The releases were all exclusive editions, requiring a certain status to acquire.
Vickiâs vanity tingled with satisfaction, but beneath the surface, a flicker of irritation remained.
She lifted her gaze to Alec, questioning, âDid he really order this?â
Alec maintained his composure, replying, âAbsolutely.
It was a special request from Mr.
Schultz.
â
Actually, Jarrod hadnât personally selected these jewelry pieces.
That wasnât his style.
Instead, heâd simply handed Alec a card and left the details in Alecâs capable hands.
Whenever Vicki found herself discontent, Alecâs solution was to shower her with gifts.
Thus, since their engagement, Vicki had received meticulously chosen presents, those she assumed prepared by Jarrod but actually by Alec, for every occasion.
It had helped to alleviate her frustration to some extent.
Observing Vickiâs demeanor soften, Alec continued to gently reason with her, âMiss Hampton, Mr.
Schultz deeply regrets any inconvenience caused, but he was conducting business, intending to secure a better future for you.
I hope youâll understand.
â
Vicki, the hopeless romantic, found herself utterly infatuated at that moment, making her remarkably easy to placate.
Her ire swiftly dissipated.
âAlright, I get it.
Alec, do you know where Jarrod has gone to? He left so quickly.
Iâm worried he forgot something important.
Iâm thinking of flying over to bring some things for him.
â
Upon hearing this, Alec swiftly waved his hands.
âNo worries, Miss Hampton.
Mr.
Schultz has got an assistant traveling with him.
Theyâll see to all his needs.
Plus, who knows? He might be back in a day or two.
You just wait at home.
â
Alec finally managed to send Vicki away, heaving a long sigh of relief.
He then tried calling Jarrod again, but silence greeted him.
Alec found himself utterly baffled, clueless about Jarrodâs whereabouts.
At the very least, a heads-up wouldâve been nice, so Alec could brace himself for whatever was coming.
As Vicki settled into the car, just as the driver was about to pull away, they were halted by an unexpected interruption.
Vicki glanced over and recognized the face, prompting her to instruct the driver to lower the window.
Outside, Deniz wore a hypocritical smile.
âMiss Hampton, itâs been a while.
Howâve you been holding up?â
Vicki didnât hold a favorable opinion of Deniz.
Rumors had it that this old man had quite the reputation as a womanizer, and there were whispers of him mistreating his wife upon his return.
Vickiâs aunt, ached for her sisterâs suffering amid the marriage with Deniz, had allocated some projects of the Hampton Group to Deniz in a bit to shield her sister from Denizâs abusive behavior.
However, Deniz seemed to have fallen out of favor with someone, as his presence in Ardlens became less frequent, sparing Vicki from witnessing his pleas for forgiveness.
Honestly, Vicki wasnât invested in Denizâs affairs, so she remained unaware of his conflict with Jarrod.
âDeniz, why did you stop my car?â Vickiâs expression soured as she addressed him.
Deniz didnât seem bothered by her tone and continued to smile kindly.
âI simply havenât seen you in a while and wanted to greet you.
Vicki, youâve grown even more beautiful.
â
Denizâs gaze lingered on Vicki in a manner that made her uncomfortable, his eyes assessing her in a way that felt invasive.
Vicki was instantly annoyed.
She had heard Deniz once showed an inappropriate interest in her aunt.
One time, when her aunt and sister were out, he pretended to be drunk and sneakily slipped under her auntâs quilt, attempting to undress her.
After her aunt beat him up, he claimed his actions were due to the alcohol while the truth was otherwise.
âDeniz, if thereâs nothing else, Iâm leaving now,â Vicki said, feeling disgusted.
She signaled the driver to raise the window.