Chapter 1569

Chapter 1569:

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Jarrod started to walk away. Nicole reached out, grabbing her arm from behind. “Don't act like that, Jarrod. Reacting in anger won't fix anything. “I’m hurting over Alec’s death too, but we can’t let our problems affect the boy,” she said softly, pleadingly.

Jarrod, however, shrugged coldly. “Go be with your Roscoe. “Austin doesn’t need you.”

Nicole watched helplessly as Jarrod walked away, heartbroken for Austin and overwhelmed by the chaos her life had plunged into.

Nicole was well aware that Jarrod's resentment towards Roscoe had not abated. Despite his repeated attempts to explain it to him, Alec's second suicide attempt had closed the subject for good, making any further discussion seem unfair to Alec.

Nicole processed this silently until Jarrod abruptly interrupted her by throwing a divorce agreement onto the bed. “Here's the freedom you wanted,” Jarrod said sharply.

Stunned, Nicole saw that the divorce papers were already prepared. Without another word, Jarrod left the room, ending her confinement.

Shortly afterwards a hesitant maid came in. “Madam, Mr. Schultz has asked me to help you pack. “He told me that he is moving,” she said, clearly uncomfortable, as she knew nothing about Nicole’s departure.

Shocked by the sudden turn of events, Nicole realized she had no choice but to leave. Although she understood Jarrod's motives, she could never satisfy them. Haunted by the memory of sleepless nights, she resolved to never give up her maternal rights.

Quickly gathering her few belongings, Nicole sent Jarrod a firm text: “Jarrod, I agree to the divorce but insist on visitation with Austin. He is growing up and has memories of us. I wish to remain in his life without harming his well-being. Please consider this carefully.”

With her message sent, Nicole said goodbye to the village, a place she had just begun to call home.

In the car, Jarrod's frustration was palpable as he read Nicole's long message on his phone. With a grimace, he threw the phone against the back of the seat, starting his driver.

The driver, seeing Jarrod's worried expression in the rearview mirror, asked timidly, "Mr. Schultz, is something wrong?"

Jarrod looked at the shattered screen of his phone and muttered, “Nothing.”

Then he looked back out the window, staring at the blurry landscape, his expression worried. He has noticed that Nicole always seemed able to walk away from him without looking back. Maybe, he thought, it was time to really let her go and give her the independence she sought.

Nicole settled into her old family home, a property she had repurchased after selling it years earlier.

She had been in contact with real estate agents to buy it back if it ever came back on the market. When the opportunity arose due to the current owner's financial difficulties, Nicole acted quickly and bought it back.

The house, which had been appreciated considerably over the years, needed an additional million dollars to complete the purchase. Its prime location was something the previous owner would not have given up under normal circumstances.

Having kept the house just as it was before she married Jarrod, Nicole always thought she might return. Once back, she settled in and went to check her mailbox, which she had continued to use as a permanent address regardless of her whereabouts.

Among the usual bills, she found the reports of the genetic tests and medical checkups that Roscoe had recommended her to renew.

When Nicole opened them, she was stunned to find that all the values ​​were within normal ranges, which was surprising considering her history of poor health following a stomach operation. It seemed almost miraculous, as if an elixir had restored her health.

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