Trouble in Paradise (Arianna and Nicholas)

I saw Nicholas again at the welcome banquet Douglas had arranged for me.

I, who had hurriedly left the country as Mrs. Hawk, was now back. Despite having once been ruthlessly criticized because of him, I had become the center of attention, the person everyone wanted to please. In the early days after I left the country, I kept an eye on the news. A video of Nicholas kneeling at the airport and begging me not to leave dominated the internet for three consecutive days. "She'll definitely regret it."

That was the most popular comment at the time, with over a million likes.

Now that I was back, someone had dug up that long-forgotten video. The man in the video, with tears brimming in his red-rimmed eyes, looked entirely different from the gloomy man standing before me now.

After three years apart, Nicholas hadn't changed much except for appearing more mature. But every time I glanced at him, I could sense a shadow of hatred surrounding him. His face betrayed no emotion as if he were shrouded in a veil of death. I already knew the news. By the second year after I left, Nicholas had recovered.

Back at the airport, he was suspected of drug use. He had no choice but to undergo a hair test and publicly disclose his medical history to clear his name. The day he announced his recovery was also when I faced the harshest backlash.

I was labeled as the woman who abandoned her sick husband, forgetting our wedding vows. In interviews, Nicholas said he had loved me but also hated me the most.

Suddenly, Nicholas turned, and our eyes met across the room. His dark gaze held a hint of mockery as if he could see right through me.

He lifted his wine glass slightly toward the people around him before approaching me. A murmur swept through the crowd.

I asked Douglas, and he confirmed Nicholas hadn't been invited tonight. He had somehow snuck in with someone else's invitation.

My heart raced inexplicably, and Douglas stepped in front of me protectively.

Regardless of who stood before him, Nicholas wore a calm, disdainful smile. His gaze easily

bypassed any barriers, landing onet

me and scrutinizing me without reserve. It made me feel deeply uncomfortable.

Even Nicholas himself didn't know how to face me at this moment.

I had vanished from his life for three years but had been haunting his thoughts for every one of those years. He wasn't sure if he felt hatred or love more strongly

He only knew that when he needed me most, I had left him without a second thought, even after he had pleaded with me.

It should have been hate, shouldn't it?

The distance between Nicholas and me was small. In just a few steps, he was standing in front of me.

I had imagined our reunion countless times, but I never thought it would happen under such public scrutiny.

Stepping out from behind Douglas, I took a deep breath and tried to maintain my composure. I raised my glass to clink with his, greeting him calmly. "Mr. Hawk, it has been a while."

Nicholas stared at me and our

clinking glasses, seeming lost in thought. His female companion gently tugged at his sleeve, bringing him back to reality.

He finally said, "Ariana, long time no see."