Chapter 237

? ? ? ? ?

Jarrod's face was a mask of ice, his expression unyielding. He had not anticipated that Nicole, even with an injured hand, would dare to do such an act.

He realized he had miscalculated, underestimating Nicole's ingenuity. He should never have let his guard down, not even for a moment.

«Nicole, this is the last time I'm telling you. “Let go of Jamie!”

Jarrod demanded.

His intense gaze fixed on Nicole, his eyes sharp and accusing as if trying to penetrate her soul.

Anyone would be intimidated by a look like that, including Nicole.

Nicole had seen Jarrod angry before, but today his fury was exceptional, almost palpable, as if he could lash out at her at any moment.

Nicole thought Jarrod's anger stemmed from the fact that Jamie was being held hostage, the person Jarrod valued above all others.

Nicole wouldn't have dared, knowing the reaction it would provoke, but she was desperate.

He couldn't allow his father to remain vulnerable to Jarrod's whims, risking being imprisoned to his displeasure.

Nicole knew her father would not survive long in prison, especially with his health in decline.

I might never see him again if he was imprisoned.

Therefore, he decided to take a chance.

Holding the fork against Jamie's neck, Nicole looked at Jarrod defiantly.

«Jarrod, you have twenty minutes. If I don't see the contract and the documents, I will,” he said calmly.

It was the deadline that had been set. In his weakened state, he could not prolong this confrontation. He had to act quickly.

Jarrod's eyes darkened with anger.

"Nicole, you're courting death!" he said, each word laced with chilling intensity.

His voice, colder than the deepest ice, made listeners tremble.

Nicole remained unfazed. He looked at the clock on the wall and said, “Mr. Schultz, you have nineteen minutes and thirty seconds.

Bang! Jarrod's hand, full of anger, tore off a valuable vase. The vase fell to the ground, breaking into countless pieces.

His face twisted with fury, he gritted his teeth and warned, “Nicole, have you thought about the consequences?”

"Yes, but what other option do I have?" Nicole's expression did not waver.

For her, it was a matter of choosing between a terrible situation and an even worse one.

Seizing the opportunity to perform seemed the only way to ensure his family's future.

Jamie, caught in the middle, hadn't anticipated Nicole's audacity to use her as a bargaining chip against Jarrod.

This situation accentuated the tense relationship between Nicole and Jarrod, forcing Nicole to take drastic measures.

At that point, Jamie refused to let Nicole take advantage of her. If Nicole's plan was successful, how could he assert his control over Nicole later?

Jamie subtly moved his wrist, wondering if he could overpower Nicole in her weakened state.

But when she tried to move, a sharp pain in her neck stopped her.

“Hss…” Jamie let out a muffled moan, feeling something wet slide down.

In the next second, a drop of blood fell to the ground.

Nicole, pressing her finger against Jamie's vein, threatened, "Jamie, don't try anything or I will!"

When Jamie realized that the blood was his, his panic increased.

«Ah! Relief! Jarrod, save me! "He's going to kill me!" Jamie's screams were filled with hysteria.

Jarrod frowned at Jamie's terrified voice and his eyes grew colder.

Dealing with Nicole alone was manageable, but she couldn't jeopardize Jamie's safety.

Jarrod quickly made a call, his voice icy: “Bring the A7E8 contracts now.”

After hanging up, he looked at Nicole sardonically: "I hope you're prepared for the end of your life."

But Nicole was unexpectedly calm.

Facing death with cancer, he found a strange sense of calm.

After all, what could be scarier than death itself?

Alec soon arrived with documents and disks in his hand. He presented them to Nicole, who meticulously checked each one, confirming their authenticity.

Once satisfied, Nicole said disdainfully, “Burn them.”

Alec looked at Jarrod, who ordered grimly, “Do it.

Burn them.

The papers and records were quickly consumed by the flames.

Nicole's usual calm broke, revealing a flash of triumph.

He had eliminated the threat and freed his father from prison.

As the last documents turned to ashes, Jarrod, dressed in black, exuded a menacing elegance.

He stared at Nicole as he yelled, "Let go of Jamie!"

Nicole, still clutching Jamie by the throat, haggled, "I have one more condition."

“Nicole Lawrence!” Jarrod roared.

"Don't make me take your parents away from you right now!"

Every line of Jarrod's face radiated deadly intent. He almost lost what little reason he had left. He couldn't stand being manipulated.

"Then let's see who acts faster," Nicole replied calmly, masking her stiffened hand.

With his right hand injured, he depended on the strength of his arm to hold Jamie, enduring excruciating pain at every moment.

The fork in Nicole's hand was wobbly, about to fall.

He was running out of time to negotiate.

Without waiting for Jarrod's response, he made his demand clear: "Promise me that you won't hurt my parents. I will face the consequences of my actions, but don't bring them into this!

Nicole was willing to face whatever Jarrod had in store for her, as long as her parents were safe.

He was aware that, with his life fading, his moment of final rest was approaching.

It was just a matter of enduring more pain and suffering until then.

Yet in some ways, this pain served as a vivid reminder that she was alive.

Silence enveloped the room.

Jamie, with tears streaming down her face, whimpered, "Jarrod, it hurts..."

Finally, Jarrod, through clenched teeth, agreed: “Okay. I give you my word.

Hearing this, Nicole felt a wave of relief, but her body was reaching its limit.

He loosened his grip cautiously.

Jamie, noticing that Nicole was weakening, saw an opportunity.

His eyes flashed with sudden intuition, as a sinister plan quickly formed in his thoughts. Suddenly, the fork stabbed into Jamie's neck.

It happened so fast that no one realized how it happened, not even Nicole.

Jamie clutched his neck, screaming.

«Jarrod, he's going to kill me.

Then, he collapsed to the ground.

“Jamie!” Jarrod ran towards Jamie, looking panicked. In one swift movement, he kicked Nicole in the chest with a forceful blow.

Caught off guard, Nicole was thrown backwards, crashing into a shelf of flowers.

.

.

.