Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
“You look utterly pitiful, Nicole, like a dog begging for scraps.”
Nicole pressed her lips together, refusing to rise to Vicki’s bait.
Nevertheless, Nicole scooped up the money with a forced smile. “Thank you, Miss Hampton.”
Nicole kept her composure, focusing solely on deflecting Vicki’s cruelty to safeguard her son.
Despite past humiliations that had nearly crushed her when the Lawrence family was destroyed, Nicole had persevered.
Strangers and acquaintances alike had hurled venomous words at her, used the vilest language, and spread false rumors about her. She had endured such challenging times.
Now, only the opinions of those she loved could wound her. Mere words had lost their sting.
Vicki observed Nicole’s serene expression and felt a pang of unease.
She had witnessed Jarrod’s furious grip on Nicole’s neck moments earlier. Clearly, this was not the behavior of a man who had moved on.
True detachment should manifest as indifference, yet Jarrod had shown intense aggression toward Nicole. However, the moment Jarrod saw Nicole struggling for air, he panicked and released her immediately.
This inconsistency failed to convince Vicki that Jarrod had truly let go. Instead, it made Nicole seem like a significant threat to her.
With that, Vicki spun around and strode off, leaving Nicole to ponder the ominous implications of her words.
Clutching the cash tightly, Nicole’s thoughts raced with the possibilities. She was certain Vicki was referring to harming Austin.
Nicole gazed after Vicki, her eyes locked on Vicki’s receding figure, emotions swirling within her.
At that moment, Jamie approached, her face etched with feigned concern. “Cherry, what’s happening here? Did the customer today give you a hard time?”
Jamie had intentionally approached after witnessing the exchange between Nicole, Jarrod, and Vicki. She couldn’t grasp why Jarrod would behave so harshly toward Nicole, concluding that Nicole had fallen out of favor with him.
In Jamie’s observation, Vicki was loved by Jarrod and the only one deserving of Jarrod.
Jamie felt a secret thrill, relieved that Jarrod’s affection for Nicole might not be as deep as she had feared. Jarrod was fickle, always chasing new women and quickly tiring of the old. In that case, her past wrongs by inflicting pain on Nicole would be less significant if his love for Nicole faded.
She assumed Jarrod’s disdain for her stemmed from his feelings for Nicole. If his love for Nicole had waned, might he forgive her?
Nicole chose not to respond to Jamie. She didn’t want to confront Jamie directly, nor did she wish to expose Jamie just yet. She aimed to uncover Jamie’s real motives, as well as the mastermind behind the scene.
Nicole was cautious about aligning herself with someone she didn’t fully understand.
Many seemed to offer help, but in truth, they were merely using others to carry out their unsavory tasks. Eventually, these so-called helpers would turn on their accomplices, making them scapegoats. No one was willing to be left holding the bag for someone else’s misdeeds.
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Jamie sensed Nicole’s reluctance and felt frustrated by her inaccessibility. Initially, she feared retaliation from Nicole if her true intentions were discovered.
Relieved by Nicole’s inaction, Jamie mistakenly believed that Nicole was merely suspicious without any concrete evidence of her machinations. She decided to look for another chance to fulfill her assigned task later.
Returning to the restroom, Nicole encountered Jemma smoking nonchalantly by the door, seemingly indifferent to Nicole’s presence and allowing the secondhand smoke to waft over.
Jemma eyed Nicole’s disheveled state and sneered, “You really are something, managing to upset three tough characters simultaneously.”
Jemma was referring to Doreen, Vicki, and Jarrod. Doreen was rude with malicious intentions.
Vicki feigned kindness but was sly with vicious agendas, and Jarrod was particularly merciless. Any mistake by the barmaid would result in severe repercussions.
“I’m sorry for causing you trouble,” Nicole murmured quietly.
She hadn’t yet discerned Jemma’s true intentions. However, her observations suggested a kind-hearted nature beneath Jemma’s abrasive demeanor and sharp tongue.
Jemma had a history of stepping in to defend the barmaids from unruly patrons. While her reprimands might sound harsh, they often shielded the barmaids from potentially offensive situations with VIPs.
Without Jemma’s intervention, many would have struggled to continue in their roles.
Within the barmaids, there was a clear divide. Some were for money, while others bore silent burdens, driven by familial obligations.
Those who were after money had mastered the art of manipulation and displayed scant regard for others.
Jemma consistently refrained from assisting them, regardless of the circumstances. In contrast, she extended her support to those who found themselves in the industry out of sheer necessity and desperation.
Consequently, Nicole had come to view Jemma as essentially decent.
Besides, Jemma had assigned her to customers who were generally less problematic.
Upon hearing Nicole’s apology, Jemma gave a gruff snort. “Don’t blame me if I didn’t warn you…”
Jemma said coldly, “Those three individuals are not to be toyed with. If possible, tolerate them or keep your distance. If trouble arises, don’t expect me to help you!”
Nicole, being sharp, grasped the concern in Jemma’s words. Should she cross paths with them again, faking illness and taking leave seemed like a wise choice.
In a place rife full of schemes and conflicts, Nicole felt grateful for this gesture of compassion from another woman.
She flashed a smile and said to Jemma, “I understand. I’ll make sure not to drag you into any problems.”
Jemma glanced at Nicole’s smiling face and was surprised for a moment.
She appeared uneasy and quit smoking abruptly. She waved her hand, turned around and said, “I’m not trying to help you. Don’t overthink it.”
As Jemma walked away, Nicole maintained a slight smile. She was sure now that Jemma was a good person. Although confused by Jemma’s offer of help, she could still tell the difference between genuine and fake intentions.
Even after showering, Nicole couldn’t shake off thoughts about Roscoe’s affairs as she headed out.
She wished for Roscoe’s happiness, yet was torn over whether his memory loss was a fortune or misfortune. If he hadn’t lost his memory, Nicole was certain that Roscoe would resist until the end, never surrendering to an unwanted marriage or the demands of the Watts family.
While walking in the dark, Nicole overheard a conversation from the second floor near the back door about the Watts family.
Nicole paused to listen more intently.
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“The Watts family sure seems to value that illegitimate child.”
“Illegitimate child? Ugh! Roscoe is worse than that!”
“Ah, don’t say that. That man means a lot to the Watts family. If you go around saying stuff like that, you might stir up some trouble with them.”
“For him? No way.”
“How can you say that?”
“I’ve got a secret for you. Turns out, Roscoe’s father, Miguel, hated Roscoe’s biological mother since she’s the one who messed up his reputation big time. On the surface, Miguel acts all nice with Roscoe, but the truth is, he just plans to make Roscoe a scapegoat.
The Watts family had their hands in some questionable businesses way back when. With Roscoe now in charge, if any shady dealings are uncovered, Roscoe will be the first one they go after, and he’ll be in a pickle since those dealings involve a significant amount of money.”
“No way. Roscoe is the last heir of the Watts family. They couldn’t operate without an heir, could they?”
The other person, clearly intoxicated, slurred his words as he disclosed all he knew.
“You don’t understand. Miguel is quite cunning. How could he possibly let the Watts family go without an heir? Let me tell you. Before Miguel’s eldest son perished in that accident, frozen sperm samples were taken, with which his wife managed to have twins.
They’re being raised overseas as the rightful heirs of the Watts family. Miguel has already concentrated on his eldest son’s overseas company, making sure it runs clean and leaving it to his capable assistant to support the future heirs of the Watts family…”
The listener was amazed and said, “The Watts family still has such a huge secret? No shit! Miguel is way too sophisticated. I thought he just brought back an heir, but it turns out he simply brought back a scapegoat!”
“I got all this from my dad. His business has connections with the Watts family overseas. He stumbled upon some Watts family members and learned the truth. But keep this quiet. I wouldn’t want to cross Miguel. He’s a tough guy!”
“I get it. Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”
Nicole was shocked to learn these secrets about the Watts family. Her gut feeling was right. Miguel didn’t truly care for Roscoe.
She had sensed Miguel was indifferent to Roscoe’s future and well-being. This was clear from the time Miguel had ordered someone to assault Roscoe, leaving him crippled.
If the conversation she just overheard was accurate, then Miguel’s actions made sense. But this meant that Roscoe, being schemed into a scapegoat, was in serious trouble.
Nicole massaged her temples. She hadn’t consumed dinner and suddenly felt faint, collapsing to the ground. She tried to steady herself against the wall, causing a noise nevertheless.
The people above instantly grew suspicious and called out, “Who’s down there!”
Nicole froze, too afraid to move. Any movement would reveal her presence.
Someone leaned out and glanced downward, saying, “I’ll keep watch here. You go check below.”
Nicole’s heart pounded. Right then, she heard footsteps from upstairs approaching, and she felt cornered, with nowhere to run.
Even if she made a break for it, they could still find her using the surveillance cameras in the corridor.
Just then, a weak cat’s meow echoed, “Meow…”
A pure white pet cat emerged from the shadows, gracefully stepping and occasionally meowing, “Meow… Meow…”