Without Nicholas's restraint, I could uneasily untie the bow with my teeth, but I still felt humiliated as I put on my torn clothes. Wiping my tears, I put on my coat and left Jasmine's place promptly. I texted Yasmine, informing her to not find me an assistant anymore. I could no longer wait and w
As expected, Douglas accepted the job as my assistant without even discussing the salary. He emptied his luggage and filled his suitcase with daily necessities and light clothing.The next day, we flew to Idlewild. The party representative was a highly influential company, and they promptly arranged
The room smelled pleasant, but I nearly suffocated. Nicholas's grip around me was so tight that I was becoming breathless. "Let me go…" I murmured, yet he remained unmoved. "I don't know how you feel about me now, but we don't stand a chance anymore."Nicholas stiffened. However, he continued to ho
I reflexively raised my hand to cover my neck, but it was already too late. Seemingly having anticipated my move, Nicholas grabbed my wrist midair. His grip on my wrist tightened, causing my fingers to turn pale. He was using a lot of force.Petrified, I intended to avoid him and jerked my head asi
The tension in the air seemed to dissipate when I saw Pete's name. Telling Douglas to return to the hotel first, I answered Pete's call under the street's neon lights."Ariana." Pete's gentle voice came through the receiver. "What made you think of calling me? Aren't you busy?" I asked, smiling. "
I could see the moon over Pete's head and a very bright star beside it, but he couldn't see them.In a voice filled with disappointment, he asked, "In your heart, have we always been just two separate individuals? Have you never thought about relying on me?"I felt a bit angry. Pete was speaking to
After sending the message, I felt a huge sense of relief. I wasn't sure if I was telling Nicholas to keep his distance or reminding myself to do so. Every time I was with him, my heart felt uneasy.In any case, I decided that my future was going to be with Pete.When I returned to the hotel room,
"Nicholas, you're absolutely unreasonable!"My teeth were chattering as I spoke. "It's only a matter of time before I end up with someone else. Even if it's not Pete, there'll be another man. Are you going to kill someone every time I start a new relationship?"Why is it that you can have all the wo
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
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