Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Noticing his flushed face from the coughing, Nicole figured he was still struggling for air and said, “Have some water first.”
Jarrod accepted the glass and drank the water. The water indeed helped him feel better.
After he put the cup down, Nicole said, “Go ahead and eat. I’m heading out now.”
Jarrod maintained a poker face and remained silent, and Nicole turned and headed for the door without waiting for his response.
Just as she was about to leave, a loud “thud” sounded from behind her. Jarrod had tumbled off the bed.
Nicole turned around to see his tall figure lying on the floor, his complexion pale and looking very weak. She rushed to his side, asking, “Can you stand?”
Nicole was puzzled by how suddenly weak Jarrod had become. He seemed fine just moments before. How had he managed to fall from the bed?
Jarrod clenched his lips for a moment and said, “It hurts.”
Nicole began to wonder if Jarrod might be exaggerating his condition, but his pale face seemed genuinely unwell. His skin was clammy, and cold sweat clung to his forehead. His back wound felt wet, possibly reopened.
Since the wounds from the acid attack were filled with pus rather than blood, Nicole was unsure if the wound had actually reopened.
Remembering his selfless act of protection that day, Nicole found herself feeling sympathetic. She spoke more gently, “Don’t push yourself. Let me assist you. Be careful.”
Jarrod relied on her support, careful not to breathe too hard. It had been quite some time since they were this close. Nicole’s subtle fragrance was calming, almost therapeutic. Jarrod felt no pain at that moment.
Nicole helped Jarrod back onto the bed and adjusted it to a more comfortable height.
As Nicole was about to leave once more, Jarrod quickly said, “Nicole, I’m hungry.”
Nicole suspected that his fall might have been intentional, especially now that his hand seemed too injured for him to eat by himself. “Where’s your caregiver?” she asked.
“I don’t have one. Conor usually helps me,” Jarrod said.
Nicole, visibly frustrated, responded, “Why don’t you hire a caregiver? You can certainly afford one.”
Jarrod answered, “I prefer not to have strangers around.”
Nicole said, “Then wait for Conor to return. I’ll give him a call.”
Nicole called Conor, and his weak voice answered the phone. “Miss Lawrence… What’s going on?”
Nicole asked, “Conor, when are you coming back?”
Conor’s response was hesitant. “Miss Lawrence, I’m dealing with stomach troubles, and my legs feel weak. I might need an IV. Could you possibly feed Mr. Schultz his meal?”
Jarrod secretly admired Conor’s quick-witted response. Conor’s improvisational skills were indeed impressive.
Left with no other choice, Nicole reluctantly picked up the spoon to feed Jarrod.
Jarrod ate with focus, quickly consuming half the bowl of congee.
Nicole said, “You have a table full of nutritious meals, yet you choose to eat this plain congee.”
Nicole bought the congee for Rhett yesterday because he had a high fever and needed something light and non-greasy. However, Jarrod needed more substantial food. This congee was too simple for his needs.
Jarrod said, “I was curious about the congee you bought for someone else.”
Nicole was surprised and asked, “Did you investigate me?”
Jarrod replied, “No, Conor told me. You were taking care of Rhett but didn’t visit me, and you even bought Rhett congee.”
Jarrod’s voice carried a genuine hint of grievance.
From last night until now, Jarrod had not felt like eating anything but the congee that another man had enjoyed—brought by Nicole.
Nicole was aware of Jarrod’s tendency to be petty. To prevent any potential issues for Rhett, she explained, “I looked after Rhett because he was injured helping me. It was quite serious. He suffered a lot on my behalf, so I felt obligated to care for him.”
“Well, you are so kind,” Jarrod said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.
Nicole looked at him, wondering if this was still the Jarrod she knew. This unexpected change was very strange. He appeared less aloof and more approachable, almost like a completely different person.
Nicole was not going to indulge his emotions. She said, “Yes, I am kind, but I choose whom to be kind to.”
The message was clear.
Jarrod went quiet. After a moment, he said, “I want to eat that fish.”
Nicole hesitated but chose to oblige him. Since he was still recovering, she selected a boneless piece from the belly of the fish and fed it to him along with the congee.
This was once routine for Jarrod. He always offered Nicole the first piece of fish belly.
After eating the fish belly, Jarrod said, “I’m full.”
Nicole responded, “You should eat more to recover faster. Then Conor wouldn’t need to pretend he has a stomach ache.” She had seen right through Conor’s act.
Jarrod didn’t argue. He glanced at the picked-over fish bones and said, “Nicole, I regret it. I wish I had not been so harsh with you before.”
Nicole remained silent.
Jarrod observed her closely. Maybe because the thought of another child between them got him thinking deeper. How had things come to this?
Cornell had once pointed out that Jarrod was too extreme in his ways—his love and hatred overwhelming.
Cornell had made similar mistakes before but had recognized them in time to make amends, leading to his current happiness.
Happiness… Jarrod dared to dream of that. He simply prayed for Nicole to have a safe delivery. He was determined to make things right.
As Nicole offered him another spoonful of congee, she said, “Let’s not dwell on the past. I’m pleased with our current dynamic, neither too close nor too distant, giving us both space.”
Nicole chose not to elaborate. After all, with two children soon to be part of their lives, a strained relationship would not be beneficial for their children’s mental and emotional development.
Furthermore, Austin had begun to like Jarrod, a sign that Jarrod had invested genuine effort in their relationship. Winning Austin’s affection was no trivial achievement.
Although Jarrod had not fully taken Roscoe’s place in Austin’s heart, it was still a big step forward. This reminded Nicole of something about Roscoe. “I asked Roscoe to analyze those pills he and I both took. I’m considering trying them on Austin.”
Jarrod frowned and said, “Are they suitable for Austin?”
Jarrod was familiar with the pills’ effects. Nicole’s medical report was the strongest proof. Even the experts he talked to could not make sense of her sudden improvement.
While Nicole had recovered, deciding to use those pills on Austin needed careful thought.
“Roscoe checked the ingredients for me. It’s safe. Austin’s condition is quite unique. If we delay, it might become riskier. Even if the pills only offer temporary relief, I think it’s worth a try.”
It had been a while since Nicole had taken those pills. No negative side effects thus far suggested their potential benefits.
Though Nicole had her reservations, she could not ignore those witches’ claims of significantly extended lifespans, even if they stopped short of promising immortality.
Jarrod responded, “I don’t trust Roscoe. I’ll have someone else confirm its safety before we proceed.”
Jarrod didn’t have faith in Roscoe, and Nicole didn’t argue on this. They were both focused on Austin’s safety. Jarrod’s doubts showed he was really taking this seriously. There was no point in arguing.
“Alright, just make sure it doesn’t take too long,” Nicole said.
Just then, Nicole’s phone rang. She checked and saw it was Rhett calling.
Before heading to the hospital, Nicole had informed Rhett she was on her way, so he was likely concerned by her delay. She answered and assured Rhett she would be there shortly.
After ending the call, Nicole noticed Jarrod watching her closely. She stood and said, “I have to leave now.”
Jarrod said, “You should keep your distance from Rhett. I don’t trust him.”
Jarrod’s gut told him something wasn’t quite right. Having dug into Rhett’s background and found nothing suspicious, Jarrod struggled to accept Rhett’s clean history—almost too perfect.
It was this perfection that worried Jarrod. He doubted Rhett might have hidden motives for approaching Nicole.
Even though Rhett once worked for the Dimn Group, all of Jarrod’s investigations turned up nothing suspicious.
Nicole asked, “Why would you say that?” She thought Jarrod had uncovered concrete evidence or specific suspicions.
But Jarrod simply responded, “Just a gut feeling.”
Nicole was left speechless. She said, “Jarrod, not everyone is out to get you. The world isn’t filled with as many traitors as you think.”
Jarrod didn’t argue. He found it hard to trust others because he didn’t have many reliable people in his life.
After Nicole left, Conor showed up just in time.
Noticing the half-finished bowl, Conor was satisfied. “Mr. Schultz, you need to eat more to heal faster.”
“Alright,” Jarrod replied. “You did a good job.”
Conor, feeling happy, shared Alec’s situation. “About Alec, you asked me to dig deeper, and I discovered something odd.”