Chapter 427
Chapter 427
Nicholas' tone was solemn when he asked that question, and he kept staring at me while waiting for my response.
It was as though he saw through me, and I felt my heart beating faster as I panicked. Ridden with guilt, I tilted my head down and couldn't bring myself to look him in the eye.
He was a smart man, so it would be a miracle if he couldn't guess why I had rejected him that quickly.
In a way, I guess I was also admitting to it with my silence.
“I see. So you haven't moved on from him. Are you still fantasizing about being with him? Have you forgotten why you came back in the first place? Do you still remember how he hurt you a year ago?”
Nicholas became agitated when he saw how I was keeping silent. His tone was a little hostile, and he had his hands on my shoulders as he said those words.
I knew he must feel terrible at that moment. He only said all that to remind me I will never be with Michael again.
Everything he said was true. There was no way Michael and I could find our way back to each other, but even then, I wouldn't get together with just any man. Emotion simply didn't work that way.
I didn't have any feelings for Nicholas, so there was no way I would sleep with him or marry him. It was cruel of me to reject him like that, but I thought it was the best option for both of us.
“I am well aware of everything you said. There is no way Michael and I can be together again, and I
never even dreamed of us finding our way to each other. That is the one thing you don't need to worry about.”
Nicholas only came back to prove his strength and to acquire Michael's company.
Hence, his main concern should be a skilled worker like me supporting Michael. If I were to get back together with Michael, Nicholas' quest would be virtually impossible to accomplish. That was not an exaggeration because I had worked for Nicholas for years. I knew all about him and had a good idea of what his plans were.
“If you know that the two of you will never be together, why won't you be with me? How is Michael better than me? Is this about his power? His looks?”
Nicholas' hand gripped my shoulder. His emotions were getting more and more out of control, and his eyes shone with discontentment.
That was the first time I saw him that agitated, and I was a little taken aback. The sudden change was too drastic, and it got to the point where I felt as though I no longer knew the man standing in front of me.
He was usually grounded and stoic. It seemed he was confident in accomplishing whatever he had set out to do, and that was a trait similar to Michael's.
The way he lost control, however, made me feel as though he was someone who was too stubborn. If it were anyone else, they would probably have given up after being rejected that directly and clearly. Yet Nicholas refused to let go.
“Nicholas, love is not something rational or something that can be explained. I will never be with Michael, but I won't get together with you either, because I don't love you. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone I don't love. You understand that, don't you?”
I was getting a little agitated, so my tone was getting hostile. His constant badgering made me impatient. Guilt was burning in my heart when this topic first started, but that had since turned into a desire to flee the place. I simply didn't want to continue talking to him about it.
“No, I don't believe that. How could you work with an excellent man like me for a year and still not love me? Trust me, Anna. You will surely fall for me once you become mine.”
After saying that, Nicholas hugged me and kissed me all over my face without letting me reply.
My heart pumped with surprise and fear when I realized what was happening. I struggled as much as I could to push him away, but he kept his lips on me. That was when I truly panicked.
I was terrified of him doing something crazy to me because I am a woman. Women simply couldn't force themselves to sleep with someone they didn't love.
At that moment, the only thought running through my mind was that I needed to run away quickly.
Unfortunately, his hold on me was tight. He was on the verge of kissing my lips, so I used every bit of strength in me to push him away. Alas, I still failed to do so. In the end, his lips found mine.
Anger and fear burned in my heart. Taking the opportunity when he was distracted, I bit and injured his lip. The pain prompted him to loosen his grip on me, and I shoved him away. Before he could even
come around, I landed a heavy slap across his face.
“Nicholas Cadman, I can't believe you're such a despicable man. I honestly gave you too much credit.”
We had spent a year working together, and in all that time, I had always seen him as an honorable gentleman. However, the fact that he forced a kiss on me and had planned on going further completely changed my opinion of him.
At that moment, my heart burned with disdain for him. I hated the way he behaved.
Nicholas seemed to have regained some control after being slapped. When he tilted his head up again, his eyes shone with guilt.
“I'm sorry. I-I lost control and didn't mean to do that...”
He looked into my eyes and was trying to explain himself. It was obvious he was nervous, but I was not in the mood to listen to him.
“There is no need to say anything, Nicholas. I don't want to hear it. My gosh, I am so disappointed in you!”
My eyes were reddened with anger when I spat those words out, and I left immediately after. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.
My legs were trembling a little because I was terrified, and the shaking lasted quite some time.
It was late at night, and I was alone when I walked down the sidewalk. My tears wouldn't stay put, and they rolled down my cheeks. I truly regretted my decision to have dinner with him, and I regretted
saying yes to his marriage proposal. I definitely regretted taking him to the hospital and going to his place afterward.
If I hadn't accepted his invitation for dinner, none of the other events would've taken place.
I never thought Nicholas would do something like that to me. Is he still the Nicholas Cadman I know? Perhaps, it would be more appropriate to say that I never knew the real him, to begin with.
That night, as I strolled around on my own, my phone suddenly rang. I fished it out of my pocket and saw a series of numbers that I knew all too well. Michael's calling.
I never saved his number on my contact list after I got back to the country. Sadly, that phone number had been etched into my brain, and I simply couldn't wipe it out of my memory.
I could guess that he wasn't calling me with any good intentions. Coupled with the fact that I was too tired to deal with anything, I didn't bother to pick up and simply hung up instead.
That night, Michael threatened me when I agreed to marry Nicholas, and those words were still echoing in my mind. Calling me that late at night meant that something was definitely off.
I was already in a bad mood, so I didn't want to make things worse for myself.
A few seconds after I hung up the call, my phone rang again. It was Michael. I frowned in annoyance and turned off my phone in a fit of frustration.