Derek could only depend on Nicole for help.
“Miss, save me… Please…” Derek’s plea was filled with desperation.
Nicole eyed him warily, recalling his recent attempt to harm her. Her trust waned. She was more interested in securing Derek’s phone to uncover any incriminating evidence than in his welfare. Now, he was of no use to her.
Sensing her reluctance, Derek implored, “Miss, I’m useful. The person behind this is too powerful. My phone alone won’t suffice. I can testify and provide evidence that I was coerced into tampering with the samples. Isn’t that what you need?”
His words struck a chord in Nicole. Jarrod’s influence was indeed formidable, and having Derek as a witness could prove invaluable.
Realizing the potential, Derek pressed on, “Look at my condition. I’m hardly a threat now. You’re safe with me. I just want to survive…”
The smoking car posed a looming threat, its potential explosion imminent, trapping Derek in a precarious situation.
“Miss, please,” Derek implored, his desperation palpable. “I have a two-year-old daughter. She’s just starting to speak, calling me ‘dad.’ I can’t leave her behind-“
Understanding Nicole’s motive, Derek realized she fought for custody because she cared for her own child. He was betting on Nicole getting softhearted when he mentioned his daughter.
In truth, Derek harbored no affection for his daughter nor any desire to take his wife and his incessantly crying daughter to leave with him.
Lacking parental experience, Derek remained indolent and self-centered, devoid of any sentimental connection to his daughter.
Yet, in this critical moment, his daughter became a bargaining chip.
Aware of the softening effect children had on women, Derek persisted in his pleas, his forlorn countenance compelling. He extolled the virtues of his daughter, emphasizing her charm and adorableness, weaving a convincing narrative of paternal devotion.
Initially skeptical, Nicole’s skepticism dissolved upon hearing about the child, softening her heart.
Derek indeed had a two-year-old daughter. The thought of the child’s pitiful fate if her father perished tugged at Nicole’s compassion.
Despite Derek’s flaws, his child remained innocent in her eyes, and Nicole couldn’t bear the thought of another shattered family.
With determination, Nicole circled around to the car’s opposite side, shattered the remaining window, and exerted her strength to dislodge Derek’s trapped hand.
“Ouch! You. Derek intended to curse, but he swiftly changed his tune, cautioning, “Careful now. It’s… It’s painful.”
Nicole’s demeanor was less than sympathetic as she chided, “You think you can evade consequences for your misdeeds without enduring a little discomfort? Is that it?”
Furious but wary of provoking further ire, Derek could only mumble, “I understand, miss. You’re being kind. Ah! Please, be gentle…”
Then, a resounding crack signaled Derek’s liberation as Nicole finally freed his hand.
“Ah!” Derek cried out in agony.
Derek paid a steep price for freeing his hand as the skin on his hand was ripped off, exposing the raw, bloody flesh beneath. It was a horrifying sight.
“Ah! You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?” Derek accused.
“No, I just had to pull your hand out,” Nicole replied calmly. She could have been gentler, but she chose not to and used all her strength to yank him out instead.
People like Derek, though not deserving of death, should endure some hardship to understand that they had to pay for their misdeeds dearly, and to prevent them from further wrongdoings.
Derek stifled the urge to lash out at Nicole as his left hand was so badly hurt that it was practically useless.
He realized Nicole was sharper than he had anticipated. She added to the severity of his injury to lessen his threat level. He cursed silently, yet he depended on Nicole to help him escape the wrecked car.
“Miss, please help me get out of here. It’s too dangerous. Derek begged, looking at the smoking car.”
Seeing the urgency, Nicole pushed past her own discomfort, wrenched the twisted car door open, and dragged Derek to safety.
Once outside, Derek collapsed on the ground, breathing hard. He resembled a stranded fish, mouth gaping wide, desperate for a breath of air.
Nicole picked up Derek’s phone to call for help but realized it was locked and couldn’t place an emergency call.
Usually, a cell phone could do this. Even if it wasn’t unlocked, it could still call for help. It looked like Derek’s phone was made just for him.
Nicole glanced at Derek, sprawled on the ground like a fish out of water. Letting her guard down a bit, she approached and asked, “What’s the passcode?”
Derek weakly replied, “You can use facial recognition.”
“Facial recognition?” Nicole took the phone and aimed it at Derek’s face, but his features were covered with blood, and the phone failed to unlock.
Derek suggested, “Maybe if you get a bit closer, it will work.”
Following his advice, Nicole crouched closer, aiming the phone at Derek’s face while keeping an eye on his every move.
The phone unlocked as she moved closer.
Relieved, Nicole prepared to stand up and make a call, dividing her attention.
But just as she was about to rise, Derek, who had appeared weak on the ground, sprang up and wrapped his arm around Nicole’s neck.
“Ah…” Derek’s phone slipped from Nicole’s grip and clattered to the ground as her face turned a mix of red and purple from the choking.
Derek’s eyes burned with malice as he threatened, “I’ll kill you, you little bitch! I could have vanished without a trace, but you just had to mess up my plans!”
Nicole belatedly realized she was dealing with a true menace. Derek was that cold-hearted danger. He felt no gratitude for her rescue in the critical moment. His thoughts were still on murder.