Facing him squarely, Nicole replied, "You better not touch him!"

Jarrod's smile was thin and chilling. "Do you think you're in any position to talk to me that way?"

Nicole looked notably better than when they were together before.

Back then, although pretty, she constantly seemed troubled, hardly ever smiled at him, and appeared painfully thin, almost fragile.

Now, she looked vibrant and healthy, glowing with the warmth of someone well-loved, reminiscent of her college days when they were in love.

A surge of anger rose within Jarrod. Nicole had truly moved on... It was clear she loved someone else.

"So, you've been enjoying yourself since you ran away," Jarrod commented, his voice dripping with venom.

Nicole knew that shouting or trying to escape would be pointless.

Jarrod had found her and had no intention of letting her go.

Resigned, she said, “Jarrod, I don't want revenge anymore. I tried to get you locked up behind the bar last time but failed. Let's call it even. Can't we just go our separate ways and live our own lives?"

"Even?" Jarrod scoffed, holding her chin forcefully. "How do you justify your stabbing me? How will you make things right for what you did to me before?"

Nicole grimaced in pain as Jarrod's grip tightened, her voice faltering. “Jarrod... Why can't you let me go? You're engaged... You have a fiancée. What else do you want from me?"

"What do I want?" Jarrod smirked, his hand sliding inside her jacket, “There's much I could do..."

"You monster!" Nicole shoved him back forcefully, yelling, "You're inhuman!"

Jarrod's eyes grew colder, his grip firmer. "You knew exactly what I was long before now."

Nicole shook her head violently. “I will not go with you, Jarrod. I'd rather die than go with you. If you want to take me, you'll have to take a corpse."

Jarrod's smile was faint, unfazed. “Don't be so sure of that."

Nicole's eyes widened in terror. “What are you planning to do?"

With a sly smirk, Jarrod asked, "Has he been close to you?"

Feeling humiliated and physically overpowered, Nicole realized escape was impossible this time. Roscoe had narrowly escaped death before.