Now, Nicole was by herself, free from any responsibilities tied to her. Being the Lawrence family's daughter, her reputation had been tarnished long ago with Jarrod's efforts. She didn't mind adding some scandal to the Schultz Group.

"Do you really despise me that much?" Jarrod inquired. He quickly realized his question was foolish and quickly changed it. “What can I do to make you stop hating me?"

Nicole couldn't believe what she heard. It sounded so ridiculous to her that she burst into hearty laughter, her shoulders shaking with each chuckle. “Jarrod, you're the one who destroyed the Lawrence family! Have you lost your memory of your own doings? How can you even ask such an absurd question?"

Jarrod was uneasy, yet he tried to maintain his composure. "Nicole, your father's sudden decision to turn against my family back then had indirectly caused my parents' deaths. In a way, we're even now, aren't we?"

Nicole realized she was wasting her breath. She was actually dealing with a lunatic! Jarrod would never grasp the extent of her suffering.

Nicole scoffed. "Jarrod, even if my father made mistakes, I never betrayed you. Can't you see that?"

Jarrod's gaze was deep and unreadable, with a flurry of emotions crossing his face in seconds. "What do you mean?" he asked, clearly bewildered.

Nicole looked at Jarrod's confused expression and let out a scornful laugh, her charm amplified by her smile. "Well, Jarrod, do you think you're so capable that you can do whatever you wish? It turns out you're just a fool tricked by a deceitful, hypocritical, and malicious woman. You know who I'm talking about, don't you? It's Jamie, the one you've been treasured all along. She's nothing but a liar from start to finish!"

Jarrod's handsome face lost its color instantly upon hearing this.

And this was just the beginning of the drama. Nicole had been eagerly awaiting this moment. She gazed at Jarrod, studying his expression intently.

"Jarrod, do you remember how I told you I had plans to see you before you left the country? You didn't believe me, but I really did go there for you! Not just that, I brought along thirty million dollars, thinking it would help you in your tough times. But I was robbed on my way there," Nicole revealed.

This story, once dismissed as a lie, now filled Jarrod with an inexplicable sense of dread. It appeared as if someone was whispering, urging him to ignore it. Somehow, he didn't dare to continue to listen to Nicole. He just couldn't bring himself to Listen up. If all his firm beliefs were overturned, how could he face himself and Nicole, whom he had wronged and hurt?

Jarrod's fingers turned pale, his handsome face grew sterner, and an ominous aura enveloped him. "Let's leave the past behind, Nicole!

Just come back to me. I swear I'll treat you right!"

The past slowly resurfaced, piece by piece. Perhaps Jarrod had once been on the verge of uncovering the truth, but now he didn't care about it anymore.

But Nicole wasn't about to let him have his way. The flustered Jarrod got, the more determined she became to continue.

Nicole was eager to witness Jarrod's reaction as he fell into the trap she had intricately set for him.

Nicole scoffed before continuing, "I knew you wouldn't believe me.

But it's quite a small world. The kidnapper, who vanished back then, ended up committing crimes abroad and got jailed for several years.

When he was released, I unexpectedly ran into him.