Vicki then shoved Doreen aside, slowly squatted down and spoke to Nicole, whose head was still in the trash bag. "Nicole..."

Nicole held her breath, straining to hear Vicki's next words.

Vicki's smile was chilling as she uttered each word, “I will kill your child. I certainly will."

Now that Jarrod planned to undergo a ligation, Vicki resolved to end Austin's life just before Jarrod's surgery, aiming to force him to relinquish his plan for a Ligation.

Nicole was shocked at Vicki's bold declaration. She thrashed about frantically. "No! No! Vicki, what did you promise me? You promised to let me see Austin!"

Nicole's cries were muffled by the trash bag, her voice barely audible.

Vicki's laughter echoed loudly. “Honestly, I never intended to let your child go."

Vicki's eyes blazed with madness.

After enduring prolonged oppression, when all hope was crushed into despair, a person could transform into someone unrecognizable.

"Your son should never have been born. His biggest mistake was coming from your womb! Nicole, you're the real culprit!" Vicki's expression was fierce as she hissed into Nicole's ear.

By this time, Doreen was too intoxicated to make sense of the new side of Vicki. All she could see in Vicki's eyes was an intense focus on Nicole as if driven by a wild desire to torment her.

"Vicki!" Nicole cried out. In a swift motion, she ripped the garbage bag off her head, her eyes bloodshot, and exclaimed, "I will make you pay every last dime. Don't you dare harm Austin!" She was almost shouting.

Just then, Vicki struck Nicole on the head with a wine bottle.

Blood blossomed across Nicole's face like a gruesome flower, lending her an eerie allure.

Vicki slid the bottle across Nicole's cheek, jabbing her occasionally with the bottleneck. The pain was excruciating, and Nicole knew her face was severely damaged. She had been enduring torment for so long that she lacked the strength to fight back. Eventually, she collapsed to the ground.

Vicki's smugness was evident as she taunted, "Nicole, you want me to pay the price? With what? You have no power or influence. Your parents are gone. What can you use against me? Sure, you have some money, but is it more than what the Hampton and Schultz families possess? You talk of revenge, but with what resources? I'm really curious."

"Do you really want to know?" Nicole asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm not interested," Vicki sneered dismissively. "In my eyes, you're nothing but an ant. I can crush you as I please. You can't possibly do anything to me. You're not even worthy!"

Vicki smirked and continued, "Once I marry Jarrod, do you think I'll spare you or your child? I'll make sure the Lawrence family is reunited under my terms. How's that?"

“Vicki, you will definitely regret this!" Nicole snapped, her eyes seething with anger. She lay in a pool of blood and alcohol, her eyes burning with determination.