Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Nicole’s fragile frame experienced a forceful pull, landing her in Jarrod’s aggressively possessive embrace.
With a stern face, Jarrod barked, “I forbid it!”
Jarrod’s skin radiated scorching heat, much hotter than Nicole’s. It was a sensation akin to being engulfed in a blazing inferno, melting into her very core.
Jarrod’s body was rigid, almost mechanical. The familiarity he felt from this embrace seemed to halt his heart. He couldn’t bear to relive the heart-wrenching pain from five years ago. He was determined to ensure Nicole stayed alive.
Nicole attempted to speak, but her face was pressed against his damp chest, rendering her unable to utter a word. She struggled, but it was futile. Jarrod’s other hand pressed her back firmly.
A wave of soreness and panic swept over Nicole, lingering in her chest.
With bloodshot eyes and clenched teeth, Jarrod called out, “Nicole!”
In a tone laced with dread, he uttered, “Don’t die. Find another way to punish me…”
His deep voice trembled noticeably, exposing an undercurrent of fear.
His moist eyes fortunately remained hidden behind a veil of water, concealing his emotions.
With her face covered, Nicole couldn’t discern Jarrod’s expression, but she sensed the fear emanating from the trembling body that held her. What was Jarrod afraid of?
As Nicole’s head weighed heavy, she wondered if her judgment was flawed. After all, what could a man like Jarrod possibly be afraid of?
Nicole felt suffocated, on the verge of running out of air. She was in agony, and the tight embrace she was in intensified her already desperate yearning.
“Mmm…” A faint sound escaped her lips as she struggled to gasp for air.
Finally, as if breaking out of a trance, Jarrod released her head.
“Do you think I want to die? I wouldn’t consider killing myself even if you died!” Nicole scolded harshly, shaking off his hand. “Don’t touch me!”
Nicole ensured her earpiece was intact, relieved it hadn’t plunged into the water. Otherwise, all her efforts would have been in vain.
Nicole’s body emanated an uncontrollable heat, juxtaposed with Jarrod’s presence that simultaneously seared her heart and provided a comforting coolness.
Struggling to maintain composure, Nicole coldly commanded, “Step aside!”
Despite her directive, Jarrod seized her once more. “Remember your words…”
Easily irritable because of the doctored drink, Nicole shot a disbelieving look at him. “Get lost!”
Jarrod, unfazed, showed no sign of anger.
Beneath the night sky, his chiseled profile remained sharp and clear, and his eyes were deep and mysterious. Turning pale, he uttered, “If I die one day, live well.”
At that moment, Nicole glimpsed a myriad of emotions in his eyes.
Reluctance, unwillingness, desire… But almost immediately, she dismissed the notion, convinced her mind was addled today. How could someone as cold and heartless as Jarrod harbor such complex feelings?
With a weak smile, Nicole assured him, “Don’t worry. Not only will I live well, but I’ll also celebrate your death with fireworks.”
Jarrod’s eyes deepened, a self-mocking smile gracing his lips.
Ignoring Nicole’s resistance, he forcefully hoisted her over his shoulder.
Panic surged through Nicole, her fists pounding on his back as she gritted her teeth. “Put me down!”
As if deaf to her pleas, Jarrod continued to wade effortlessly through the deep end of the pool.
Her heavy eyelids and aching body compelled Nicole to cease her struggle. Instead, she conserved energy by lying on his shoulder like a docile cat.
A fleeting sense of pleasure rose within Jarrod’s heart.
Meanwhile, Deniz, who had been kicked into the pool, struggled to pull himself up using the metal guards and collapsed onto the floor.
He lay there, gasping for air like a panting dog.
Deniz was perplexed by the sudden turn of events. Noticing Jarrod carrying Nicole out of the water, he wondered when Jarrod had started playing the hero, rescuing people from drowning.
Deniz’s eyes roved, plotting how to snatch Nicole back. He intended to leverage his connection with the Hampton family, believing Jarrod wouldn’t dismiss his request.
Although Deniz cursed Jarrod inwardly, he put on a sycophantic smile and pointed at Nicole. “Mr. Schultz, do you remember her? She’s the escort you brought to us to play with before!”
The mention of the term “escort” triggered a drastic change in Jarrod’s expression, transforming it into an ugly visage.
Deniz was trying to be shrewd, not knowing that he was in fact being incredibly foolish. He thought Jarrod had beaten him in the past merely out of frustration, and attributed his entanglement with Nicole to bad luck.
Now, fearing Jarrod might snatch Nicole away, Deniz resorted to dredging up the past to tarnish Nicole’s reputation. After all, Nicole had recorded the damning evidence of his doings. For the sake of his future, he had to destroy all the evidence Nicole had.
Addressing Jarrod, Deniz asserted, “Mr. Schultz, this bitch tried to seduce me, and when it didn’t work, she falsely accused me of trying to rape her!”
Oblivious to Jarrod’s darkening expression, Deniz pointed at the money and other items in the pool, fabricating a tale. “Look, she stole all this. Hand her over, and I’ll take care of it.”
Jarrod’s eyes turned even darker, and his voice was ice-cold when he spoke. “You’re saying she seduced you?”
“Yeah, she does that for a living, doesn’t she?” Deniz sneered. “Have you forgotten how loud and forward she was when you brought her over for drinks? Practically shoving her chest in my face and begging to be called Nicky…”
Deniz’s lecherous gaze lingered on Nicole’s long, straight legs. Her figure was undeniably tempting.
Bitter about missing out on her and facing a beating instead, Deniz spat, “Damn this whore, selling herself everywhere and now trying to trick me! That…”
“Deniz,” Jarrod called out abruptly.
With a flattering smile on his face, Deniz responded, “Yes, Mr. Schultz?”
Jarrod’s gaze shifted toward the azure pool as he casually stated, “Jump in.”
Deniz was stunned for a moment and chuckled. “Mr. Schultz, you’re quite the joker…”
Before he could finish, a resounding bang echoed through the air.
Jarrod’s kick sent Deniz’s bulky frame plunging into the water.
This kick was even more forceful than the previous one, aimed directly at Deniz’s face. It left Deniz with indescribable pain.
Maintaining his terrifying strength, Jarrod effortlessly held Nicole in one arm.
Towering over Deniz from the pool deck, Jarrod asked, “How do you like that joke?”
Utterly confused, Deniz flailed helplessly in the water, creating countless splashes. “Ah!” he cried out, his voice gurgling in the water. “Help me…”
Observing Deniz floundering in the water, Jarrod spoke, his voice carrying a cold and threatening tone. “Cleanse that filthy mouth of yours. If I hear you saying such dirty things again…”
His lips curved into something resembling a smile, but his words dripped with bloodlust. “I’ll cut off that tongue of yours.”
Having delivered his warning, Jarrod turned away, ignoring Deniz’s desperate pleas for help.
Nicole, too unwell to speak, felt her legs writhing uncontrollably.
Her mind was caught in a fluctuation between clarity and confusion.
Deniz’s derogatory words branding her as an escort rang in her ears.
She knew that was the way others saw her, and it was all because of the role assigned to her by the man currently holding her.
To still Nicole’s quivering legs, Jarrod lowered her from his shoulder and held her sideways in front of him like she was a princess, letting her legs rest within the crook of his arms.
Seizing the opportunity, Nicole bit down on his chest, clenching her teeth until the taste of blood coerced her to release her grip.
Unfazed by the pain, Jarrod casually inquired, “What, you’re done?
Can you endure it now?”
Nicole’s entire body was flushed with heat, a symptom that spoke volumes.
Gritting her teeth to suppress her trembling body, Nicole demanded, “Put me down!”
Jarrod silently draped his jacket over Nicole, continuing forward as he pleased.
Nicole’s clothes were completely wet. Her underwear clung to her skin, hot and uncomfortable.
She hit and kicked the man carrying her, struggling frantically. “Put me down!” she pleaded incessantly. She was determined not to let her efforts against Deniz go to waste.
Witnessing her restlessness, Jarrod paused for a moment and soothingly said, “I’ll have Alec handle the aftermath. Deniz will face the consequences.”
A sigh of relief escaped Nicole. With Jarrod taking charge of the situation, at least some things would go the way she wanted.
Deniz’s sister-in-law was married to the brother of the Hampton Corporation’s chairman. The Hampton and Schultz families were deeply entwined in business relations. Jarrod’s move against Deniz, which had come without any prior indication, amounted to a slap in the face of the Hampton family. It was sure to create a crack in the rock-solid cooperation between the Hampton and Schultz families.
Nicole finally relaxed, but it was quickly followed by an intense craving. The restless itch at the bottom of her heart threatened to overwhelm her.