"You think I don't know who your pillar is? Is it Jarrod?" Nicole questioned, smirking.

Vicki's expression faltered. She hadn't expected Nicole to bring up Jarrod. Indeed, Jarrod was her mainstay and the man she deeply loved.

Yet, her love for him was tainted by his refusal to allow her to become a mother, insisting instead that she raise another woman's child. She couldn't accept it. Why did it have to be her?

Back then, Vicki had accepted Jarrod's stipulation not to have children with her as a temporary compromise. Without that agreement, she would never have become his fiancée.

Jarrod was adamant about not having other children than Austin. Vicki had thought she could change his mind after their wedding. If she were careful, she believed she could hide a pregnancy until it was too late for Jarrod to do anything about it. But she never got the opportunity.

Now, it seemed Jarrod did not want children at all, except perhaps with Nicole.

Despite knowing this, Vicki felt compelled to maintain her facade and act like everything was fine. She couldn't just let go of Jarrod.

“Nicole, you're too late. Jarrod has already moved on from you. Do you think he'll still want you after you tried to make a scene at another man's wedding? Can you really expect him to be so shameless?"

Vicki challenged.

Vicki's confidence was unwavering as she added, "You're just the disgrace of Ardlens. Jarrod won't want anything to do with you anymore."

Nicole was in a miserable state, yet she mustered the strength to sit up. She leaned against the wall and fixed Vicki with a confident smile.

"It seems you're afraid. In fact, you're not just afraid. You know the truth of my words. You're afraid I will shatter all your expectations," Nicole said, her amusement apparent.

Nicoler's calm and steady tone caused Vicki's confidence to waver, her heart sinking with each word. This couldn't be happening. It was impossible!

Vicki repeatedly reassured herself that Nicole was just trying to intimidate her. There was no way Jarrod would want a woman who had feelings for someone else. His pride was too great to tolerate such a slight. It was utterly impossible.

"You're trying to trick me." Vicki laughed as she managed to regain her composure. “What can you possibly achieve alone?"

Nicole's laughter mirrored Vicki's as she retorted, “Whether it's a trick, you know the answer very well. You must be well aware whether I have the means to act on it."

Vicki remained skeptical.

In Vicki's eyes, Jarrod was a detached and proud man with tons of pursuers. How could he possibly accept Nicole, who simply turned a blind eye to his efforts to win her back and opposed him repeatedly for another man? No man could endure such disgrace.

Vicki stood, stepped onto Nicole's hand, and pressed down forcefully.

Nicole was rendered powerless under her weight.