I still remember how Pete had crashed my wedding. That was why I always tried to show off how happy I was with Nicholas. I'd successfully tricked him and tricked myself in the process.I wanted to tell him that it wasn't that Nicholas never spent any money on me. On the contrary, he'd spent so much
I felt as if I was floating above the clouds. The air felt light and gentle on my skin, and it was much easier to breathe here than it was in the private room.Just as I was getting comfortable, my head hit something hard. The pain was enough to rouse me a little—just barely. I opened my eyes only t
I had dreams of finding true love, but I also knew better than anyone else what a marriage alliance entailed. Love and loyalty were rare in our social circle.I would've preferred it if he had just kissed Claudia in front of me and told me that he'd never loved me. I would've accepted that all my lo
Forget it. It was no worse than getting bit by a dog. I shook my head hard and willed myself to think of other things.I still needed to get a job with Silas' team. I hoped that Pete wouldn't forget this promise and render all my efforts last night in vain.I couldn't bring myself to call Pete, so I
"I didn't say that," I said. "You have legs. You can go anywhere you want. I don't live here, anyway. I hadn't meant to come back here last night."To be honest, it wasn't hard to deal with Claudia. She had to keep up the pretense of being sweet and lovely, so thoughtfulness was one of her most impo
As if on cue, my heart began pounding."I didn't say anything to her," I retorted."Shut up. Just go to her college. If Claudia is hurt, you will pay for everything you've done!"Nicholas' cold voice was even more distressing than the sound of the call hanging up.I looked up at Pete and Silas. I kn
"I started it. For no other reason than the fact that she looks like she deserves a good punch in the face," Claudia said suddenly. "If I see you again, I'll punch you."Things descended into chaos just like that.When Nicholas arrived, the first thing he did was to grab Claudia, whom I was shieldin
I thought that Pete would laugh at my disheveled state. I thought that he would clap and ridicule me. It was what he'd done for more than 20 years, and he was good at it.I hadn't expected him to show such concern.However, I did not need concern or revenge at this time. All I wanted was some peace
"Christopher?" I gasped.I had planned to slip away quietly, but Christopher's desperate cries were so loud they drew a crowd. It was then I realized Coral Villa looked the same as before, yet it had changed in so many ways. Otherwise, where did all these people come from?A guard in black kicked C
Nicholas needed some time alone, and my mood did not ease from the heavy pain as I pushed open the door.Just a door between us, and we were each steeped in our own pain."Ah! Ah!"The sound of a little voice pulled me from my thoughts. I practiced my smile twice before I leaned over the railing. "
Nicholas lifted his gaze, shock and wonder filling his eyes."Tabitha… She really is my child. My child… Tabitha… Tabitha Hawk…"Suddenly, I was enveloped in a powerful embrace, his body trembling against mine. His heart thudded in rhythm with his shaking voice."My child… I really have a child…"I
"Alright. Let's eat first," Nicholas said.Considering my condition, Nicholas gestured for the maid to bring the meal in. In truth, he was nearly certain that Tabitha was his daughter. Her eyes mirrored his own, far more so than Pete's could ever. Back at the airport, when Nicholas was rushing back
Nicholas wasn't done yet. He kept adding more details. "This morning when I was trying to sleep, she wouldn't stop yelling. The whole house was trying to calm her down, and no one could. I got fed up and shoved her out the door. She has probably really been picked up by the garbage truck by now.""
The doctor smiled kindly as if he didn't notice anything."Mrs. Hawk, your head may still feel a little dizzy today, but it's nothing to worry about. After a light meal to regain some strength, you should take a walk and get some fresh air. You'll be feeling fully recovered soon."As he spoke, he st
But when someone genuinely cared about me, and that happened to be Nicholas, I didn't feel like crying as much anymore. I wasn't Claudia, and I wasn't good at showing weakness in front of him.I wiped away my tears and pulled up a chair to sit across from the bed. I took in everything I once knew so
When Nicholas reached out to embrace me, the touch of his skin felt almost magical, as if it peeled away my soul from my body. My spirit floated above, watching the two people who should never have intersected, now tightly wrapped in each other's arms.To make me more comfortable, Nicholas adjusted
My body felt like a boneless rag doll as Nicholas turned me over in his arms, inspecting me thoroughly. Then, as if I were trash, he dropped me beside him without a second thought.He let out a heavy sigh, pressing his trembling hand against his brow. He shot me a sidelong glance, muttering under hi