His words eased the tension evident on Vickiâs face.
She and Jarrod were set to marry in three months, and Jarrodâs reference to having children suggested he envisioned a future with her as the mother of his children.
Vickiâs worries dissolved in an instant, convinced that bearing Jarrodâs children would cement their relationship and guarantee a blissful future together.
Lowe, seething with anger, was now convinced that Jarrod was aware of his oligospermia.
Damn it! Jarrod always knew how to hit where it hurt most.
âYouâre quite confident, Jarrod,â Lowe sneered, turning to Vicki to stir more trouble.
âSis, youâd better watch out.
He said âhave childrenâ, but he didnât specify with whom.
Donât flatter yourself.
This man doesnât love youâ¦â
Before Lowe could continue, Wayne delivered a sharp strike to his head.
âCanât you say anything decent?â
Observing Loweâs haggard appearance, Wayne scornfully added, âHeâs your future brother-in-law.
Keep your mouth clean!â
Lowe bit back his retort.
Brother-in-law? He scoffed, knowing all too well that Vicki was the result of Wayneâs affair.
Otherwise, there wouldnât be any brother-in-law.
However, Lowe restrained himself, knowing Wayneâs affection for Vicki was largely because she reminded him of her mother, the woman Wayne had never stopped loving.
Lowe did not share Wayneâs enduring romantic sentiments.
He was quick to love and leave, forgetting each woman as soon as she disappeared from his life.
âJarrod, donât take it to heart.
This kid has been spoiled by me.
Please guide him in business since heâs not as skilled as you,â
Wayne explained, justifying his indulgence in Lowe due to his age and the absence of other male heirs.
Despite Wayneâs less favorable view of Jarrodâs personal affairs, he appreciated Jarrodâs business savvy and truly felt Jarrod was indeed far more competent than Lowe.
In these elevated circles of society, fidelity among men was rare.
Minor scandals were often overlooked if one possessed the requisite clout.
Jarrod, tied to the Hampton family with the upcoming marriage with Vicki, was expected to help deal with the mess and trouble Lowe had caused, but Wayneâs view of Jarrodâs character was overly optimistic.
Known for his vindictive streak, Jarrod was unlikely to overlook Loweâs continued provocations.
As the event concluded, a remark from Lowe ignited a lethal intent in Jarrod.
âMr.
Schultz, itâs no wonder you were drawn to that woman.
So slender, yet unexpectedly tempting and curvy.
I couldnât help myself after seeing her.
â Frustrated by his fatherâs rebuke, Lowe was in a sour mood and inclined to make things difficult for Jarrod by provoking him.
Aware of Jarrodâs feelings for Nicole, Lowe intentionally stirred him by adding, âThat video of you with that woman, I always play it before I start with others.
Itâs more effective than any drug.
Just seeing her exquisite body gets me excitedâ¦â
Jarrodâs normally calm demeanor instantly shifted, his eyes flashing with a fierce, murderous intent that made Lowe step back in fear.
âDonât look at me like that.
Iâm not afraid of youâ¦â Despite his bold words, Lowe instinctively hid behind his bodyguard, intimidated by Jarrodâs menacing glare, which seemed potent enough to devour him whole.
Jarrod paused briefly and swiftly regained his cool, his demeanor nonchalant once again.
He had spent a considerable sum to delete that video when it first surfaced.
Though it was no longer available online, he knew the possibility of someone keeping a copy couldnât be dismissed.
Jarrod flashed a dazzling smile and warned, âLowe, remember not to speak carelessly next time.
Iâm not into men, and if people heard you were clinging to my video, they might think you have designs on me.
Hey, Iâm your future brother-in-law.
Your father isnât getting any younger, and such rumors could be the death of him.
Should anything happen to your father, Lowe, you would be the one to blame.
â
âYou!â Lowe was seething with rage.
Jarrod had twisted his comments to insinuate his preference, instead of just a reaction to Nicole.