Jarrod, on the other hand, was a contrast. He struggled to manage himself, much less raise a child effectively.

Nicole feared that if Austin ever saw that side of Jarrod, it might negatively affect him forever.

Nicole delivered the medicine to the testing center Raegan had recommended, secretly pledging to protect Austin from that situation.

On her way home, Nicole got a message from Roscoe. “I've gone abroad for treatment. Don't worry."

Upon reading, Nicole found something about the message seemed off.

They had a secret code. Their messages never included punctuation at the end. This message had a period, clearly indicating it wasn't Roscoe who sent it.

Plus, if Roscoe were truly going for treatment abroad, he would have called or met her to discuss it, not just sent a brief text.

Nicole furrowed her brow, feeling a deep sense of unease in her heart. She quickly hailed a taxi and made her way to the hospital where Roscoe was supposed to be.

Along the way, she tried to call Roscoe, but her phone calls went unanswered, with the automatic voice telling her the number she dialed didn't exist.

This very way to contact him had been cut off. Nicole's anxiety grew.

Upon arriving, Nicole swung open the hospital room door and called out, "Roscoe?"

The man in the bed turned to face Nicole, but it wasn't Roscoe. The man looked at her curiously and asked, “Who are you?"

Nicole felt a pang of disappointment. She replied quietly, “I'm sorry. I must be in the wrong room."

Before leaving, she paused to ask, "Excuse me, do you know when the last patient in this room was discharged?"

The man shook his head. "I have no idea. I just got here this morning."

"My apologies for the disturbance," Nicole said, leaving the room disheartened. She concluded that Roscoe's family must have moved him abroad for his treatment.

Back home, she dug deeper into the affairs of the Watts family and confirmed what Jarrod had said. Roscoe was now the only heir to the Watts legacy.

Despite his illegitimacy, Roscoe carried the Watts bloodline and was the rightful heir to the family's wealth. Without Roscoe, the Watts family's legacy would be scattered among distant relatives.

Miguel, always calculating, would surely understand this. Thus, he valued Roscoe and ensured no harm came to Roscoe.

Although Nicole knew Roscoe had been taken abroad for medical care, she couldn't pursue him now. She was embroiled in a custody battle with Jarrod over Austin. Besides, she didn't want to interrupt Roscoe's treatment.