Vicki cradled her swollen cheek and cried pitifully. “Jarrod, say something..."

Despite Vicki's tearful and pitiful display, Jarrod remained silent.

Vicki sensed that her reckless words had provoked him.

"Jarrod, I didn't mean what I said." Vicki sobbed, shielding her face as if burdened by guilt. "I just... I couldn't fathom that Austin would accuse me of such a dreadful thing after all I've done for him."

Refusing to acknowledge her wrongdoings, Vicki clung to the belief that Austin possessed a cunning far beyond her own. She couldn't conceive that Austin, merely a boy, would resort to such tactics out of desperation.

However, Austin possessed a wisdom beyond his years, understanding the imperative of survival and self-preservation. Had he been less astute, he might not have endured.

"I swear on my life that I never instructed anyone to harm Austin,"

Vicki asserted through clenched teeth, adamant in maintaining her innocence. “You can't trust a single word Austin utters. He's fabricating lies, betraying those who nurtured him like an ungrateful ingrate. Clearly, his upbringing is to blame."

Jarrod's voice sent chills down her spine. “If you had truly cared for him, he would never have spoken such accusations."

"I..." Vicki's Lips parted, but she hesitated, fearing her carefully constructed facade of kindness would unravel. She felt Austin couldn't gather evidence to support his allegations, and she had taken pains to avoid direct harm to him. With no evidence against her and her unwavering denial, Vicki believed they were powerless against her. Her mind raced with these reassuring thoughts.

Jarrod's intense gaze locked with Vicki's as he reminded her, "Do you recall our conversation that day?"

Vicki's thoughts drifted back, vividly recalling Jarrod's words. He had admitted that he would only consider marrying her if she genuinely embraced Austin.

Without hesitation, Vicki had agreed, a choice any woman in her position would have made.

At the time of her acquiescence, Vicki had been confident in her ability to ignore Austin's presence, as long as he refrained from interfering with her life.

Yet, human nature was an insatiable beast, and once a desire took root, it exerted an invincible force.

Vicki couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when she first wished for Austin's removal, but once the notion settled in her mind, it grew relentlessly. She had even devised a scheme for Austin to meet an “accident” after her wedding with Jarrod.

However, Jarrod's unexpected request for a vasectomy had thrown her off balance, prompting her to accelerate her plan. Vicki felt only Austin's demise would disrupt Jarrod's vasectomy plans and potentially lead him to seek another child instead.

Vicki hadn't anticipated how troublesome Austin, that insignificant pest, would become. Not only had her carefully laid plan crumbled to dust, but he had boldly turned the tables on her.

A storm of fury raged within Vicki's soul. Tears streamed down her cheeks as desperation tinged her voice, imploring Jarrod, “Jarrod, I've been truthful with Austin. We've been together for years. Don't you understand my character? Would you believe a child who's been in your life for a few weeks over me?"

Her cries echoed with anguish, portraying a sense of genuine injustice.