Her accusations had no foundation.

Nicole, unable to tolerate the slander any longer, raised her hand to strike Doreen.

But suddenly, a firm, cold hand clasped her wrist tightly, causing her face to blanch.

Seeing this, Doreen's demeanor shifted dramatically as she clung to the man who had intervened, simpering. “Darling, I'm relieved you're here. I feared this irrational woman was going to assault me..."

Doreen's fawning tone starkly contrasted with her prior vitriol, making Nicole frown.

Then, a familiar yet cool voice rang out. “Miss, what prompted you to raise a hand to my girlfriend?"

Nicole looked up, her eyes narrowing to shield against the harsh overhead lighting. As her vision adjusted, she discerned a sharp jawline and a familiar, handsome face. It was Roscoe.

Nicole's eyes widened in shock, and her heart began pounding rapidly.

He had returned? When did he return? She had no idea.

Lately, Nicole had been immersed in the lawsuit, keeping herself secluded at home to avoid accidental encounters with Jarrod. She occasionally checked the financial news and visited her mother at the sanatorium when Jarrod was occupied with work. Sadly, her mother no longer recognized her, only Jarrod.

Now, as Nicole stared at Roscoe, mixed emotions surged through her.

Joy intermingled with a touch of pain from past struggles. Roscoe had always been caring to her, which made the sense of hurt nearly instinctual, her eyes welling with tears that refused to fall.

"Roscoe, is your hand better now?" Nicole asked, her voice tinged with genuine concern.

Nicole barely acknowledged Doreen standing next to him, focusing solely on Roscoe's wellbeing. His recent grip suggested his hand had mended. His posture, steady and firm, indicated his leg was likely healed as well. This observation brought her a sigh of relief.

However, oddly, Roscoe's gaze at Nicole was cool and distant, his expression inscrutable, offering her no emotional comfort.

Before Nicole could utter another word, Doreen struck her across the face with a sharp slap.

"You wretch! It was bad enough you ensnared my uncle, but now you dare try to charm my man right in front of me? Are you so shameless that you chase after every man you see?" Doreen's voice dripped with disdain for Nicole.

To Doreen, Nicole had a complicated connection with Jarrod in the past, and now audaciously, Nicole seemed to vie for her partner's attention. The nerve of her!

The slap snapped Nicole back to reality. She belatedly realized an unsettling truth. Roscoe's gaze was vacant, as if he no longer recognized her. Her heart plummeted. Perhaps the Watts family had manipulated Roscoe's memory during his recovery.

Nicole's inner turmoil was cut short as Doreen clung to Roscoe, urging, "Roscoe, let's leave this madwoman. She's nothing but a lewd woman, incapable of going a day without luring a man."