Deniz was now completely convinced by Nicole's words. Vicki, on the surface, seemed innocent and kind, but beneath that facade, she harbored sinister intentions.

Deniz said coldly, "Miss Hampton, stop beating around the bush. Just tell me what I should do next. I recall this woman was once your fiancé's lover. If she's dead, I can manage it, but you need to be upfront. Will Jarrod's side cause trouble for me over this?"

"You're spouting nonsense. She belongs to the past. Since Jarrod has been with me, he hasn't once spoken of that woman. You should deal with this matter yourself. I don't want to hear about it anymore. It's unsettling. You're exaggerating such a jest too much." Vicki's words were indirect and evasive, effectively saying little of substance.

Yet, when she suggested Deniz was joking, it was a clear attempt to distance herself from the situation. Should she be questioned by others or the police later, she could claim she thought the entire conversation was in jest. After all, she hadn't been directly involved, so how could it be linked to her? Deniz did it himself.

Deniz saw right through Vicki's tactics. He had manipulated others in the past, but now he found himself outwitted by someone he had underestimated. Indeed, a taste of his own medicine!

Deniz continued to navigate the situation with Vicki. "So, you're saying you won't handle this matter, right? I've always been nice to you. When your fiancé left abruptly for that woman, I was the one who told you first. Is this how you repay my kindness?"

Deniz intended to make it clear to Vicki that he wouldn't be easily made the fall guy.

"Hey, what are you trying to say?" Vicki's tone was now clearly irritated. Although she was relieved that Nicole was gone, she was determined not to get dragged into the mess. Deniz was the perfect scapegoat.

Vicki retorted, "I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Why are you bringing your problems to me? We aren't close, and we hardly know each other. When you told me about Jarrod's search for that woman previously, I didn't take it seriously. Jarrod hasn't been involved with that woman. We're about to get married. Please, let's not stir up any trouble."

"Fine!" Deniz responded, unwilling to prolong the conversation. Had it not been for Wayne's favoritism toward Vicki, he would have made Vicki pay. For now, he had to swallow his anger and treat the entire ordeal as a misunderstanding.

Noticing Deniz's reluctance to continue, Vicki felt a surge of satisfaction. "If there's nothing more, I'm going to hang up..."

As Vicki's words lingered in the air, Deniz's thunderous voice reverberated through the chamber like a tempest on the line. "She's moving! She's moving... She's alive! Thank goodness she's not dead..."

With a swift gesture, Deniz hung up before Vicki could utter a word, ending his charade.

Caught in a trance, Vicki found herself staring at her phone. If her ears hadn't deceived her, Nicole didn't die? Nicole's indomitable resilience was truly remarkable.

The exhilarating thrill Vicki had just experienced, brought by Nicole's so-called death, evaporated like dew beneath the morning sun.

However, Vicki assumed that even had Nicole avoided death's grasp, Deniz's actions would undoubtedly have rendered her crippled.

Vicki was well acquainted with Deniz's deceitful and malevolent nature. This outcome, however unfortunate, served a greater purpose.

If Nicole were thoroughly ruined, Jarrod's interest in Nicole would wane.

Satisfaction washed over Vicki. This twist of fate unfolded precisely as she had envisioned. She harbored no doubt that Jarrod would recoil from Nicole once he beheld the aftermath of Deniz's actions. Surely, he would be repulsed at the very sight of Nicole. After all, despite Deniz's worthlessness, he was infamous for his lecherous and debased conduct within their social circle.

Pondering this, Vicki found Austin even more endearing. She tenderly caressed his slumbering visage and whispered, “You owe your life to your mother."