Trouble in Paradise by Three Way

"Is that so? If you're having trouble, Mr. Hawk, feel free to have a chat with my assistant. Given our past, I won't just ignore you."

I understood Nicholas's sarcastic tone perfectly. I lowered my voice and added, "Even if it's a 30-year case, I'm confident I can handle it."

He chuckled coldly and fell silent. I truly didn't hope for anything good for him.

A 30-year lawsuit would mean countless deaths tied to his name, assuming he had been killing continuously for three decades.

But Nicholas knew full well that I could do it. Everything I had now had nothing to do with him, and he couldn't accept that fact and just let it go.

He couldn't bring himself to wish me well, especially after how ugly their parting had been. My decisiveness had been brutal. Even now, I hadn't uttered a single "sorry" since we met again.

His heart felt as though two invisible hands were tearing it apart, pulling him in opposite directions-half agony, half relief. It twisted his face in the dark.

"You should leave now."

silence, I had no idea what Nicholas was thinking, nor did I care to know. The only thing I needed to understand

for Nicholas, pouring out the water, hoping he'd get

His large hand covered mine, gripping it tightly.

but my posture was anything but graceful. When I lifted my head to glare at him, I found

where he held my wrist, freezing me like a hard stone. I didn't know how I should react. Nicholas said, "Tomorrow at 9:00

a worn agreement from his jacket. "Take a

let go of me after he finished. The thin papers fluttered to the ground, landing near his

smile I had been forcing nearly shattered. Why did every encounter with him have to

a word

a dull mark on the paper. He

by, he stopped abruptly and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. He looked down at me with a smile,

ran down my spine, spreading from where he touched me. I raised my hand to slap him, but he caught my wrist and pressed

"Don't touch me!"