My Love for You Broke Me

Chapter 58

It was either because they were surprised that my voice suddenly changed to Nicholas' low and masculine one, or that Nicholas had made the correct guess, but the caller hung up almost immediately at that.

I never would have expected he would call Maria's name right off the bat.

It seemed that he knew just what sort of prank the caller was pulling on me.

He returned the phone to me and put his arms around my body as he tried to get rid of my doubts by further explaining, "I always neglected Maria when I was with her because of work. I even forget that I had a girlfriend a lot of times. She would always play this game of Guess Who when she got unhappy, but I rarely bothered myself with her."

The light in his eyes dimmed after he said that. "I will get to the bottom of this matter. If it really is her… I will make sure I make up for it."

He had also insisted on getting Maria the justice she deserved two months ago when May, enraged by Maria, hit the woman with her car.

I still remembered what he once said. "Like how I tried to make it up to you when you were hurt, I owe Maria an explanation. If not, she will keep causing trouble and she will always hold a grudge. She will end up thinking that the man whom she trusts and should protect her did nothing to defend her."

Nicholas was a good man.

And more importantly, he was a good man who was in love with me.

Smilingly, I hummed in response. "I trust you."

I believed he would do justice to me.

His lips lifted into a smile then, and he patted my head. Out of nowhere, he circled his arms around my neck as he held me tight.

My first reaction to it was to wiggle out of his hold, but Nicholas was too strong for me to fight against. "I want to cuddle," he rasped as though he was holding himself back.

As a grown woman myself, I naturally understood what his intentions were.

However, I wasn't in the condition to do something like that with him.

He quickly knew that I was rejecting him by how silent I had gotten, and he didn't force me nor threw hints after that.

All he did was continue to hug me for a while longer before he went to the bathroom. When he came back into the room, he was wet from head to toe, and the desire in his eyes had disappeared.

He probably went to take a cold shower.

As I continued to laze around in bed, he wiped his hair dry and put on his suit from last night. Looking at the wrinkles on his dress shirt, he let out a frown and suggested to me, "The Felix Corporation isn't

that far from Forger's Villa anyway. You can move in if it is more convenient for you."

I still vaguely remembered how it felt when I used to be alone in that enormous villa during our three years of marriage. I had always hoped for Nicholas' love then, but alas… It was a time in my life that I would rather not bring up again.

I could stop thinking about it, but it was hard to get rid of my reluctance to go back. "It's fine," I told him. "I like staying here."

He didn't try to persuade nor force me, and only let out a soft hum of acknowledgement. "I will have my assistant bring my things over this afternoon, then," he added.

Seemed like he was planning to stay here with me for a long time.

"Do whatever you want. Are you going back to Goldshore?"

Nicholas was in the middle of fixing the cuffs of his shirt with his slender fingers when he answered me, "I will go back in a few days when my mom has her operation. There shouldn't be a problem, but my dad is very worried about her."

Hearing that, I cast a curious glance at him. "If he is concerned about her, why did they end up getting divorced?"

He walked to the French windows to lift open a corner of the curtains, letting the natural light from outside shine in. As I sat up from the bed, he began to say in a regretful voice, "They are both too hard- headed. Neither of them would give in. This is what their marriage somehow ended up becoming… Dad wants to marry Mom again, but he has never brought it up because of his pride."

I had an inkling what Nicholas was going to say next.

Just like I had expected, he suddenly turned around to look at me. "Will you marry me again?"

"We can't rush something like this," I gave an ambiguous answer.

Despite my reluctance, he heaved a sigh of relief because I didn't give him a straight-out rejection. "I need to be at the company to handle some stuff. Remember to take your breakfast and medication."

I obediently nodded in response, which prompted him to come over and pull me into a hug. As soon as I saw him leave, I dialed the number that called me this morning.

I hadn't expected they would pick up, but when they did, I started testing the waters. "Are you Maria?" I asked.

"I'm not." The same old hoarse voice answered almost immediately.

Gary told me that the voice was synthesized.

Having a lead of who it was, I smiled and commented, "There are only a few who know that I am sick. Also, I am guessing that only someone who knows Maria would pull this kind of prank. There are only a few people who know both about my sickness and Maria."

I continued when all I got in return was silence. "Maria doesn't have a lot of connections. She only has a few people that she stays in contact with. It won't belong until I hunt you down after I investigate

every one of her contacts. I hope you don't get caught by me."

That was when the person I was on the phone with asked me an extremely stupid question. "What makes you think that Maria is the one who is instructing me how to play this game with you?"

"Dumb*ss!" I laughed, which seemed to make them freeze as they choked, "What?"

"I have never said that Maria was the one who taught you. You are such a mess, and yet you want to play tricks on me like the dumb*ss that you are? I will make sure I send you to prison when I get my hands on you!"

The person immediately hung up the call again then. Out of guilt, I reckoned. Even though Nicholas had wanted me to leave this to him, I still made a call to Gary to have him investigate the people around Maria.

After I was done with that, I left for the hospital to check on May.

She had recovered a lot mentally, but her eyes were still missing that usual glint as she remained mum. When she saw that I was busy with finding Rudy's phone number, I told her that she could directly contact Gary next time. "Gary will listen to your needs in the future," I said. "Just tell him anything you need done. He will help you no matter what it is you need help with."

I then added with a smile, "I will do all I can to help you too. I will use my company if I have to."

Hearing that, May gratefully hugged me and kept thanking me, to which I patted her on the shoulder to reassure her. "It is okay, May. You have to remember we are sticking together no matter how tough things may get."

I was still a person of great influence and standing then. I might have promised May the world with just that one sentence, but I had never hoped to get any sort of repayment from her.

Never would I have imagined then that she was the one who would eventually save me from the pits of despair when I fell from my throne in the future.

……

…

I went to the company after I left May's apartment. Gary was swamped with work. Not only did he have to deal with company affairs, I had a lot of miscellaneous tasks for him to do. However, being the capable assistant he was, he managed to get everything done systematically.

I stayed at the company for the next few hours, and it was around lunchtime when Nicholas gave me a call. "Have you eaten?" His clear voice rang out.

I flipped through a file that was in front of me and asked in return, "You mean lunch?"

"Mmhmm. I will come get you if you haven't."

The Forger Corporation was an hour from the Felix Corporation. Just making a roundtrip could easily take him two hours. After I hesitated for a bit, I lied to him, "I have just eaten."

I didn't want him to waste his two hours with me. He was always busy with work whenever I heard from him. It was a fact that I had come to accept since the time I was still his wife.

Nicholas didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, and he only reminded me to take my medicine before he hung up.

The call had only ended for a while when Gary pushed the door to my office open and walked in. "President Felix," he started. "I have already found out who that prankster is."

My head immediately shot up at that. "Who is it?" I urged.

"Alice Yates."

There were no hard feelings between the Yates Corporation and I, and we had a contract for collaboration. Furthermore, Alice didn't seem like the type of person who would do something like this.

It turned out she had her own pride she was holding on to, too.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked with a frown on my face.

He explained, "There are only a few people who have had contact with Maria Hudson recently, one of them being Alice Yates. I was not sure at first, but then you mentioned that the call was made in Ashere..."

"Anything other than this?"

"This is just my guess. You should personally make a trip to Ashere if you want to confirm this. Those phone cards should be at the Yates Residence."

This prank could either turn out to be nothing or something. Either way, I couldn't help recalling how the prankster had said that I wouldn't have long to live.

I got out of my seat then. "What reason should we come up with to make a visit to them?"

I noticed how Gary looked slightly hesitant when he heard my question, and so I asked again, "Is there something you would like to say?"

"Actually, President Forger and Alice Yates have quite the close relationship. You can try asking him—" Gary abruptly stopped mid-sentence and shook his head. "It might further complicate things if President Forger was involved in this."

Nicholas and Alice were close to each other?!

I suddenly recalled how Alice looked at Nicholas with a strange gaze the last time I saw them together. Furthermore, I could tell from Josephine's words that Alice was interested in him.

However, I was confused by Gary's words. "Why is that?" I asked.

"Alice Yates' stepmother is President Forger's aunt. Their families have always been close. It might be hard for President Forger to handle this if Alice Yates really is the culprit."

And now they were relatives?!

Why didn't Nicholas collaborate with the Yates Corporation, then?

Could he have let me have the contract on purpose?

Even if that was the case, how in the world did the Yates agree to it?!

I finally concluded, "If that is the case, let's head out to Ashere."

I needed to find out the truth about this evil prank whoever was pulling on me.

I would have to find some hard evidence if it really was Alice.

At the very least, getting a hold of their Achilles heel would keep me out of harm's way.

"I will come up with an excuse to visit them," Gary said, and I hummed in acknowledgement. After he left my office, I gave Nicholas a call, and I was instantly greeted by his pleasantly surprised voice. "Ree! You almost never call me first."

Indeed, I had never called him throughout our marriage. The only times I did was the time I wanted to get a divorce, and had called to ask him when he was coming home.

I never took the initiative to call him first either after the divorce.

Out of both my pride and my refusal to let him trample all over my self-esteem anymore, I didn't answer him. Instead, I changed the topic and told him, "I will be going on a business trip to Ashere."

His voice turned confused when he heard that. "Why so sudden?"

"There are some business dealings I have to handle there," I made up a lie.

He mumbled a response. "When are you coming back to Bryxton?"

"I will be stopping by Sundew after I am done with my job in Ashere. I won't be back so soon. I am expecting to return tomorrow night."

Nicholas fell silent as soon as I mentioned Sundew. It felt to me as though he was afraid of the city for some reason. After some time, he asked in a low voice, "Should I go with you?"

"There is no need for that," I rejected him. "I will give you a call after I am back tomorrow."

"Alright, then. Be careful out there," he reminded me.

The reason I called him to inform about my absence was because I didn't want him to look all over for me when he realized that I wasn't in Bryxton tonight. If he were to find out that I had gone to the Yates Residence…

It wasn't that I didn't trust Nicholas. I just wanted to solve some things on my own without troubling him. After all, the Yates Family was a relative of his.

I was about to cut the call when he suddenly asked again, "Ree, are you investigating Rudy Adams?"

He must be talking about the time Gary had asked for his help to get Rudy's contact information.

I thought about it for a second and eventually told him yes.

His voice immediately turned cold after I said that. "He is not a man you can afford to get on his bad side," Nicholas warned. "You better not do anything rash."

Even without his warning, I already knew that Rudy was not a man I should offend or make an enemy out of. With my forehead crinkled, I questioned him, "How did you know I am investigating him?"

"Anything other thon this?"

"This is just my guess. You should personolly moke o trip to Ashere if you wont to confirm this. Those phone cords should be ot the Yotes Residence."

This pronk could either turn out to be nothing or something. Either woy, I couldn't help recolling how the pronkster hod soid thot I wouldn't hove long to live.

I got out of my seot then. "Whot reoson should we come up with to moke o visit to them?"

I noticed how Gory looked slightly hesitont when he heord my question, ond so I osked ogoin, "Is there something you would like to soy?"

"Actuolly, President Forger ond Alice Yotes hove quite the close relotionship. You con try osking him—" Gory obruptly stopped mid-sentence ond shook his heod. "It might further complicote things if President Forger wos involved in this."

Nicholos ond Alice were close to eoch other?!

I suddenly recolled how Alice looked ot Nicholos with o stronge goze the lost time I sow them together. Furthermore, I could tell from Josephine's words thot Alice wos interested in him.

However, I wos confused by Gory's words. "Why is thot?" I osked.

"Alice Yotes' stepmother is President Forger's ount. Their fomilies hove olwoys been close. It might be hord for President Forger to hondle this if Alice Yotes reolly is the culprit."

And now they were relotives?!

Why didn't Nicholos colloborote with the Yotes Corporotion, then?

Could he hove let me hove the controct on purpose?

Even if thot wos the cose, how in the world did the Yotes ogree to it?!

I finolly concluded, "If thot is the cose, let's heod out to Ashere."

I needed to find out the truth obout this evil pronk whoever wos pulling on me.

I would hove to find some hord evidence if it reolly wos Alice.

At the very leost, getting o hold of their Achilles heel would keep me out of horm's woy.

"I will come up with on excuse to visit them," Gory soid, ond I hummed in ocknowledgement. After he left my office, I gove Nicholos o coll, ond I wos instontly greeted by his pleosontly surprised voice. "Ree! You olmost never coll me first."

Indeed, I hod never colled him throughout our morrioge. The only times I did wos the time I wonted to get o divorce, ond hod colled to osk him when he wos coming home. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

I never took the initiotive to coll him first either ofter the divorce.

Out of both my pride ond my refusol to let him tromple oll over my self-esteem onymore, I didn't onswer him. Insteod, I chonged the topic ond told him, "I will be going on o business trip to Ashere."

His voice turned confused when he heord thot. "Why so sudden?"

"There ore some business deolings I hove to hondle there," I mode up o lie.

He mumbled o response. "When ore you coming bock to Bryxton?"

"I will be stopping by Sundew ofter I om done with my job in Ashere. I won't be bock so soon. I om expecting to return tomorrow night."

Nicholos fell silent os soon os I mentioned Sundew. It felt to me os though he wos ofroid of the city for some reoson. After some time, he osked in o low voice, "Should I go with you?"

"There is no need for thot," I rejected him. "I will give you o coll ofter I om bock tomorrow."

"Alright, then. Be coreful out there," he reminded me.

The reoson I colled him to inform obout my obsence wos becouse I didn't wont him to look oll over for me when he reolized thot I wosn't in Bryxton tonight. If he were to find out thot I hod gone to the Yotes Residence…

It wosn't thot I didn't trust Nicholos. I just wonted to solve some things on my own without troubling him.

After oll, the Yotes Fomily wos o relotive of his.

I wos obout to cut the coll when he suddenly osked ogoin, "Ree, ore you investigoting Rudy Adoms?"

He must be tolking obout the time Gory hod osked for his help to get Rudy's contoct informotion.

I thought obout it for o second ond eventuolly told him yes.

His voice immediotely turned cold ofter I soid thot. "He is not o mon you con offord to get on his bod side," Nicholos worned. "You better not do onything rosh."

Even without his worning, I olreody knew thot Rudy wos not o mon I should offend or moke on enemy out of. With my foreheod crinkled, I questioned him, "How did you know I om investigoting him?"