Pete must have assumed something happened between Nicholas and me. But even if I tried to explain, I wasn't completely innocent.I didn't know what to say. Facing Pete, I had never been so tormented as I was now."No. That's not what I meant." Pete suddenly looked a little flustered when I stayed si
I grabbed Pete's hand. "No. It's not that I wanted to avoid you. Maybe… Maybe I'm just not used to it yet. How about we try again?"I tilted my face up slightly and closed my eyes. This time, I was sure I wouldn't back away.But Pete didn't kiss me. Instead, he playfully ruffled the hair he had just
Seeing Nicholas appear out of nowhere, my mind went blank.Pete's heart-wrenching expression as he pushed me out of the car was still fresh in my memory. One was suppressing his heartbreak, while the other's voice trembled, barely able to question me. Caught between them, I felt like an invisible h
The night breeze tousled my hair, but I didn't bother to fix it. As soon as Nicholas asked that question, my heart started racing.His dark eyes seemed to deepen, fixated on me with an intensity that left me trapped."Yes. She's the daughter you didn't want!" I retorted, my voice rising.Tabitha was
Christopher hosted a banquet, insisting that I couldn't miss today's lunch after skipping last night's dinner. He claimed it was prepared just for me and was exceedingly luxurious.The restaurant was extremely private, catering only to esteemed guests. Even Douglas had to wait outside. After what h
"Oh?" Christopher chuckled softly. "Ariana, you really do resemble Mr. Jones."His words sounded complimentary, but his tone made me uncomfortable. The way he laughed reminded me of a snake with broken fangs flicking its tongue. It didn't bite, but it was unsettling all the same.I felt a wave of fr
I felt dizzy under Claudia's piercing gaze, and I quickly turned to Christopher."What's going on? Mr. Newton, aren't you going to explain this to me?"Why was someone else in our private space? And of all people, it had to be Claudia!However, Christopher simply gave me a cold chuckle. "Of course,
Claudia's words sent a chill down my spine. Nelson's strange preferences were a poorly kept secret, but as for his interest in me… How could Claudia know anything about those past events? Instantly, I sensed danger. Taking a deep breath, I spoke slowly. "Claudia, it's one thing for you to get invo
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
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