Trouble in Paradise (Arianna and Nicholas) novel Chapter 617

Nicholas held my hand and gently brushed it against his cheek.

"Tabitha will be fine. Our child will be healthy and happy. Everything will be okay."

He repeated it over and over as if to convince both of us. Was he nervous too?

I looked into Nicholas' eyes and nodded sadly. Seeing the redness around the corners of his eyes, guilt washed over me. I had let my emotions get the better of me earlier.

When Nicholas was a child, he didn't have a choice either. No one had asked if he wanted to endure illness. I couldn't place all the blame on him for this.

"I'm sorry," I said softly.

He was calmer than me, and he was right. In a situation like this, if both of us broke down, who would comfort Tabitha?

"You don't need to apologize to me. I failed to protect you and Tabitha, and I caused you both a lot of pain. But at least now, I have the chance to make up for it."

"Nicholas," I called out to him.

"What is it? Are you scared? Worried? Don't overthink it. Tabitha will be out in just a few more minutes. I'm here with you."

His voice was gentle, yet firm. As he wrapped his arms around me, it felt like he was silently passing some of his strength to me. Slowly, I started to calm down.

"Nicholas," I looked up at him and asked softly, "What was it like when you were young?"

I couldn't imagine how much more Tabitha would have to endure if she didn't have us by her side. Just thinking about it broke my heart. At the same time, I felt a deep ache for the childhood Nicholas had suffered through.

If I had been his mother and he'd endured such a childhood, the fact that he'd become the exceptional man he was today would be nothing short of remarkable.

Nicholas froze for a moment before letting out a faint, bitter smile. "Those memories feel so far away now."

His hand brushed gently over my hair, his dark eyes clouded with the pain of unspoken memories.