“Whatever you want, I'll give it to you," Derek interrupted, aware that it was wise to bend in the face of adversity, pleading for mercy. He could enjoy life again once he regained his wealth. But right now, preserving his life was what mattered most.

Jarrod's lips twisted into a slight smile, his tone chillingly soft.

"I'm only interested in your life."

Derek was left without words, almost paralyzed with fear. Jarrod had declared to be after his life, proving to be exceedingly brutal. “Sir, please, I've caused you no harm, and I barely touched that woman. I didn't even take anything from her. I just struck her a few times. You can't kill me for that."

"Just hit her a few times?" Jarrod's eyes turned icy. "She wasn't yours to touch!"

Derek's heart raced with terror, and he was too frightened to make a sound. He knelt down, frantically pleading, "Great man, big brother... Please, show some mercy and let me go. I'll keep to myself from now on and never cause trouble again. Just let me live..." His head struck the muddy ground, his face blending blood and mud into a pitiful sight.

Jarrod's face remained stoic, completely indifferent to Derek's begging. If he had arrived just a moment later tonight, Nicole might have been lost forever.

This mere thought sent a wave of panic crashing over Jarrod. Even his normally steady heart faltered with fear. It was this overwhelming anxiety for Nicole that sparked his bitter sarcasm, mocking her for overestimating her strength while masking his inner turmoil.

Jarrod found his concerns for Nicole peculiar. During their courtroom battles, when Nicole presented all the evidence against him, he had resolved to detach himself from her affairs. Under similar circumstances, anyone else might have succumbed countless times.

But now, with Nicole faced with imminent danger, he couldn't suppress his panic and dread. At one point, he even feared that if Nicole were to die, his own life would lose all its meaning. This realization shocked him.

Yet, deep in his heart, Jarrod knew his feelings were genuine. He loathed his own tendency for leniency when Nicole entered the picture.

Despite his reputation for toughness, he had repeatedly given her chances, which she didn't appreciate at all.

Inside Jarrod, emotions swirled chaotically, pressing him toward destruction once more. His mental state appeared to be deteriorating.

Hallucinations took hold, transforming Derek's kneeling figure into a monstrous visage. A primitive beast materialized before Jarrod, snarling and slashing the air, seemingly eager to devour him.

"Ah!" Jarrod clutched his head, roaring with pain and confusion.

Derek, shocked by the sudden roar, realized there was something amiss with Jarrod. It looked as though Jarrod was on the verge of demonic possession.

"This guy must be dealing with some serious mental issues," Derek muttered under his breath. Seizing the moment, he grabbed a rock, sprung up, and hurled it at Jarrod's head.

From the slope, Nicole's voice pierced the air. "Jarrod!"

She too had spotted Jarrod's alarming behavior. He seemed to be in the throes of a seizure. In such states, he turned alarmingly violent, attacking anyone nearby without recognition.

This was why Nicole insisted on claiming Austin's custody. Jarrod was clearly unfit to parent. Austin, frail as he was, could never withstand a blow from Jarrod.