"Clearly, he doesn't love me," I thought when I heard Nicholas say those words.
It seemed that once I saw things clearly, I could find evidence of how he didn't love me everywhere. Nicholas had no patience left for me.
I fixed my gaze on Nicholas as if trying to see through him. However, I looked away after a moment. I didn't want to probe any further as I had lost all hope in him.
Seeing that I didn't move, Nicholas grabbed my wrist and dragged me away. When I realized that Nicholas was taking me to the walk-in wardrobe, I tried to resist. I no longer wanted to step inside after thinking about what he did there this morning.
Nicholas' expression darkened and he spoke coldly. "Ariana, how can I take you to Hawk Manor in this state?"
I glanced down at myself. My neatly ironed clothes were now wrinkled all because of what he did earlier. Indeed, I couldn't wear them anymore.
Since the issue between Nicholas and I wasn't properly resolved yet, it wasn't the proper time to let his parents know about our divorce. I still had to go meet them.
I persuaded myself to compromise and said, "Why don't you pick out something for me to wear?"
Nicholas replied sarcastically, "You're even giving me orders now?"
I asked in a calm tone, "Is it too much to ask you to pick out an outfit for me?"
I had never enjoyed any sort of service from him before. I was the one who managed his life meticulously after our marriage. Now that we were going to get a divorce, I wished to make it up to myself somehow.
Soon, Nicholas draped a bluish-white gown over my head. His words were cutting as he spoke coldly, "I'll only do this once. Other wives don't get treatment like this."
Other wives might not get special treatment, but Claudia did. Nicholas personally waited on his stepsister's hand and foot, but doing it for me meant doing me a favor.
In other marriages, husbands even washed their wives' feet. What was the big deal about picking out an outfit?
I pulled the dress off my head and turned to go to the bedroom upstairs. Nicholas stayed behind. He clearly preferred to be in the walk-in wardrobe.
The gown was made of satin and embroidered with intricate patterns of moons and flowers. I felt like I was walking amongst a sea of flowers when I put on the gown. It made my movements light and graceful.
I stood in front of the mirror and admired my sexy curves, which contrasted with Claudia's petite frame. At the age of 26, I was at the most beautiful stage of womanhood. The fitted gown suited me well as it clung to my figure and showed off my feminine curves.
I simply pinned up my long hair with a hairpin and took a matching scarf before heading downstairs.
Nicholas was sitting on the couch. He was dressed in a crisp suit, and he had an indifferent expression on his face. He heard the sound of footsteps and stood up to look at me.
His features were impeccably perfect separately. Together, they highlighted his dignified aura. Nicholas succeeded in drawing my full attention just by standing there.
Unlike me, there was no amazement in Nicholas' eyes. He casually fiddled with a string of rosary beads in his hand. "Aren't you going to put on any jewelry? My mom will think that the Hawk family is going bankrupt!"
After saying that, Nicholas left me to go start the car in the courtyard.
Nicholas' parents were always kind to me. Thinking about how he might get scolded for this amused me slightly. In actual fact, I just wanted to avoid entering the walk-in wardrobe. I followed after Nicholas silently.
When I opened the car door to the passenger side, Nicholas stopped me. "You sit in the back."
"Why?"
"We're stopping by the hospital first. Claudia isn't feeling well, so let her sit in the front," he replied.
My fingers clenched the door handle so hard that my knuckles turned white. The smile on my face instantly vanished.
In those few seconds, it felt like my world was hit by an earthquake. I got into the backseat while feeling shattered and broken-hearted. I couldn't help but feel suffocated under the rubble while others stomped all over the broken pieces of my life triumphantly.
Claudia was recovering well, except her gait seemed a little awkward. But with Nicholas supporting her the whole time, anyone who didn't know better wouldn't think twice about it.
The previously sullen atmosphere in the car became lively. Even when I closed my eyes and pretended to take a nap, Claudia refused to leave me alone.
She dragged Nicholas and me into conversation with her. "Nick, I'm so glad that you and Ariana came to pick me up. From now on, please take me with you wherever you go for a trip. I wish that each day with our family can be as happy as today!"
I didn't respond, and Nicholas remained silent as well. Claudia asked again, "Nick, how about it?"
"Alright," he answered.
Not satisfied with just his answer, Claudia turned to me and whined, "Ariana, Ariana…"
I had no choice but to answer, "Okay."
"Then, I'm relieved. You two must not fight anymore," Claudia said.
I used to call her a little troublemaker out of affection back then, but now I could see how skillful Claudia was in manipulating us.
Claudia used her coquettish wheedling as a tool and revolved her life around Nicholas. She aimed to make me see how tightly Nicholas was wrapped around her finger through their interactions.
Well, she clearly succeeded.
Frances gave me a warm hug when we arrived at Hawk Manor. She pulled me into the kitchen. Seeing my injured hand, Frances gently blew on it and asked with concern, "What happened? Does it hurt?"
I pulled my hand back as my heart ached at the thought. I didn't want to speak in detail about what happened at the hospital, so I brushed it off nonchalantly.
Frances carefully brought out a bowl of herbal tonic. "I went to Flaken City a few days ago. There is a famous traditional medicine clinic there, and I got this to help boost your fertility."
She pushed the bowl toward me and stared expectantly at my stomach. "Drink it while it's still warm."
Frances often prepared tonics as supplements for Nicholas and me. She was clearly eager to have a grandchild, but how could one bear a child alone? I was incapable of asexual reproduction.
Despite my thoughts, I pinched my nose and drank the herbal tonic. Frances promptly placed a candy in my mouth to take away the bitter taste.
"Good girl," Frances said with a smile. "Take this bowl to Nick. That rascal won't listen to whatever I say."
If my marriage with Nicholas truly reached the point of no return, I felt this familial bond with Frances would be the hardest to let go of.
I carried the tray to Nicholas. Then, I bent down and said shyly, "Honey, Frances made this tonic for you. Drink it while it's hot. Maybe she and Daniel are hoping for a grandchild."
Everyone in the room was shocked, except me. After all, I used to maintain the reservedness of a lady in front of the man I loved. I had never been so direct before.
Daniel chuckled and said, "Of course not. You both should follow your own pace when it comes to having children. It's just that Mr. Shelman Senior keeps showing off his grandkids in our fishing group chat. Ari, don't you think he's being annoying?"
Daniel said so much in one breath that he started coughing violently. He had worked hard for the Hawk Corporation in the first half of his life and ruined his health. Otherwise, he wouldn't have retired early to enjoy a life of fishing to recuperate.
As Daniel's health deteriorated, all his energy was spent on hospital visits. Now that he couldn't enjoy his hobbies, he could only focus on continuing the family legacy.
I patted his back and comforted him while Nicholas pursed his lips. Feeling satisfied that I didn't mention the divorce, he smiled slightly and drank the tonic in one gulp.
I leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "Now it won't taste bitter." Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Claudia's smile had frozen on her face.
I wouldn't be the first to break the facade in front of others who were unaware of what happened. It wasn't my fault if someone else couldn't handle the pressure and exposed the truth.
The closer I got to the truth, the more scared I became. Yet, I couldn't control my desire to test the waters…
