Rift in the perfect picture

Chapter 0167

as afraid of

Nicholas was a mess, but I didn’t dare to turn back seeing his ashen expression, and his dark, lifeless eyes.

With the last bit of rationality I had, I called for a nurse to help him. I didn’t even stop to think if a petite nurse could support such a tall man. I fled the hospital as fast as I could.

Orange petals swirled about in the wind. Aside from my parents‘ graves, I had no idea where I could go to cry freely. It seemed that, as adults, even crying required a reason and a place.

thought I would let it all out in a fit of hysteria. But when I finally knelt before my parents‘ gravestones, the intense anger, resentment, and bitterness all mellowed. The sad truth was, I seemed to have lost the ability to cry.

Or maybe the twisted relationship between me and Nicholas was something I couldn’t even confess to my parents. All that was left was a melancholic sadness that I had to find a way to deal with on my own. It felt like I came here just to leave a bouquet to express my longing for them.

When Claudia called, I had no idea how long I had been sitting there.

only knew that the sun had risen in the east and set in the west.

I stared blankly at the twilight sky when her voice, low and hurried, came through the phone. “Ariana, you’ve met Jasmine, right?”

It sounded like she was calling from a hidden corner. Her familiar voice sent chills down my spine, making me uncomfortable in my already unsettling surroundings.

I finally understood what she meant when she previously suggested

wapan forces. Claura coudn’t start any fermate presence around

vet if a mosquito flew by, she’d roll up her sleeves and let

d bite her insteart

“T’ve enet har” I replied indifferently wanted to hear what she had to

way

“Why are you so calm?” She sounded more shocked than I did. “Don’t you know who she 197

Who was she? Should I know? I had overheard them earlier. Their relationship seemed close and ambiguous, but not quite like lovers.

“What kind of reaction should I have? What’s her relationship with Nicholas?

Claudia’s strong reaction indicated that she knew something. I wanted to pry the truth out of her, but deep down, I was afraid of what I might hear

As if waiting for judgment, my heart pounded and my fists clenched in nervous anticipation. Claudia didn’t disappoint. She ground her teeth so hard I could almost hear them.

She’s a poor little girl he picked up, and she’s just returned from abroad Claudia laughed softly, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. Ariana, when you and Nick went on that overseas trip, he had a layover in Paris, where he picked up Jasmine to bring her back

Foould barely find my voice.

What did you say. I blurted out.

there was anything I cherished most during my time with Nicholas, if was this honeymoon trip.

I treated it like ‘snered ritual, a chance to make up for past regrets, a symbol that marked the boundary between the joys and sorrows of our relationship

Not only did he deceive me, but even his mother my mother in law, who had cherished me dearly for four years kept it from me.

A student he sponsored? What kind of “a friend’s daughter” was that?

Claudia’s words felt like a punch to any gut. A sharp jolt of pain shot through me, and it didn’t fade away immediately. Instead, it spread slowly and intensified with each passing moment.