Finishing her shower swiftly, she wrapped up in the towel and pressed a hidden switch on the wall, unveiling a secret room.

Inside, a detailed map of intricate relationships and numerous photos adorned a blackboard.

Nicole plugged a USB into the computer.

Her earlier rushed visit to Jarrod's mansion had only allowed her to download files from one folder, not yet reviewed by her.

To her astonishment, the drive was filled with compromising photos and videos of Mr. Hampton, caught in unsavory moments with various women.

Nicole was aware of Jarrod's extreme prudence, presumably keeping such material on close associates as a safeguard. These were evidently his blackmail reserves, possibly crafted by his hand.

The release of these photos would cause significant harm to the Hampton family, impacting both their market and corporate standing, particularly with whispers of the Hampton family elder's influential ties.

Inspired, Nicole edited the images to obscure crucial details before anonymously emailing them to Mr. Hampton. Having indirect ties to the Hampton family made acquiring his contact easy.

A prompt reply came from Mr. Hampton “Who the hell are you?"

Nicole replied, "That's not your concern."

He pressed, “What do you want?"

Nicole responded. “Let's strike a deal."

Feeling somewhat hopeful, Mr. Hampton asked, “You're after money?

Name your price."

Nicole replied, "Money is not my objective."

Mr. Hampton asked, "Then what is it you want?"

Nicole stated, "A contract from five years back."

Mr. Hampton went quiet before texting back, “I'm not following you."

Nicole responded with a hint of amusement, "Perhaps the spread of these photos and videos across the internet will jog your memory."

Mr. Hampton replied, “How do we proceed?"