âNicole, your heart should beat only for me.
â His voice was laced with madness as he gently caressed Nicoleâs neck, his other arm encircling her waist tightly.
Suddenly, he brought his head down, capturing her lips in a fierce ki*s, more intense than any before.
He ki*sed her with force, sucking fiercely, with an intensity surpassing anything before.
The mingling of their Lips made him shiver, igniting every inch of his body.
Nicole was repulsed, fighting back with all her might.
Yet, Jarrodâs strength was overwhelming and unyielding.
Her head was forced back, her tongue numb from the intensity of his ki*s.
Jarrod ki*sed Nicole with wild abandon, rampant and fierce.
Just as Nicole felt like she was about to pass out, Jarrod released her lips and nestled his head on Nicoleâs shoulder.
Only then did Nicole notice the feverish heat radiating from his body.
His lips against her neck felt icy cold, making her whole being shuddering.
Jarrodâs voice was a mix of hoarseness and mockery, saying, âAm I dreaming? I regret doing those things.
Please, Nicole, donât despise me.
Bang! Jarrod held Nicole as they both fell to the ground.
Jarrodâs already severe injury worsened, bleeding profusely.
The door burst open with a kick.
Alec, upon seeing the blood-soaked floor, went pale with horror.
âMr.
Schultz!â
A flurry of medical staff surged in, swiftly transferring Jarrod onto a stretcher for emergency treatment.
As they attached the heart monitor, Jarrodâs heartbeat faltered, dropping perilously low.
The doctors took his temperature and said, âHigh fever! There are signs of decreasing heart rate and pulse, prepare for defibrillationâ¦â
Nicole rose to her feet slowly, blood staining her clothes.
Lying on the hospital bed, Jarrod looked so fragile with a ghostly pale face, casting an unreal aura around him.
At that moment, the only thought crossing Nicoleâs mind was Jarrod was not indestructible.
When it came down to life or death, they were all on the same playing field.
Alec seized Nicole by her collar, glaring at her, drenched in blood, with fury in his eyes.
âIf Mr.
Schultz doesnât make it, Iâll ensure you follow him to the grave!â
Fear gripped Nicole.
She grabbed Alecâs arm, shaking, and said, âAlec, it wasnât my fault.
I didnât do it.
It was his ownâ¦â
Alecâs face showed no mercy, a stark contrast to the pity he felt for Nicole five years ago.
To him, Jarrod was beyond compare.
Ever since Nicole came back, their confrontations had proved one thing.
Nicole bore no affection for Jarrod.
All she harbored were plans to end Jarrodâs life.
Yet, Jarrod had explicitly ordered that she be left unharmed at all times.
Nicole clung to Alec, her body quivering, on the verge of falling onto him.
Her fear was real.
Alecâs disdain grew, remembering he once thought she had some backbone.
Now, he saw her as a woman without any merits.
With a forceful shove, he commanded, âTake her away.
â
Two men in black stepped up and took Nicole with them.
Nicole found herself confined in a secret room, a space purposefully designed for detaining individuals within the villa.
The room was gloomy, chilly, and haunting.
A tiny window, no bigger than a hand, allowed a sliver of light to penetrate the darkness.
Sitting on the ground, Nicole slowly took out a key.
It was the key Alec always kept around his neck.
With Jarrod being unconscious, Alec didnât pay attention to Nicole.
Nicole had watched Alec unlock Jarrodâs study with it before Alec hung it back around his neck.
She speculated that Jarrodâs study might hold some secrets.
Now, all she needed was a chance to escape.
Nicole spent the whole night in a haze in that room.
When the door finally opened, it wasnât Alec but one of the men in black.
âMiss Lawrence, youâre free to leave,â the man in black said with great respect.
Stretching her sore limbs, Nicole stood up slowly and asking, âHowâs Mr.
Schultz?â
The man in black informed her, âMr.
Schultz is out of danger now.
â
Nicole couldnât help but smirk.
She knew it.
That insane man possessed a formidable will to survive.
She then asked, âAnd Alec?â
âHeâs been ordered by Mr.
Schultz to kneel in the courtyard as punishment,â the man in black replied.