Rift in the perfect picture

+25 BONUS

“Do I look like I need you to pay for my meals?” Pete scoffed.” Plenty of women would kill to take me out for dinner!”

After accompanying me to the hospital, Pete dropped me home. “You can take the next few days off. We don’t need your ugly face in the firm.”

“Sure thing.”

I did not talk back this time, since he was kind enough to take me to the hospital. Once he was gone, I headed for the elevators.

I was scrolling through my phone idly when the doors opened. The corridor outside should be bright, but one of the windows was obscured by a tall figure.

He stood by the window while looking down and blocked most of the light from the corridor, just like he did to my heart.

I lived on the 37th floor. I knew he couldn’t see anything from this height, but the graveness emanating from his back gave me the feeling that he knew everything. He knew that Pete had driven me to Claudia’s college and that he had driven me to the hospital and back home after the incident.

When he heard the elevator ding, he turned. It was too late for me to turn back into the elevator by then.

The elevator had left while I was distracted.

When Nicholas turned, all my tumultuous emotions seemed to

settle instantly. My heart almost stuttered to a stop.

He’d always had the ability to influence my emotions. I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of him, so I forced myself to make eye contact.

He strode forward to the door of my apartment, blocked the entrance, and looked at me with cold eyes. “Why didn’t you invite Mr. Shelman up for a coffee?”

I was stunned for a moment. Then, I burst into laughter. “I’ll go back down right now and ask him.”

Nicholas was such a busy man. He hadn’t forgotten to stalk me even while taking care of Claudia.

I pressed the elevator button quicker than I thought I could. I wanted to leave.

Footsteps sounded from behind me.

I jabbed at the button, venting all my anger toward Nicholas in the tiny little button.

Suddenly, he grabbed my wrist.

Forcefully, he pushed me against the cold metal frame of the elevator. The reflection in the shiny metal twisted his sharp features into something terrifying. I closed my eyes while trembling slightly.

“Ariana.” He turned me around to face him.

J was a little confused by the suppressed emotions imbued in my name. It was only when he touched his fingers to my

swollen cheek that I snapped back to my senses due to the pain.

Carefully, I opened my eyes. My eyelashes were fluttering, and I looked up just in time to see him pull his hand back.

The emotions in his eyes dissipated as well. “Pete Shelman,” he gritted out.

His eyes were dark and unreadable. I waited for him to continue, but he just stopped there.

He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hands elegantly on it. The greasy ointment on my face that had transferred to his fingers stained the fabric.

turned my face away, but he quickly pulled me back by the chin. Trapped between him and the wall, I was so close that I could hear his labored breathing.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

He sounded like he was suppressing something. The sound weighed on me.

He took out a bag from the inner pocket of his pocket and held it up for me to see. Then, he tossed it unceremoniously into the trash can beside the elevator.

Inside the bag, I saw several tubes of ointments. He’d also thrown the handkerchief away.

My heart trembled slightly, but I lowered my eyes. Even if he’d gotten medicine for me, it was probably an afterthought when he brought Claudia to the hospital.