Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Nicole moved past this, guiding the conversation back. “I’ve heard you’re looking for Jamie. I’m also working on it. Let me know as soon as you locate her.”
Nicole had questions only Jamie could answer, though she knew Jamie was cunning. If caught, Jamie would likely withhold the truth, influenced by the mysterious figure behind the scenes.
Nicole wanted to confront Jamie to gain closure on her father’s death.
“I understand,” Jarrod said. “Hold off on your search. I’ve set things in motion.”
Jarrod was concerned since the search for Jamie posed a threat to Nicole’s security. Little information about the mastermind behind Jamie had been revealed—be it their identity or intentions.
Given the resources and ruthlessness the mastermind had demonstrated, Jarrod aimed to shield Nicole from further trouble.
Nicole nodded, though her determination stayed firm. This issue was tied directly to the truth about her father’s death. She was resolute in her quest for the truth, regardless of the risks.
Just then, Nicole’s phone rang abruptly. It was Ethel.
Nicole picked up, and Ethel’s sorrowful voice filled her ears.
“Nicole, Brett is dead.”
The news hit Nicole like a lightning strike, her mind spinning from the sudden shock.
Brett was supposed to have left the country with Callie by now, following their detailed plan. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly?
Nicole felt a wave of unease as she asked, “What about Callie? How is she?”
Ethel’s voice grew soft, full of concern.
“Callie is safe for now, but she is deeply traumatized. She’s at the hospital, but she hasn’t spoken a word since the incident. She remains silent no matter what we ask.”
Nicole’s thoughts whirled, trying to grasp the gravity of the situation. She had believed it was best to send Brett and Callie away and had not hidden this plan from Ethel.
Ethel continued, “Brett was ready to leave, but at the last moment, he decided to retrieve the money Jamie gave him. He had buried it somewhere only he knew. He took Callie with him, left her in the car, but never came back. Callie went looking for him and found his brutalized body. The scene was so horrific that it left her mute.”
Ethel didn’t mention the full horror. Brett had been stabbed over sixty times, his body mutilated, and his face unrecognizable from the wounds.
It was a miracle Callie hadn’t lost her mind after witnessing such a terrible scene.
“Can you arrange for me to see Callie?” Nicole asked.
Ethel had been considering the same thing.
No one had managed to get Callie to speak, and time was running out to find the perpetrator.
If Nicole could get Callie to talk, it would be a significant breakthrough.
As Nicole ended the call, Jarrod looked at her with concern.
“What’s going on?”
Nicole didn’t hide it from Jarrod and gave a brief account of the situation. This might involve Jamie, and Jarrod needed to know the dangers Jamie or the mastermind behind her posed.
Jarrod’s brow furrowed as he listened. “Try not to worry too much. Nothing is confirmed yet, but your safety is crucial for the next few days. I’ll increase security at Austin’s school and assign four bodyguards to stay with you at all times.”
To ease Nicole’s hesitation, Jarrod added, “You’re carrying our child, so this also protects the baby.”
Nicole didn’t object this time. Jarrod was right. She needed to take precautions until everything was resolved.
The bodyguards Jarrod had arranged were the best available. It saved her the trouble of finding her own security team, who might not be trustworthy.
Even Brett, once her father’s most trusted man, had betrayed them. There was no room for blind faith anymore.
“Let me drive you there,” Jarrod said, noticing Nicole hadn’t rejected his suggestion. He escorted her to the hospital.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Nicole followed Ethel to Callie’s ward.
As the door creaked open, they saw a small figure curled up on the bed. Callie was sitting with her knees tucked under her chin, her face buried in her arms.
She had become shockingly thin over the past few days, her delicate form pulling at Nicole’s emotions.
Nicole stepped closer, her voice gentle. “Callie.”
Callie barely reacted. She sat still, her gaze lowered, seemingly detached from everything around her.
Nicole’s voice broke a little as she spoke, “Callie, I know what you’re enduring. We need information, or we won’t find the person who took your father from us…”
Nicole understood Callie’s agony all too well. Her own father’s violent death had left a vivid, painful image burned into her memory.
Regret and remorse had relentlessly tormented Nicole since that tragic day, reminding her incessantly of what she had lost—the chance of one last farewell with her father.
Nicole longed to relive moments spent with him, to cherish meals together, and have deep, meaningful conversations.
The emptiness left by his departure was deep, an unending pain, a poignant reminder of all the moments that had slipped through her fingers.
Having spoken the comforting words, Nicole quietly sat next to Callie, holding her frail form closely in a silent vigil.
Callie’s body began to tremble almost imperceptibly. What started as a slight twitch quickly turned into violent shaking. Her cries, first faint, grew into a heartbreaking crescendo.
“Nicole…” Callie’s voice, filled with pain and interrupted by sobs, cut through the quiet. “I can’t close my eyes. Whenever I do, I see my dad. The pain he endured… Sixty stab wounds, yet he made no sound.”
Upon learning the details from the recent autopsy report, Nicole felt her world collapse. Brett had endured over sixty stab wounds while still alive.
The official cause of death was organ failure, yet Brett remained silent from the moment he was stabbed until his final breath.
Brett’s silence stemmed not from weakness but from a profound love for his daughter, Callie.
He knew crying out would bring Callie to his side, endangering her fragile condition. In his last moments, Brett sacrificed his body to shield his daughter one final time.
Tears flowed down Nicole’s cheeks as she grappled with the news. It was clear that Brett was an exceptional father to Callie.
As Callie wept, her broken words filled the room, reflecting her deep anguish. “It’s all my fault… It’s all my fault.”
“If it weren’t for my greed, my dad…” Callie said between sobs, prompting Nicole to attentively listen to her words.
Callie’s voice was hoarse as she muttered, “Had I not expressed my desire to continue playing the violin, my father wouldn’t have gone back for that money, and he wouldn’t have met his tragic end.”
When Brett recounted the incident to Nicole, he failed to mention whether Jamie had indeed given him the money.
Brett simply stated that Jamie had offered money and treatment. While the treatment part was true, and Callie was getting better, it seemed like there wasn’t any money involved.
But the truth was, Brett did receive money at that time. He wasn’t naive enough to risk everything without any gain.
Even though Jamie promised to assist his daughter with treatment abroad, Brett wouldn’t have blindly placed his trust in her.
It was the money he had received that convinced him to approach Nicole’s father, as Jamie had requested.
However, Brett chose not to disclose this information to Nicole. If he had, Nicole would have vehemently opposed his pursuit of the money, likely resulting in the police confiscating it.
Ultimately, greed played a role in Brett’s downfall.
Nicole reassured Callie, saying, “It’s not your fault. The responsibility lies with those bad people. You never wished any harm upon your dad, did you?
Callie, it’s crucial that you tell the police everything that happened that day. Be thorough and ensure you don’t leave out any details.
This will help them find the suspect swiftly and bring justice for your father. Do you understand?”
Callie nodded. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to speak up, but fear gripped her. However, with Nicole by her side, she felt much safer. In the past, it had been Nicole who rescued her.
During her childhood, Nicole had been the person she trusted the most.
Callie requested Nicole’s presence, as she felt too frightened to give her statement alone.
Ethel granted Callie’s wish, allowing Nicole to accompany her during the interview.
That day, Brett had casually asked Callie about her aspirations after they relocated abroad.
Callie expressed her dreams, but noted the financial challenge associated with playing the violin.
Achieving proficiency at her skill level required the guidance of a master teacher, a costly endeavor.
To ease any concern for her father, she had simply brushed it off, saying she was joking.
Yet, Brett was steadfast in his assurance that he would help Callie achieve her dream.
Later, Brett’s expression turned serious when he received a phone call.
Since Brett had stepped out of the car to take the call, Callie couldn’t hear the conversation, but she observed that it was a young woman’s voice.
Brett appeared to be in a heated argument with the caller, his usually composed face displaying unusual fierceness.
Concerned, Callie asked him what was wrong when he returned to the car.