Chapter 11

After lashing out in a single breath, Nicole felt a wave of satisfaction. She turned around, her eyes squinting, and waved at Anson. "Grandpa, have a good meal. Goodbye!" With that, Nicole left the house without turning back. Soon after, the powerful rumble of a sports car resonated from the entrance. It must have been waiting outside for quite some time. The entire room erupted into chatter the moment Nicole departed. While everyone was criticizing her, Jacob remained seated, reclining in his chair as he scrolled through his phone. The flickering light cast shadows on his distinguished features. After lighting a cigarette several times, Sarah happily moved to Jacob's side and said gently, "Jacob, I noticed you didn't eat much because of that woman. I've scooped you a bowl of mushroom soup. Drink it while it's still hot." Suddenly, a notification flashed on Jacob's phone's dim screen—it was a location address. Jacob rose abruptly, snatching his coat as he made for the door without looking back. "Grandpa, I've got some company matters to take care of. I'll leave first!" With a resounding thud, the door shut firmly, sealing off all sound from within the house. Meanwhile, beneath the Radford City overpass, a Ferrari roared by. "Did you really reprimand the entire Blake family in front of Jacob and his grandfather?" Sue, seated in the passenger seat, wore a mix of excitement and disbelief on her face. Nicole gripped the steering wheel and let out a hearty shout at the open convertible roof. "I've been dying to do that! Seriously, they're always going on about how great the Blake family is. How powerful are they? Are they as influential as they claim?" Sue laughed along while closing the convertible roof. "The weather was fine just now. Why did it suddenly start raining?" she grumbled. As the roof slowly shut and blocked their view, a Lamborghini roared past the Ferrari. Nicole held back her curse and snapped, "What's wrong with them? This isn't a racetrack! Why are they driving so recklessly?" The rain had intensified, and nightfall descended. While Nicole was a bold driver, Sue, an experienced navigator who had witnessed numerous life-threatening situations caused by speeding over the years, repeatedly cautioned her against overspeeding. The Lamborghini loomed close ahead, seemingly challenging the Ferrari to a duel. After turning the car into a deserted road, Nicole furrowed her brows and instructed, "Sue, call the police. Someone may be tailing us." Nicole positioned one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the gearshift, ready to accelerate and pass the Lamborghini. However, the Lamborghini suddenly surged forward as she changed lanes. While Nicole was torn between speeding up or maintaining a steady pace, the Lamborghini executed a daring 180-degree turn on the road. It was now heading straight toward the Ferrari. As the gap between the cars was too narrow, it was too late for Nicole to reverse, even if she managed to react instantly. Bang! In the silent night on the empty road, the two high-speed vehicles collided with a thunderous crash. Nicole instinctively hit the brakes and shut her eyes, anticipating the deployment of the safety airbags. After the forceful impact, the cars gradually slowed to a steady halt. The driver's door swung open, and a familiar figure staggered out of the Lamborghini. In the faint glow of the streetlamp, amidst the fading rain, the man ignited a cigarette and leaned against the car door. His intense gaze cut through the haze of smoke and the drizzle and landed on Nicole. "Why aren't you getting out, ex-wife?" "Bang!" Nicole slammed the door shut. She stood with arms crossed and silently glared at Jacob. Finally, Nicole broke the silence, her expression icy. "You followed me and purposely rammed into my car. Is that necessary, Jacob? "Are you trying to plot my murder after the divorce? Can't you deal with this like a grown-up?" Jacob merely scoffed and stayed silent. He turned to Sue and said flatly, "Did you have a good time at the Luminous Lounge last night?" Sue, still reeling from the collision earlier, was bewildered when she saw Jacob. She replied without thinking clearly, "It was all right. I left early—" "Sue!" Nicole interrupted to warn her friend to stop speaking. Sue jolted, only just realizing that Jacob was trying to manipulate her with his words. She immediately regretted her response and clapped her hand over her mouth in frustration. Jacob observed their reactions, and his suspicion was confirmed. He lowered his gaze slightly and smirked as he bit his cigarette. There was no need to hide any further. Nicole said coolly, "Yes, I damaged your car. Are you taking your revenge now?" Jacob held the cigarette between two fingers, exhaling a faint ring of smoke as he casually spoke. "I'm not. Are you willing to tell the truth?" Nicole rolled her eyes and wondered if she had made a mistake by confessing to damaging Jacob's car. After all, if he traced it back to her presence in the VIP lounge, it could spell trouble. "It's not..." After some time, Sue finally grasped the situation. She glanced at the couple with a mixture of anger and confusion. "I get that both of you are bickering, but why did you have to crash into my car?" she yelled. Luckily, the highway wasn't too far from town, and Sue had already called the police. The police soon arrived with a tow truck to handle the situation. There were statements to be taken, insurance companies to contact, and some civil disputes to settle. It was 3:00 am by the time everything was sorted out. As they left the police station, they spotted a Maybach parked outside. Simon Radfield, dressed in a suit, respectfully bowed to Jacob. "Mr. Blake." Next, Simon turned and saw Nicole. He paused, uncertain whether to acknowledge her. After being tormented by Jacob the day before and waking up early for a family gathering, Nicole was now feeling dizzy and exhausted. After a moment of hesitation, Simon decided it was best not to worsen the situation and quickly changed the subject. "Mr. Blake, you need to head to the company. The board of directors called an emergency meeting late last night. They have decided to approve the second round of financing to increase investment in the Sofita Resort project." Nicole, who had been sluggish, perked up instantly. Jacob frowned. "A second round of financing? Why the sudden escalation for an A-grade proposal? Was there a new strategy?"