Chapter 1956 Please Help Me


    Nichs stood at the mansion entrance, watching the car disappear into the distance, a shadow of sadness in his eyes. He was alone. The wind blew bitterly cold, and soon he began to cough, the sound rough in the quiet evening.


    A housekeeper stepped outside and, upon seeing him, couldn''t help but say, "Mr. Nichs, it''s freezing out here. Why don''t you head back inside?"


    Nichs shook his head. “No, I need to go out."


    "Would you like me to grab you a coat?"


    "No need," he replied again, brushing the suggestion off and heading straight for his car.


    To the housekeepers, Nichs always seemed approachable, polite, humble, and without the airs expected of someone in his position.


    Inside the car, hisposed mask finally cracked, and a flicker of his buried anger appeared. He was driving, but he had no real destination in mind. For the first time, he realized just how isted he had be.


    He eventually found himself parked outside the residential area where Jocelyn lived. Sitting in the driver''s seat, he stared up at her building, a heavy weight pressing down on his chest.


    Jocelyn had quit her job some time ago, and since then, Nichs had been on edge. More than once, he''d nearly lost control.


    He had only ever felt like this once before-when he was abroad for treatment and found out that Cecilia had married his own brother.


    He never thought that strange, helpless feeling would return, yet here it was again. It pressed down on his chest, robbed him of sleep, and scattered his thoughts. His entire life had been thrown off bnce.


    Coincidentally, or maybe not, just then, he saw Jocelyn walking with Yannick, grocery bags in the man''s hand as the two chatted andughed casually.


    Suddenly, Jocelyn stopped in her tracks, eyes fixed ahead. She had spotted the license te it was unmistakably Nichs'' car.


    Yannick noticed her sudden pause and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "That''s Nichs'' car," Jocelyn replied, not bothering to hide it.


    She hadn''t contacted Nichs since quitting. The moment she found out he had orchestrated that hit on Yannick, her feelings toward him hadpletely changed. Yannick followed her gaze, frowning slightly. “What''s he doing here?"


    There was no proof tying Nichs to anything, so Yannick couldn''t confront him directly.


    "I don''t know. Let''s just go," Jocelyn said quietly. She didn''t want any confrontation between the two of them.


    "All right," he agreed, and, as if on purpose, reached out to take Jocelyn''s hand as they passed Nichs'' car.


    Nichs sat there, unmoving, not even rolling the window down. Once the couple disappeared from view, he reached for a cigarette. But before he could light it, his phone rang.


    Who is it at this hour?


    He looked at the screen. It was andline number he didn''t recognize. Maybe it was the loneliness that finally got to him because he stared at it for a moment, then answered


    "Who is this?"


    "Mr. Nichs, it''s me, Ste," came a familiar voice on the other end.


    Nichs'' eyes narrowed. "Why are you calling me?"


    "Mr. Nichs, I''ve always been loyal to you. Please, you have to help me," Ste pleaded, her voice tinged with panic.


    She was in a psychiatric hospital, pretending to be unstable. It had been manageable until recently, when she got a new


    ???


    roommate-someone genuinel violent and unpredictable. The attacks were random and relentless. She couldn''t take it anymore.


    Nichs listened quietly. "Sorry, I can''t help you."


    He had his own problems. Even though Nathaniel hadn''te at him directly, hispany was being pressured constantly.