novelxo Chapter 0592
Chapter 0592
Upon hearing Nicholas' words, I couldn't deny the twinge of emotion that stirred within me.
Was this the misunderstanding Pete had hinted at between Nicholas and me? So Nicholas had actually cut ties with Claudia long ago?
A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Had Nicholas not been with Claudia during the three agonizing years I spent abroad?
Then why didn't he even visit me when I was in critical condition during labor? If what he said about having no feelings for Claudia was true, then how much affection did he have for me?
If Pete had known all this, I couldn't tell whether it made him foolish or wise. Placing myself in his shoes, if I were him, I wouldn't have chosen to step aside over something like this. Loving someone was hard enough. Letting go of them was even harder.
Thinking of all Pete had endured alone for my sake, I wondered how I could ever repay such kindness. All I could hope for was that he'd find the happiness he deserved.
"Nicholas."
I lowered my gaze and pried his fingers off my wrist one by one. A single tear fell silently onto the back of my hand. "There's one thing I can't get past. I want you to explain it to me."
Nicholas sat upright, pulling my hand into his palm and brushing away my tears. "Go ahead."
"When I gave birth to Tabitha, the situation was critical. It was Pete and my friend, Deena, who stayed by my side. "At the time, I thought I wouldn't make it. I asked Deena to contact Yasmine because I was afraid I wouldn't even get a chance to say goodbye to her-or have someone else I could entrust my child to.
"But no matter how much they cared about Tabitha, they're not her family. Do you know who I wanted most by my side back then? Yet even after Tabitha spent a full month in the incubator, that person never showed up."
Nicholas' composed expression cracked. Shame and regret spread across his face like a tidal wave. "..."
I cut him off. "Maybe you didn't know I was pregnant then. And I think I already understand the reason, but it doesn't matter anymore. There's no point in dwelling on it. But what I can't let go of is the fact that Yasmine knows me better than anyone in the world.
"Knowing my worries, she must have tried to contact you. But she never got back to me, so I knew you hadn't responded. You didn't want to see me, did you? If you'd wanted to know how I was, you would've found a way to check on me long ago."
"That's not true." Nicholas' chest heaved with emotion. "I didn't know how dire things were for you back then. I.. Claudia's deranged laughter suddenly broke through the tension, cutting Nicholas off mid-sentence.
*This is hilarious! Ariana, why didn't you just die on the delivery bed? If you'd died back then, you wouldn't be standing here asking all these questions now!"
She laughed wildly, abandoning all pretense in front of Nicholas. This was the Claudia I knew all too well-but it seemed Nicholas was seeing this side of her for the first time.
'Shut up!"
Nicholas glared at Claudia, his eyes burning with fury. He couldn't believe such venomous words had come from her.
His voice dropped to a harsh growl. "How could you say something so vile? It should've been you who died!"
However, Claudia wasn't fazed. She raised her chin arrogantly. "Without your love, what's the point of me being alive? Ariana, since Nick can't explain it to you, let me do it for him."