Nichs turned toward me, his defined jawlineing into view. Expectation flickered in his eyes as he began speaking.


    "I''m on vacation starting today. I''ll have time to spend with you until New Year."


    I was quite surprised. "You... you''re on vacation?"Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Nichs held my gaze and nodded in silence.


    Under the covers, my hands gripped the bed sheets tightly. Bitterness filled my heart. In the past, he always said he was too busy whenever I wanted him to spend time with me back then. But now, he''d be the one who was full of anticipation. But even if he had time, I didn''t want to go to Pete''s wedding with him. The wedding ceremony would go down the drain if either of them lost their temper.


    I balked, unsure whether I should tell him the truth.


    "Oh, I paused, feeling a bit nervous. "Well, you should spend some time with your father.


    "I know I promised not to go anywhere before the New Year, but I might have to break that promise. I need to take a trip."


    Nichs looked up and shed a smile at me. "Another business trip? You said your next court session. was after New Year."


    His reaction wasn''t as negative as I had expected, which made me feel more at ease.


    "No. I''m going out with Yasmine."


    "Not for work?" He fixed his gaze on me, a hint of amusement flickering in his initially calm eyes.


    I knew what he was implying but feigned ignorance nheless.


    "No. I''ll be back before New Year''s Eve."


    His gaze darkened. "So, it''s not convenient to take me along?"


    ''Uh... Yasmine''spany should be enough."


    Upon hearing this, Nichs turned grim, and the faint glimmer of hope in his eyes was extinguished. He pursed his lips slightly and turned to leave.


    "Alright then. I''ll wait for you toe back."


    Stepping out of the room, he leaned against the door and gasped for his breath. It felt like a thousand voices were mocking him in his mind, hurling the worst insults at him. "Nichs, no one wants you!"


    "Nichs, you''re the jinx who killed your mother. You''ll be abandoned by everyone!"


    "Nichs, the more you say, the more mistakes you''ll make. You only


    ever ruin things!"


    His head throbbed from his memory, and the pain was so intense that it felt as if a steal as


    pierced his brain. He wanted to chase away the voices, but he couldn''t.


    Just like how he couldn''t trap Ariana without taking away her freedom. She hadn''t been honest with him.


    "Nick?" Having just returned home, udia saw Nichs clutching his head in pain. "Nick! What''s wrong? She ran toward Nichs, already


    knowing what was happening to


    him. Her mother had told her that if he had fallen ill again, she just needed to make him rely on her again-just like how she did when they were children.


    Only through this could she and her mother stay with the Hawk family after Daniel passed away.


    udia didn''t just want Nichs to think she was more important than Ariana; she wanted to take Ariana''s ce. One day, calling him "Nick" would be an intimate term between them, not just a simple nickname.


    “Nick, I bought a huge doll. Will youe to my room to see it? Do you remember how I used to beg you to pretend to be a bear and tell me stories? I haven''t heard you tell a story in so long...


    When they were kids, Nichs would calm down when he was immersed in fairy tales. Now, she hoped the same would happen.


    I was in bed, unable to fall asleep. I had been listening from the moment udia yelled for Nichs. She sounded so shocked, as if something had happened to him. Opening the door, I saw them disappearing into the distance together.


    It turned out Nichs hadn''t been hesitating about whether toe back inside; he had been waiting for udia. They just wanted to y their little "sibling game" and listen to stories.


    I smiled wryly, realizing that my worries had been unnecessary after all. Nichs had already returned to udia''s side. How could his illness rpse? He must have long since recovered.