บททั้งหมดของ Bound By Passion: บทที่ 71 - บทที่ 80

Nicholas' POVHe stood there, eyeing me with a look of fear in his eyes. The temptation to give him a slap, just to jog his memory, was overwhelming. Perhaps he had forgotten that I had just posed a question to him."Neato!" I snapped."Yes... s-s-s boss..." he stammered."Where on earth is Laura?" I inquired, my voice strained with anger and frustration. I was making every effort to keep my composure, especially considering that I was in the company of a highly important business partner."She mentioned her intention to leave the lounge, and I strongly urged her to stay," he said, seeking affirmation from his colleague.He turned his gaze back to me, visibly nervous, and continued, "Then, she insisted on using the restroom. At that point, it became impossible to refuse, so...""So, what's the point, Naeto? Quit dragging this out and get to the point!" I snapped."So, we escorted her to the women's restroom and waited outside. After about ten minutes, we realized she wasn't in there a

Nicholas' POV"Boss, there's been a shooting at our bar. We've lost two men," came the urgent report. I stood up abruptly, trying to process what I had just heard. Two of my men had been shot?"Josh, you wasted no time," I gritted my teeth in anger. He had acted swiftly, not even waiting for a few more days or weeks. He had struck within 24 hours? That wasn't his usual method."I'll be there soon," I said into the phone before ending the call. I glanced over at Laura's concerned face. She could tell that something was amiss."What's the problem, Nicholas?" she inquired."Nothing much, it's just a work-related issue," I lied. I didn't want her to know what had just occurred. How could I tell her that two men had lost their lives as a result of last night's events? The news would devastate her, and she'd blame herself for their deaths. I couldn't allow that; I couldn't let anything harm her fragile heart.I was the one who took that man's life, and I had to bear the consequences of my a

Nicholas' POVShe smiled shyly at me and, without warning, leaped into my arms. I staggered momentarily due to her weight and the suddenness of her jump, but I managed to steady myself before wrapping my arms around her.She hadn't given me a reply yet; I wondered if the hug was meant to be a yes. She held onto me so tightly, pressing her head into my neck.I patted her back softly and asked, "Should I take that as a yes?"She pulled away slightly from me to get a glimpse of my face, nodded, and said, "Of course, it is a yes, Nicholas.""Great!" The restaurant's workers were looking in our direction, eager to know her response. Most of them were already aware of what was happening; they knew I had planned everything to propose to the love of my life. Not wanting to exclude them from sharing in our joy, I called out, "She said yes!"There was a loud cheer from them, and Laura looked in their direction, smiling. I took her hand and said, "Thank you for accepting to become my girlfriend.

Laura's POV "You don't know? Huh, Nicholas is going to make your night unforgettable. Just get ready, and after what he did for your mother today, you better cherish and appreciate him, give him the best of your love...""Sonia!" I snapped."What?" she teased. "I'm just advising you. Endeavor to hold onto this man now that you've found love. Only then can I continue enjoying this good life."I laughed heartily and stood up from the bed, intending to playfully chase her for what she just said, but she was too fast and dashed out of my room before I could catch her. I just shut the door behind her and went back to my bed."Silly, naughty girl!" I thought. If I didn't know her so well, I would say she only wanted me to stay with Nicholas because of his money and what she stands to enjoy by sticking around. But Sonia is not like that, at least not towards me. She has my best interests at heart. She is one person I trust will fight for me behind my back and move mountains just to defend m

Laura's POV "I am sorry, Mother. I wish we could stay the night, but I have an emergency I need to attend to at home," he said. "How can you book a flight this evening? Would you even be able to find any flights going to Italy at this time of night?" she asked. Nicholas smiled and began to say, "We came with..." "Return tickets," I finished, cutting him off. He looked at me quizzically, wondering why I had done what I did, but suddenly it seemed to click. "Oh yeah, we booked return tickets for the three of us," he said. My mother had a solemn look on her face; she liked Nicholas a whole lot and would have wanted him to stay the night. "Don't worry, Mother. You can always come over to visit us in Italy. Whenever you want to come, just say the word, and I'd book your flight," her face instantly lit up. "Trust me, that will happen pretty soon," she said, looking at the three of us. "I bet it will," I replied. She rolled her eyes at me, and we all chuckled. "Okay, off we go then,"