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
Pete raised his hand, vowing in a way that was both playful and endearing. I ignored his attempts to be cute and shook my head. I didn't want him to regret his decision later."How about five days?" he asked.I stayed silent."Three days, but not a day less, Ari." He became serious. "No matter what
The next day, I went to the address Pete sent me. It felt like the excitement of opening a mystery box. He had been very secretive about the details and hadn't even mentioned the style of the place, but I guessed it would be minimalistic, like most apartments.As the housekeeper led me inside, the
My mind went completely blank. I clutched my phone tightly, but I had no idea who to call. The airport announcement snapped me back to reality. I quickly found Yasmine's number and dialed it, but all I heard was a cold, automated voice. The phone was turned off.I rarely called Yasmine's parents. I
In the following days, my schedule was always tightly arranged by Nicholas.He subtly hinted and asked whether I'd consider remarrying him, saying it might make the adoption process for Cory easier. However, I could handle the matter myself, even if it was more troublesome.Rather than discussing re
It wasn't until Leo was wheeled out of the operating room that I finally saw Yasmine and Nicholas in the ward.The two of them exchanged a silent glance when they saw me and turned away in unison, as if by mutual agreement.I couldn't help but feel that the tension between them had somehow lessened.
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