Trouble in Paradise



But when someone genuinely cared about me, and that happened to be Nicholas, I didn't feel like crying as much anymore. I wasn't Claudia, and I wasn't good at showing weakness in front of him.

I wiped away my tears and pulled up a chair to sit across from the bed. I took in everything once knew so well as if seeing it all for the very first time.

On the matrimonial bed that Nicholas and I shared, even the bedding set was identical to the one Claudia had tossed in the trash.

No pink, frilly pillow sat beside his. Instead, two identical pillows lay side by side in perfect harmony.

The half-open closet door revealed all my old nightgowns-those I remembered Claudia had thrown into the basement to be destroyed.

Even the "pink battle robe" that Yasmine had helped me pick out hung conspicuously on a hanger.

It wasn't surprising that the "pink battle robe could still be bought, but some of those nightgowns were long-discontinued designs. Was time really rewinding?

If time could rewind, would I still be the Ariana who only wanted her husband to love her and no one else?

Suddenly, a sharp headache hit me. Even the ceiling above seemed to blur, like a book flipping through its pages endlessly, never reaching the end...

I had a strange dream. The whole world was dark, except for a dim yellow light desperately burning through the darkness, creating hole after hole. Suddenly, the light intensified, and my consciousness began to retum.

"Careful! You hit her head!

I struggled to open my eyes and saw Nicholas softly scolding the doctor who was injecting me. I tried to move away, but he simply shifted his hand from my forehead to my waist, even pulling me a bit closer.

Sunlight filtered gently through the sheer curtains, making everything feel warm and calm. Even the hint of stubble on Nicholas's chin did nothing to lessen his attractiveness.

As in countless mornings past, waking up with the mere sight of this face would fill me with joy and contentment.

Everything seemed surreal at that moment. I questioned if I was still dreaming. I closed my eyes, hoping to fall back asleep, but a strange voice reminded me that there seemed to be someone else in the room besides Nicholas.

"Mrs. Hawk, you're awake!"

The doctor's voice trembled with excitement as if he weren't looking at a patient but a savior who could free him from some great suffering.

You've been asleep for two days. Mr. Hawk has stayed by your side the entire time. Are you feeling any discomfort?"NôvelDrama.Org (C) content.

The doctor's body shuddered. I heard him cut off his sentence abruptly, his tone trailing off. "You're talking too much."

A cold, deep voice came from above me. When Nicholas spoke to others, there was a hint of indifference. But when speaking to me, his voice instinctively softened.

"Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable? Tell the doctor."

I shook my head, just wanting to sit up.

"Cood." Nicholas let out a long sigh of relief.

His body pressed closely against mine. As he exhaled, the rise and fall of his chest stirred sensations in me that had been dulled by sleep. I sucked in a sharp breath, my body tensing immediately.

When I realized that I was truly in his arms, with both of us still in the bed, I suddenly felt uncomfortable all over.