Fretful, Alec urgently dialed for an ambulance.

When the emergency team arrived, Jarrod adamantly forbade anyone from tending to him, allowing his blood to trickle onto the pavement.

Overcome with anxiety, Alec knelt and beseeched Jarrod, “Mr. Schultz, please, let the doctor help you!"

“No, thank you..." In a trance-like state, Jarrod declined, creating a barrier that prevented anyone from approaching. He murmured, “She...

She asked me to kneel..."

Jarrod's voice rumbled so low that Alec strained to catch Jarrod's words, prompting him to inquire again, "Mr. Schultz, what did you just say?"

"She asked... She asked me to kneel here.. Jarrod's broken voice echoed intermittently, revealing a sense of distress.

Alec's eyes welled up, and he fought back sobs. "Mr. Schultz, Miss Lawrence is playing a cruel trick on you. Please get up and let the doctor examine you..."

Alec couldn't bring himself to say more. He had sent someone to find Nicole and beg her to save Jarrod from the suffering.

However, when informed about Jarrod's actions, Nicole responded indifferently, "It's none of my business."

Wasn't it glaringly obvious? Nicole was toying with Jarrod!

Regrettably, Jarrod wouldn't believe it. At this moment, only one thing occupied his mind.

Blood smeared Jarrod's thin lips as he said, his voice trembling, “She said I have to kneel here until she is satisfied... Only then might she forgive me."

As dusk settled in, lightning streaked across the sky. A sudden, drenching rain followed, sounding like a loud clatter.

Jarrod, kneeling in the rain, looked ghostly pale. He had been in that position for seven hours.

Far from being a relief, the heavy rain only added to his discomfort, making him feel dazed and breathless. Each breath he took was a struggle, choked by the relentless rain.

Jarrod coughed continuously, his shoulders shaking with each bout.

The coughing grew more intense, his breathing labored.

Rainwater filled his windpipe repeatedly. Then, a metallic scent hit him — the smell of blood. A large amount of blood spilled from Jarrod's mouth, staining the ground before being washed away by the rain.

The corners of his pale, thin lips were tinged with an odd, stark shade of red.