Jarrod set his phone aside, closed his eyes, and employed the meditation techniques his therapist had recommended.
Gradually, his emotions stabilized, and the anxiety within him eased significantly.
That evening, Nicole visited Kingbel Club as she had been directed.
Jemma spotted her and was taken aback.
Knowing of Nicoleâs recent ordeal, Jemma had expected her to be recuperating.
Yet, here she was.
Puzzled and concerned, Jemma furrowed her brows and approached Nicole, asking, âWhy are you here? Are you feeling better now?â
Nicole nodded reassuringly.
âIâm fine, and my injuries arenât as severe as you might think.
â
In truth, Nicoleâs body hadnât fully recuperated.
While her injuries werenât as grave as Jarrodâs, she had endured being trampled and suffered broken ribs during the incident.
However, she opted to downplay her condition to spare Jemma from unnecessary worry.
Observing Nicoleâs pale complexion, Jemma remained skeptical of her reassurances.
Frowning, she insisted, âYou still havenât disclosed why youâre here today.
Given your current state, you should prioritize rest and recovery.
â
âIâm here today to cover a shift.
A familiar client invited me,â
Nicole said.
âA familiar client?â Jemma was skeptical.
âWho might that be?â
Nicole hadnât been in the profession for very long, and Jemma had arranged all of Nicoleâs clients thus far.
Therefore, Nicoleâs mention of a familiar client puzzled Jemma, who was unaware of anyone Nicole might be referring to.
Jemmaâs concern was sincere.
Although Nicole couldnât comprehend why Jemma exhibited such concern for her, she understood that there must be a valid reason behind it.
Regrettably, Nicole found herself unable to confide in Jemma about the truth.
Vickiâs warning echoed in her mind, reminding her of the consequences of disclosing any details about the events of tonight, or else, Vicki threatened to shun her from seeing Austin.
âDonât worry, Jemma, It truly is a familiar client,â Nicole assured, opting for vagueness to evade further scrutiny.
Jemma sighed, expressing her exasperation, âYouâre becoming increasingly audacious.
I seem to never know you.
â
Nicole smiled, responding, âThatâs not entirely true.
You introduced me to this profession, and Iâll always heed your guidance, my mentor.
â
Jemma found amusement in Nicoleâs words.
âI never realized you possessed such eloquence.
â Jemma chuckled.
âBut refrain from calling me âmentorâ.
Do you truly intend to remain in this field indefinitely? Once things settle down, you should consider leaving.
â
Though Jemma was aware of Vickiâs actions against Nicole, she felt powerless against the influence of the Hampton family.
Despite this, she silently supported Nicole in any way she could.
This extended to the incident where Nicole was caught eavesdropping on a clientâs conversation at the club.
Jemma intervened by releasing a cat to divert the clientâs attention, thus preventing Nicole from being discovered.
The consequences of such an exposure would have been dire indeed.
Those affluent individuals spared no effort in safeguarding their secrets.
Even if they refrained from resorting to lethal measures, they were capable of inflicting significant harm.
The mere thought of it filled Jemma with dread.