Trouble in Paradise (Arianna and Nicholas) novel Chapter 591

Nicholas stared coldly at Claudia, who stubbornly met his gaze. No one else in the room reacted much.

"What else have you done? Tell me everything now, or the consequences will be worse if I find out later," Nicholas demanded, his tone sharp and commanding.

Claudia bit her lip hard. It was hard to tell whether it was due to overwhelming emotion or sheer frustration with Nicholas, but a faint flush appeared on her pale cheeks.

"Nick, did you come here because of what Ariana had told you? You just believe everything she says!"

Tears began rolling down her cheeks as her voice trembled, laced with stubborn sobs. "If you trust her so much, why even ask me? Whatever I say doesn't matter anyway. In the end, it's always her word over mine."

Her accusations were aimed squarely at me, yet I had no desire to respond. I'd grown numb after all I'd endured. Whether accused falsely or not, it no longer stirred any emotion.

The room fell silent except for Claudia's quiet sobs. Nicholas and I stood there watching her without a word of comfort.

Suddenly, Claudia let out a bitter laugh.

Her tearful eyes met Nicholas' as she said, "I understand now. In your heart, there's no bond left between us. When did you stop caring about me, Nick? Three years ago, you even promised to give me the title of the Hawk family's heiress and let me be your sister forever!"

Claudia was already injured, and her pale complexion made her seem even more pitiable when she spoke.

While I didn't exactly feel sorry for her, I certainly had no interest in sticking around to watch them hash out their tangled emotions.

Even now, it felt as though an impenetrable wall stood between Nicholas and Claudia, a barrier outsiders could never break. Whether their connection was positive or toxic, no one else could intrude on it.

Seeing that my tone wasn't overly emotional, Nicholas regained his composure.

"Three years ago, after you left, I realized Claudia's feelings toward me weren't proper—far from a sibling bond. That's when I understood that the years we shared were ruined by her meddling. I punished her by declaring she'd only ever be my sister—nothing more.

"And as for the title, she didn't enjoy any of the privileges that came with it. She didn't get a dime from me over the past few years. She had nothing but an empty title."

His words left me shaken. Was this true? Had Nicholas and Claudia fallen out years ago?

Nicholas continued, "Making you my wife isn't a punishment. It's love. Claudia gets nothing from me, but I want to give you everything. The problem is, you don't want anything at all…"