As Dilan exited, Jarrodâs assistant quickly approached him.
Extracting a business card, the assistant handed it over, saying, âMr.
Boyd, please send your proposal directly to the department manager using this card.
â
Dilanâs spirits lifted instantly.
He accepted the card with both hands, expressing his gratitude effusively.
The assistantâs gesture suggested that a well-crafted proposal could secure him the project, potentially earning him a significant commission.
Floating on air with excitement, Dilan gushed, âThank you! Thank you!â
His gratitude was so profound he felt he would do anything the assistant asked, be it how outrageous it seemed.
âYouâre welcome.
Mr.
Schultz appreciates your assistance today, Mr.
Boyd,â the assistant responded courteously.
Dilan realized he had indeed aided the right person, someone of consequence to Jarrod.
He made a mental note to continue his acts of kindness, believing that such good deeds would bring him fortune, as they seemed to today.
Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Nicole lay seemingly at peace, her breathing steady.
However, the tears that lingered at the edges of her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil, a silent testament to her pain that Jarrod could not ignore.
A flicker of anger crossed Jarrodâs features.
He rubbed the corners of Nicoleâs eyes with his calloused fingertips, pressing a bit too firmly as if trying to release his pent-up frustration.
Quickly, the skin around her eyes reddened from the harsh friction.
Even unconscious, Nicole seemed to sense the discomfort.
She furrowed her brow and whimpered softly.
Jarrod noticed her discomfort and softened his touch, caressing the reddened area gently without further action.
As dawn broke, Nicoleâs eyes fluttered open to find Jarrodâs face close to hers.
He was seated beside her bed, absorbed in a finance magazine.
Nicole was unsure if he had been there throughout the night or had just arrived.
Startled, she gripped the bed sheets tightly, her eyes wary and searching.
Confusion clouded her mind.
She hadnât fully grasped her surroundings.
Yet, she blurted out, âWhat are you doing here?â
Jarrod set the magazine aside, his eyes narrowing slightly as he countered, âWhat are you hiding?â
Nicoleâs grip on the sheets tightened, her expression turning stern.
âI asked you first!â
Jarrod responded with a dismissive snort, âThereâs not a part of your body I havenât seen before.
â
Nicoleâs expression shifted dramatically with Jarrodâs words.
Now fully aware, she recognized she was in the hospital.
Memories of events prior to her loss of consciousness flooded back.
She remembered seeing Roscoe.