The driver was at the front, leaving Jarrod and Nicole in the back.

They were both lost in their own contemplations.

After a prolonged silence, Jarrod was the first to speak. “You were correct. I knew you held the original video, but I chose not to intervene."

When handing over the video to Wayne, Jarrod had secretly hoped Nicole would decide against releasing it. Its disclosure could drag the Schultz Group into the fray, given their close ties with the Hampton family, and Doreen's involvement only complicated matters further.

Regrettably, Jarrod had underestimated Nicole's resolve. It was evident that, to Nicole, his influence and the fate of the Schultz Group carried negligible weight.

“Why should I conceal their wrongdoings and let them escape accountability?" Nicole pondered, her emotions surfacing as tears welled up and her body shook. "Do human lives hold no value to you?" she asked.

"I don't care about others," Jarrod responded. His face remained impassive, his eyes showing only coldness.

Nicole braced herself, expecting a rebuke, and waited in tense silence.

But instead, Jarrod said, “But it's different because it's you. I'll turn a blind eye and let you handle it your way." It was as if he was acknowledging that she was special to him.

However, Nicole felt no warmth from his words. She only sensed hypocrisy. If not for Jarrod's actions, Vicki would not have pursued her so relentlessly, and neither Austin nor Kamilah would have been placed in jeopardy.

Jarrod continued, "I'm aware that you're holding onto a lot of pain, so I'm giving you the space to express it. But this is only because you are my wife. I don't want you to bear any suffering silently."

His words served as a reminder that such liberties were reserved for his wife alone. Otherwise, she would be powerless.

It appeared that Vicki's accusations had merit. Their relationship was transactional. Nicole was leveraging her marital status to gain leverage, whereas Jarrod's motives in using Nicole remained unclear.

There was no genuine love between them. Furthermore, Jarrod didn't strike one as a man capable of Lifelong devotion.

Nicole scoffed. "So, I should be grateful to you for this 'privilege.' Are you trying to mold me into another Vicki or Doreen?"

"You are you," Jarrod asserted, meeting her gaze steadily. "You don't need to become anyone else. As long as you're with me, you don't have to please anyone else.”

Nicole found herself at a loss for words. Jarrod's demeanor had changed lately. He was more vocal than usual, and it was becoming grating. She muttered, “Still, Vicki's one of your women. You've been entangled with her for years, and yet you seem indifferent to her languishing in jail. Such a refined woman, likely she's never even set foot in a police station before."

Upon hearing Nicole's words, a chill swept over Jarrod's handsome features. "You know I don't love Vicki," he stated flatly.

Jarrod's engagement to Vicki had been a mere reaction to the devastation Nicole had inflicted upon him, a decision born from interest rather than affection.

Regarding the Hampton family, Jarrod no longer felt any obligation toward them. The remnants of any past guilt had dissolved. He was not their protector, nor did he wish to continue mitigating the repercussions of Vicki's and her brother's reckless behaviors. Jarrod had grown weary of dealing with their foolish antics.