Trouble in Paradise by Three Way

My gaze fell on Nicholas' pants draped over the bed. The loose waistband was twisted into what looked like a crying face. The black phone peeking out from one corner seemed depressing. In our married life, I valued both love and privacy. We respected each other's personal space and never touched each other's phones.

But earlier, I had already searched through his study. Would this make a difference?

I pulled out his phone and swiftly burrowed under the covers. I hid my head as well.

I was nervous.

Nothing good ever came out of going through your partner's phone. I was scared of finding evidence of his and Claudia's dalliance, but I was also afraid of finding nothing and becoming paranoid.

My teeth were chattering as I thought of the rosary beads he liked to wear.

Nicholas, what exactly were you hiding from me?

Whether it was my trembling hands or nervousness, I entered the wrong password several times.

At last, a message appeared on the screen: "Incorrect password. Please retry in 30 seconds."

Was I naive?

I could unlock his safe but not his phone.

With my pounding heartbeat in the background, I mentally went through all the passwords I could think of. My mouth was dry, and I was swallowing air while I counted down the seconds.

Five, four, three, two...

Suddenly, the blanket covering my head was lifted.

"What are you doing?"

Nicholas stood there, and his bare upper body was dripping with water. His eight-pack abs were on display.

gray towel wrapped around his lower half. It gave me a tantalizing glimpse of his V-line which led to other parts of

I couldn't appreciate the sight of a handsome man after a bath. My attention was fully on his reaction to me holding his

hadn't expected me to have his phone in my hands. He scowled at me and

like a thief caught

apple bobbed as anger swirled in his eyes. "Ariana

phone. But thinking he was going to hit me, I instinctively dodged. One of us pressed the shutter button, and there was a "click" that echoed in the room at an inappropriate time. On

same person who stood in front of the mirror. Just a

slightly. His voice carried a hint of teasing as he said, "What's this? Documenting

I blushed and threw myself

onto his waist tightly while looking up

years I had lived, Nicholas had been the

laid my eyes on him from a distance, I had never looked away. My teenage thoughts were delicate, and I was deeply immersed

life to crumble. I loved Nicholas with all my heart, and I wanted him to love

the hard lines of his jaw softened slightly. "I have to

she get admitted to

Just

saw a hint of evasion. I felt

just be the two of us?" I asked tentatively

fallen seriously ill, and the whole family was very tense at that time. They didn't tell me the specific cause of the illness. Back then, to show my generosity and to gain favor with the in-laws, I agreed to their request to take Claudia

she was wary of me. She only wanted Nicholas to accompany

our marriage was and how there had always been a third

honeymoon trip abroad? We should try for a

his past debts to me, or perhaps he thought of the tonic his mother had pumped

my neck, which

Claudia's delighted, pleasing demeanor. "Of course, the first stop will be our own country. The destination is Coral Villa in Radiant City, right here in our

his neck. I kissed him fiercely

His hands carefully cradled my hips, and we both tumbled

was able to turn him

swiftly. He grabbed my ankles with both hands and was about to take the