Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
She remembered the disappointment in Cornell’s eyes when she asked him if he knew Henley’s true colors. She realized how blind she had been.
It was then that she realized she had never known who Henley was.
Although he had never directly hurt her, in retrospect, many of Henley’s actions seemed to provoke a conflict between her and Cornell. She had been so na?ve.
Overcome with emotion, Audrey wanted company, so she headed off to find Nicole.
Meanwhile, Jarrod awoke in the hospital after two days in a coma. In his unconscious state, he was tormented by incessant nightmares.
In his dreams, Nicole would appear lifeless and unresponsive no matter how much he called out to her.
When he awoke, panic took over and he kept calling for Nicole.
Jamie, who was standing by his bedside, heard him. A look of malevolence shone in his eyes, but he quickly hid it.
He grabbed Jarrod’s hand and sobbed.
“Jarrod, you’re finally awake!”.
Jarrod offered a half-hearted hug to Jamie and then tried to get out of bed.
However, Jamie clung to his arm.
“Jarrod, where are you going?”
“I have to take care of something,” Jarrod replied, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of Nicole’s illness.
Jamie felt hatred, but he didn’t show it. Instead, he adopted a softer tone and said, “Jarrod, something happened while you were unconscious.”
“What was it?”
“A man came to see Nicole. He says he’s the father of her child.”
“What did he say?” asked Jarrod, dismayed. His expression darkened, and his handsome face was almost frightening.
“Nicole is pregnant. And while you were unconscious, she paid off the eighty million loan. I don’t know how she got the money. She denies the child is hers, but we can’t be sure,” Jamie explained sheepishly.
Jamie watched Jarrod closely and was pleased to see his expected reaction. Then, she dropped another bombshell.
“Jarrod, your illness was a lie. You don’t have stomach cancer. It’s just ulcers.”
“How do you know?”
Though Jarrod’s expression didn’t change, a crimson hue spread in his cold, merciless eyes. It hinted at a deep, unspoken fury that made the others shudder.
“Come in,” Jamie motioned to someone outside. Then a young nurse entered.
“This nurse attended Nicole’s parents. Ask her.”
Jarrod pinned the nurse with an icy stare and ordered, “Think hard before you speak.”
The nurse felt as if her soul was gripped by Jarrod’s presence. She feared that a single misstep could be her undoing.
She dared not make up a story and told Jarrod what she had heard.
“Miss Lawrence told her parents that she only had stomach ulcers. I’m not lying. You can go to her ward and verify that.”
Indeed, those were Nicole’s words of comfort to her parents. Little did she know that Jamie would twist them around like that.
Jamie dismissed the nurse and called the surgeon Jarrod had met earlier.
“Doctor, please inform Jarrod of Miss Lawrence’s condition,” Jamie ordered.
With trembling hands, the doctor handed Jarrod the diagnostic report.
“Miss Lawrence has stomach ulcers. She paid me to tell others she had stomach cancer. I deeply regret the misunderstanding.”
Jarrod’s expression turned even colder. Jamie expected an angry outburst, but to his surprise, Jarrod burst out laughing.
“So, you still think you’re qualified to be a doctor, then?”
His laughter lacked any warmth.
The doctor, weakened by Jarrod’s laughter, stammered, “I know I was wrong. Please have mercy. It was your doing… Your fault…”.
Jarrod’s hand shot out and grabbed the doctor’s throat with an iron grip.
“You don’t deserve to be a doctor!”
Applause! Jarrod slapped the doctor’s face. If that wasn’t enough, he forcefully threw the doctor to the ground, leaving him writhing in pain.
Finally, Jarrod turned to Alec and ordered, “Check out his story. If it’s true, make sure he can’t use his hands again.”
Such a person had no right to be in medicine.
Alec nodded and dragged the doctor away.
Jamie patted Jarrod’s back and reassured him.
“I never thought Nicole could be so devious. She used this ruse to raise money to pay off her family’s debt, keeping her father out of jail.
I’m shocked. She planned to kill two birds with one stone.”
Jarrod grabbed his coat and ordered, “You, go back.”
“Where are you going?” asked Jamie curiously.
“Wait for me at home,” Jarrod replied dryly, offering no further explanation.
As Jamie watched Jarrod walk away, a sense of triumph washed over her. She had prepared unpleasant surprises for Nicole.
Fresh out of the shower, Nicole was greeted by the sound of the doorbell.
Thinking it was a food delivery, she opened the door without a second thought.
To her dismay, it was someone she didn’t want to see.
“Nicole, it’s been a long time,” the man said with a sleazy smile on his face. It was Kieran, a figure from her past she had hoped to forget.
“How did you track me down?” asked Nicole warily.
“I have my ways,” Kieran replied creepily. Then he held out a bouquet of flowers to her and added, “I’ve missed you.”
“Go away right now. We’re not around.” Nicole pushed open the door.
But then, Kieran’s expression abruptly changed. He kicked the door open, shoved a bouquet of flowers forcefully into Nicole’s face and said venomously, “Stop playing hard to get, you ungrateful woman! I’ve come to claim you.”
Before Nicole could react, he pinned her to the ground and violently tore her clothes.
Nicole struggled with all her might, but he was too strong. She couldn’t even do anything when he tore her clothes off.
Soon she was naked.
Desperate, Nicole sank her teeth into Kieran’s carotid artery.
Just then… Boom! A thunderous thud echoed through the room.
A powerful kick had thrown Kieran backwards.
Startled by the sudden turn of events, Nicole stared dazedly at the intruder.
Jarrod entered the room, one step at a time. His gaze was cold and merciless, like a malevolent spirit from the depths of hell.
“Nicole, you’ve stunned me.”
Jarrod’s pitch eyes seemed to pierce Nicole’s disheveled clothes.
He knelt slowly, his icy fingertips lightly brushing her bruised skin before suddenly pressing hard.
“Ah…” cried Nicole, her face tinged with ash.
Jarrod didn’t loosen his grip. The veins in his hand stood out as he pressed harder, as if trying to erase the marks with his own strength.
He spoke in a low, strained voice.
“Are you in such a hurry that you can’t even be bothered to close the door?”
Nicole understood Jarrod well. She knew he was barely containing his fury.
As her heart raced, preparing to explain herself, she noticed Kieran, whom Jarrod had just kicked away, charging back in front of her, protectively.