"Nick, let Ms. Jones go. She didn't mean to push me. I'm fine," said Jasmine, playing the understanding woman.I couldn't help but feel disdain. I had once played the same role for Nicholas, bending over backward to please him in front of Claudia.I knew all too well the game Jasmine was playing now
I watched as Nicholas' expression slowly hardened. He was determined to defend Jasmine in front of me, wasn't he? How could he ever be conflicted because of me?I straightened my posture and became serious as well. Raising my injured hand, I held it out toward them with the back of my hand facing up
My days had gotten a little better.Gray mentioned that several well-known lawyers had recently disappeared from the legal scene. He counted them off on his fingers, each one of them those who had been careless with their words at that party not too long ago.As he cast a curious gaze on me, he aske
I stared blankly at the screenshots my online followers sent me. In the pictures, Nicholas was giving some gifts to Jasmine with a gentle smile.He happened to be sitting across from her computer, and the midday sunlight, merging into his dark eyes, added a hint of warm ambiguity between them."Nick
Suddenly, there was a loud bang. A man dressed in black casual wear, wearing black sunglasses and a black hat, stood up from the audience and threw his cup of water to the ground.He shouted, "If the host is unprofessional, get off the stage! If you can't talk properly, you might as well donate your
When I stepped out of the studio, I didn't see anyone, but soon I heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching me.Pete, who had been crouching on the steps outside the studio, rushed toward me when he saw me, pulling me into a big hug. His embrace was warm and trembling, his voice choked with e
"Ariana!" Nicholas' voice was restrained and calm. It sounded like he was calling out to someone insignificant. Yet, there was an underlying despair as if he was trapped in a nightmare.The hand on my shoulder tightened, and Pete's body trembled slightly. He whispered to me, seeking my approval. "Ms
Under Pete's expectant gaze, I nodded and said, "If that day really comes, I'm willing to give it a try with you."As I watched him leave, satisfied and hopeful, I slumped back into the chair, feeling drained. The table full of food didn't appeal to me at all due to my lack of appetite.Pete was ove
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
Dressed in a black coat, the hem of Nicholas' garment billowed as he took a long stride forward.He walked toward me, his dark eyes seeming to hold an infinite power. At the moment our gazes met, a sense of calm washed over me.Only Nicholas made me truly think of this word. He was my calm, but he w
"Yasmine, check the brooch. Claudia will probably reveal my photos in the second half," I said.Yasmine had worn a sunflower brooch on her outfit today, equipped with a portable recording device to capture the events at the scene.She nodded with a serious expression. "Don't worry. It's all set."Sh
An auction naturally features more than one item. At first, there were some insignificant small plots of land with very low starting prices, serving as a warm-up. The attendees showed little interest, though some took the opportunity to bid on the cheap properties.Before the main event began, Beth
I lingered in the guest room until the time I had agreed upon with Yasmine before finally leaving the room.Originally, I had intended to avoid Nicholas for a while, but to my surprise, he was already gone from the Coral Villa.After bidding farewell to Tabitha and Cory, I drove to the firm to pick
At dawn, Nicholas and I finally drifted off to sleep, but suddenly, something jolted me awake, erasing all traces of drowsiness.I traced the contours of his features with my eyes, silently repeating his name in my mind. Curling up, I felt a deep ache in both body and soul. The wildness of the nigh
It was my first time being a mother. One child already left me feeling overwhelmed, and I had no idea how to handle conflicts between the two.That night, after both children had fallen asleep, I lay beside Tabitha, tossing and turning. My ears tuned to the sounds outside the bedroom door, waiting f