Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
She was reluctant to leave yet since recently, every patron seemed to be linked to either the Hampton or Schultz families.
In the chamber, a group of people were deeply engrossed in a business discussion, openly conversing in front of Nicole, under the assumption that she wouldn’t comprehend their complex topics.
Yet, Nicole grasped every detail with surprising clarity and was genuinely intrigued by their conversation. For her, grasping the intricate relationships between the Hampton and Schultz families was essential.
Noticing the commotion, one of the customers turned to Jemma, his voice laced with annoyance. “Hey, Jemma, are you really taking Cherry away?”
With an apologetic smile, Jemma responded, “A customer requested Cherry’s presence.”
The man’s brow furrowed, displeasure etching his face. “She’s excelling here, and you’re pulling her away just on someone else’s whim? Do you think I can’t cover the bill?” he snapped, his voice sharp.
“Where did that come from! I would never assume such a thing. That would be absurd,” Jemma hastily said.
“Then why remove her from my table? You think less of me?” His voice grew heated, the tension palpable.
Holding her chest as if wounded, Jemma replied with exaggerated distress, “Sir, you’re truly misjudging me. I explained to them the significance of having a prior reservation, but it wasn’t feasible. There’s a young lady celebrating her birthday over there. They’re trying to keep the celebration light and joyful. What if I offer you an extra drink on the house to make up for it?”
Confronted with the mention of a birthday, the man hesitated and then relented slightly. “Okay, but let this not recur.”
“Absolutely. Jemma’s smile was tinged with relief as she guided Nicole away from the escalating scene.”
As she exited the chamber, Nicole queried, “Jemma, who exactly asked for me?” She hadn’t been working here long, and only a handful of customers knew her. Was there really someone requesting her specifically?
Jemma responded without looking up, her voice Light, “You’ll find out when you get there.”
Nicole trailed behind Jemma, a sinking feeling telling her this might spell trouble. As they pushed the door open, her fears were confirmed.
Standing there was Doreen, a face all too familiar.
Doreen wasn’t alone. Two other women, likely her friends, accompanied her.
Nicole suspected that Vicki must have told Doreen she was here.
The look in Doreen’s eyes told Nicole about her intention of causing trouble.
Seeing Nicole hesitate at the doorway, Doreen sneered, “Why are you standing there? Come and serve me.”
With no room to refuse, Nicole approached.
“Pour me a glass of water first,” Doreen commanded impatiently.
Nicole picked up the water pot, poured the water, and carefully offered it to Doreen.
“Please, enjoy it.” Nicole maintained her professional demeanor, showing utmost respect to Doreen.
However, Doreen simply covered her mouth with her hand, declining the water without a word.
Nicole stood, holding the glass, as minutes stretched into an eternity and her back started to throb with pain.
Just then, one of Doreen’s companions sighed heavily. “Do you even know the rules here? Doesn’t everyone know that Kingbel Club offers kneeling services? Hurry up and kneel down!”
It seemed Doreen had whispered something to her friend, who now appeared determined to make Nicole’s job difficult in order to appease Doreen’s anger.
Nicole responded calmly, “The kneeling service is provided by specially trained staff who wear red tags. I wear a yellow tag, indicating I do not offer that service. You were aware of this when you called for me.”
“I don’t care about that. I want you to kneel now!” her friend demanded arrogantly.
Nicole’s expression remained composed as she firmly replied, “I’m sorry, but I do not provide kneeling service.”
“You bitch, really…” Doreen’s friend muttered, stepping forward to push Nicole. Unable to tolerate the provocation, Nicole pushed back.
The woman, caught off guard, stumbled and fell back onto the sofa.
“How dare you push me!” she screamed, her voice filled with rage, as she looked ready to attack Nicole.
Nicole braced herself to leave, defending against the woman’s aggressive advance. Offending Doreen wasn’t an option, but evading the immediate threat was essential. She knew she might face a reprimand from Jemma, but that was preferable to escalating the conflict further.
Before Nicole could sidestep the altercation, Doreen intervened unexpectedly, pulling her friend back.
Nicole was taken aback. Such intervention was uncharacteristic for Doreen. “Don’t create a scene,” Doreen instructed. “This is my birthday party, and guests are arriving.”
Her friend, begrudgingly acknowledging the occasion, nodded. Despite her anger, she couldn’t spoil Doreen’s celebration. She shot Nicole a menacing look. “Just you wait,” she warned.
Nicole chose to ignore the threat. As she was about to tell Doreen she would have someone else serve them, the door swung open again.
A burst of light spilled into the room, accompanied by the distinct sound of leather shoes tapping the floor.
The footsteps were unmistakably familiar. Nicole turned and was met with the sight of Jarrod, clad in a crisp suit and polished leather shoes.
Nicole hadn’t seen Jarrod since their last encounter at the hospital.
Following that meeting, when Nicole had gone to settle the medical bills, Alec had made it clear that Jarrod would sever all ties with her and cease managing any of her affairs. Regarding their child, Jarrod was adamant about not relenting and forbade her from any visitation.
Given their stark differences in status, if Jarrod chose to vanish from Nicole’s life, he could indeed make it happen.
Nicole’s attempts to contact the nanny had failed, likely because Jarrod had restricted her phone access.
Nicole was left in the dark about Austin’s condition, relying solely on snippets of information from Vicki. She persevered, working tirelessly at the club to gather information and to lower Vicki’s guard.
At that moment, Jarrod’s eyes met Nicole’s, his look intense and unreadable.
Doreen, visibly thrilled, stood up. “Jarrod, you’re here…”
“Mm,” Jarrod answered indifferently.
“Please, take a seat,” Doreen urged, her enthusiasm undimmed as she welcomed the woman behind him. “Vicki.”
Only then did Nicole realize that Jarrod and Vicki had arrived together.
Naturally, as Doreen’s uncle, Jarrod’s presence at Doreen’s birthday celebration was expected.
Vicki, dressed in a light pink gown that accentuated her elegance and grace, seemed taken aback to see Nicole. She covered her mouth in surprise, exclaiming, “Miss Lawrence, why are you here?”
Nicole reflected on how Vicki’s acting skills had improved significantly as she had become adept at masking her true feelings.
“I’m working here,” Nicole responded succinctly.
“Working?” Vicki appeared surprised. “Miss Lawrence, are you in need of money? I recall you were a high achiever. How did you end up working here?”
“Every profession has its value. I actually find it quite fulfilling here,” Nicole replied, maintaining her composure.
Vicki’s tone softened. “Miss Lawrence, are you facing some difficulties?”
“No.” Nicole smiled as she spoke, her gaze laced with a hint of mockery.
Impatient, Doreen interjected sharply, “Vicki, you know, some people are just naturally lowly. They reveling it, serving in lowly positions. Don’t waste your breath trying to uplift them. They’re content here, serving a multitude of men without ever repeating.”
Nicole remained silent, but Vicki could barely contain her delight.
With her skills in masking her emotions, Vicki furrowed her brows and chided Doreen, “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Then, Vicki’s expression softened into a slight smile. “That’s good to hear. If you ever face any difficulties, remember you can tell me. Since you and Jarrod were classmates, we can definitely help.”
Nicole nodded in acknowledgment but chose not to add anything further.
Vicki, pleased with how she had handled the situation, produced a jewelry gift box and presented it to Doreen. “Doreen, this is a gift your uncle and I selected for you. See if you like it.”
Doreen accepted the box eagerly. “I love it! I know I’ll Like anything you choose!” she exclaimed, opening the box to reveal a luxurious jade necklace from a high-end brand.
This was no ordinary item. It required a diamond-level membership for purchase.
The necklace perfectly matched Doreen’s style, and she beamed. “Thank you, aunt.”
Vicki blushed slightly. “Doreen, don’t call me that. It’s not yet.”
“It’s not far off. You’ll soon be my aunt, and I’m just getting used to it,” Doreen interjected playfully.
“Ah, you little rascal.” Vicki chuckled.
Doreen pulled Vicki down to sit beside her before imperiously commanding, “Now, pour wine for my uncle and future aunt.”
Resigned to her fate for the evening, Nicole approached, knelt down, and filled the wine glass to the brim before offering it to Jarrod.
“Please,” she said.
Jarrod stared blankly, seemingly lost in thought, and made no move to accept the glass.
“Please,” Nicole repeated, yet Jarrod remained unresponsive.
At that moment, Vicki took the wine glass from Nicole, saying, “Sorry, he doesn’t drink anymore. He’s also quit smoking recently. We’re preparing…”