"What a miser you are, Mr. Hawk. How much did that ointment cost? 20 bucks?" I pursed my lips and looked Nicholas in the eye as I spoke. I was angry. I was angry that he treated Claudia so well, yet tried to humiliate me with some medicine that barely cost anything.Shrouded in the shadows, Nichola
"Malicious intent?" Nicholas echoed. After a moment of consideration, he asked, "Who was responsible?""Mr. Hawk, it was Mr. Shelman. He mentioned he had a close call today and wanted to see how difficult driving really is. Unfortunately, he lost control of the steering…" Beth's voice tapered off.
Nicholas let me go, not because of our past, but because Claudia was expecting him. He commanded, "Dry your tears. Watch your words when we get back."The journey back to Hawk Manor was silent, with none of us saying a word.I sat in the passenger seat, while Claudia, clearly scared, huddled into Ni
Claudia rested in Nicholas' embrace, wiping her tears away. Yet, he remained resolute in his decision.I lost interest in watching further, but I was intrigued by the guy Nicholas had mentioned and his relationship with Claudia. Would someone as influential as Nicholas even tolerate Claudia mention
Nicholas was a devoted son. The moment I uttered those disrespectful words, he seemed ready to explode. Before he could react, the maid ascended the stairs and knocked on our door.Claudia's altercation on campus had drawn the attention of the Hawks. The principal learned that Nicholas planned to tr
Nicholas' voice was husky, with a hint of danger lurking beneath. I stiffened immediately, my body reacting sharply to his touch. His fingertip trailed down my spine, sending a warmth through me. I couldn't suppress a gasp as he delicately pressed against the small of my back. Then, I heard the fai
"Say that again!" Mom's arm shot up as if ready to strike me, but Nicholas intervened from across the room."Brenda, Ariana and I have had some disagreements lately. I'll talk to her about it.""Oh! Was I interrupting your call? I'll go now. I didn't mean to keep you both." Mom hadn't expected Nicho
I first reinforced Nicholas' psychological defenses, then lowered his expectations to gain agreement. True to form, he agreed in a detached tone."I wouldn't lay a finger on you again even if you begged me to."I smiled triumphantly, though inside, I felt less than pleased. My smile faded and I quie
Nicholas held one of Tabitha's outfits in his hands. It was so small it seemed no larger than a face towel he used to wash his face. He handled them with such care that his overflowing fatherly love seemed to seep into the fabric.I looked into his eyes earnestly and said, "You still have time to be
I pulled Nicholas' hands off my shoulders and turned silently to look out the window.The reflection in the car window showed his pain. I saw him open his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing.When we arrived at Coral Villa, the driver parked in front of the gate.As if eager to please me, Nichola
The drive back was silent and suffocating. Nicholas and I were separated by an invisible barrier, and neither of us dared to say another word to each other.His phone rang, breaking the oppressive quiet. After a few brief responses, he hung up and turned to me. "The police said her injuries are too
The sky had grown dark. A heavy feeling settled in my chest. I wanted to step out and get some air.Nicholas was still seething with anger at Claudia. But he refused to let go of me, holding my hand tightly.In a hoarse voice, I shook my head and said expressionlessly, "I'm not interested in her apo
Nicholas snapped, "Are you done yet?"He grabbed the vase next to him and hurled it at Claudia.The vase, though empty of flowers, still held water. It shattered against the wall with a crash, and shards of glass and water poured over Claudia's head.Claudia barely managed to hold her breath. She co
I fixed my gaze calmly on Claudia. "Alright. Go ahead. I'm listening."Nicholas abruptly shot to his feet, as if a dagger were pressed against his back. He stormed toward Claudia, his anger so palpable he looked ready to strangle her with his bare hands.I quickly pulled him back. "I promise, if any
Upon hearing Nicholas' words, I couldn't deny the twinge of emotion that stirred within me.Was this the misunderstanding Pete had hinted at between Nicholas and me? So Nicholas had actually cut ties with Claudia long ago?A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Had Nicholas not been with Claudia during t
Nicholas stared coldly at Claudia, who stubbornly met his gaze. No one else in the room reacted much."What else have you done? Tell me everything now, or the consequences will be worse if I find out later," Nicholas demanded, his tone sharp and commanding.Claudia bit her lip hard. It was hard to t
Nicholas walked over and stood behind me, his presence bringing a trace of sunlight and a hint of warmth. He gently wrapped his arms around my waist. The scent of sunlight was warm and pleasant, but I was inexplicably cold and trembled uncontrollably.Under Claudia's glaring, furious eyes, he reste