Trouble in Paradise by Three Way

Nicholas laughed suddenly after hearing what I said. His eyes were red, and his voice held a tinge of despair.

"Yes, I'm filthy. I let another woman climb on top of me. I wish I could tear off this skin of mine. But Ariana, if you truly don't love me anymore, why would you care if I'm filthy or not?

"If you really cared, you would've dragged Claudia off me by her hair. I was drunk, but were you? If you cared, why didn't you stop her? Instead, you waited until after everything had happened to say that I'm filthy." Nicholas's dark eyes began to glisten with tears. He let out a bitter laugh before looking up at me again.

"Ariana, if you truly cared, why didn't you tell me sooner that Claudia had inappropriate feelings for me? If you had made me realize earlier, would we have..." Would we have ended up like this?

If he had known earlier, we wouldn't have divorced. There would be no Pete, no Tabitha Shelman. It would've been our daughter, Tabitha Hawk.

For a moment, I thought I had just heard the funniest joke of the year. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring myself to laugh. I stared blankly at Nicholas, trying to make sense of each word he said. Drag Claudia by the hair? He didn't know Claudia had inappropriate feelings for him?

I understood every word. But somehow, I couldn't grasp what he meant when he put them all together.

This was Claudia-someone he once claimed he couldn't live without. She was his sacred, untouchable first love, the one he constantly restrained himself from with his rosary beads.

it all become my fault when our

reached a point where there was no turning back. If he wanted to blame me, I would

years. Once we both grew old, maybe we would no longer have the energy to talk

talk

down at my wrinkled dress and smiled

been holding back silently slid down my

go... Let

top of Nicholas was no longer the issue between

wasn't her presence or absence

grabbed my

cut him off before

it matter if I care?