Nicole was deeply unconscious. Since losing Austin's custody, her sleep had been unsteady, and this coma-like state appeared to be her body's way of forcing a shutdown to recover. Otherwise, her body wouldn't have been able to handle the strain.

Jarrod felt uneasy at Nicole's deep sleep. He feared that she would remain like this.

During this period, he repeatedly asked the doctor to check why Nicole hadn't awakened yet.

The doctor described it as the body's self-healing process, explaining that her prolonged lack of proper rest had necessitated such profound sleep, which was actually beneficial.

Uncertain of the accuracy of the doctor's explanation yet lacking any way to confirm it, Jarrod continued to stay by her bedside.

Later, his phone rang. It was Alec on the line.

Jarrod listened, and after a lengthy silence, he responded with cold firmness, “Handle it yourself."

As fate would have it, Nicole slowly started to regain consciousness at that moment, her mind clouded as she caught the word “handle it.”

Handle it... Handle who? It seemed they had dealt with Derek.

After ending the call, Jarrod turned to see Nicole staring at the ceiling with wide, haunted eyes, her silence eerie.

To Jarrod, however, her awakening was a pleasant surprise. Especially since the scene of her in a coma had deeply unsettled him.

“You're awake," Jarrod whispered gently as he reached out to check her forehead for a fever. The doctor had told them to monitor her temperature closely once she woke up and to call immediately if she had a fever.

The moment his hand touched her forehead, Nicole swatted it away.

With a cold tone, she said, "Don't touch me with those filthy hands!"

Jarrod froze, his voice rough with disbelief. "What?"

Nicole propped herself up and shifted away, her voice weak. "Get out."

She couldn't stand to have him near. His presence always reminded her of her failures. She felt vulnerable and was close to her limit.

Yet, she couldn't surrender. Even after a brief escape into unconsciousness, she knew she had to face them. Now, it wasn't just Jarrod. It was “them.”

Nicole grasped she had to be cautious around Vicki whose words still lingered in her mind, deeply unsettling her.

Women's intuition was often eerily precise. Nicole didn't think Vicki's threats were just noise. The calmer someone seemed, the more drastic their potential actions might be.