"Clearly, he doesn''t love me," I thought when I heard Nichs say those words.


    It seemed that once I saw things clearly, I could find evidence of how he didn''t love me everywhere. Nichs had no patience left for me.


    I fixed my gaze on Nichs as if trying to see through him. However, I looked away after a moment. I didn''t want to probe any further as I had lost all hope in him.


    Seeing that I didn''t move, Nichs grabbed my wrist and dragged me away. When I realized that Nichs was taking me to the walk-in wardrobe, I tried to resist. I no longer wanted to step inside after thinking about what he did there this morning. Nichs'' expression darkened and he spoke coldly. "Ariana, how can I take you to Hawk Manor in this state?"


    I nced down at myself. My neatly ironed clothes were now wrinkled all because of what he did earlier. Indeed, I couldn''t


    wear them anymore."


    Since the issue between Nichs and I wasn''t properly resolved yet, it wasn''t the proper time to let his parents know about our divorce. I still had to go meet them.


    I persuaded myself topromise and said, "Why don''t you pick out something for me to wear?"


    Nichs''replied sarcastically, "You''re even giving me orders


    now?"


    I asked in a calm tone, "Is it too much to ask you to pick out an outfit for me?"


    I had never enjoyed any sort of service from him before. I was the one who managed his life meticulously after our marriage. Now that we were going to get a divorce, I wished to make it up to myself somehow. Soon, Nichs draped a bluish-white gown over my head. His words were cutting as he spoke coldly, "I''ll only do this once. Other wives don''t get treatment like this."


    Other wives might not get special treatment, but udia did. Nichs personally waited on his stepsister''s hand and foot, but doing it for me meant doing me a favor.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    In other marriages, husbands even washed their wives'' feet. What was the big deal about picking out an outfit?


    I pulled the dress off my head and turned to go to the bedroom upstairs. Nichs stayed behind. He clearly preferred to be in the walk-in wardrobe.


    The gown was made of satin and embroidered with intricate patterns of moons and flowers. I felt like I was walking amongst a sea of flowers when I put on the gown. It made my movements light and graceful.


    I stood in front of the mirror and admired my sexy curves, which contrasted with udia''s petite frame. At the age of 26, I was at the most beautiful stage of womanhood. The fitted gown suited me well as it clung to my figure and showed off


    my feminine curves.


    I simply pinned up my long hair with a hairpin and took a matching scarf before heading downstairs.


    Nichs was sitting on the couch. He was dressed in a crisp suit, and he had an indifferent expression on his face. He heard the sound of footsteps and stood up to look at me.


    His features were impably perfect separately. Together, they highlighted his dignified aura. Nichs seeded in drawing my full attention just by standing there. to


    Unlike me, there was no amazement in Nichs'' eyes. He casually fiddled with a string of rosary beads in his hand." Aren''t you going to put on any jewelry? My mom will think that the Hawk family is going bankrupt!" After saying that, Nichs left me to go start the car in the courtyard.


    Nichs'' parents were always kind to me. Thinking about how he might get scolded for this amused me slightly. In actual fact, I just wanted to avoid entering the walk-in wardrobe. I followed after Nichs silently.


    When I opened the car door to the passenger side, Nichs stopped me. "You sit in the back."


    "Why?"


    "We''re stopping by the hospital first. udia isn''t feeling well, so let her sit in the front," he replied.


    My fingers clenched the door handle so hard that my knuckles


    turned white. The smile on my face instantly vanished.


    In those few seconds, it felt like my world was hit by an earthquake. I got into the backseat while feeling shattered and broken-hearted. I couldn''t help but feel suffocated under the rubble while others stomped all over the broken pieces of my life triumphantly. udia was recovering well, except her gait seemed a little awkward. But with Nichs supporting her the whole time, anyone who didn''t know better wouldn''t think twice about it.


    The previously sullen atmosphere in the car became lively. Even when I closed my eyes and pretended to take a nap, udia refused to leave me alone.


    She dragged Nichs and me into conversation with her. Nick, I''m so d that you and Ariana came to pick me up. From now on, please take me with you wherever you go for a trip. I wish that each day with our family can be as happy as today!" I didn''t respond, and Nichs remained silent as well. udia asked again, "Nick, how about it?"


    "Alright," he answered.


    Not satisfied with just his answer, udia turned to me and whined, "Ariana, Ariana..."


    I had no choice but to answer, "Okay."


    "Then, I''m relieved. You two must not fight anymore," udia said.


    I used to call her a little troublemaker out of affection back then, but now I could see how skillful udia was in


    manipting us.


    udia used her coquettish wheedling as a tool and revolved her life around Nichs. She aimed to make me see how tightly Nichs was wrapped around her finger through their interactions. Well, she clearly seeded.


    Frances gave me a warm hug when we arrived at Hawk Manor. She pulled me into the kitchen. Seeing my injured hand, Frances gently blew on it and asked with concern, "What happened? Does it hurt?"


    I pulled my hand back as my heart ached at the thought. I didn''t want to speak in detail about what happened at the hospital, so I brushed it off nonchntly.


    Frances carefully brought out a bowl of herbal tonic. "I went to ken City a few days ago. There is a famous traditional medicine clinic there, and I got this to help boost your fertility."


    She pushed the bowl toward me and stared expectantly at my stomach. "Drink it while it''s still warm."


    Frances often prepared tonics as supplements for Nichs and me. She was clearly eager to have a grandchild, but how could one bear a child alone? I was incapable of asexual reproduction. Despite my thoughts, I pinched my nose and drank the herbal


    tonic. Frances promptly ced a candy in my mouth to take away the bitter taste.


    "Good girl," Frances said with a smile. "Take this bowl to Nick. That rascal won''t listen to whatever I say."


    If my marriage with Nichs truly reached the point of no return, I felt this familial bond with Frances would be the hardest to let go of.


    I carried the tray to Nichs. Then, I bent down and said shyly, "Honey, Frances made this tonic for you. Drink it while it''s hot. Maybe she and Daniel are hoping for a grandchild."


    Everyone in the room was shocked, except me. After all, I used to maintain the reservedness of ady in front of the man I loved. I had never been so direct before.


    Daniel chuckled and said, "Of course not. You both should follow your own pace when ites to having children. It''s just that Mr. Shelman Senior keeps showing off his grandkids in our fishing group chat. Ari, don''t you think he''s being annoying?"x Daniel said so much in one breath that he started coughing violently. He had worked hard for the Hawk Corporation in the first half of his life and ruined his health. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have retired early to enjoy a life of fishing to recuperate.


    As Daniel''s health deteriorated, all his energy was spent on hospital visits. Now that he couldn''t enjoy his hobbies, he could only focus on continuing the family legacy.


    I patted his back andforted him while Nichs pursed his lips. Feeling satisfied that I didn''t mention the divorce, he smiled slightly and drank the tonic in one gulp.


    I leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "Now it won''t taste bitter. "Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that udia''s smile had frozen on her face.


    I wouldn''t be the first to break the facade in front of others who were unaware of what happened. It wasn''t my fault if someone else couldn''t handle the pressure and exposed the truth.


    The closer I got to the truth, the more scared I became. Yet, I couldn''t control my desire to test the waters...