Trouble in Paradise

Nicholas fell silent. He straightened up and proceeded to button up his clothes, donning each garment in turn.

He seemed to revel in my gaze, his movements slow and purposeful, almost as if he was deliberately attempting to seduce me. Every flick of his finger seemed to ooze with allure.

Unable to endure the suspense any longer and consumed with worry for Pete, I demanded, "Spit it out, Nicholas!

A bitter smile twisted across his face. After straightening his clothes, he closed his eyes and pretended to take a nap. "I've fallen ill, yet you haven't

shown this much concern."

I looked at his worn-out face and felt exhausted. When I was still in love with him, I often fantasized about being a devoted, caring wife who would look after her sick husband-it was the ideal of a loving marriage.

My imagination had run wild back then. I'd heard that when a man was ill, his body temperature could rise all over, even in his private parts. I used to fantasize about his body in ways I couldn't admit out loud. However, I was more rational now. As his ex-wife, I should put those. thoughts behind me. I let out a soft sigh, lifted my hand to press the button above me, and told the driver, "Please pull over." Nicholas' eyes flew open, dark and menacing. "You've got no patience left for me!"

It felt as if he was scrutinizing every aspect of our relationship with a fine- tooth comb, getting upset over every change from how things used to be.

"We're no longer together. What's your problem? Pull over! I'm getting out!"

The fact that I was still able to speak to him so calmly showed how patient! was being. If Yasmine had been in my shoes, she would have probably wrecked the car.

I zoned out as soon as I thought about Yasmine, realizing it had been ages

K

TAVAA

since we last met. I couldn't help but wonder about how she or the law firm was doing.

I'd been hesitant to reach out to her because things hadn't been going well on my end. Plus, I wasn't sure how to break the bad news to her.

"I can let you out of the car," Nicholas said, interrupting my train of thought. " Do you even know what he promised his father? If he can't prove himself in three months, he'll have to go abroad and enter an arranged marriage!

"His family will cut him off entirely,

reducing him to nothing more than a tool for an arranged marriage, while Marc takes over the Shelman family because he's the eldest son. He's got his sights set on you, Ariana. Do you think I'd let him succeed?

"Now that his life is in your hands, you can get out of the car, but are you really going to force a man of his stature to marry into someone else's family?"

Go abroad... and marry into someone else's family? I understood every single word he said, but the implications hit me like a ton of bricks. My brain felt like it was overloaded, and it took a moment for his words to sink in. I looked up at him and asked, "Are you threatening me?"

Pete had already put everything on the line, so I ought to have faith in him, right? If I let Nicholas scare me off that easily, I bet Pete would be so disappointed in me.

"I'm not threatening you. I've told you that the choice is yours to make."

"Nicholas, are you doing this just because you're still obsessed with my body?"Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Nicholas appeared taken aback for a moment. Then, he grasped my chin with one hand and examined me. "You sure are confident about yourself."

Ignoring his taunts, I asked him again, "So, all you want is for me to go back to being your wife?"

This time, he fell silent, and I took it as confirmation that I was right. I looked

him straight in the eye and gave him

a choice. If you're willing to grovel

at my feet, publicly admit you love me, and beg me to remarry you, then I might actually think about it."

knees and bag me to my ex ore

1 he mind was on

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my mind, asking the head of the teak too on ba ko

Radiant Oty woule ve mele such a dee

in get

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