Trouble in Paradise



When Nicholas reached out to embrace me, the touch of his skin felt almost magical, as if it peeled away my soul from my body.

My spirit floated above, watching the two people who should never have intersected, now tightly wrapped in each other's arms.

To make me more comfortable, Nicholas adjusted the hem of his shirt again and again, eventually taking off his coat and draping it over me. He treated me as gently as if I were an infant and even patted my back softly.

In that instant, my soul felt nourished. It seemed like it had been years since I had felt this relaxed, where I could let go of everything and focus on the simple act of sleeping. I found the most comfortable position and drifted off.

I have no idea how long I slept. But when my consciousness returned to my body, I was jolted awake.

I had scheduled today's gathering for noon so I could pick up Tabitha after school, but what time was it now?

In just a few seconds, countless dire scenarios played out in my mind. What if all the other kids had been picked up by their parents, leaving her alone in an empty classroom? What would Tabitha do?

I had no idea where I was. I just knew I sprang from the bed, rushing toward the door bare feet. But when I flung it open and saw the scene outside, tears instantly streamed down my face.

Nicholas was holding Tabitha in one arm while the other was raised as if he were about to open the door.

Two pairs of dark eyes, large and small, stared at me. For a moment, I didn't know how to tum from a near-broken mother into the warm, strong mom she always saw.

Guild crashed over me when I saw Tabitha's lips trembling as if she was about to cry along with me. If she screamed or acted out in front of Nicholas, would he be scared enough to drop her?

I noticed Nicholas's momentary panic. If her first experience with the man she might one day call "Daddy" left her with nothing but fear and scars, I couldn't bear to think about it.

Nicholas reacted faster than I did. He lifted his hand to shield Tabitha's eyes and softly kissed her cheek.

"Tabitha, Mommy is so happy to see you. Let's go grab a storybook, and later you can tell Mommy about it, okay?"

Tabitha obediently wrapped her arms around Nicholas's neck. She wasn't screaming or repeating his words and was even more well-behaved than when she was with me.

As Nicholas turned and carried Tabitha away, I felt my strength drain away. My grip on the doorknob loosened as I collapsed onto the floor.

I buried my head in my knees, waves of dizziness washing over me. What had once seemed impossible to even dream of was now vividly unfolding before my eyes.

In Coral Villa, I was here, Tabitha was here, and Nicholas was here. In Coral Villa, there was only me, Tabitha, and Nicholas. I genuinely couldn't distinguish between dream and reality. Suddenly, a voice broke through my thoughts. "If you want to cry, just let it out."

I looked up in a panic, unexpectedly meeting Nicholas's worried gaze. He pressed a kiss to my cheek before leaving with Tabitha.

Once their figures disappeared from my view, I helplessly let out a wail. For years, even in my most fragile moments, I had told myself not to cry. I knew crying wouldn't solve anything-it only made me look weak.

I thought that holding back emotions would make me stronger. But today, someone told me, "If you want to cry, just let it out."