Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
“But refrain from calling me ‘mentor’. Do you truly intend to remain in this field indefinitely? Once things settle down, you should consider leaving.”
Though Jemma was aware of Vicki’s actions against Nicole, she felt powerless against the influence of the Hampton family. Despite this, she silently supported Nicole in any way she could.
This extended to the incident where Nicole was caught eavesdropping on a client’s conversation at the club. Jemma intervened by releasing a cat to divert the client’s attention, thus preventing Nicole from being discovered. The consequences of such an exposure would have been dire indeed.
Those affluent individuals spared no effort in safeguarding their secrets. Even if they refrained from resorting to lethal measures, they were capable of inflicting significant harm. The mere thought of it filled Jemma with dread.
Although Jemma had refrained from divulging this to Nicole, she had actually received assistance from the Lawrence family in the past.
However, she had found herself ensnared in the entertainment industry, feeling ashamed for failing to meet the expectations of Nicole’s father.
Jemma had been lured into the industry by her first love, who ultimately betrayed her and delivered her into the hands of a powerful man.
At a tender age, she was left scarred and incapable of bearing children. She entered the entertainment realm to seek retribution against that influential individual.
Fortunately, Jemma later encountered someone even more influential who assisted her in achieving justice when that influential individual faced a downfall.
Even after attaining justice, Jemma found herself unable to return to her former life.
Nicole’s father stood out as a rare beacon of goodness, possessing the sagacity of a merchant and a generous heart. It was lamentable that he had been beset by such misfortune.
With Nicole being the only child, Jemma naturally felt compelled to look after Nicole’s well-being.
However, Jemma struggled to come to terms with the fact that she had once received support from Nicole’s father yet still ended up in this industry. It felt too humiliating.
Nicole reached out and took hold of Jemma’s arm, resting her head against it. “I understand, Jemma.”
Despite not being as old as a retiree, Jemma had accrued a wealth of experiences, rendering her far more mature than her peers.
At times, Nicole regarded Jemma as an elder sister, yet there were certain matters she couldn’t confide in anyone about.
After a moment of hesitation, Jemma gently patted Nicole’s head and offered, “Take care of yourself, and that will bring me joy.”
“I will…” After a brief interlude of gathering herself, Nicole felt considerably more composed. Rising to her feet, she addressed Jemma, “Jemma, you should attend to your affairs. I’ll do the same.”
“Alright.”
With that, the two women went their separate ways. Nicole made her way to the chamber indicated by Vicki.
Upon entering, she found Vicki and Doreen awaiting her.
Maintaining a neutral expression, Nicole inquired, “Miss Hampton, what do you require of me?”
Vicki stifled a laugh behind her hand. “I do not need your services. It’s Doreen who wishes to speak with you.”
Nicole regarded Doreen, detecting a simmering anger in Doreen’s gaze.
Without warning, Doreen rose abruptly and delivered a resounding slap across Nicole’s face. “Have you become blind in just a few days? Can’t you see me?”
Nicole’s head recoiled from the force of the blow, her ear ringing painfully.
Doreen had been harboring the urge to deliver this slap for days on end. The time Nicole attended her wedding and caused a scene, Doreen had been on the brink of throttling Nicole to death.
If it hadn’t been for Jarrod’s timely intervention, Nicole would have endured a savage beating at the hands of Miguel, as a means for Doreen to vent her anger.
Jarrod’s feelings for Nicole remained an enigma to Doreen.
Doreen had heard whispers that Jarrod journeyed to the northern territories to rescue Nicole, thereby incurring the wrath of the northerners.
The north was a perilous realm where its denizens lived by the blade, viewing affluent individuals like them as walking treasures.
Jarrod’s defiance of these northerners for Nicole’s sake was a precarious move. Doreen couldn’t shake off the concern that he might face repercussions in the future. It was said that the people from the north were ruthless, and they were unlikely to let such an affront slide.
Originally, Doreen had intended to exact vengeance on Nicole following the wedding, but when Nicole was whisked away by Jarrod’s men, Doreen refrained from acting recklessly.
While she possessed a fearless demeanor and harbored no apprehension toward her parents or anyone else, she couldn’t shake off her trepidation of Jarrod.
When Jarrod was angry, he was truly terrifying, disregarding blood relations or familial affection.
Later, Vicki invited Doreen out, saying Jarrod was indifferent to Nicole due to Nicole’s actions at the wedding.
Upon hearing this, Doreen immediately came to teach Nicole a lesson.
Nicole remained impassive, enduring the strike as long as it meant she could see Austin. Turning to Vicki, she questioned, “Did you summon me here today solely to be struck by her?”
Vicki’s lips formed a pleased smile. The slap was immensely gratifying. It would have been even more satisfying if she could have done it herself. However, preserving her reputation in Jarrod’s eyes was crucial, even in his absence. She needed to act prudently.
Vicki’s animosity toward Nicole fueled this scheme, enlisting Doreen, who shared her disdain, to administer the punishment. Additionally, Doreen’s involvement minimized complications, ensuring Jarrod wouldn’t hold Doreen accountable.
Plus, everyone recognized Doreen’s capricious and irrational nature.
Vicki smirked and replied, “What? I didn’t summon you here to be harmed by Doreen, and I would never do such a thing. Don’t misinterpret the situation.”
Nicole, more perceptive than anyone else, understood it was no mistake. Vicki cleverly used Doreen as a pawn to express her anger.
Vicki’s cunning was remarkable.
“Exactly!” Doreen chimed in, “Let me make this clear, Vicki has no part in this. I came here to deal with you myself. Who do you think you are, you wretched woman? How dare you cause trouble at my wedding and make things difficult for me? I’ll beat you to death!”
Doreen seized Nicole by the hair and slammed her against the table.
Pinning Nicole down firmly, Doreen said, “Today, you’ll feel the same humiliation and resentment I endured that day!”
Nicole felt no fear. She was prepared to endure the pain. She fixed her gaze on Vicki and said, “Miss Hampton, I trust you’ll keep your promise just as we agreed.”
Observing Nicole’s miserable state, Vicki smiled and replied, “Of course. I’m the most reliable person you’ll meet. I’ll keep my word.”
Vicki preferred not to be directly involved, so her response was deliberately vague.
As long as Vicki honored her promise, Nicole was indifferent to any manipulations. Otherwise, she would not tolerate Doreen’s abuse.
Doreen lifted the bottles of champagne and beer, tipping them over Nicole’s head. She taunted, “Don’t you enjoy drinking? No worries! Even if you’re not a fan of drinking, I’ll make sure you develop a taste for it. Enjoy your time!”
The sharp smell of alcohol soaked Nicole’s face.
With her eyes closed, Nicole remained passive, not resisting.
Driven to further cruelty by Nicole’s lack of reaction, Doreen slapped Nicole twice. Unsatisfied, she grabbed a bottle, aiming to strike Nicole’s head.
But Vicki intervened just in time, grabbing Doreen’s wrist. “Doreen, haven’t I told you? She can’t show any visible injuries. It would reflect poorly on you.”
Doreen and Vicki weren’t concerned about Nicole’s well-being, but rather how it might tarnish their reputation as debutantes.
Doreen reluctantly released her grip, and the bottle dropped to the floor, rolling away.
Vicki had made it clear to Doreen that she must not kill Nicole while humiliating and tormenting Nicole without any visible injuries was an option. Otherwise, it would reflect poorly on them.
But Doreen was seething with resentment. At that moment, all she wanted was to end Nicole’s life. Back at her wedding, Nicole humiliated her, turning her into a laughingstock. She had thought marrying Roscoe would solve everything.
However, Roscoe wouldn’t even let Doreen touch him. Whenever Doreen approached, he grew visibly disturbed, even attempting to strangle her once.
Doreen couldn’t shake the dreadful look in Roscoe’s eyes, reminiscent of a zombie from a movie. He seemed more like a shell of a person, acting erratically. She found Roscoe unsettling and frightening. It seemed only that woman skilled in witchcraft could control his wild emotions.
Doreen no longer dared to be in the same room with him. Her resentment toward Nicole was profound. If not for Nicole, they wouldn’t have resorted to such drastic measures just to control Roscoe.
Yet, without those extreme measures, Doreen knew Roscoe would never have married her. Ultimately, all her efforts of trying to make Roscoe fall for her were utterly fruitless.
Doreen couldn’t accept this and felt ready to burst with anger. She pushed Nicole’s head down, yanking her hair and shoving her head into a trash bin.
Nicole’s scalp numbed, losing sensation.
Doreen’s fury didn’t wane. Instead, it only grew as she took it further, pulling a trash bag over Nicole’s head and tightening it until Nicole struggled for air. “You bitch! How dare you steal my man! Jarrod has left you, and Roscoe is mine. No one’s going to save you now. It’s over for you!”
Doreen opened and closed the trash bag as if it were a playful act.
Nicole felt as if she were suffocating, teetering on the edge of death. She felt like a broken toy, mercilessly tormented by Doreen.
It became clear that Doreen intended to kill her.
Nicole braced her palms on the floor, her vision obscured by the trash bag. She relied on her hands to find leverage and position her head to catch fleeting breaths.
Nicole found it odd that Vicki hadn’t yet attacked her. She had braced herself for Vicki’s potential attack to unleash the rage just like Doreen. Contract to her expectation, Vicki simply lounged on the sofa instead.
Nicole frowned. If Vicki still chose not to attack her, her ordeal tonight would be pointless. Knowing Vicki all too well, she had taken an extra precaution by secretly installing a camera in this chamber.
Nicole knew this place better than Vicki and Doreen, understanding exactly how to conceal the camera so it would go unnoticed. If Vicki attacked her, the recording would serve as evidence that Vicki was unfit to be a parent.
As disappointment settled in, Nicole heard a cell phone rang.
Vicki stood up, as though she needed to take a phone call outside.