Trouble in Paradise

Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

These past few days had left me on edge. I always felt that someone like Nicholas wouldn't easily let go after being slapped.

But he seemed to have vanished from Radiant City. A whole week passed without a single word from him. Even that so-called agreement was never mentioned again.

I was relieved and invited Yasmine and Douglas over.

Nicholas and the previous shareholders of Jones Corporation signed a total of 24 contracts. Strangely, I couldn't find any issues with them. In fact, Nicholas managed to secure some very favorable terms, leaving no room for loopholes.

Yasmine also shook her head.

"It's clear he put a lot of effort into these contracts. They were tailored for everyone's specific situations. Look at all the details-he has got them pinned down tight.

"Ari, do you think he might be deceiving you? He might be trying to make you lose your composure."

"What benefit would he get from doing this? It would only make me hate him more. Tabitha doesn't get better here. If it weren't for him, I would have already left with her.

"She probably needs to return to a more familiar environment. Douglas, please help me get Wendy's passport ready. I want to take her with me."

"I'm already working on it," Douglas replied.

Yasmine comforted me, 'At least you tried, so you won't have regrets. Tabitha is still young. We have many chances to intervene.

"Deena told me she has been asking her senior to finalize an intervention plan for Tabitha's situation. Let's wait a bit longer. Tabitha will be okay."

I nodded absentmindedly.

Right now, my top priority was to resolve the hidden dangers Nicholas had mentioned. I didn't want to leave only for Jones Corporation to be taken over by him.

Hawk Corporation currently contributed 80 percent of the taxes in Radiant City. Nicholas could suppress anyone he wanted. But three years ago, despite their strength, Hawk Corporation didn't dominate like this.

Now, he wasn't giving anyone room to negotiate. He was using such aggressive contracts to bind others. As he said before, this was a strategy with no benefit. He couldn't guarantee that the other party wouldn't find themselves in a favorable position in the future. Was he really not leaving a way out for himself?

In my heart, I didn't feel particularly important to him, especially after seeing Claudia wrap around him like a soft slithering snake.

Every night, when I closed my eyes, the images of them together flashed through my mind. Even though I left three years ago and I was about to leave again, those memories still haunted me.

I didn't understand why my rational mind always led me to make the right choices, yet my softest feelings had still been tormented. Had it been because of resentment? Or because I had never had him? I was the one who gave him up, yet I still couldn't feel liberated or pleased.

I could put on a front in front of others. But when I saw Pete standing outside my house for an hour at night, I had no choice but to close the curtains.

I couldn't convince myself, nor could I open up to let someone else in. I couldn't figure out what had been holding me back.

A wave of inexplicable frustration surged within me. I tossed aside the contracts in my hand and lost all patience. "I won't bother anymore if I can't figure it out. I'll host a dinner party, invite them all, and I'll find out for myself." Douglas hesitated. "I can handle the socializing. You should stay home and spend time with Princess Tabitha." "Nicholas said they all hate me. How could I not go? Plus, my phone number has already been tracked. They couldn't reach me through you, so they started harassing me directly. Invite them all."

Yasmine and Douglas exchanged glances but said nothing further.

Two days later, the dinner was held at my private villa on the hillside. The surprised expressions on everyone's faces when they arrived told me I had already achieved my goal.

This villa was one of the properties my dad left me before he passed, and it was the most expensive one.

The reason I chose this location over any random hotel was simple. I wanted to flaunt my wealth and status, to show them whether they could truly afford to mess with Jones Corporation.

I needed to make those who Nicholas claimed would retaliate against me when he was out of the picture reconsider if they could really act on it.

They could hate me all they wanted, as long as they didn't dare to act on it. That would be enough for me.