Chapter 3

Jacob sobered up a fair bit from being hoisted into the air. He exclaimed, "What are you people doing? Do you know who I am?" Aaron Compton lifted his well-defined hand and gave it a wave. Then, the few bodyguards walked out, carrying Jacob on their shoulders. Jacob yelled, "Nicole, why are you just standing there? Come help me!" However, Nicole remained unmoved. Soon enough, the hospital corridor quietened down. Nigel shot Nicole a look and sighed before walking away, looking disappointed. The rest of the crowd who came to watch the commotion also dispersed. It felt like everything had reset, back to square one, as if nothing had ever happened. Nicole was the only one who remained standing at the same spot, feeling like her entire body had gone cold. "Are you okay?" The husky and pleasant-sounding voice came from the man who was taller than her. Nicole lifted her head, only to find herself looking into a pair of deep-looking eyes. She licked her chapped lips. "Thank you for that." With an obscure glint in his eyes, Aaron fixed his gaze on Nicole's face. He asked, "H-How old are you?" Nicole was taken aback by that question. "M-Me?" Aaron nodded. She responded, "I'm 25." Then, she paused. Confused, she asked, "Why do you as—?" "Are you an orphan?" Aaron interrupted. Nicole was stunned. "How did you know that?" She started searching for Aaron in her memories, but to no avail. She was certain that this was their first meeting. Aaron pursed his lips and did not answer her question. Instead, he retrieved a name card and handed it to Nicole calmly. "Here's my number. Feel free to contact me anytime you need." After saying that, he studied her for a moment with a deep gaze before turning and walking away. Nicole watched his slender figure from behind for quite a while before lowering her head to look at the name card in her hands. She learned that he was Aaron Compton, the chairman of Compton Group. She thought that his name sounded really familiar. However, Nicole couldn't recall where she had heard his name before, so she gave up thinking about it. She slipped the name card into her pocket and returned to her office to pack up her things. "Dr. Lawrence, do you really have to go?" Nicole's assistant hurried over and looked at her with a pitiful gaze. "What happened with the medication?" "Someone probably swapped it." Nicole placed the photo frame on her table in a cardboard box and responded to her assistant, reassuringly smiling. "Don't worry about it. I will think of a way to get to the bottom of this incident. Work hard and do your best to become a permanent staff member soon." After saying that, Nicole left her office with a box of her belongings in her arms. It was 1:00 am by the time she got home. The moment she entered her apartment, she spotted Jacob sitting on the couch. His expression was as dark as the night sky. Nicole knitted her brows together. "It's over between us. Who told you that you could come in here? This is trespassing!" "That's enough!" Jacob lifted his head. Through gritted teeth, he growled, "Other than playing hard-to-get, don't you have anything else to say to me?" Nicole looked extremely upset. "What were you hoping that I'd say to an ex-boyfriend who did nothing but lie?" Jacob got to his feet. Scowling, he questioned, "Who was that man earlier?" "I don't know him." "You don't?" Jacob raised his voice, and the veins on his temples popped. "Why would he help you if you didn't know him?" "Think whatever you want. I'm tired. Please leave my home!" Jacob exploded with rage. With a few strides, he went up to Nicole and grabbed her wrists, causing everything in her hands to scatter all over the floor. "Nicole, you broke up with me because of that man, didn't you? I can't believe you actually freaking cheated on me!" His hands were like a clamp, grasping so tightly onto Nicole's wrists that her fingers were starting to go cold and numb. "Is this how cheap you are? You can't live without a man, can you? Why did you act so virtuous with me, saying we couldn't live together before marriage, when you were being promiscuous behind my back?" Nicole heaved as she stared at the familiar-looking yet unfamiliar face before her eyes. All the emotions she had suppressed all day finally exploded. A knot of grievance, fury, and sorrow formed in Nicole's throat, choking her. At last, she couldn't take it anymore. She shoved Jacob's hands away from her forcefully and freed herself. "Jacob, what right do you have to question me? Who was the first to betray the relationship? So what if I had an affair? That's better than a liar like you who has been spinning webs of lies from the very beginning!" "Why, you—" What Nicole said had enraged Jacob. He suddenly raised his hand and swung it in her direction. Nicole's heart dropped. Instinctively, she shut her eyes. Nonetheless, the pain she expected never arrived. Her surroundings suddenly went completely silent. She gulped, then opened her eyes slowly. Jacob had paused with his hand mid-air. After a while, he lowered his hand slowly and exhaled heavily, as if he had restrained himself from lashing out. "Nicole, can't we just get back together?" His voice softened as he said, "I was wrong. I shouldn't have lied to you, but I had my reasons for doing so. Now that you've found out, I'll make it all up to you." In the last three years of their relationship, Nicole always gave in whenever Jacob said a few kind words after a fight. This time, though… Eyes filled with disappointment, Nicole stared at Jacob as if he were a stranger. "Jacob, do you feel like I'd still believe you? Three years. You had countless opportunities to own up to me, but you did not. "From this day forward, I won't believe a single word you say. Stop putting on that act of yours. You disgust me." In the blink of an eye, the tender persona Jacob had forced himself to wear was torn away. He clenched his hands into fists by his side so tightly that his knuckles cracked. "Also, I will call the cops if you still refuse to leave!" Wearing a frigid expression, Nicole met Jacob's gaze without a hint of fear. Overwhelmed by anger and humiliation, Jacob pointed a finger right in her face. He roared, "Fine! Nicole, that was your last chance. You were the one who refused to take my kind offer. Don't regret it in the future!" After that, he stormed out of her place, slamming the door behind him. Nicole sat on the couch alone, in the dark. She clasped her cold hands together for quite some time as she gathered herself. Then, she took out her phone and dialed the number of a doctor she was once close to. "Hello, Dr. Lawson. Are you on duty today? I wanted your help looking into the medical negligence case from today…" Nicole briefly explained her request to Audrey Lawson, who then expressed her willingness to help Nicole out. The call she made was probably the only positive thing from Nicole's day. She was just about to switch off her phone display and go wash up when a news article popped up on her phone's screen. The headline read, "Mrs. Boyd of Boyd Corporation to Attend a Charity Dinner". Nicole tapped into the notification and saw a photograph of the aforementioned woman. Her heart skipped a beat. She immediately zoomed in on the woman's photo. After examining the woman's face, Nicole's fingers trembled. Why did she look so much like this woman?