Trouble in Paradise

Pete must have assumed something happened between Nicholas and me. But even if I tried to explain, I wasn't completely innocent.

I didn't know what to say. Facing Pete, I had never been so tormented as I was now.

"No. That's not what I meant." Pete suddenly looked a little flustered when I stayed silent.

He explained, "I meant to ask, how could he possibly let you leave?"

He had been digging into a few things these past few days. He now understood that Nicholas clinging to me wasn't surprising. Maybe he wasn't as indifferent and irresponsible towards me as people thought. Pete had his own motives. There were things he didn't want me to know. But could fate between two people really be severed by his efforts alone?

It had been three years, and Pete still hadn't managed to win my love. He couldn't stand seeing me suffer like this any longer.

There were things I deserved to know. Only then could I make decisions I wouldn't regret later.

Pete kept his head down. He didn't even notice when I turned to look at him.

"I left because I wanted to." I pretended to be lighthearted, but the weight in my chest made it impossible to feel that way.

"Ari, over these three years, how many times have you thought of Nicholas?"

I froze, unsure why he would ask such a thing. Instinctively, I denied it. "Who would ever think of him?"Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Pete chuckled softly and raised his hand. But instead of ruffling my hair like he used to, he gently smoothed the strands that had fallen out of place.

His eyes were pure, free of any complex emotions. After fixing my hair, he cupped my cheeks and wiped away the smudged lipstick with a tissue.

There was regret in his voice, and his gaze felt like he was looking at a bride about to be married off. "Ari, sometimes I regret never crossing that line with you." I felt diffident as I met Pete's gaze. "I..."

Suddenly, I thought of a convenient excuse. "The doctor said Tabitha could use a little brother or sister to keep her company..."

Before I could finish, Pete pressed his thumb to my lips.

"Do

you remember? I was the one who went to the hospital with you. After we left, I proposed to you on the way back. I told you I didn't care about the company or the money. I was ready to give everything to

Annie, to stop dragging things out

with her.

"I was going to divorce her, and we could have a little sister for Tabitha. You should know I was serious, but you brushed it off as a joke. I knew that was your way of turning me down. "Don't lie to me. That reason doesn't work for me, but it works for Nicholas. Ari, you still love him, don't you?"

"No! I don't love him anymore..."

"Don't rush to deny it. If you don't love him, prove it to me." Pete leaned closer, his face inches from mine. "Accept me if you don't love him. Don't push me away."

He closed his eyes after saying this, even loosening his grip on my face.

He moved slowly, without holding me in place. I could have easily dodged him if I wanted to. I knew he was giving me time to think.

In those few seconds, I thought about so many things. I really didn't want to keep dragging things out with Nicholas. Maybe being with Pete was the best choice.

"I won't push you away. If you don't mind the complications, if you don't mind that our feelings might not be equal, let's be together. I'll try my best to see you as my boyfriend, not just as a brother. Just give me a little more time."

I made up my mind and even closed my eyes. But when I felt his breath nearing, I instinctively turned my face away.

Pete opened his eyes and smiled faintly.

"Ari, I'm leaving the country. My dad and my brother have been urging me for days now. I couldn't bring myself to leave while you still had things going on here, but now I think you'll be okay without me. Someone else will be here to protect you in my place."