âCome on, Nolan! It should be me by your side. How could you do this to me? Arenât you being a bit cruel?â Dahliaâs hand rested on his knee, her voice a mix of accusation and desperation.
Nolan looked at her hand, feeling a bit dazed by the memories it evoked. âWhen we were kids, whenever one of us messed up, weâd do this⦠ask for forgiveness, just like that. After all these years, youâve kept the habit.â
Dahliaâs eyes lit up as he mentioned the past. She nodded eagerly. âYeah, do you remember how great things were between us? Does Regina even know about your little quirks? She doesnât, right? Only I do. Iâm the one whoâs meant for you!â
âThereâs no point in saying these things anymore, Dahlia. My heartâs made up. Besides, Regina and I are married. Weâre husband and wife. You need to stop doing things thatâll hurt her. Sheâs generous, sure, but this kind of thing⦠it makes her jealous. And then Iâm the one who has to deal with the fallout when I get home.â
Nolan said this with a smile that only a truly happy man could wear, a complete contrast to the tension of the moment.
Dahliaâs facade crumbled at the sight of his smile, and she stood up abruptly, her voice rising. âSo, you really made up your mind to marry her, huh?â
âItâs not about making up my mind. Dahlia, we are married. You need to accept reality. We canât go back to how things were, especially not after the choice you made back then.â
âYou just canât forgive me, can you? What kind of man holds a grudge like this?â Dahlia shot back, frustration clear in her voice.
Had Nolan not known Dahlia so well, he might have laughed at her accusation. How could he be petty for not welcoming her back with open arms after she cheated? No, Nolan was just an ordinary guy, not a saint.
Maintaining a civil relationship with her over the years was tough enough, given their history. And now Regina was the perfect reason to finally let go.
âDahlia, you, of all people, have no right to judge me. I gave you chances. But you chose someone else over and over again. You only came back because the Harris Group is thriving, but weâve missed our moment, and I wonât make the same mistake twice.â
Nolan remained calm, his former feelings for Dahlia long since eroded by the drama sheâd caused over the years.
And when she had the paparazzi snap photos of them to boost her own profile, that was the last straw, proving she wasnât worth another shot at forgiveness.
âBullshit, Nolan. Youâre just trying to justify your life with Regina. I met you first, and Regina is nothing but a homewrecker. Just wait, Iâll confront her myself and see if she has the conscience to admit it!â Dahlia stormed out, slamming the door behind her, with Nolan hot on her heels.
Lucy, who had been waiting in the wings, sprang into action. She didnât know the details, but she knew the drill-grab Nolanâs car keys and follow.
And sure enough, Dahlia had bolted to her car in the parking lot, speeding off towards New Blossom Press. Nolan was left stranded, but Lucy arrived just in time, elevator doors opening as she tossed him the keys.
With a thankful look, he said, âYear-end raise for you.â
Even the usually stoic Lucy couldnât help the shy smile that spread across her face at the thought of a bonus. Sheâd worked hard for her position, and the end-of-year reward was always sweet.