Chapter 1421

Chapter 1421:

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The driver thought to himself that if anyone was crazy, it was Nicole. A man of Jarrod's stature proposing to her, and she turned him down?

If the high society ladies of Ardlens knew about this, they would be lining up for the chance to marry Jarrod. This woman clearly didn't recognize what was good for her…

Seeing the driver ignoring her, Nicole turned to Jarrod. “Jarrod, tell him to stop the car!”

“Stop the car,” Jarrod ordered, and the car came to a stop.

Then, maintaining his relaxed position, Jarrod lazily asked, “Have you made up your mind yet?”

Before getting out of the car, Nicole stopped dead at Jarrod's words.

Jarrod's lips parted slightly. “Nicole, if you leave the car right now, our agreement is over, and believe me, there will be no second chances.”

He seemed to understand her well and added indifferently: "I won't force you. Please think about it."

Nicole didn't move. Her body seemed to have turned to stone at that moment. She didn't know what getting out of the car would lead to, but the idea of ​​marrying Jarrod seemed totally absurd. How could she marry that man?

They were enemies. Even though they were Austin's parents, the deep animosity that existed between them was unchangeable.

Nicole didn't want to marry Jarrod, not in this lifetime, and she wouldn't even consider it. Considering it for even a second longer seemed like a betrayal of her late father.

What had driven his father to fatally jump off that building? Who had cornered him in such despair? Jarrod was partially at stake. These were undeniable truths that left no room for debate.

Taking a deep breath, Nicole placed her hand on the doorknob and declared, “I’m very clear about this. “Jarrod, I don’t want to marry you.”

She then opened the door. Just as she was about to get out of the car, Jarrod's shrieking voice came from behind her. “So, can you agree to be my lover, to share my bed, but not to be part of my family?”

Nicole shudded slightly. Jarrod had penetrated his deepest thoughts. Her acceptance of the proposal was nothing more than a temporary safeguard for Austin and Roscoe.

Lacking a better plan at the moment and with Austin's safety at stake, she felt forced to compromise.

Once the immediate danger had been mitigated, he planned to abandon Jarrod.

Further entangling their identities would only complicate her eventual departure, a scenario she could not bear, being permanently linked to Jarrod's name.

With his keen perception, Jarrod understood all these unspoken thoughts in Nicole's mind.

That was precisely why he set conditions that would bind Nicole tightly to him. However, his consideration could not be spoken out loud as Nicole hated his core, a fact he understood perfectly.

Jarrod had forced himself not to show any kindness towards Nicole in case she could take advantage of it. His attempt to make up for his previous mistreatment of her was one thing. However, he could never bear to see her leave his side.

Now that Jarrod had realized that Nicole was the only one he wanted, with the complexities of their shared past, his only option was to make sure she couldn't leave his side.

It was not enough to have her by his side. She had to be legally recognized as his wife to be truly united to him.

This agreement would prevent him from disappearing without a trace whenever he wanted, as he had done before. He could not allow history to repeat itself.

Nicole replied, “Since you understand my intentions, you must understand that I cannot always be near you, because…” She paused and then said clearly, “Your presence disgusts me. How could I stay by your side?”

"Is it disgusting all that exists between us?" Jarrod asked, his voice uncertain, almost trembling.

Nicole pressed her lips together and decided to remain silent. She thought back and knew that she hadn't always hated Jarrod to the core. There had been that time on the mountain road when he had risked his life to save her, after which he had nearly fallen off a cliff.

At that time, she didn't even recognize him, and only found out it was him after he had saved her. At that moment, other feelings besides hatred arose.

These emotions were not his desire for revenge. The feelings were intense and unexpected, like green grass sprouting between the cracks of a barren desert, stubbornly piercing his frozen heart.

However, Nicole quickly shut down those emerging feelings, feeling that they should never have arisen in the first place. She and Jarrod had no future. She couldn't allow inappropriate emotions to disturb and shake her resolve.

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