Trouble in Paradise by Three Way

Pete's fury skyrocketed the moment Nicholas raised his fist to strike him. He forcefully shoved Nicholas off and hurled himself on top of him. He used all his weight to pin Nicholas to the ground.

In an instant, the tables turned. Pete looked down at Nicholas, a sneer spreading across his face.

"Nicholas, why do you keep showing up in front of Ariana? If you truly loved her, you wouldn't make her suffer like this! She's finally moving on from the past, but just when things are getting better, you throw her back into the abyss. How can you be so selfish?" Pete's grip on Nicholas's collar tightened. His eyes were filled with a deep hatred that wanted to tear him apart, limb by limb. But deep down, Pete knew that no matter what he did to Nicholas, I wouldn't feel any better.

That realization nearly drove him to the brink of collapse, the pain in his heart far worse than any punch. He felt the pain for himself, but even more for me.

Nicholas gripped Pete's fists, raising his upper body slightly as his eyes darkened. The bulging veins on his neck could barely hide the violent thoughts stirring inside him.

The knife may cut into his own flesh, but how could someone else feel the pain? Even if I saw all his scars, he knew I wouldn't pity him.

If he hadn't let me go and tried to leave me with a somewhat intact memory of him, we wouldn't have been apart for three years. Pete wouldn't have had the chance to swoop in.

"Pete, what has got you so worked up? What did she tell you? Did she cry to you about how much she suffered with me? Is that why you're so desperate to fight me in front of all those guests? Honestly, you've only gone backward these past few years." Nicholas's words struck a nerve. Pete's voice rose with the mounting fury inside him.

"Cried to me? Nicholas, you give yourself too much credit! In all these years, Ariana has never once mentioned you! Do you think you're the only one who has had it rough? You drove her out of the country, away from the land where she was born and raised. Do you think that was easy for her?

one outside that hospital door. When she needed a man, where the hell

tell you

From the very

plan on destroying everything

beat you to death

here!"

en

Pete's raised fist came down, landing squarely on Nicholas's face. Instantly, Pete was taken aback. He lowered his head and looked at Nicholas.

let out a bitter laugh, spreading his arms as he lay flat on

take that punch. And as her ex-husband and future husband, I thank you for looking after her. I'll take care of the kid too. It

up, his dark eyes

to Hawk. As for Ariana being pregnant with your child, I won't let that

out of respect

the world outside won't belong to the Shelmans anymore. If you want

hell was Nicholas talking about? Didn't he know that I was already pregnant when I left