Prior, her suspicions were aroused by a protruding chocolate wrapper in the refuse sack. It was atypical for an elderly individual to indulge in such confections, considering dental concerns.

The presence of the takeout container hinted at the possible residence of a younger individual, contradicting the assertions of the elderly woman.

Nicole did not return to the villa after she left. Instead, she got in touch with Jemma to request Melissa's address.

Following this, Nicole hailed a taxi to Melissa's residence.

During the journey, Nicole's thoughts drifted to her father's death.

This memory was a sore point she had avoided for years, causing her heart to ache painfully each time it surfaced, almost leaving her breathless.

Initially, she couldn't grasp that her father would choose to jump from a building. In her memories, her father was a pillar of strength. Despite the turmoil the Lawrence Group faced over the years, he had always steered them through.

Nicole recalled an incident where a massive error nearly drove them to bankruptcy, burdened with a debt exceeding a billion. Her father assembled the family to brace them for the worst. He wrapped up by, saying, "Don't worry. This is just the worst-case scenario. No matter what, I won't abandon you. We'll stay together, and tackle our debts slowly. If needed, we'll sell our home, and rent somewhere else. Staying united as a family is what counts."

Everything eventually settled down smoothly. Her father's resilience and calm approach to life's challenges were monumental.

Nicole struggled to grasp why her father would leap from a building due to the prospect of bankruptcy. After all, declaring bankruptcy wasn't the worst scenario they'd faced. Furthermore, he left no farewell note for her and her mother, which was out of character for him.

Now that Nicole thought about it, numerous doubts surfaced. Her head throbbed with pain, and she closed her eyes, hoping for some relief.

She vowed to uncover the truth about her father's death.

When Nicole opened her eyes again, she noticed Roscoe in a convertible beside her at a traffic light.

Surprised, she wanted to shout out to him, but no sound came out.

Roscoe was with a woman clad in red, not Doreen. This was the woman Nicole had seen previously.

Right now, Doreen was under police interrogation. The drugging incident had come to Light, and although Doreen was unaware, she couldn't escape the reality that she had assaulted Nicole.

Traditionally, Doreen would face a minimum of 15 days' detention if Nicole did not forgive her.

This meant Doreen would not be seen in Ardlens for the next 15 days as she would be in custody.

Nicole gazed out the car window, her intuition tingling.

Sensing Nicole's gaze, Roscoe glanced at her briefly with his poker face, and then he averted his gaze.