Trouble in Paradise

Jasmine crossed her arms and snorted at me. "Nick was drawn to you just because you were different. But you know how men are. Even Nick is no exception. I hope you don't let it bother you too much, Ms. Jones." Nicholas was quick to act. A few nonchalant words from him were enough to bring my recording session to an immediate end that day.

The director led a group of people over, snatched the script I had painstakingly worked on, and handed it to Jasmine. They stormed into the dressing room like a gang of thugs but were incredibly deferential to Jasmine. Jasmine haughtily raised her hand and ripped the script to shreds in front of me. "I wouldn't be caught dead using her script!"

Then, she smiled at me and silently mouthed, "Sorry", but her eyes dared me to do something about it.

I had only signed a one-episode contract with the director, and we agreed to wait and see how it performed before discussing any future plans.

He came to me that day because he felt there was chemistry between Jasmine and me during yesterday's recording and wanted to capture more footage to see where it could go.

In the blink of an eye, I was the only one left in the huge dressing room. It all happened so fast. Everything ended before it could even begin...

Just then, the phone on the desk rang. It was Nicholas. "Ari, where's the first-aid kit at home? I feel faint. Please hurry home."

Clutching my phone, everything around me felt so distant and unreal. Words. failed me, and my thoughts were a jumbled mess. I had to go home. There was nowhere else for me to go.

""Ari? Ariana!" he called out.

Chape net

"I heard you."

"I don't feel so well."

"I heard..." I was so out of it that my words didn't even make sense to me.

Nicholas was just as lost. "What did you just say?"Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

"I heard everything when you were on the phone with Jasmine..."

Just how much longer do you plan on keeping up this act, Nicholas? He was acting as if he couldn't live without me...

It dawned on me that his decadence, vulnerability, and pain were all part of a calculated lie. Well, he got what he wanted, alright. That despicable man was now in my home, attempting to manipulate me further by pretending to be ill. "Did you have fun?" I asked him. "Did it feel good to play God with someone's life?"

Nicholas didn't so much as flinch when called him out. He just laughed, his expression as cool as a cucumber.

Then, sounding hurt, he asked, "Why can't you be coy with me like all the other women? I'd give you the moon and stars if you'd just said the word. But no. You're the one who didn't want anything!" en

I was taken aback. His suggestion was completely out of left field. Instinctively, I responded, "I don't need anything from you! I can get what I want on my own!"

"Mhm. You've got guts, I'll give you that. Nicholas sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Since you don't need it, I'll give it to someone else. What's so wrong with that?"

"You're right. You're capable, and you can do whatever you want. But in a world this big, why did you have to let her take what was mine?-

"I backed off when you let her take over the law firm, but now that I've finally found something I'm good at, you still want her to take it away from me!"

I suddenly felt like I was about to lose it. I no longer cared about or pride. If he were to show up in front of me at that moment, I w lost control and lashed out at him just to vent my anger. dignity

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"If you've got a problem with me, just say so! I'd rather you be upfront about it than lie to me like this!"

I lowered my head. Despite the warmth of the room and the clean clothes on my back, I felt as if I was standing in an ice bath, shivering from head to toe.

Nicholas' derisive laughter filled the

air. "What exactly have I lied to you about? Or are you just assuming I tricked you? You were the one who took pity on me when you noticed I was in pain and let me into your home.

LUAS

"But I was truly in pain, Ariana. I really did miss you. How can you accuse me of lying?"