Chapter 328 Nicole's Indifference Toward Jarrod Seeing Alec on the ground took Nicole by surprise.
Just as Nicole was about to call for an ambulance, Alec, hobbling, made his way toward her. "Miss Lawrence, I'm okay." Nicole gave Alec a thorough look and noticed he had no clear injuries, though he was limping. It seemed the rain might have lessened the impact of his fall.
With a slight squint, Nicole said firmly, "You need to see a doctor. I'm going to call the police to report this, just to avoid any problems later." "Miss Lawrence!" Suddenly, Alec
shouted. "Miss Lawrence, please, don't worry about me. I'm here to ask you to visit Mr. Schultz." Nicole faced Alec with an indifferent gaze and remained silent.
Tears filled Alec's eyes as he struggled to speak. "Miss Lawrence, Mr. Schultz has been kneeling at the entrance for eight hours. He almost suffered from heatstroke earlier, and now he's out in the pouring rain. He's coughed up a lot of blood, and his body can't take much more..." Alec was desperate to persuade Nicole, yet he wasn't lying. If Jarrod kept this up, he would indeed collapse.
"And why should that concern me?" Nicole asked, her tone uninterested.
Hearing that, Alec was taken aback. He found himself at a loss for words.
After a short pause, Alec continued, "Miss Lawrence, because of what you mentioned, Mr. Schultz is out there, { kneeling at the entrance." "That's ridiculous. Is Mr. Schultz some kind of loyal pet? Why would he listen to me like that?" Nicole mocked.
Alec didn't know how to respond.
"Miss Lawrence, are you aware of what Mr. Schultz has endured these last five years? Apart from his job, Mr. Schultz always comes home on time. He's also been keeping close to your belongings.
He's gotten seriously sick with pneumonia, occasionally coughing up blood and struggling to breathe. I've tried convincing him to seek medical attention countless times over the years, but he refuses. He's been punishing himself daily..." Alec said, his voice heavy with sadness.
Thinking about Jarrod's ordeal over the last five years brought Alec to tears. He couldn't fathom how Jarrod could inflict such pain on himself, as if enduring the suffering was Jarrod's way of coping with his guilt.
"Miss Lawrence, I'm not asking you to forgive him. But right now, you're the only one who can save Mr. Schultz," Alec pled humbly.
Through tears, Alec continued, "Miss Lawrence, considering Mr. Schultz's suffering these past years, please, have mercy and save him." "Save him?" Nicole replied with a cold, sarcastic smile. "Would you forgive someone who drove your father to suicide? Would you forgive someone who destroyed your family and your life? Would you forgive someone who pushed you to the hell?"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHer questions were laden with deep resentment Alec couldn't find the word to retort.
As Jarrod's assistant, he was aware of Nicole's past sufferings. He noticed Jarrod's reluctance and indecisiveness.
But for Nicole, those days were filled with sheer despair.
Feeling utterly helpless, Alec implored, "Miss Lawrence, please, we're talking about a human life here." Nicole scoffed. "And what's so precious about Jarrod's life? Did he ever hesitate when he destroyed my family?" Alec found himself without words to respond. Though Jarrod wasn't directly responsible for Wesson's death and Dora's illness, their tragic fate was deeply entwined with his actions.
Unexpectedly, Wesson chose to end his life by jumping from a building, mirroring the fate of Jarrod's father.
"In this world, no one is above anyone else. Every life is equal. That's why Jarrod must face the consequences of his actions!" With those words, Nicole got into her car.
As Nicole rolled down the window, she gave Alec a chilling look and said, "You wouldn't understand the pain unless the knife was in your own flesh. You chose silence before, so stay silent now. But if you cross the line again, I won't hold back." Suddenly, Nicole remembered she had a message for Jarrod. "Alec, tell Jarrod I'll hold the funeral for him if he doesn't survive this ordeal." with that, Nicole accelerated her red
sports car away.
Alec didn't dare to block the car's path.
He stepped aside, watching the red car speed off into the distance. Then, he made his way back to the square.
Despite the rain, Jarrod knelt with a posture more rigid than any statue.
As Alec approached, he noticed Jarrod pressing the wound on his leg with his thumb.
The rain had washed the wound, turning it pale. Without the blood, it resembled a piece of drowned, lifeless skin.
It was clear that Jarrod wasn't thinking straight. His lips moved slightly, trying to form words, yet no sound came out.
Trying to read Jarrod's lips, Alec grasped Jarrod was still uttering
Nicole's name.
Unable to hold back his emotions, Alec knelt down, bursting into tears. "MT.
Schultz, I'm so sorry... I couldn't find Miss Lawrence..." Alec lied. He had hesitated to share the truth, unsure if Jarrod could take it.
"I know you've found her." Jarrod managed to say, despite the struggle.
After all, it was Jarrod who had trained Alec himself. Since Nicole had shown up, Alec couldn't overlook her presence.
This was the first time Alec had lied to Jarrod, and Jarrod didn't want to confront him on this.
Jarrod smile looked more painful than tears. "She didn't want to see me, right?"
Alec hung his head, feeling guilty, and replied with a strained voice, "Mr Schultz, I'm sorry. I couldn't convince { Miss Lawrence..." "What... What did she say?" The moment Jarrod asked, his lips started to bleed.
Ignoring the pain, he persisted in a faint voice, "Don't hide the truth from me. I can handle it. Just tell me what she told you..." Alec only dared to lie to Jarrod once.
With Jarrod seeing through the lie, Alec had no other option but to come clean.
He relayed Nicole's words exactly as she had said them.
Hearing Nicole's words from Alec, Jarrod felt her deep resentment.
Even though Jamie was the one who had stolen the contract and delivered
it to Wesson, which caused Wesson to commit suicide with the burden of guilt, it was Jarrod who chose to keep the original copy deliberately, wanting to bind Nicole by his side with it.
Had Jarrod destroyed the contract like he had promised Nicole, maybe Wesson wouldn't have felt driven to intense despair.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmBut back then, Jarrod felt trapped without any other choices. He couldn't think of any way to make Nicole willingly stay by his side other than threatening her...
After spending years away from home, Jarrod had lost touch with how to genuinely love someone. He was at a loss on how to show his affection. He just couldn't bear to let Nicole leave him.
Jarrod only came up with a solution of forcing her to stay by his side, believing it to be the best approach. But he realized too late that he was mistaken about it all...
Rain drenched Jarrod's face, soaking him through. If his actions were wrong, what would have been the right thing to do? After the death of his parents, marked by resentment, no one had ever guided him on the distinctions of right and wrong.
Rain clung to Jarrod's eyelashes. With a raspy tone, he inquired, "Is that everything?" Alec shuffled and hesitated, avoiding Jarrod's gaze. Eventually, under the intensity of Jarrod's stare, Alec said in a low voice, "Miss Lawrence mentioned she will hold the funeral for you if you don't survive this ordeal.”
The bitterness in the air was palpable, even amidst the downpour.
Poof! Jarrod coughed up blood once more. The blood trickled down his lip, staining his shirt. His body began to convulse.
Jarrod had been kneeling firmly for hours. Under the influence of Nicole's words, he finally fell to the ground.
"Mr. Schultz!! Mr. Schultz!" In a panic, Alec reached out, catching Jarrod just in time.
Jarrod, almost six feet two inches tall with a hefty build, had passed out.
With every bit of strength, Alec rushed to get Jarrod into the car.
They got to the hospital soon after.
Seeing Jarrod's pale complexion, the doctor urgently said, "Quick, get him to
the emergency room now!" Inside the operating room, Jarrod was on the surgery table, twitching without control, as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, a distressing sight.
After examining him, the doctor announced, "He's coughing up blood, has severe muscle spasms, swollen legs, and is struggling to breathe... It's heart failure, resulting from his previous chronic lung disease! Where's his family? They need to sign the critical condition form immediately!" Suddenly, the assistant nurse shouted, "Doctor, he's got no pulse!" And then, a piercing sound cut through the silence.
Next to the surgery table, the medical monitor tracking Jarrod's vitals
! emitted a long, chilling beep