Chapter 103: Unknown Confession

Chapter 103: Unknown Confession
The early morning breeze kissed Nicole’s skin as she jogged along the quiet park trail.

This was part of her daily routine, a way to clear her mind and keep her body sharp.

But today she felt restless, and a spurt of restlessness compelled her to run further than usual.

She had told Carter and Collins to sit in the car and wait while she took the shortcut across the street, not wishing to draw any unnecessary attention to herself.

She hardly ever left their line of vision, but today she needed the privacy.

As her feet pounded against the gravel path, Nicole’s thoughts drifted to her plans, the pieces of her revenge slowly falling into place.

The rhythmic motion of running always helped her think. But her peace was short-lived.

Just a few meters ahead, she spotted a familiar figure.

Veronica Fury, jogging in the opposite direction, her face twisted in concentration.

Nicole’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected this encounter, not here, not now.

Veronica didn’t seem to notice her at first, but as they approached each other, recognition dawned on the older woman’s face.

Her stride faltered, and then she stopped entirely, a wicked smirk spreading across her lips.

Nicole passed by without breaking her pace, but the smugness in Veronica’s expression made her stop.

She made a half-hearted attempt at pulling out her phone, pretending to punch in some digits, then inserted it into a small pouch dangling from the top of her leggings.

Slowly, she shifted to face Veronica.

"Well, there's the devil," drawled Veronica. "If it isn't Nicole Okeke. Or perhaps I should be saying, the thorn to my family's flesh?"

Nicole folded her arms, her breathing steady despite the jog. “Veronica,” she replied coolly. “Out for a run? Or plotting your next scheme?”

Veronica’s eyes gleamed with malice. “Oh, darling, I don’t need schemes to deal with someone like you. You’re a gnat, buzzing around where you don’t belong.”

Nicole's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Buzzing? That's rich, coming from the woman who can't seem to stay out of my business."

The air was alive with tension as every word was laced with years of resentment.

Veronica took a step closer, her voice dropping into a venomous whisper. "You should have stayed down when I crushed you the first time."

Nicole's jaw tightened, but she didn't look away. "You mean when you sent that thug to beat me within an inch of my life? Or when I lost my child because of you?"

Veronica's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before she regained composure. "Oh, please. You've always been dramatic. I had nothing to do with your.... unfortunate accident."

Nicole moved closer, her voice low but steady. "Accident? That's what you call it? A man appears out of nowhere, attacked me outside my apartment, and leaves me bleeding on the ground? All because I dared to marry your son."

Veronica’s smile faded, replaced by a hardened glare. “You were a mistake, Nicole. You were never good enough for Taylor. I did what I had to do to protect my family.”

Nicole’s chest tightened, but she refused to let Veronica see her pain. “Protect your family? By destroying mine? By killing an innocent child?”

Veronica’s lips curled into a sneer. “Yes, and don’t act like you were blameless. You were a gold-digger, latching onto my son for his money and status. You deserved everything that happened.”

The words hit Nicole across the face like a blow, but she took a stand.

"You're wrong," she said. "I loved Taylor and, despite everything that was happening between us, I tried to make this marriage work. But you… you couldn't bear the idea of anyone supplanting you in his life."

Veronica took another step closer, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper.

“You’re damn right. And if you don’t back off now, you’ll find out just how far I’m willing to go to protect what’s mine.”

Nicole’s lips curved into a knowing smile. She had what she needed. “Thank you, Veronica,” she said softly, her tone almost mocking.

Veronica blinked, taken aback by Nicole's change of heart. "What do you mean? What the fuck are you thanking me for?"

Nicole took off running down the trail. She called over her shoulder, "For confirming what I already knew."

Veronica stood there, caught up too late.

Her mouth opened to speak, but Nicole was already disappearing down the trail.

Nicole jogged till she reached her car parked by the trailhead. She was breathing in tight gasps, more from adrenaline than from exertion.

Collins was the first to spot her tensed face. "Boss, are you okay?" he asked, with a concern that was laced through his voice.

Nicole nodded, her face a mask. "I'm fine," she said, climbing into the back seat. "Let's go home."

Carter cast her a look in the rearview mirror.

His sharp eyes caught the slight tremble of her hands. "What happened?" he asked.

Nicole hesitated for a moment and then reached into the pouch at her waist. She pulled out her phone.

She scrolled through her recordings and pressed play button. Veronica’s venomous voice filled the car.

“You were a mistake, Nicole. You were never good enough for Taylor. I did what I had to do to protect my family.”

Collins’s eyes widened as he listened, his knuckles tightening around the steering wheel. “How did you get this?”

Nicole’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “Let’s just say Veronica’s ego got the better of her.”

Carter let out a low whistle. “This is big. You’ve got her confession.”

Nicole’s smile faded, replaced by a steely resolve. “It’s a start. But we’re not done yet. This is just one piece of the puzzle.”