Trouble in Paradise



Chapter 0579

Tears welled up in my eyes before I could stop them. I quickly looked away, blinking to force them back.

"Wendy, let's go," I said casually, trying to act as if nothing had happened.

"Shall we take my car?"

"Alright," Wendy replied hesitantly.

She glanced between Nicholas and me, clearly uncertain about how to handle the tension. She didn't even know what had sparked the argument this time, so she simply ducked into the car without saying another word.

As I reached for the door, a strong arm wrapped around my waist. Before I could react, my feet left the ground. Nicholas had parked his car a distance away, likely to avoid being seen following me. He carried me for quite a way without a word, and I didn't resist. It was just one of his usual tactics, and by now, I was used to it.

Once he placed me in his car, he didn't start the engine right away. He rested his arms on the steering wheel, his head lowered. His voice trembled as he spoke.

"I was just worried about you."

The air inside the car felt stifling, almost too quiet. I could hear both of our heartbeats-his rapid, mine calm as still water.

A depressed mood was contagious. Hearing his rapid breathing, I became extremely irritated. I turned my gaze to the window and sighed softly.

"I get it. Just drive."

Nicholas suddenly lifted his head, his reddened eyes visible in the rearview mirror.

Before he could say anything, I cut him off. "Just drive. I don't want to argue with you. Honestly, I don't think there's anything left for us to fight about."

Nicholas ignored my words and reached across the console, pulling me toward him. The awkward angle made the embrace uncomfortable. I shifted slightly, but his grip tightened even more.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"I didn't mean to yell earlier. I was just really anxious. I'm sorry."

I closed my eyes and stayed silent. This was nothing-a small matter. If he felt the need to apologize for this, then there were countless other things he owed me apologies for.

If I started counting, he'd have to spend days apologizing. Frankly, I didn't have the patience for that.

He held onto me, not letting go. He didn't move no matter how much I pushed. Finally, I sighed and said, "Fine. I accept your apology."

His eyes lit up at that, and he ruffled my hair lightly. "I'll assign a few people to you. I can't rest easy knowing you're out on your own."

"No need," I replied coolly.

"It's necessary. What if something like today happens again? If I'm not there, who will protect you? Those men clearly targeted you. They tailed you, and you didn't even notice. It's better to be cautious," he quickly retorted.

I felt resistant but forced myself to stay patient and talk it through with him.

"There's no need for that. I'm not used to having people follow me around. Even when Douglas suggested assigning me bodyguards, I turned it down. Just make sure more people are picking up and dropping off Tabitha."

"You'll have to get used to it. It's for your safety. If something happens to you, I won't be able to live with myself," he insisted.

I shoved him away, irritated by his words. I fixed my gaze on his eyes, trying to understand the real meaning behind what he'd just said.

"I've only just returned, and I haven't made any enemies. Nothing happened when I went out a few days ago. So why is it that today, when I'm just dropping off Tabitha, I get attacked?

"And by coincidence, you're there to play the hero and save me. Now you're using this as the perfect excuse to start placing bodyguards around me."

I couldn't help but ask, 'Nicholas, are you trying to send people to protect me, or to spy on me?"

Each of my questions left him speechless. He tried to speak several times but couldn't find the words. His expression became increasingly pained, until he finally asked, "What do you mean?"