But after the crash, Derek had made a call to Alec, and Jarrod wanted to pick up any clues about their location by listening to it.
Alecâs voice could be heard on the recording.
âWhatâs taking so long? Have you made it yet?â
Derek inhaled deeply before replying, âNot yet.
I just had a near miss.
But that crazy woman drove like a maniac, and I ended up hitting a treeâ¦â
Alec hesitated and advised, âShe might not be as strong as you, but sheâs smart.
Be careful.
â
âI know⦠Damn it! Iâll kill her today.
â Derek assumed Nicole had seen the tree ahead and intentionally swerved at the last minute, causing his car to crash into it.
Derek was no longer just following Alecâs commands.
He was driven by a murderous rage, intent on killing Nicole.
Alec didnât fully trust Derek, worried Derek would mishandle things.
He pondered for a moment before suggesting, âForget it.
You should leave the country now.
Iâll handle the rest.
â
Alec planned to deal with Leighton and fake a mental illness certificate for Nicole, rendering Nicoleâs testimony useless and inadmissible.
But Derek disagreed and was not ready to quit insisting, âJust give me half an hour, and Iâll catch up to her.
.
â
âDidnât you crash the car? Where are you now?â Alec inquired.
âSheâs running down this muddy path, and Iâm going after her now.
.
â
Derekâs voice abruptly stopped.
The call ended suddenly.
Listening to the dial tone, Jarrodâs heart raced with worry.
âNicole, youâve always managed to escape danger.
Donât get into any trouble this time!â
His eyes narrowed as he floored the accelerator and sped off.
Suddenly, rain began to pour, intensifying the throbbing of Nicoleâs wounds.
The pain drained her energy, leaving her weak and limp.
She was already frail, and the recent events had depleted her strength completely.
Nicole concealed herself behind a clump of muddy bushes, trying to curl into the smallest, most unnoticeable ball possible.
She was worn out, almost drifting off, when she heard footsteps getting closer, their rhythm uneven in the distance.
In the pitch-black night, she knew the only person wandering outside could be Derek.
With the rain washing away all traces, she didnât hold out hope for anyone to come to her rescue.
The heavy rain complicated any search efforts.
Even if Raegan had dispatched a search party, Nicole doubted she could survive long enough for their arrival.
Clutching herself tightly, Nicole not only tried to minimize her visibility but also held her breath, afraid that Derek might detect her presence.
Considering the physical advantage men typically had over women, combined with her weakened state, if Derek found her, she would have to accept whatever came next.
As she anticipated, the footsteps approached closer, followed by the sound of a stick pushing through the bushes.
âMiss, stop hidingâ¦â Derekâs voice echoed through the rain-soaked forest, sending shivers down Nicoleâs spine, especially in the dark of night.