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
I should thank these two women. They'd given me a new perspective on my marriage. What I possessed, which was something others admired, wasn't what I truly desired. Despite my efforts to explain, they never trusted me and kept their distance.I gazed at them, realizing that words were futile, and as
Claudia and I didn't budge. Nicholas frowned and said icily, "You two sit at the back."I wondered silently if he truly wanted to reconcile with Claudia. His tone was surprisingly harsh. Since I had accepted his terms the day before, I withheld my anger to ensure I could live separately from him and
I had already run out of patience with today's conversation. The task was already completed, and it was time to bring this pointless dialogue to an end. "Don't worry, I've already spoken with Nicholas about—""Ariana!" Nicholas interrupted sharply."About what?" Claudia asked."We're almost there,"
I wasn't accustomed to handling such a large SUV. It felt unwieldy. Even though not everyone recognized the brand, the luxury of the Hawks' vehicle was unmistakable as it cruised down the road. I floored the pedal, and other cars started to veer aside. My attention was solely on the road ahead."Cl
In the bustling hospital, Nicholas stood out effortlessly. Tall and strikingly handsome, his presence commanded attention even as bloodstains marked his attire. Keeping a low profile was out of the question. I had always believed Nicholas treated me with respect. His manners were impeccable, especi
Nicholas' entire body trembled violently, his mouth opening and closing for a long time without being able to utter a single word."My father… wasn't it because of my mother…""It was your mother who ordered it, and Claudia carried it out!"Nicholas still couldn't comprehend, his voice hollow and di
Nicholas started trembling uncontrollably, anger surging through him almost instantly, consuming every fiber of his being.Although he was aware that there were still some unresolved misunderstandings between him and me, she had already said she didn't mind. He had thought it wasn't something import
The ambulance arrived swiftly, its flashing red warning lights casting Yasmine's pale face in an even starker hue.She got into the ambulance with Leo, while Nicholas and I drove together to the hospital.Nicholas sighed regretfully, "I arranged everything as quickly as I could, but I was still a bi
The crowd was gripped by terror, some clutching their heads and scattering in panic. Seeing the commotion, the bodyguards fired two shots into the ceiling.Nelson, emboldened, began to struggle fiercely, and Leo started losing control of him.Despite his injuries, Leo gritted his teeth, snatched the
I could hardly believe it—something even Neal couldn't achieve, Nicholas managed effortlessly. The evidence against Nelson was laid bare for everyone to see.I stared coldly at Nelson, already envisioning his inevitable downfall.It turned out that beyond his flesh trade, he had also ventured into t
The auction hall's large screen flickered, casting an unsettling light and filling the room with a sense of dread. The once-curious crowd now stared wide-eyed, frightened by Claudia's eerie smile and the sinister laughter echoing from the speakers.Nicholas spread his coat wide and wrapped me tightl
Nelson stumbled to the front of the stage, grabbed the microphone from the host, and shouted loudly, "Today's auction is canceled! Canceled!"Nicholas stood up calmly and said, "Since there was a bid, and my bid complies with the rules, this land is already mine! There's no justification for canceli
The auctioneer initially thought starting the bid at zero would ignite a frenzy in the auction room, given that this was a plot of land worth over 100 million dollars.But the moment he announced the starting price, the entire venue fell into an eerie silence.With Nicholas present, no one dared to
On our way back, Leo was still standing beside Yasmine. When he saw us approaching, he surprisingly nodded at both me and Nicholas—a rare acknowledgment.I frowned and glared at him. He had upset Yasmine again! I had expected Nicholas to ignore him entirely, but to my surprise, he nodded back sligh