The once gentle night had grown suffocating with the tense standoff between the two men. Pete glared at Nicholas. His breathing turned heavy the moment Nicholas casually draped his arm over my shoulders. He expected me to pull away, but I didn't. Pete's face paled. "You two..."I turned my head to
"Pete Shelman!" Nicholas's eyes were filled with pure coldness. "If you leave now, I can pretend that you were never here."Pete gave a bitter smile, his tearful eyes turning to me. "He used to threaten me in the same way.""W-What did he threaten you with?"The moment felt like a flashback to the d
"Alright! Everyone stop arguing!" I nearly shouted."Pete, this choice is indeed difficult. If I were in your shoes, I might choose to protect my family as well. I understand you, but I'm also grateful to you. Because of your choice, the guilt I feel has eased a little."I gave a bitter smile, feeli
Nicholas stepped closer, blocking out most of the light. He lowered his solemn gaze and suddenly gave a faint, sorrowful smile. "Stop messing around. Don't joke with me like this."His smile faded as his lips pressed together, turning pale.I turned my face away and said calmly, "I'm not joking."
Nicholas didn't return to the bedroom for a long time. I wasn't going to go looking for him. My mind was a mess, and I couldn't sleep.I had been staying up for over three hours. It was almost dawn when there was a sudden loud noise in the house. I instinctively jumped out of bed. The voice was lik
I quickly silenced the phone and pressed it tightly against my chest. The room was plunged into darkness. For a moment, the only thing I could hear was the pounding of my heart.I held my breath, paying attention to Nicholas. He mumbled something, buried his face in my hair, and tightened his grip a
Thinking this way, I found his kiss felt easier to accept. I cupped his face and kissed him back. I had always wondered about Nicholas's sudden love for me. It seemed unreal. I questioned how much he truly loved me and how much love I should reciprocate. After all, giving too much would hurt me in
Nicholas was wearing a pair of thin and light silk pajamas. To give "Pete" a good shock, he unbuttoned the only fastened button on purpose before opening the door. Claudia did not keep her distance when she saw Nicholas in such a messy state. Instead, she threw herself into his arms! Nicholas did n
Suddenly, a force pulled on my hand, startling me.My reflexive jerk knocked the bowl, making it wobble noisily against the table. The clattering sound felt louder than the pounding of our hearts."Sorry," I muttered, quickly steadying the bowl. I glanced up at Nicholas. His hand froze midair, stil
As my thoughts ran wild, I somehow drifted off to sleep in Tabitha's room. When I opened my eyes again, the sky was dark.I sat up in a panic, fumbling with the door lock before finally getting it open. The moment I stepped out, the door to the room next to mine opened as well.Nicholas stood there,
Nicholas' bright eyes dimmed instantly, a wave of dejection washing over him."I haven't eaten anything. I've been in back-to-back meetings and barely even had time for water. Can't you just keep me company?"At that moment, I felt the fragile understanding between us was once again on the verge of
I quickly got ready and waited for Nicholas to pick me up. He had called earlier, saying he'd wrapped up work early. He asked if I wanted to join him to pick up Tabitha from school.I immediately caught the hopeful tone in his voice but still turned him down.Lately, Nicholas had been eager to take
Once Tabitha finished her meal and Wendy took her to school, I finally had a bit of time to myself.I sent the prepared documents to Douglas, asking him to help arrange Tabitha's visa for Berland.Once her condition improved, I planned to take her abroad. Since Nicholas hadn't insisted on having Tab
I was filled with excitement. Ever since that argument with Nicholas, he had already begun coordinating with his medical team. Due to the sudden changes, the team had to completely revise the questions they had prepared. Since it concerned Tabitha, we didn't mind giving them a bit more time. Now,
Since that day, Tabitha had become increasingly silent.She started zoning out often, sometimes staring at me or Nicholas, sometimes focusing on random things. Every time she drifted into this state, it would last for over ten minutes.During these moments, we didn't dare to interrupt her. We could
Everything in Coral Villa remained unchanged. I hadn't been forgetful to that extent. I still remembered those days when I stayed by Nicholas' side, feeling at peace with it all.At that time, I thought, "What's the big deal if I stay with him for the rest of my life?" We had already found some kin
"Ariana!"Nicholas caught up with me from behind, his warm hand grasping mine. I wasn't sure if it was from nervousness or the heat, but his palm was damp."Ariana, don't go back to Tabitha's room. Sleep in a different room instead."I rolled my eyes in my mind. After all this time, he was still thi