Trouble in Paradise



Nicholas needed some time alone, and my mood did not ease from the heavy pain as I pushed open the door.

Just a door between us, and we were each steeped in our own pain.

"Ah! Ah!"

The sound of a little voice pulled me from my thoughts. I practiced my smile twice before I leaned over the railing. "Tabitha!"

As expected, Tabitha was bouncing on the couch, leaving tiny footprints behind. Wendy kept a watchful eye on her, both of them entirely caught up in the fun.From NôvelDrama.Org.

Tabitha didn't hear me, but Wendy looked up in concern. "I'll bring her up to you."

"Let her play. I'll come down."

Seeing Wendy's worried expression, I pulled her into a quick hug and sat down beside her on the couch.

"Thank you, Wendy. I don't know what I would've done without you here. Tabitha wouldn't have adjusted as well without you."

Nicholas's earlier words were not baseless. As Tabitha grew older, there would be more people in her life. A hint of worry crossed my face.

"Are you still feeling unwell?" Wendy reached over, gently pressing her hand to my forehead. "You still look so pale."

I gave a faint, wry smile. After the emotional whirlwind with Nicholas, it was no surprise that my face showed it

all.

"I'm fine." I didn't want to worry her, so I pulled Tabitha closer, brushing her soft cheek.

"Has Nicholas been good to her these past couple of days?"

Wendy nodded, lips curving into a smile.

"Oh, better than good. This morning, he was up before I was, making breakfast for Tabitha. By the time I got her up, he was already helping her wash her face and comb her hair."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Tabitha's hair. The twin pigtails were perfectly symmetrical, and he had even braided little sections at the top with colorful bands.

"Did he do this?"

"Yes! And he is quite skilled too," Wendy added. She would never hesitate to compliment Nicholas.

I chuckled softly. "Is that so?"

It wasn't hard to guess for whom Nicholas had developed such skill.

Realizing she might have said too much, Wendy quickly added, "And it's not just that. Mr. Hawk has been so gentle in feeding her, and he has bought her all these toys and clothes.

"Look at her outfit-doesn't she look like a little princess? I can tell Tabitha trusts him. She doesn't push him away at all."

I gave Wendy a reassuring smile. She hadn't said anything wrong. Even if Nicholas's skills had originally been for Claudia's sake, that was in the past now. Holding onto old grievances wouldn't help either of us.

I glanced back at the closed door of the bedroom, my heart growing heavy. No matter what misunderstandings Nicholas and I had, they were just fragments of the past. We couldn't rebuild or undo things because of Tabitha.

A part of me felt disappointed-he seemed to have changed in some ways, and in others, he hadn't. He still didn't consider how much certain remarks might affect me.

Nicholas, I wasn't made of steel either.

I got up and went to change clothes in the walk-in closet. On the way, I called Douglas, asking him to pick me up at Coral Villa.

As I strolled slowly toward the front gate, I even booked a table at a restaurant. I was starving and really needed a good meal.

But before I could reach the road, a man seemed to appear out of nowhere, startling me.

"Ariana, please! Please give me a chance, for old times' sake. I used to carry you when you were little-give me a way out!"