Every time she looked at his gray hair, Nicole hated herself even more.

Her father was so old yet he still paid for her mistakes.

Nicole had messed up big time when she hired a guy to rile up Jarrod.

But Jarrod was getting married in ten days. Why was he still toying with her? Did he want to keep her on the side like some sort of twisted love trophy even after he got married?

This thought made Nicole sick.

Falling head over heels for a scumbag like Jarrod was the biggest mistake she had ever made in her life.

Once the good news about her dad sunk in, Nicole started feeling a wave of exhaustion.

But then, a sudden chill raced down her spine. Before she knew it, she felt a hand grab her waist and pull her onto a man's lap.

When she saw who he was, her eyes widened and her hair stood on its end.

Jarrod's eyes narrowed when he saw the fear widening Nicole's eyes.

She was terrified of him. And, for some reason, this very much pleased him.

“Why are you here?" Nicole asked in a trembling voice.

Jarrod sneered and let his fingers trace her face.

"What can't I be here, honey?"

In days gone by, Jarrod would smile at her in the most endearing way, like the sun breaking through the clouds. His face always seemed so warm and inviting.

Now, however, a scar marred his forehead, and his hair had a spiky, rebellious look. The man sitting before her seemed colder and more sinister as if he had evolved in the worst way possible.

The curve of his lips sent a shiver down her spine.

“Why isn't your dad awake yet?" Jarrod asked, though he did not sound genuinely concerned about her father's well-being.

"What do you want, Jarrod?" Nicole cautiously asked.

Jarrod caressed her lips with his thumb and grinned.