Chapter 6

The butler's voice broke the tense atmosphere in the living room. "What are you all talking about?" A familiar, cold voice caused Nicole to stiffen. Her relaxed demeanor instantly vanished. Sarah turned around with delight. She saw Jacob hanging his suit jacket with one arm while loosening his tie with the other. He looked extremely charming. "Jacob, did the meeting end early? I remember it should end in half an hour." Her playful tone contained a deeper implication, subtly suggesting her intimate knowledge of Jacob's schedule, akin to that of a supportive spouse. Kellie glanced at Nicole and noticed her tense reaction. She assumed Nicole was jealous of Sarah's close relationship with Jacob. Feeling smug, she added fuel to the fire. "Jacob, you're too busy. You can't even get a break at a family lunch. Poor Sarah waited here for the whole day." Sarah playfully rebuked, "Kellie, don't blame him. Jacob has been preoccupied with a big resort project these past few days. It's inevitable that he's too busy and has been negligent. I apologize on his behalf!" She spoke more coquettishly until her cheeks were flushing red. She was clearly trying to secure her position as Jacob's future wife. Finding the conversation tiresome, Nicole decided to leave the scene, especially Jacob, who made her feel suffocated and anxious just being in the same space. "Where are you going?" A cold voice halted her steps. She pretended not to hear and sprinted toward the door, hoping to escape Jacob's sight. Just as she thought she was free, Jacob landed his arm on her shoulder. The sensation of his touch reignited memories of their intimacy last night, making her skin flush hotly. Jacob lowered his gaze and noticed Nicole's shy expression in his arms. "Why so shy? Even though we've been married for so long?" He spoke casually while his hand brushed lightly across her burning ear. The touch made her shiver involuntarily. The next moment, she pushed him away. "Who are you talking about?" Nicole rolled her eyes. "We just signed the divorce papers yesterday. Perhaps you should check if you have Alzheimer's if you have forgotten." As soon as she finished speaking, Melissa scowled and huffed, "Jacob, what happened to her? She has offended everyone in the house since she came!" "What have we done to deserve her attitude?" Debbie chimed in, "Exactly! She has no manners. We should look for a daughter-in-law like Sarah, who is considerate, polite, and caring!" Sarah immediately blushed and whispered, "Aunt Debbie, you mustn't joke this way. Jacob and I… we are not there yet." As she spoke, she couldn't help but steal a glance at Jacob, only to find his gaze glued to Nicole. Jacob's intense gaze moved from Nicole's face to her ear, down to the high-collared shirt, and lingered on her fingers for a few seconds. He didn't spare a glance for anyone else in the room. A surge of jealousy rose within Sarah, and she pretended to show concern for Nicole. She approached her and curiously asked, "Ms. Barnes, it's warm today. Why are you bundled up so tightly?" She reached out toward Nicole's collar. "It's quite warm inside. You should loosen your collar!" Despite her speaking gently, her actions were ruthless. Sarah knew it very well. She knew that someone wearing such a high collar in this weather was likely hiding something. She had long known that Jacob held no affection for Nicole and had never been physically intimate with her. Thus, whatever Nicole was trying to hide piqued her curiosity even more. Nicole quickly slapped Sarah's hand away. "Ms. Green, are you a cop? If you lay another finger on me, I'll sue you for harassment!" She struck with full force, causing Sarah to withdraw her hand quickly. Sarah's hand instantly bore a red handprint. Furious yet mindful of Jacob's presence, she spoke in a pleading tone, "Ms. Barnes, I was just trying to be kind. It's so hot. What if you get a heatstroke?" Sarah blinked her eyes meaningfully and added, "It's just a few buttons. Why are you so secretive? Unless… there's something you can't reveal?" Nicole remained unbothered by her probing. She retorted coldly, "You can keep talking. Other than harassment, I'll add defamation and damage to my reputation to the charges. You'll face multiple counts by the time we get to the court." Sarah's expression changed, but she quickly regained her composure and looked to Jacob for help. "Jacob, it seems like Ms. Barnes has some misunderstanding about me…" Despite Nicole's attempt to distance herself, Jacob was near to her. His gaze landed on a red mark on her neck under the collar. It almost looked like a hickey. "Jacob, Nicole, come to my study!" The study was filled with the aroma of coffee. Despite having retired for many years, Anson Blake exuded a supreme sense of authority. Even when he was sitting casually, his posture demonstrated his commanding presence as a formidable leader. Anson glanced at his pocket watch and placed it on the table before he looked at the two. "Explain yourselves. What's all this commotion?" Though aged, his sharp eyes landed on his most favored grandson, Jacob, who was going to be the future head of the Blake family. "Jacob, you start. Are you being bad to Nicole again?" With this statement, he made his stance clear. To Anson, the divorce between the two was not a significant issue but merely a nuisance. It wasn't something worth discussing in detail. Without waiting for Jacob's response, Anson continued, "Your grandmother's fashion seminar in Elbonia was a success. She's expected to return next week. Anson lifted his eyes. He carried the same cold demeanor as Jacob. "You wouldn't want to ruin such a joyous occasion and upset her, would you?"