"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
Christopher trembled as I stepped toward him. Although each of my steps was graceful and unhurried, they seemed to fill him with dread.At that moment, I felt like I was some kind of demon. Why else would it take so many bodyguards to hold Christopher down? I did not doubt that, if they let him go,
"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