Trouble in Paradise (Arianna and Nicholas) novel Chapter 593

I fixed my gaze calmly on Claudia. "Alright. Go ahead. I'm listening."

Nicholas abruptly shot to his feet, as if a dagger were pressed against his back. He stormed toward Claudia, his anger so palpable he looked ready to strangle her with his bare hands.

I quickly pulled him back. "I promise, if anything she says is untrue, I'll give you a chance to explain."

He gritted his teeth, his displeasure at Claudia's audacity evident as he glared at her with a silent, seething warning.

I stepped between them, raising a hand to shield his eyes before pushing him back into his seat.

His lashes trembled lightly against my palm, and with a broken voice, he called out, "Ariana…"

That single word was enough to shatter anyone's heart.

"Let's clear everything up today. Since we're here, let's get it all out in the open. Whatever can be resolved, let's resolve it. I don't know where we'll go from here, but standing still will only make things worse."

From Nicholas' repeated attempts to stop Claudia, I had already guessed that the truth wasn't going to be something I wanted to hear.

But even if the answer was a painful, bloody one, it was still the truth, wasn't it?

I withdrew my hand and looked at him. "Nicholas, we have to face it—face our past."

Claudia stared at Nicholas with an expression of pitiful grievance.

"Nick, if you'd been with me, you wouldn't have suffered like this. Watching you in pain hurts me even more. You just don't realize it—you don't love her as much as you think. And she doesn't love you at all!"

Nicholas froze as if he had been doused in icy water. He didn't move a muscle, not even when Claudia's words cut deeper and deeper.

I turned to her, my voice cold. "Are you going to talk or not?"