Chapter 1673:

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While abroad, Nicole was introduced to WDC, a prestigious company famous for its strict admissions criteria. The workload within its walls was notoriously intense. However, whenever she ran into Rhett, he always made time to attend to her.

Nicole found this odd. She asked Raegan, “How well do you know Mr. Bates?”

“Not much. I know of his remarkable performance in the Dixon Group. Rhett visited us once, expressing his gratitude to the Dixon Group for the formation. It was quite a coincidence. At that time, he mentioned his need for a divorce attorney. Rhett had just related that he had won a complicated divorce case, a matter I had heard about. Given the complexity of that case, I figured if anyone could help you against Jarrod, it would be him,” Raegan explained.

Nicole’s suspicions grew as she listened intently. She found it an extraordinary coincidence that Rhett brought up his experience in divorce cases just when she was in need of legal help. Had it not been for Rhett, Raegan might have sought help elsewhere. One case could be considered mere coincidence, but the repetition of timely appearances seemed to go beyond coincidence.

An unsettling feeling gnawed at Nicole. “Do you think Rhett is trustworthy?” she asked.

“Rhett seems decent enough. The only peculiar thing is his lack of romantic entanglements. I heard he maintained a close relationship with a girlfriend who tragically passed away,” Raegan said.

Nicole seized on the crucial detail. “What were the circumstances surrounding his girlfriend’s passing?”.

“I’m not sure,” Raegan replied. “I’ll have to ask my husband to investigate on her behalf.”

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“Could you instruct Mitchel to investigate discreetly, making sure Mr. Bates remains ignorant?” asked Nicole.

“Sure,” replied Raegan readily. “But what is motivating this investigation – has he uncovered anything – is Mr. Bates a threat? Then you should stay away from him. Share your findings and Mitchel will dig deeper.”

Raegan felt a surge of anxiety. She had introduced Rhett to Nicole, so any affair with him would weigh heavily on her conscience, potentially endangering her closest friend.

Nicole refrained from confirming anything, not wanting to alarm Raegan unnecessarily. She shook her head. “It’s nothing. I simply wish to delve deeper into his background. He’s been immensely helpful and I want to make sure of his integrity.”

“Understood. I’ll call for help,” said Raegan, who was already picking up the phone to contact her husband.

At the end of the meal, Mitchel returned her call. Raegan relayed the message to him. “It says Rhett’s girlfriend passed away due to illness. However, records indicate it was a rare disease.”

Exhaling deeply, Nicole felt a wave of relief wash over her, assuming she might have been overthinking things. She’d had the idea that Rhett harbored animosity toward her family, her imagination roaming freely.

When they finished eating, they parted ways, each heading in their own direction. Arriving home, Nicole felt unable to shake a nagging sense of restlessness, leading her to go to bed early.

The next morning, she was startled awake by a cacophony of noises from outside. Without hesitation, Nicole yanked open the door, only to find herself immediately obstructed from view by the two vigilant bodyguards stationed there.

“What’s wrong?” asked Nicole, with a tone of urgency in her voice.

“Nothing to worry about, Miss Lawrence. Go back and rest,” one of the bodyguards reassures her.

Despite his reassuring words, Nicole remained unconvinced. She refused to be kept in the dark and decided to face the danger. She overtook the watchmen and came upon a lifeless animal in the doorway, its small tail sticking out amidst a background of blood.

The strong smell of blood triggered Nicole’s gag reflex, and she ran to the bathroom to expel the contents of her stomach. Once Nicole regained her composure, she retraced her steps back to the door from which the deceased animal had been removed.

“Make sure it’s properly buried,” she ordered her.

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