Nicole, growing pale with indignation, countered, âBe careful with your accusations.
If you continue this defamation, Iâll take legal action.
â
Attempting to call the police, Nicoleâs efforts were thwarted as Hallie slapped her phone from her hand, eager only to shame her.
Nicoleâs phone crashed to the ground.
As Hallie pushed her, Nicole, standing on the steps, instinctively cradled her belly.
Nicole was surprised by her own protective reaction.
It was as if her body had autonomously decided to safeguard the unborn child, even before she had fully resolved to do so.
Could this protective impulse be maternal instinct in action?
Hallie, misinterpreting Nicoleâs protective stance as guilt, sneered even more vehemently, âLook at her, so obviously terrified and guilty! She claims innocence but just look at her deceitful face, clearly a temptress and nothing but trouble!â
The crowdâs murmuring intensified with Hallieâs provocations.
âWho would have imagined such a person among us!â
âShe may look innocent and pretty, but beneath that facade, sheâs a destroyer of homes, seducing men and even targeting the husbands of other womenâs families!â
âBeauty is merely a mask.
The prettier they are, the more deceitful.
They exploit their looks to wreak havocâ¦â
The murmurs of agreement only fueled Hallieâs tirade.
She escalated her voice.
âExactly! Like mother, like daughter.
Her mother must be just as disgraceful to have raised such a shameless daughter!â
Overcome with anger, Nicole couldnât restrain herself any longer and slapped Hallie sharply across the face.
The impact sent Hallieâs head turning, her cheek quickly reddening and swelling.
âMrs.
Schultz, Iâve respected you as an elder, but your actions donât warrant any respect.
I will not stand by while you slander my mother,â
Nicole declared, her voice quaking with anger.
Hallie, utterly humiliated before the onlookers and stung by the rebuke from Nicole, Lost all composure.
âHow dare you strike me!â she shrieked, her eyes alight with fury.
âIâll kill you!â
In her rage, Hallie lunged at Nicole, who, in an attempt to dodge, moved too suddenly and nearly toppled backward.
Clutching her waist, Nicole struggled to regain her balance.
At that critical moment, Rhett appeared at her side, offering support.
âAre you alright, Miss Lawrence?â he inquired, concerned.
Rhett had planned a meeting with Nicole this morning to finalize some agreement details.
Arriving on the scene, he was just in time to catch Nicole, preventing her from falling due to Hallieâs aggressive approach.
Meanwhile, Hallie, consumed by her fury, was being held back by a man dressed in black.
âWho do you think you are? Do you want to die?â she screamed, flailing against his grip.
âYou have no idea who I am! I belong to the Schultz family! My cousin runs the Schultz Group.
Youâll all regret this when he hears about it.
Heâll have you thrown out of Ardlens!â Hallie continued her rant, breathless with fury.
Unbeknownst to her, the man restraining her was one of Jarrodâs bodyguards for Nicoleâs safety.
Aware of Hallieâs connection to Jarrod, the bodyguard was careful not to injure her but firmly prevented her from attacking Nicole again.