Observing Jarrodâs virtuous appearance, which belied his true libertine nature, Lowe could not restrain himself, disregarding the presence of other guests.
âMr.
Schultz, I heard youâre still pining for that woman.
Was she so memorable that you canât let her go?â
Vickiâs face lost all color at his words.
Nicole was a sore spot for her.
Despite her numerous hints that Jarrod need not wait until their wedding night, he remained distant.
Vicki, well-traveled and experienced with past boyfriends, was no stranger to relationships.
Jarrod was her rightful fiancé, and intimacy between them seemed only natural.
Yet, Jarrod resisted her advances, avoiding even a simple ki*s.
There had been a moment when she had stolen a quick ki*s, only for him to pull away immediately.
As Lowe continued, Vickiâs unease grew, leaving her to wonder if Jarrod still harbored feelings for Nicole.
âMr.
Lowe Hampto n, who told you that?â Jarrod questioned, his eyebrow arched.
He was cornered by Loweâs persistent probing, but more so by Vickiâs presence, determined not to let her harbor any insecurities.
After all, women could be quite hard to deal with when distressed.
However, Jarrodâs opinion of Lowe was low.
To him, Lowe was nothing more than a decadent pleasure-seeker, who wouldnât hesitate to betray him for his own gains.
Yet, it wasnât the time for confrontation.
Lowe sneered, revealing his true intentions, âOf course, I have solid proof.
Are you worried about upsetting my sister? I think sheâs quite resilient.
After watching that video, she seemed unfazed and is still deeply in love with you, which is quite admirableâ¦â
While his words seemed to praise Vicki, they were in fact a mockery, suggesting she was ineffectual in holding a manâs affection and allowing Jarrod to pursue other liaisons.
Vicki caught the underlying mockery and her face turned deathly pale.
How could she not be affected by the resurfacing of that topic? She knew the woman in the video was Jarrodâs first love, Nicole.
Their relationship had begun in college and ended bitterly after a dramatic fallout.
What she hadnât expected was that after all these years, they were still entangled.
And Jarrod even managed to be so cruel to Nicole by forcing her to make out with him.
Vicki had watched that video intently.
Call her twisted or sick, she simply wanted to see what Jarrod was like amid s@xual intercourse.
In Vickiâs book, Jarrod captivated her no matter what he did, even in moments that bordered on sadistic.
Paired with his strikingly handsome face, it sparked an involuntary desire in her.
Particularly at the end, when Jarrod showed a look of complete satisfaction, it was unlike anything Vicki had ever seen.
It terrified her.
Jarrod seemed truly, deeply in love with Nicole.
Hearing that Nicole had fled, Vicki prayed she would never return.
Otherwise, she wasnât sure how she might react.
âLowe, rather than worrying about my relationship with Vicki, perhaps you should pay more attention to your own health.
â Jarrod retorted coolly.
Loweâs eyebrows knotted in irritation.
âWhat do you mean by that?â
Jarrod gave Lowe a cold look, his voice steady.
âYour father is eager for grandchildren, and you have been with quite a few women.
Yet, none has borne you a child.
Could it be thereâs an issue with your health?â
Lowe felt a flash of panic.
His carefree younger years, spent indiscriminately in liaisons, had led to a diagnosis of oligospermia, indeed making it difficult for him to father children.
Despite his reckless behavior, he had yet to father a child.
He wondered how on earth Jarrod knew about that.
His father was already displeased with him.
If his infertility came to light, whatever favor he retained would vanish.
âBullshit! Jarrod, stop spouting nonsense.
You think youâre capable, huh? Are you planning to father a child to inherit the Hampton estate?â Lowe, inebriated and angry, disregarded the decorum required for the solemnity of the birthday banquet.
âThank you for your concern, Lowe.
I will have my own children,â
Jarrod replied evenly.