Deniz pressed, seeking guidance.
âDeniz.
â Vickiâs tone shifted noticeably.
She no longer addressed him as Mr.
Miller, instead uttering his first name with a dismissive tone, as if he were a servant in her household.
Deniz bristled but waited for Vicki to continue.
Vicki said, âWhy are you telling me this? Iâm just a young lady.
What help could I offer to you? You need to handle this yourself.
I donât have a clue about how to deal with such a situationâ¦â
Deniz countered, âMiss Hampton, are you trying to distance yourself? This arrangement was your doing, wasnât it? I didnât realize she was so fragile.
If you had warned me about her condition, I wouldnât have been so harsh!â
Filled with resentment, Deniz exclaimed, âMiss Hampton, youâve really put me in a tight spot!â
Vicki responded with displeasure, âHey, what are you implying? I didnât set you up.
I merely mentioned that Kingbel Club would have a surprise for you.
How Miss Lawrence ended up working there is beyond me.
I didnât specifically arrange for her involvement.
â
Vicki had created a safe distance for herself.
From the outset, she had planned her moves carefully.
She hadnât mentioned Nicole to Deniz at all.
She simply suggested he visit the club at night for a surprise.
This strategy left her ample space to maneuver and now allowed her to shift any blame onto Deniz.
Deniz was now completely convinced by Nicoleâs words.
Vicki, on the surface, seemed innocent and kind, but beneath that facade, she harbored sinister intentions.
Deniz said coldly, âMiss Hampton, stop beating around the bush.
Just tell me what I should do next.
I recall this woman was once your fiancéâs lover.
If sheâs dead, I can manage it, but you need to be upfront.
Will Jarrodâs side cause trouble for me over this?â
âYouâre spouting nonsense.
She belongs to the past.
Since Jarrod has been with me, he hasnât once spoken of that woman.
You should deal with this matter yourself.
I donât want to hear about it anymore.
Itâs unsettling.
Youâre exaggerating such a jest too much.
â Vickiâs words were indirect and evasive, effectively saying little of substance.
Yet, when she suggested Deniz was joking, it was a clear attempt to distance herself from the situation.
Should she be questioned by others or the police later, she could claim she thought the entire conversation was in jest.
After all, she hadnât been directly involved, so how could it be linked to her? Deniz did it himself.
Deniz saw right through Vickiâs tactics.
He had manipulated others in the past, but now he found himself outwitted by someone he had underestimated.
Indeed, a taste of his own medicine!
Deniz continued to navigate the situation with Vicki.
âSo, youâre saying you wonât handle this matter, right? Iâve always been nice to you.
When your fiancé left abruptly for that woman, I was the one who told you first.
Is this how you repay my kindness?â
Deniz intended to make it clear to Vicki that he wouldnât be easily made the fall guy.
âHey, what are you trying to say?â Vickiâs tone was now clearly irritated.
Although she was relieved that Nicole was gone, she was determined not to get dragged into the mess.
Deniz was the perfect scapegoat.
Vicki retorted, âIâm not sure what youâre trying to say.
Why are you bringing your problems to me? We arenât close, and we hardly know each other.
When you told me about Jarrodâs search for that woman previously, I didnât take it seriously.
Jarrod hasnât been involved with that woman.
Weâre about to get married.
Please, letâs not stir up any trouble.
â
âFine!â Deniz responded, unwilling to prolong the conversation.
Had it not been for Wayneâs favoritism toward Vicki, he would have made Vicki pay.
For now, he had to swallow his anger and treat the entire ordeal as a misunderstanding.
Noticing Denizâs reluctance to continue, Vicki felt a surge of satisfaction.
âIf thereâs nothing more, Iâm going to hang upâ¦â
As Vickiâs words lingered in the air, Denizâs thunderous voice reverberated through the chamber like a tempest on the line.
âSheâs moving! Sheâs moving⦠Sheâs alive! Thank goodness sheâs not deadâ¦â
With a swift gesture, Deniz hung up before Vicki could utter a word, ending his charade.
Caught in a trance, Vicki found herself staring at her phone.
If her ears hadnât deceived her, Nicole didnât die? Nicoleâs indomitable resilience was truly remarkable.
The exhilarating thrill Vicki had just experienced, brought by Nicoleâs so-called death, evaporated like dew beneath the morning sun.
However, Vicki assumed that even had Nicole avoided deathâs grasp, Denizâs actions would undoubtedly have rendered her crippled.