Nicholas didn't come after me. He had more important things to attend to. Claudia was still waiting for him.Neal and I said our goodbyes at the entrance of the detention center. As I turned to leave, he called out to me."Ariana."I turned back and saw his sharp jawline tensed, his beautiful eyes h
"Mrs. Hawk, are you so eager to throw yourself into my arms?" Nicholas asked mockingly.The lingering warmth from my bath couldn't warm me up. The cold fabric of his suit pressed against me, and I shivered violently.I looked up at him, my body trembling from the sudden temperature change. "Who let
Nicholas leaned closer, glaring at me coldly. "The grievances between us can't be explained in a few words. Even if we could explain ours, you and Claudia's cannot be."I couldn't understand his logic at all. Why would two people who were destined not to have love torture each other by being togeth
I lowered my gaze, feeling ashamed. Calming myself down, I found the towel and wrapped it tightly around me, finally feeling a bit more secure. By then, Nicholas had already reached the door.I called out to him, "Aren't you afraid I'll take revenge on Claudia for what you did to me?"He turned back
Nicholas was more resourceful than I imagined. Just as my mom had said, it seemed like he had been waiting for me all along.After my conversation with my mom fell apart, he began to act without any reservations.I toyed with my phone, considering calling him, but then I dismissed the idea. What cou
Pete's order made things quieter on his end. His smile carried a hint of displeasure as he asked, "Ms. Ari, what did you just say?""I said we should go our separate ways," I replied.He shook his head. "What about the first part?""I said thank you."He gritted his teeth and said hoarsely, "I'm at
As my words fell, the expressions of the people in the private room varied.After growing up, my social circle no longer overlapped with Pete's, and most of the people in the room were unfamiliar to me.However, their keen interest in the situation was unmistakable. Perhaps they knew me from Pete's
"Have you ever seen a popular celebrity who gets into rumors and still survives without a scratch? Are you hoping for my company to lose money?" Pete retorted.Gabriela, who was adept at reading the room as expected from someone in the entertainment industry, nodded vigorously and returned to his si
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