I easily dodged the kiss aimed at my forehead, and the disappointment on Nicholas' face was evident."I want to sleep," I said, cutting off whatever he was about to say.He let out a silent sigh. "Alright. Sleep first. When you wake up, I should be able to give you an explanation."I widened my eyes
"Nicholas, how could you do something like that?" I looked at him with utter disappointment."She's not dead, is she? Or were you expecting me to beat her up?" Nicholas laughed lightly as he stepped closer, raising a hand to touch me."Don't tell me you feel sorry for her.""Don't touch me!" I slapp
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
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
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
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
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
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 held one of Tabitha's outfits in his hands. It was so small it seemed no larger than a face towel he used to wash his face. He handled them with such care that his overflowing fatherly love seemed to seep into the fabric.I looked into his eyes earnestly and said, "You still have time to be
I pulled Nicholas' hands off my shoulders and turned silently to look out the window.The reflection in the car window showed his pain. I saw him open his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing.When we arrived at Coral Villa, the driver parked in front of the gate.As if eager to please me, Nichola
The drive back was silent and suffocating. Nicholas and I were separated by an invisible barrier, and neither of us dared to say another word to each other.His phone rang, breaking the oppressive quiet. After a few brief responses, he hung up and turned to me. "The police said her injuries are too
The sky had grown dark. A heavy feeling settled in my chest. I wanted to step out and get some air.Nicholas was still seething with anger at Claudia. But he refused to let go of me, holding my hand tightly.In a hoarse voice, I shook my head and said expressionlessly, "I'm not interested in her apo
Nicholas snapped, "Are you done yet?"He grabbed the vase next to him and hurled it at Claudia.The vase, though empty of flowers, still held water. It shattered against the wall with a crash, and shards of glass and water poured over Claudia's head.Claudia barely managed to hold her breath. She co
I fixed my gaze calmly on Claudia. "Alright. Go ahead. I'm listening."Nicholas abruptly shot to his feet, as if a dagger were pressed against his back. He stormed toward Claudia, his anger so palpable he looked ready to strangle her with his bare hands.I quickly pulled him back. "I promise, if any
Upon hearing Nicholas' words, I couldn't deny the twinge of emotion that stirred within me.Was this the misunderstanding Pete had hinted at between Nicholas and me? So Nicholas had actually cut ties with Claudia long ago?A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Had Nicholas not been with Claudia during t
Nicholas stared coldly at Claudia, who stubbornly met his gaze. No one else in the room reacted much."What else have you done? Tell me everything now, or the consequences will be worse if I find out later," Nicholas demanded, his tone sharp and commanding.Claudia bit her lip hard. It was hard to t
Nicholas walked over and stood behind me, his presence bringing a trace of sunlight and a hint of warmth. He gently wrapped his arms around my waist. The scent of sunlight was warm and pleasant, but I was inexplicably cold and trembled uncontrollably.Under Claudia's glaring, furious eyes, he reste