CHAPTER 22SIA POV"How time flies." He said, rising from the couch. "Few days ago, you were my fiancee and today, you are wearing another man's ring. I must confess, that wedding gown suits you so well"I narrowed my eyes, looking at him keenly. "That doesn't answer my question, Nathan. What are you doing in my house?"He broke into a mirthless laugh. "The last time I checked, your father had disowned you for causing him so much shame. So, technically, this isn't your house"I took some steps forward and closed up the space between Nathan and I. "I will ask this question one more time. What are you doing here?" I said, glaring at him. He reached out to touch my face and withdrew his hands. "Would it shock you to know that I know your every movement?"My mouth dropped open in disbelief, abd I quickly closed it. "Wha-what?""I knew the exact moment your fake husband dropped you off here."Fake husband?My heart almost flew right out my mouth as his words hit me. Was it easy for him
Chapter 23Nicholas' POVAs the car drove away from Sia's family house, I exhaled. I had no idea that I had been holding my breath for too long until now. At least, I could think clearly, now that she wasn't around me. I was beginning to notice features og her that shouldn't have even caught my attention in the first place. Her lips. So Soft and succulent. Oh my goodness!! The first time I kissed her lips was probably the night we met, and I was way too drunk to properly savor the feeling of having to tug softly at her lips, sucking at them. The next time we kissed was the night she has walked out of dinner at my grandfather's place, upset. And then, Lily showed up. I had no other way of proving to Lily that I was done with her than to kiss Sia.Now, the most recent kiss was the one at the wedding, in front of my family and friends.That kiss wasn't just a random one. I hated to admit it, but I had been earnestly looking forward to another opportunity where I had get to kiss S
SIA POVChapter 24My eyes opened slowly in a dark room. A stench hit my nostrils and I felt as though I was about to throw up. Where was I? I wondered as I blinked in the pitch darkness. A sharp jolt of pain shot at the back of my head, causing me to wince. The floor was damp and I knew this because I was lying on my face, and the coldness of the ground seeped through me. It was only when I attempted to push myself up from the ground that I realized that my hands were tied. I kicked my feet in the air. They were tied too. Panic snaked its way through me. My mouth ran dry as I gasped. "Hello?" I called out in horror. My voice bounced off the walls in the dark room, echoing. It seemed as though the room was empty because of how loud the echo was. "Is someone there? Anyone?" I cried out again, feeling tears well up in my eyes. I blinked rapidly, trying to stop myself from crying. I hated how I was always quick to break into tears, especially when I got confused or stressed out.
Nicholas' POVChapter 25"I'll be waiting to hear a word from you, Nicholas! Please, find my daughter." Mrs Stanton called out behind me as I made my way away from her front door, with Mark trudging after me. I didn't give her any response. My mind was a chaotic as different thoughts swirled in it. I took long strides back to the car, trying everything I could to stop myself from rushing back into Sia's family house to search it probably. It would only be a total waste of time, I reasoned. I didn't want to face Nathan again. Well, I couldn't trust myself to not throw a solid punch at his face. That liar!Nathan Sterling certainly had a whole lot of guts. He had guts to carelessly accuse of me knowing where Sia was. "Boss?" Mark's voice called out besides me. I turned sideways. His hand was outstretched as he held out his phone to me. I cocked my eyebrow at him, "uh?""You have a call from Gregory.""Damn it! Why does he have to call you in order to speak to me?" I asked, as I
Chapter 26Sia POV"I don't want to lose her!!" A high pitched voice cried out and I felt a jerk on my shoulder, causing another stab of pain to shoot its way through my body.My eyes opened slowly and shut almost immediately as the bright lights overheard almost blinded me. A shudder ran through me. "Do you think she'll be fine?" The voice spoke again. "Elise, if you want her to be okay..." A husky, male voice cut in "Can we start by having some silence? She isn't awake yet, but you're yapping and—""I don't appreciate being spoken to in that manner, Nicholas!" The other person said sharply. Where was I? I wondered.My head throbbed badly and I felt as though my skin was on fire. I zoned the speaking voices out of my head and kept my eyes shut. I was certain that they hadn't seen when I had first opened my eyes. I felt weak. Too weak to think about anything or anything. Rather, I remained, unmoving until I slowly slipped into unconsciousness. ~ ~ ~ ~The loud slam of a door jo
CHAPTER 27NICHOLAS POVDamn it!What the hell was wrong with me? How could I go from arguing with Sia in one minute to kissing her the next minute. I definitely deserved an award as the craziest man alive. I slowly pulled away from her face, gazing deeply into her eyes. Her breathing had become heavier and her forehead was all sweaty. "You asked whether I care about you, right?" I mumbled. Her jaw dropped open as she stared at me without any word. Our faces were only a few inches away from each other. For the first time, I noticed her light blue eyes, and something stirred within me. The taste of her lips still clung to mine, and it took everything in me to stop myself from cupping her chin to kiss her again. "I care about you, Sia" My voice was hoarse, "I care enough about your safety and as long as you are in my life as my contract wife, I will not put you in any position where you—""Eh-ehem! Am I interrupting anything here?" A voice spoke behind me, causing me to jump away
Chapter 28Nicholas POV"Who are you?" I asked, shoving my hands into my pockets.Something didn't feel right at all. I knew it.I shot a cold stare at the man before me, feeling my skin crawl. He didn't say a word. Rather, he stuck out his hand towards me, expecting a handshake. My eyes fell on his outstretched arm before I looked away from him. I set my lips in a hard line and spun around on my heels to face my mother. "Mum?" I called out, "Who is this?"My mother had a large grin on her face and for the first time, I noticed that she had makeup on. That was unusual. My mother rarely wore makeup at home. She cleared her throat noisily and walked up to me, flashing a smile at the stranger who stood before us. "This is Ethan." She said, as she pointed at the man. "He is a very good friend of your father. Actually, he was your father's bestfriend—""A friend of my father?" I cut in, eying the other man with irritation, "You never told me about him before.""Oh, Nicholas" She said,
CHAPTER 29SIA'S POV"Do you think he's okay?" Elise asked me as Nicholas pushed past her, on his way out of the room. "What do you mean?" I asked. I wasn't comfortable with talking about Nicholas, especially with a strange doctor in the room. Elise shrugged, "I don't know, really. He seemed..pissed off.""You need to rest, Sia." The doctor said calmly. She held one of my wrists and peered closely at it. I nodded, weak. "Uhm.. May I ask a question?" "Okay?" The doctor said with a warm smile, looking at me. "It's about Nicholas. Did he give you any instructions concerning —""You?" I bobbed my head, "Yes."She chuckled, "He did. He asked me to make sure you are alright.""And?"She narrowed her eyes at me, "Are you expecting to hear something else? Is everything okay?"I shot a glance at Sia who was winking at me from where she stood behind the doctor. "Oh. Okay. Very well, then." I stuttered. "I just needed to know what Nicholas told you while I was still unconscious."She eye
CHAPTER 49 NICHOLAS POV As I took brisk steps down the sterile, white hallway, my heart pounded in my chest. I needed air, I needed space, and most importantly, I needed to get away from this hospital. To take Sia with me, but the thought of the man waiting for me made my skin crawl. My jaw tightened.Why was Ethan here? I couldn't think of any reason why he would be looking for me in the hospital where Sia had been admitted. Or...had he been following me?That loser! I fumed underneath my breath. I shoved my hands into my pockets as I approached the lobby. Ethan stood there, lounging against the wall as if he owned the place. His hands were casually stuffed in his pockets, and there was a smug look on his face. The same face I had come to hate over the last few weeks. His eyes found mine the second I stepped out of drew close to him, and if it was even possible, his grin widened.“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped, my voice low and hard. Just the sight of him made m
CHAPTER 49 NICHOLAS POV As I took brisk steps down the sterile, white hallway, my heart pounded in my chest. I needed air, I needed space, and most importantly, I needed to get away from this hospital. To take Sia with me, but the thought of the man waiting for me made my skin crawl. My jaw tightened.Why was Ethan here? I couldn't think of any reason why he would be looking for me in the hospital where Sia had been admitted. Or...had he been following me?That loser! I fumed underneath my breath. I shoved my hands into my pockets as I approached the lobby. Ethan stood there, lounging against the wall as if he owned the place. His hands were casually stuffed in his pockets, and there was a smug look on his face. The same face I had come to hate over the last few weeks. His eyes found mine the second I stepped out of drew close to him, and if it was even possible, his grin widened.“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped, my voice low and hard. Just the sight of him made m
Chapter 48Nicholas POV I sat at my desk, trying to concentrate on the documents in front of me, but every word blurred. My thoughts drifted back to Sia, and the argument we’d had two days ago. I gritted my teeth. She could do whatever she wanted; it wasn’t my business, not anymore. But despite myself, I felt a pang of guilt, an unwelcome reminder that she was still my wife—contract or not.Just as I was about to bury myself back into my work, my phone rang. Gregory’s name flashed on the screen.I answered, a bit more curtly than usual. “What is it?”“Nicholas, you need to come to the hospital. Sia’s been admitted.” His voice was serious, almost grim.“What happened?” I demanded, already rising from my chair.“I think it’s best if you just come. She’s stable for now, but you should be here.”My pulse quickened. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”The drive to the hospital felt longer than usual. As I drove, my mind raced with thoughts of Sia lying alone in a sterile room, hurt and poss
CHAPTER 47SIA POVI didn't need to ask twice before knowing that Nicholas was not going to tell me who he had been speaking with on the phone. I knew that he had been talking to Lily. It was surprising, especially after she had behaved on the day of the press conference. Were they back together now?What was going on?Nicholas stared at me, his eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."His phone stopped ringing and I shrugged. "I don't care what you do with your ex-girlfriend," I said, turning away. Then, I walked out of the room, leaving him behind.As soon as I got downstairs, one of the security of the suite approached me. There was a worried look on his face. I frowned. "Any issues?"He nodded, drawing close on me. "There's someone at the big gates, asking to be let in.""Okay?""She fits the description of the person whom boss had warned us to not let into the property, Ma'am."An alarm rang in my head. Elise! That had to be Elise my bestfriend. I rushed out
Chapter 46Nicholas POV In the split of a second, I watched how Sia went from being shocked to being disappointed to being sad. Something broke inside me. Her eyes widened, shock etched on her face. She opened her mouth, then closed it, struggling to find words."What's wrong?" she finally managed.I rolled my eyes. Did she have to ask me such a stupid question?"Last night...it was a mistake," I repeated, tearing my gaze away from hers.Her face crumpled, and she edged backward, tears rolling down her cheeks. She hastily wiped them off."What did you expect?" I asked, trying to sound detached. "That we'd suddenly become romantic partners just because we shared one night of intimacy?"Sia's voice trembled. "No, I didn't expect that. What I did expect was that you'd be nice enough to stop pretending about what you want.""I'm not pretending," I said, my voice was cold.Sia's eyes flashed. "So, what you mean is that what we shared that night meant nothing to you?""Yes," I replied, as
CHAPTER 45 - Nicholas POVAs Lily began to kiss me, I almost pushed her away. Yet, I kissed her back. The best way to take down a cunning person like Lily was to be one step ahead of her, and that was exactly what I was ready to do. I planed my next move as I tugged softly on her lips. When I slowly pulled away, breaking the kids, she was looking at me with a smile on her lips. "I guess I have all morning to do this with you, Lily" I said with a hoarse voice, smirking.Her cheeks flushed as she twirled strange of her hair with a finger, seductively biting her lower lip. "Sure. How do you suggest we spend it before we get on the sheets?"Perfect!She asked the right question. Excitement almost burst through my chest as I pointed at the glass of champagne which she had left on the table. "Let's share a drink, first." I said, still smiling. Then, I gestured to the bottle of champagne which chilled in the ice bucket. "Allow me to pour out my drink myself." She jerked her head backwar
CHAPTER 44Nicholas POV I blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the haze.Where was I? My bed. I was in my bed. But...what happened last night? Sia laid next to me on the bed, one of her hands remained crossed on my chest and she snores lightly. Her head was on my other arm, and her hair was in my face. I held my breath. This wasn't true. Or...was it? Sia and I in bed together? I shut my eyes, forcing myself to snap out of this dream.I had to be dreaming! How did I spend almost a month, proving to Sia that I hated her in private, only to end up getting intimate with her in one night.Then, it happened. All of a sudden, the memories flooded my mind like a tidal wave.Sia, naked and trembling as I went beneath her. The shower. Her screams of pleasure.My fingers, my tongue...Fuck it!Did I sleep with her? No, we didn't...we didn't have sex. Relief washed over me. I gently extricated myself from the bed, careful not to disturb Sia .My nakedness hit me like a slap. What had I been
Chapter 43SIA POV How long could it take before a human heart could explode as a result of pumping too much blood?I needed to know, because with the rate at which my heart was pounding against my chest, I was so damn sure that it could explode. Nicholas sensed my uneasiness as he got into the bathroom. He placed a kiss on my forehead before lowering me to the floor. We got into the shower and he proceeded to bathe me, as though I was a child. He was gentle with me, making me to winder whether he was the same man whose life purpose was to be cold and rude towards me. I forced myself to stop thinking about our past. My past with him. And, I focused on the sensation of his hands rubbing soap all over my body. He was naked too. His cock was erect, and pulsing. It was hard not to look at it, so I focused on his face. When he turned on the shower, he pressed my body against his in hug as we stood underneath the showerhead. Water trickled down our hair and our body. My nipples we
CHAPTER 42SIA POV I had no idea what I was doing, but I was so sure I wanted it. I wanted this. I wanted to be seen, at least, for once by the very man who triggered something in me. I wanted to know that he wasn't just putting up a facade of non-chalance for me, while trying to shownthe world that i meant something to him. That was our plan, wasn't it?But now, I was willing to be stupid enough to admit that I wanted more. I wanted to see something that I shouldn't even desire to see.To see that, deep down, a part of him was begining to crave me as much I was begining to want him. Fuck it!I wanted him to be inside me again. Afterall, wasn't that the begining of my misery with him? Making him to get inside me, huh? I didn't care anymore. Nothing else mattered, except the raw lust that burned in his eyes as he stared down at me from the foot of the bed."I'm trying my best to keep my senses intact, Sia." He said with a low growl, stepping away from the bed. I sat up immediatel