But Jarrod raised his hand out of her reach, capturing her wrist with ease and drawing her close. With a hint of a challenge in his eyes, he asked, “Hiding something from me?"

Forced against him, Nicole felt her heart pound, her palms sweating.

This morning, she had received a photo of Austin playing from the nanny and hadn't deleted it yet. It was still on her phone.

Yet, Nicole's face showed no sign of panic as she calmly said, "My phone's contents are my own concern, not yours."

Jarrod's questions came because Nicole was acting distant. He felt annoyed and wanted an excuse to engage with her.

Noticing Nicole's fleeting unease, he grew more suspicious. He asked with a curious look, "What's got you so worried?"

Nicole's attempts to pull away were futile, highlighting the clear difference in their strength. She realized that outsmarting Jarrod would be better than trying to overpower him. So, Nicole said with a forced smile, "There's a rather personal video, not exactly for everyone's eyes."

The atmosphere instantly chilled. The tension was so thick that even the bodyguards were on edge, trying to remain as quiet as possible.

Jarrod, keeping Nicole close, asked with a sneer, "Who is this man that interests you so much? More than me?"

Their exchange escalated with each sentence. The bodyguards, however, wished they hadn't heard their exchange.

Nicole replied with a hint of mockery, “A professional masseur. His skills are unmatched. Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from him."

The elevator fell deathly silent. Everyone acted as if they were invisible, fearing a breath might cost for their jobs.

"Ding!" The elevator stopped.

One bodyguard dared to ask, "Mr. Schultz, are we getting off?"

"Out!" Jarrod's shout was full of anger.

The bodyguards quickly went out.

Nicole and Jarrod were left alone in the elevator, with Nicole still without her phone.

As the doors shut again, Jarrod pressed Nicole against the mirror, his breath cold, his voice low. “You seem unhappy. Perhaps we should ‘practice’ now."

“I'd rather not. My experiences with you have left a bitter taste.

Now, I seek joy instead." Nicole laughed, her beauty shining through.