Trouble in Paradise

"Mr. Hawk, I am her attorney. If there's anything you need to discuss, I can speak with you," said Silas, stepping forward.

I turned my head to look at Silas. Since when did I hire him as my attorney? He seemed to sense my gaze and turned to smile at me.

"I've heard that Mr. Harmon's consultation fees start at a million dollars. I wasn't aware my wife was using my money for legal fees. Mr. Harmon, do you know what joint marital property means?"

Nicholas' cold, unrelenting voice reached my ears. His gaze pierced through the space between the two people in front of him, landing squarely on me.

Apparently losing patience, he ordered me in an irrefutable tone, "Come out!"

Silas calmly positioned himself in front of me, blocking Nicholas' view. "I happen to have time. I can provide Ariana with three years of free legal aid. Three years is plenty of time to handle a divorce case." "Ha!" Nicholas scoffed, his face twisted into a mocking smile. "Silas Harmon, you're just Ariana's lapdog Even Pete wouldn't dare speak to me like that. Who gave you the courage?"

"Oh my god!" Yasmine exclaimed. "I've heard that Mr. Hawk is blunt, but using your mouth to spew bullshit is a new low!"

Her sharp tongue was something I was very familiar with. Even though Nicholas could be quite cutting, he had never been this crude.

Seeing his disgruntled expression, I wondered why he would provoke a lawyer in the first place.

"Stop it, you guys," I finally said, lowering my eyes in discomfort as I tugged at the corner of my mouth. I stepped out from behind the two people shielding me and added, "Nicholas, let's talk." It was probably just about making me apologize to Claudia or something similar.

THE

"Don't make things difficult for my friends."

Yasmine stomped her foot in frustration beside me and screeched, "Ari, what's there to talk about with him?"

There wasn't much to say between us, but he seemed to have a lot he wanted to discuss with me. Besides, it wasn't often that he sought me out on his own.

I gave Silas a look, and he understood. He pulled Yasmine away instantly.

Before leaving, he turned and said, "Ariana, Yasmine and I will be waiting in the car." Then, raising his volce deliberately, he added, "Pete is also waiting in the car!"

I was surprised. Pete was here too? I looked at Nicholas impassively. The surroundings were quiet, with only the pattering sound of the rain.

"I'm amazed," he said with a cold smile. "I didn't know my wife was so good at charming others."

"There are many things you don't know about me," I replied.

"Like what?" he asked, raising his chin slightly and dragging out the question.

It felt like we were playing a game of cat and mouse. No matter what tricks I tried, I couldn't escape his grasp. He believed that with a mere flick of his fingers, he could decide my fate. What leverage did I have to fight against him? "For instance, were you disappointed to see me come out of the police station unscathed?"

"Not really," he replied, his gaze deep. "No one can escape the law's judgment."

"Are you here to give me a legal lesson, Mr. Hawk?"

Nicholas shook his head and said, "Come home with me. Admit your mistake to Mom and Dad, and as for the rest-"

I cut him off, saying, "Nicholas, are you really so desperate for a woman? Or do you love me so much that you can't help yourself? Or is it that your family desperately needs me as a daughter-in-law? Or is Claudia unfit to take the place because she's not presentable?" "Ariana, how can you be so harsh? Claudia was afraid something would happen to you so she begged me to come. She never believed you'd intentionally harm her. But not only did you hurt her, you also suspected her behind her back like this!"