Nicholas still had a bit of conscience left. He knew he was in the wrong, so he didn't argue when I told him to leave again.He silently got dressed, packing all of his belongings into the bag. As the door closed behind him, a barely noticeable sigh lingered in the air, unable to fade away.I went b
We froze momentarily upon seeing each other. Douglas awkwardly greeted me, saying, "Ms. Jones.""Nicholas, what are you trying to do now?" Upon seeing him, I couldn't help but feel my anger rising. Did he really think that what was online could make up for everything? What he did was childish, utte
The person was crying. "All the rumors about me online are fake! They're nothing but lies spread by Ariana. She is jealous that I'm the sister of the CEO of Hawk Corporation."She's always been jealous of my identity. She doesn't like how Nicholas treats me, or the closeness we share. "When I lived
Not only did I want to slap Claudia, but I wanted to do it in front of everyone."Claudia, back when you were in school and I visited you, you had someone slap me across the face. That first slap was payback. This one now? It's the interest."The moment I finished speaking, I delivered another slap
At work, I found myself distracted. Douglas had spoken to me several times, but I hadn't heard a word. Even though I was confident in my confrontation with Claudia, I had to admit that her words had affected me.Who was Nicholas really doing all this for? Claudia claimed it was for her—that he stood
I wasn't sure if Nicholas had ever studied parenting, but he was doing a great job.He gently patted Tabitha's back, waiting for her to fall completely asleep in her crib before setting the storybook down. Then, he quietly slipped out of the room.I followed him downstairs and saw him off at the doo
The next day, Douglas and I attended a dinner party. It wasn't for anything specific—just a chance to meet people and network.It had been ages since I drank this formally. With me being a new face to most, curiosity brought a steady stream of people holding up their glasses to me.Tonight, I didn't
The next day, I woke up alone in bed. Before I could even piece together my missing memories from last night, I felt an overwhelming urge to fall back asleep immediately.My head throbbed, but I still remembered today's schedule. Douglas and I were supposed to meet with the person in charge of the s
Nicholas' expression was devoid of emotion, his voice chilling like ice."No, I want to say this. I know she wants to see you, but more than that, she's scared. I understand that fear—that crushing loneliness that magnifies when you're not there for her. She hasn't been sleeping well, plagued by nig
Nicholas let out a low chuckle, his voice carrying a hint of weariness. "I can let you in, but don't say I didn't warn you—once you step inside, I won't let you leave again."My expression darkened. He must be out of his mind! What era did he think we were living in to pull something like this?"Nic
Setting everything else aside, Nicholas' attitude was like a ticking time bomb.Today, he might argue with Claudia and ignore her. Tomorrow, if they made up, Yasmine could easily become collateral damage in his efforts to please her.Someone like Nicholas, who had no limits, could do anything just t
Yasmine was still rambling and trying to persuade me, but I couldn't focus on a word she was saying. All I could think about was how to handle the mess between Nicholas and me.If he didn't know about Tabitha, I could simply take her and leave again. But now? It wasn't just about whether Nicholas w
Nicholas' words pierced my heart like needles, making even breathing painful.I struggled to catch my breath. After taking a deep breath, I lifted my gaze and stared at him intently."Nicholas, you once said that at your age, you didn't want to hear about love from me. Now, I'm at the age you were b
I recognized the man as Chief Jefferson. Back when Claudia framed me and got me arrested, I'd seen him a few times. He was still trying to smooth things over. "Did Captain Steele offend Mr. Hawk in some way?"He patted Neal's shoulder. "Neal, quickly apologize to Mr. Hawk. Mr. Hawk is known for bei
As the door opened, several gazes turned toward me."Ari, what are you doing here?" Yasmine quickly approached, taking my hand into hers and giving it a firm squeeze."Nicholas said you were unwell, and your face does look pale. You should head home and rest. I'll handle everything here."I gave her
The cries of "Nick" over the phone grew increasingly desperate. Yet, Nicholas just listened with a blank expression. He didn't offer any response or decision.I didn't feel much sympathy for Claudia. But in that moment, I understood the hope laced in her voice. Because I, too, was once someone who
An undercurrent of tension brewed in our gazes.Perhaps neither of us could convince the other to stand unwaveringly by our side, leaving both with a sense of disappointment.To me, Nicholas was being utterly unreasonable! Comparing this situation to what happened with Pete was absurd—they were worl