Trouble in Paradise by Three Way

At dawn, Nicholas and I finally drifted off to sleep, but suddenly, something jolted me awake, erasing all traces of drowsiness.

I traced the contours of his features with my eyes, silently repeating his name in my mind. Curling up, I felt a deep ache in both body and soul.

The wildness of the night had left me utterly exhausted, and my head throbbed with confusion.

For a 30-year-old woman, sleeping with a man wasn't unusual, but this man was Nicholas a difficult figure to deal with. When those striking eyes of his opened again, how would we face each other? After some hesitation, I carefully climbed out of bed. Grabbing a piece of clothing off the floor-whether his or mine, I didn't care-l tiptoed out of his bedroom.

Little did I know, a pair of dark eyes had been silently watching me. As I left, he was fully awakened.

Nicholas glanced at his phone and sent a message to someone. Surprisingly, even at 5:00 a.m., the reply was instant.

I went to the wardrobe to grab my clothes and headed to the guest bathroom for a shower. Though Nicholas had already cleaned me up briefly, it felt... pointless. Thinking back to his reddened eyes as he coaxed me into the bathroom, heat flushed my skin again. I quickly adjusted the water temperature to two degrees lower. Leaning against the bathtub, I called Yasmine. She took ages to answer.

reflexively covered my mouth in embarrassment. My voice was so hoarse it sounded like a man's. "Huh? Ariana, is

for his lack of restraint, I

lights soft? Oh wait-was the liquor hard? No, no-l meant to ask,

my hand to my

address for today's auction. A tough battle was waiting and I had to

I might overlook something, I needed Yasmine to go with

grew serious. "You're saying Claudia plans to expose your childhood photos at the auction? Why does she

money. She's trying to force me to buy Nelson's land

you to disguise a recorder as a

voice stiffened. "That plan sounds fine, but isn't there another way? Why use a method that harms you as much

the luxury of turning back. With those photos in Claudia's hands,