âSo, have you ever considered that Miss Hampton might already pe aware that with and sheâs a countermove⦠youâre aligned Lowe, plottingâ
Nicole mimed a throat-slashing gesture and then articulated each word deliberately, âBy having others do the dirty work!â
A shiver ran down Denizâs spine.
The motion Nicole had made with her hand was so vivid.
It felt as though a blade had actually grazed his neck.
For the first time, Deniz had realized the depth of Nicoleâs capabilities.
Her insights were sharp, and she excelled at pinpointing the essentials.
âSo, what do you want me to do?â Deniz inquired.
His voice carried a hint of respect as he said to Nicole without him even realizing it.
He was utterly impressed by her intelligence and couldnât help but admire her.
âLetâs collaborate,â Nicole proposed.
âYou should realize that aligning with the Hampton family isnât a sustainable strategy.
If trouble arises, Lowe wonât have your back.
In fact, heâll be the first to cast you aside.
â
Deniz nodded in agreement.
Both Lowe and Vicki, the half-siblings, were known for their cunning and lack of reliability.
Lowe wanted to bring down Vicki, but Vicki had Jarrod as her backing.
Left with no choice, Lowe had to weaken Vicki through other means, like exploiting Deniz.
Lowe had instructed Deniz to inform Jarrod and Vicki about Nicoleâs whereabouts on separate occasions.
His aim was to sow discord between the engaged pair.
Given Vickiâs wary attitude toward Nicole, it was clear that Loweâs tactics were working.
Nicole proved to be an effective weapon against both Vicki and Jarrod.
Reflecting on this, Deniz lost his reservations and asked, âWhat do you suggest for our collaboration?â
Nicole replied, âKeep working with Lowe and gather some incriminating information about him for me.
â
Upon hearing this, Deniz felt bewildered.
He inquired with a hint of suspicion, âIf youâre after Vicki, why are you gathering dirt on Lowe?â
Nicoleâs true target was indeed Vicki.
Yet, Vicki proved overly cautious.
Even during their chat in the hospital, Vicki used a device to jam smart devices, blocking any attempt to record her.
Moreover, Vickiâs phone was secure against recording, and her messages self-destructed, leaving no trace behind.
Furthermore, Vicki had loyally cared for Jarrod for years without a hint of scandal.
Uncovering dirt on Vicki was tough, and even if they managed, Vicki had ways to slip through the net.
Vickiâs handling of degrading Nicole while making Deniz the scapegoat showed her ruthless efficiency.
Targeting Vicki was tricky, and any impact seemed minimal.
Thus, the strategy was to focus on Lowe.
Rumors had it that the Hampton family was involved in shady dealings underground.
If Lowe were to slip up, get arrested, and the media got wind of it, the Hampton family would crumble.
If the Hampton family fell apart, Vicki marrying Jarrod would become increasingly unlikely.
Jarrod, keen on maintaining a clean reputation, would choose to protect his image over standing by Vicki if scandals surfaced.
Indeed, Nicole was determined to keep Vicki from becoming Austinâs stepmother.
She could not bear the thought of such a malevolent woman influencing Austin.
When the moment arrived, Jarrodâs assertions about the stable emotions between him and Vicki were destined to be refuted.
Vicki was hardly the right person to care for a child, yet Jarrod was blind to this.
Wasnât that a mistake as well?