The flowerpots shattered noisily on the ground.
A sharp pain pierced Nicole's chest and back, overwhelming her.
Poof! Blood spilled from Nicole's mouth, splashing crimson on the ground.
Jarrod, holding Jamie, faced Nicole.
His dark eyes, once lively, now harbored a lethal darkness.
“Nicole, you will pay for it," he declared, his voice icy.
With her ribs feeling broken, Nicole gasped for air amidst the pain.
As she coughed blood, she faced Jarrod, her voice shaking, “Jarrod, I'm not the one who stabbed her...” But Jarrod, carrying
Jamie, didn't wait to hear more.
He strode toward the door.
Alec hurried to him, asking, "Mr. Schultz, what should we do with Miss Lawrence?” Jarrod paused briefly before responding
coldly, “Take her to the police station.” He had no time for Nicole now.
The police would keep her safe, at least.
Nicole, gripped by pain, watched helplessly as Jarrod moved Raegan's anxiety mounted since she was unable to reach Nicole.
Raegan often visited the hospital to care for Nicole’s parents during her free time.
Yet, they were unaware of Nicole's whereabouts.
Seeing her parents’ aged, lined faces, Raegan couldn't reveal Nicole's disappearance.
It would only add to their burden.
She reassured them, telling them Nicole was busy, and urged them to take care.
Forty-eight hours later, Raegan visited the police station to report Nicole's disappearance.
There, she learned of Nicole's arrest.

Eager for more information to bail Nicole out, Raegan inquired but, as a non-relative, received none.
Raegan chose not to tell Nicole's parents, fearing for their vulnerability to take the blow.
Her thoughts instinctively turned to Mitchel, thinking that he was her only hope for uncovering the truth.
However, their relationship had ended bitterly, and they hadn't met since then.
Raegan knew of Mitchel only through TV reports about the growing bond between the Dixon and Glyn families, hinting at the
potential connection through marriage.

‘This news had boosted the Dixon Group's stock.
During a shopping trip at the mall, Raegan ran into Luciana, who was there with Katie.
They shared a warmth that resembled a true mother-daughter bond.
Seeing them together, Raegan understood that Luciana had been somewhat restrained when Luciana was with her.
This made Raegan realize Luciana had previously held back her affection, perhaps due to their different statuses.
Upon seeing Raegan’'s uneasy expression, Luciana gave a brief nod and quickly left with Katie, preferring Raegan's limited
interaction with Katie.

billion dollars. She mentioned it’s for her future daughter-in-law." It seemed Katie might soon marry into the Dixon family, which explained Luciana’s uneasy look when seeing her. Alone in the mall, Raegan touched her flat belly, signing at the timing of her pregnancy. Yet, she resolved to raise her baby alone, inspired by students who juggled studies and parenthood. Determined, she decided against meeting Mitchel again. However, faced with Nicole's uncertain situation, Raegan felt

as always, “Miss Hayes." “Matteo, | hate to bother you. Is Mitchel available today?" Matteo, glancing at Mitchel busy with a video conference, responded, “He's quite Ued up. I can relay the message to him if you want.” Raegan paused, realizing the difficulty of explaining without talking directly. She finally said, “It's nothing. Sorry to disturb you, Matteo.” As she was about to end the call, Matteo added, “Mr. Dixon has been staying late at the company for work these days." Surprised, Raegan responded with a brief, “Okay." After the call, Raegan thought about messaging Mitchel on WhatsApp for a direct conversation. Opening his WhatsApp profile, she noticed his Moments were empty. Although he had never posted anything, his Moments were visible to her before.

Raegan recalled his last words, “From now on, you and | have nothing to do with each other.
| don't want to see you again." His determination was etched on his face.
A sharp pain struck her chest, tears brimming in her eyes.
She had thought of explaining everything to him, but what could she say now? Henley had been putting on an act, but she wasn't
innocent.
She had followed Luciana’s advice, keeping her distance from Mitchel.
Taking a deep breath and staring at the cloudy sky, Raegan held back her tears.
Finally, she decided to ask Hector for help, hoping he might have some useful connections.
Hector's investigation revealed Jarrod's involvement in the case and thus required Mitchel’s assistance.

idea of Nicole's attempted murder was unthinkable. Her worry deepened, especially considering Nicole's pregnancy and the challenges of detention. Raegan attempted to confront

Mitchel again, only to be met with a busy tone, suggesting she was blocked. With no other choice, Raegan reached out to Matteo. This time, Matteo's tone was less courteous, and he quickly ended the call, stating that Mitchel was swamped. Raegan's sense of

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