Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
His brusque tone made Vicki frown, though she was listening on the other end of the phone. Still, this rudeness fit Deniz’s usual manner, and Vicki believed him without question.
She remained silent for a long stretch, wrestling with how to manage the situation. After all, it was she who had orchestrated Nicole’s involvement. If Jarrod ever discovered this, it would shatter her carefully crafted image of benevolence and generosity. She didn’t want to tarnish her reputation over what seemed a trivial incident.
Vicki’s prolonged silence sent a chill through Deniz’s heart. He began to suspect that Nicole’s accusations might hold some truth.
“Miss Hampton, what should we do? This situation is really awkward,”
Deniz pressed, seeking guidance.
“Deniz.” Vicki’s tone shifted noticeably. She no longer addressed him as Mr. Miller, instead uttering his first name with a dismissive tone, as if he were a servant in her household.
Deniz bristled but waited for Vicki to continue.
Vicki said, “Why are you telling me this? I’m just a young lady. What help could I offer to you? You need to handle this yourself. I don’t have a clue about how to deal with such a situation…”
Deniz countered, “Miss Hampton, are you trying to distance yourself? This arrangement was your doing, wasn’t it? I didn’t realize she was so fragile. If you had warned me about her condition, I wouldn’t have been so harsh!”
Filled with resentment, Deniz exclaimed, “Miss Hampton, you’ve really put me in a tight spot!”
Vicki responded with displeasure, “Hey, what are you implying? I didn’t set you up. I merely mentioned that Kingbel Club would have a surprise for you. How Miss Lawrence ended up working there is beyond me. I didn’t specifically arrange for her involvement.”
Vicki had created a safe distance for herself. From the outset, she had planned her moves carefully. She hadn’t mentioned Nicole to Deniz at all. She simply suggested he visit the club at night for a surprise. This strategy left her ample space to maneuver and now allowed her to shift any blame onto Deniz.
Deniz was now completely convinced by Nicole’s words. Vicki, on the surface, seemed innocent and kind, but beneath that facade, she harbored sinister intentions.
Deniz said coldly, “Miss Hampton, stop beating around the bush. Just tell me what I should do next. I recall this woman was once your fianc?’s lover. If she’s dead, I can manage it, but you need to be upfront. Will Jarrod’s side cause trouble for me over this?”
“You’re spouting nonsense. She belongs to the past. Since Jarrod has been with me, he hasn’t once spoken of that woman. You should deal with this matter yourself. I don’t want to hear about it anymore. It’s unsettling. You’re exaggerating such a jest too much.” Vicki’s words were indirect and evasive, effectively saying little of substance.
Yet, when she suggested Deniz was joking, it was a clear attempt to distance herself from the situation. Should she be questioned by others or the police later, she could claim she thought the entire conversation was in jest. After all, she hadn’t been directly involved, so how could it be linked to her? Deniz did it himself.
Deniz saw right through Vicki’s tactics. He had manipulated others in the past, but now he found himself outwitted by someone he had underestimated. Indeed, a taste of his own medicine!
Deniz continued to navigate the situation with Vicki. “So, you’re saying you won’t handle this matter, right? I’ve always been nice to you. When your fianc? left abruptly for that woman, I was the one who told you first. Is this how you repay my kindness?”
Deniz intended to make it clear to Vicki that he wouldn’t be easily made the fall guy.
“Hey, what are you trying to say?” Vicki’s tone was now clearly irritated. Although she was relieved that Nicole was gone, she was determined not to get dragged into the mess. Deniz was the perfect scapegoat.
Vicki retorted, “I’m not sure what you’re trying to say. Why are you bringing your problems to me? We aren’t close, and we hardly know each other. When you told me about Jarrod’s search for that woman previously, I didn’t take it seriously. Jarrod hasn’t been involved with that woman. We’re about to get married. Please, let’s not stir up any trouble.”
“Fine!” Deniz responded, unwilling to prolong the conversation. Had it not been for Wayne’s favoritism toward Vicki, he would have made Vicki pay. For now, he had to swallow his anger and treat the entire ordeal as a misunderstanding.
Noticing Deniz’s reluctance to continue, Vicki felt a surge of satisfaction. “If there’s nothing more, I’m going to hang up…”
As Vicki’s words lingered in the air, Deniz’s thunderous voice reverberated through the chamber like a tempest on the line. “She’s moving! She’s moving… She’s alive! Thank goodness she’s not dead…”
With a swift gesture, Deniz hung up before Vicki could utter a word, ending his charade.
Caught in a trance, Vicki found herself staring at her phone. If her ears hadn’t deceived her, Nicole didn’t die? Nicole’s indomitable resilience was truly remarkable.
The exhilarating thrill Vicki had just experienced, brought by Nicole’s so-called death, evaporated like dew beneath the morning sun.
However, Vicki assumed that even had Nicole avoided death’s grasp, Deniz’s actions would undoubtedly have rendered her crippled.
Vicki was well acquainted with Deniz’s deceitful and malevolent nature. This outcome, however unfortunate, served a greater purpose.
If Nicole were thoroughly ruined, Jarrod’s interest in Nicole would wane.
Satisfaction washed over Vicki. This twist of fate unfolded precisely as she had envisioned. She harbored no doubt that Jarrod would recoil from Nicole once he beheld the aftermath of Deniz’s actions.
Surely, he would be repulsed at the very sight of Nicole. After all, despite Deniz’s worthlessness, he was infamous for his lecherous and debased conduct within their social circle.
Pondering this, Vicki found Austin even more endearing. She tenderly caressed his slumbering visage and whispered, “You owe your life to your mother.”
Under the assumption that Nicole was tormented terribly by Deniz, Vicki decided against harming Austin for the time being.
Deniz’s countenance flushed crimson with fury upon ending the call with Vicki.
The realization dawned upon Deniz that Vicki had indeed schemed to make him a scapegoat. How cunning and deceitful she had been!
Deniz was not one to tolerate being exploited. He made a solemn vow to seize an opportunity to strike back at Vicki.
Nicole maintained her composure, exuding a sense of calm as she awaited Deniz’s response. She knew she had emerged victorious in this bout.
Sure enough, Deniz’s gaze betrayed no intention of harm as he Looked at Nicole once more. He realized that Nicole was important to Jarrod, which was why Vicki had put so much effort into setting Nicole up.
Deniz dared not lay a hand on Nicole, fearing Jarrod’s reprisal.
Jarrod’s nature dictated an unwillingness to relinquish what was once his, even if he had cast it aside, and should someone dare to do so, they would meet a swift demise.
Deniz had already learned a bitter lesson before, and he couldn’t risk enduring another one. A lifetime of worldly wisdom ingrained in him the principle of never stumbling twice over the same obstacle.
Should he provoke Jarrod anew, his fate would be sealed.
“What do you want?” Deniz inquired, cutting straight to the chase.
There was no need for beating around the bush at this juncture.
“It’s not about what I want. You’ve seen through the situation. Miss Hampton simply wants to make you the scapegoat should anything go amiss. You got away this time, but what about the next?” Nicole countered.
Deniz’s eyes narrowed, revealing a sly demeanor. “Do not think you can have sway over me because of this. I have no dealings with Miss Hampton. Since she tries to scheme against me, I won’t go easy on her!”
Nicole chuckled at his words. “Deniz, you truly have a talent for joking.”
Disregarding Deniz’s sour expression, she pressed on. “Unless you cut ties with the Hampton family, you won’t stand a chance against Vicki, Wayne’s beloved daughter. Especially considering she’s got a formidable fianc? like Jarrod, who’s about to become her husband. You’ll find it even harder to deal with her.”
Deniz hadn’t anticipated Nicole’s profound insight, comprehending every aspect of the situation. She proved to be a truly formidable adversary. Yet, he stubbornly refused to admit it. “Even though Vicki is impressive, I don’t depend on her for everything.”
Deniz found it absurd. He had long surpassed the age of succumbing to weakness when challenged. He was certain no one possessed the power to best him.
Nicole flatly replied, “I understand you don’t rely solely on Vicki, but it appears you lean on Lowe from the Hampton family, correct?”
Deniz’s countenance stiffened, and he muttered curses under his breath. Nicole seemed to possess uncanny mind-reading abilities. How did she possess such insight?
Deniz remained silent, waiting for Nicole to speak and see what tricks she would pull.
Undeterred, Nicole said, “Have you been keeping up with what’s going on with the Hampton family? It seems like Lowe has made some major mistakes lately, causing quite a stir within the family. Even the board of directors has had some negative things to say about him.
On the other hand, Vicki seems to be really good at building relationships within the company and getting things done. Her reputation for being kind and generous has earned her a lot of praise from the board of directors.”
Deniz, sharp-witted as ever, comprehended Nicole’s implication without difficulty. In essence, Lowe lacked the popularity and influence within the Hampton family’s enterprise that Vicki possessed. Nicole simply hinted he had aligned himself with the wrong individual.
Yet, Deniz refused to allow Nicole to dupe him so easily. He had not forgotten Nicole’s family’s industrialist roots before Jarrod’s return from abroad.
Since returning, Jarrod had dealt Nicole’s family several cruel blows, leading to their bankruptcy.
It was a tragic turn of events indeed. Despite being Jarrod’s adversary, Nicole had borne his child. A perplexing circumstance, to say the least.
Deniz remained unaware of the intricacies, including how Jarrod forced Nicole and the circumstances surrounding their child’s birth.
He merely glimpsed the surface and remained oblivious to Nicole’s genuine significance to Jarrod. Had he been aware, he would have refrained from laying a finger on Nicole.
For now, Deniz grasped Nicole proved to be exceptionally intelligent and competent.
Deniz narrowed his eyes and grunted, “Don’t try to sow seeds of division here. It’s been a long-standing tradition in our country to pass family businesses to sons, not daughters. Considering the Hampton family’s size, are you suggesting they’d hand the control over to Vicki?”
Nicole retorted, “You seem unaware. Let me give you some examples. The president of the Fletcher Group passed the business to his capable daughter. Similarly, the president of the Wills Group did the same. It’s clear that the world has evolved, and clinging to outdated beliefs only makes you appear ignorant.”
“You!” Deniz seethed with anger at her words, but ultimately restrained himself, merely pointing at her without taking further action.
He continued, “The families you mentioned all had daughters as their sole heirs. Had they not passed the businesses to them, they Likely would have donated them.”
“That’s true. But why do you assume Vicki can’t be the sole heir?” Nicole countered.
This assertion prompted Deniz to pause momentarily. Though absurd, it was not entirely implausible.
While Lowe was indeed the sole male heir of the Hampton family, his penchant for trouble was well-known. Only recently, he had nearly jeopardized his reputation.
Deniz had witnessed Lowe’s erratic behavior countless times, and the rumors surrounding Lowe were indeed exaggerated.
Wayne, weighed down by stress, now carried heart medication for emergencies. The extent of Lowe’s disquietude was evident for all to see.
Nevertheless, as long as Lowe remained in the picture, Deniz assumed Wayne would steadfastly refuse to pass the reins of the Hampton Group to another.
Just then, Nicole interjected, “You know, these days, society is full of surprises. It’s really tough to be sure that Lowe will manage to wait until Wayne retires without any unexpected problems popping up.”
Hearing Nicole’s words, Deniz almost slapped his thigh in agreement.
Lowe was such a jerk. Honestly, if one decided to kill him, it wouldn’t be a challenge. It really just boiled down to whether anyone actually wanted to do so.