Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Eventually, Melissa did snag a wealthy pervert man, Lowe, but he was a capricious man with a long list of romantic entanglements. If Melissa hadn’t been particularly skilled in the bedroom, he wouldn’t have given her a second glance.
Given Lowe’s unpredictable nature, extracting a large amount of money from him for Melissa’s debt was nearly out of the question.
Therefore, following that ordeal, everyone began to take Jemma’s words seriously. After years in the industry, Jemma had honed an uncanny ability to read people and their motives. She became the gatekeeper of their actions, instructing them on what to do and what not to do. They only unleashed their charms on men whom Jemma approved, but such men were a rarity.
Most of the men who frequented this venue were merely looking for new adventures. They wouldn’t be easily swayed by the women selling their charm here.
At Jemma’s words, the barmaid who had just walked out seemed to have a sudden realization. She turned to Jemma and asked, “Don’t you think the new girl, Cherry, looks like someone familiar?”
The mention sparked a light of recognition in the other barmaid, who nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! She looks like…”
She hesitated, unable to voice the name, but the barmaid across from her filled in and said, “Like Melissa.”
“Yes, exactly.” The barmaid paused and then added, “It’s not that Melissa looks like Cherry, but rather that Melissa’s face is a replica of Cherry’s. That’s why Cherry seemed so familiar to me at first glance.”
The other barmaid chimed in with a sneer, “She’s just a fake trying to mimic the real deal. Next to the genuine article, her flaws are blatantly obvious.”
Nicole, known as Cherry, truly had a unique look, far from the typical, manufactured Looks of internet celebrities that seemed to captivate men.
In contrast, Melissa’s features were way inferior. Had Cherry not been around, Melissa’s appearance might have been considered decent.
However, in comparison to Cherry, Melissa’s face paled significantly.
She literally looked unattractive.
“What are you talking about?” Jemma suddenly reprimanded the two barmaids. She appeared particularly displeased whenever anyone mentioned Nicole and Melissa resembling each other.
The two barmaids stuck out their tongues and remained silent, not daring to speak out of turn.
Jemma, holding a cigarette that had burned down to more than half, hummed and asked, “Have you two finished your tasks for today, or are you just chatting?”
Scolded by Jemma, the barmaids covered their mouths and said, “We’ll get back to work, Jemma.”
Jemma didn’t approach the door to the chamber Deniz had occupied until they left. She stood for a moment, listening intently for sounds inside.
The smell of burnt tobacco wafted up as the ash crumbled toward her fingers, but she remained tense and anxious.
Once the room was quiet, she turned and walked away.
Inside the chamber, Nicole’s face had turned pale after Deniz’s blow.
Her ribs throbbed with pain, each breath a struggle.
As Deniz’s mouth neared her, Nicole turned her head sharply away, muttering, “Don’t you remember why Jarrod kicked you out?”
Deniz paused, his expression confused. “What do you mean?”
Nicole took a moment to catch her breath. “Jarrod got you expelled, and you’ve known that for a long time.”
Hearing Jarrod’s name made Deniz’s desire falter, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
Nicole pressed on. “He did so to give me an explanation, to appease me.”
Deniz’s anger ignited as he recalled the humiliation by the pool. “If it weren’t for you, I would’ve made it in Ardlens!” he spat through gritted teeth.
He lunged forward, ripping at Nicole’s clothes. “Now that Jarrod has Vicki, he won’t help you anymore. Let’s see where you’ll run today.”
With a sharp tearing sound, Nicole’s freshly worn uniform split open in Deniz’s hands.
Nicole quickly covered herself and slapped Deniz hard across the face.
Stunned, Deniz grabbed her hair and slammed her head toward the table.
“Bitch! You dare hit me? You’re looking for death! You’re here to serve me!”
Nicole picked up an ashtray and sneered, “If you humiliate me tonight, your future will be very miserable!”
Deniz shook his head dismissively. “You’re talking nonsense!”
Nicole’s eyes narrowed. “Jarrod won’t let anyone humiliate the mother of his child. Regardless of our relationship, I’m still the mother of his kid. Do you think he’ll just sit back if he finds out it’s you?”
Deniz hesitated. The thought that Nicole was the mother of Jarrod’s child made him pause. Jarrod cared deeply about his image. If he discovered someone messing with his family, he would certainly act.
Having crossed Jarrod before, Deniz knew he needed to be careful.
Sensing the shift, Nicole posed the question. “Do you really think Vicki arranged for me to come and appease you?”
Deniz’s hesitation deepened.
“Why would she?” Nicole continued. “She’s always looked down on you. She’s offering you a ‘deal,’ but it’s a trap. She’s pushing you to take the blame, and if anything goes wrong, she’ll act like she had no part in it. You’ll be the scapegoat, won’t you?”
Her rhetorical question left Deniz stunned. When he thought about it, it started to make sense. Vicki had always been arrogant and aloof, never trying to please him. Her arrangement felt suspicious.
Deniz became more convinced that Vicki had set him up. If Jarrod asked Vicki about it, she’d wash her hands clean, leaving him as the culprit. Damn it! Vicki was really scheming!
After silently cursing Vicki, Deniz eyed Nicole suspiciously. “You’re saying all this, but how do I know you’re not just trying to trick me? Maybe you just want me to let you off.”
Nicole remained calm. “Some things don’t need an explanation. You can see for yourself whether it’s true.”
Nicole knew that if she tried to defend herself now, Deniz wouldn’t believe her. Rather than argue further, she let him think things over for himself.
Deniz was nearly convinced but still asked, “If you’re so sure about everything, why didn’t you tell Jarrod that Vicki was behind it? She must have used your child to threaten you, right?”
Despite Deniz’s apparent cluelessness, Nicole didn’t think of him as an idiot. Anyone who could build a reputation in Ardlens had to have some smarts.
Deniz pressed further. “You say Jarrod values you, right? Then why don’t you call him and tell him what happened? Let’s see how he handles it.”
He insisted Nicole make the call.
Nicole shook her head. “I’ve got important matters here. I wouldn’t have come otherwise.”
Vicki’s tactics weren’t formidable, but Nicole chose to comply only to make Vicki drop her guard and ease Jarrod’s vigilance. This time, she would be careful and not act impulsively. Her goal was to regain custody of Austin and leave with him, ensuring their safety.
There were still many secrets at Kingbel Club waiting to be uncovered.
Now that she was here as Vicki demanded, Nicole assumed Vicki would lower her guard and wouldn’t take any immediate action against Austin, which benefited everyone. Besides, the familiar face she’d seen earlier, the woman named Melissa, was definitely a concern. Melissa must have done the plastic surgery to resemble her look, but from where did Melissa know her, and why was Melissa imitating her?
Nicole knew this situation wasn’t as simple as it appeared and felt the urge to delve into the underlying truth.
Deniz believed neither Nicole nor Vicki. Vicki only appeared generous on the surface. Deniz had seen her type before, and he knew that when such people lost control, they were more terrifying than lunatics. It was best not to provoke women like that.
Deniz’s hesitation made him lose interest in Nicole. After all, there were plenty of women in the world. Although Nicole was captivating, she wasn’t enough to make him lose his senses. He had just returned to Ardlens and couldn’t afford any more mistakes. He had to tread carefully with every decision.
Deniz maintained his suspicion and sneered, “I think you’re just trying to deceive me.”
Deniz was far from naive. With years spent navigating the intricate web of the business world, he had grown as cunning as anyone in his network. His keen observations had sharpened, allowing him to understand the hidden motives of those around him.
“You and Vicki are both dreadful. Each of you wishes the other were dead,” Deniz remarked.
He chuckled lightly, a hint of irony in his smile. “Are you both trying to use me as a scapegoat?”
Nicole’s expression remained composed, her calmness a stark contrast to the tension in the air. “If you doubt my words, I can show you how to verify them.”
Deniz’s gaze intensified. “What method?”
With a strategic tilt of her head, Nicole proposed, “Call Vicki. Tell her you’ve tortured me to death. Her reaction will reveal the truth.”
Deniz considered this a brilliant strategy. He had never pegged Nicole for both beauty and brains.
Deniz retrieved his phone, the cold device feeling suddenly heavy in his hand, and dialed Vicki’s number.
She picked up promptly. “Mr. Miller, what’s going on?”
Vicki’s voice usually carried a disinterested tone when speaking to Deniz, but tonight it was tinged with an eager anticipation, possibly hopeful for news of Nicole’s downfall.
Simulating panic, Deniz blurted out, “Vicki, something awful has happened…”
A surge of joy was palpable in Vicki’s initial silence, as if she relished the thought of Nicole incapacitated or worse. She asked, her voice laced with feigned concern, “What happened?”
Maintaining his act, Deniz’s voice trembled. “She’s dead. Nicole was killed by me.”
A heavy silence fell over the line.
As it stretched on, Deniz’s suspicions about Vicki deepened. “What do we do now, Miss Hampton?”
Vicki snapped back to reality and asked, “Mr. Miller, what exactly happened? How did she die?”
Vicki had considered the possibility that Nicole might be disabled but never imagined Deniz would actually kill Nicole. This outcome was completely unexpected. She could only ask first.
Deniz replied gruffly, “I don’t know. She was so weak that she died just like that before I could even get started. It’s totally unreasonable.”