"Say that again!" Mom''s arm shot up as if ready to strike me, but Nichs intervened from across the room.


    "Brenda, Ariana and I have had some disagreementstely. I''ll talk to her about it."


    "Oh! Was I interrupting your call? I''ll go now. I didn mean to keep you both." Mom hadn''t expected Nichs to be watching. us, and her attitude shifted instantly.


    Her blow didn''tnd on my face, but my head took a good Knock. Recently, it felt like my head had been through a lot.


    "Nelson''s out there too! I did him a favor by giving him somend, so we''re square now. You know how it goes." Mom reminded me quietly.


    I looked down, silently urging her to go. I missed Dad dearly.


    Suddenly, Nichs enveloped me in a warm hug, catching me. off guard. His embrace offered unexpectedfort, starkly contrasting the tension with Mom just moments earlier. Feeling vulnerable, I didn''t resist his gesture at first.


    He gently touched my waist a few times before I turned to meet his gaze, hoping for sce. Instead, he asked, "Do you know Nelson?"


    1 sneered. "Are you trying to impress him as well?"


    While the Fisher familycked the power the current Hawks enjoyed, their longstanding heritage ensured theirwork of


    connections was firmly established. It wasn''t umon for a young man like Nichs to pursue rtionships with people like Nelson.


    Nichs shook his head. "Ariana, let''s make a deal."


    Remembering Mom''s advice, I quickly refused. "I don''t know him!"


    He reached out to touch my cheek. "This isn''t about Nelson. udia''s mad at me. I need you to talk to her for me."


    Suddenly, a sharp pain seized my chest, leaving me unsure of how to respond in that instant.


    "In exchange, I''ll forgive your debt. Tomorrow, you''ll take udia to her new college," Nichs said solemnly.


    Regaining my voice, I asked, "Why? Can''t your driver take her if you''re busy?"


    "I have the time, but udia and I are at odds. I need you to act as a mediator for us. You''re aiming to be awyer, aren''t you? Are you going to miss an opportunity to wipe out seven million in debt just by talking?"


    I couldn''t believe it. It reminded me of yesterday when udia had cried in his arms for what seemed like hours.


    Sending his wife to negotiate with the other woman-was this his idea of a solution? How much more did he intend to push me before giving up?


    I felt suffocated as if he were trapping me at every turn. I asserted firmly, "That''s not happening!"N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "Ariana, it begins with you. You bear the primary responsibility here!" Nichs snapped.


    I clenched my fist, unable to hold back, and struck his chest with force. He was the one ying both sides!


    But instead of getting angry, he simply let me go and said," Take your time to think."


    My mind froze for a moment. Life seemed to suffocate me with every twist and turn. I realized I shouldn''t depend on others forfort as it only ended in disappointment. After some reflection, I replied, "I''m open to it, but on certain terms."


    "Go on."


    "What about our divorce? Have you thought about that?"


    Nichs held my gaze firmly, his refusal unwavering. "The divorce agreement you sent has been shredded. I won''t allow anyone to disrupt the bnce of my life."


    I nced down, focusing on the gleaming tip of his shoe while hiding a wry smile. I knew he wouldn''t yield easily, so I said, "I''ll go with something else instead. You clear my seven million debt, allow me to retain my job, and we agree to live apart for two years without surpri