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Chapter 8

“Whoa, easy, Becky! I didn’t expect anything from my confession! You asked me, and I just answered your question, that’s all!” Nicholas exclaimed, seeing the change in Rebecca’s expression.

“But-” Rebecca bit her lip, searching for the right words. “But isn’t everything going to get weird now? I mean, isn’t it cruel of me to take advantage of you like this when I don’t have any intention of returning your feelings?” she said, looking deeply at Nicholas without any nervousness because she didn’t share the same feelings.

Nicholas gave a bitter smile. “Well, no one thinks you’re cruel, okay? We’re friends, old friends! I’m doing all this because I care about you, so get those wild thoughts out of your head, and let’s focus on your recovery. Are we on the same page now?”

“I’ll repay your kindness someday,” Rebecca replied softly. She had been living independently since she was a child. Growing up as an orphan in an orphanage taught her the value of hard work and the taboo of getting something for nothing.

Nicholas smiled slightly, nodding his head. “Alright, think about how you’ll repay me later. For now, do you want something to eat?

Rebecca took a deep breath, glancing at her wrist, which had thinned because she had lost a lot of weight in the past two weeks. “I’m craving for lasagna bolognese. Can you get it from the fridge for me? I’ll heat it up myself.”

“Whoa! Have you forgotten that your shoulder is still bruised? I’ll do everything for you, so just sit comfortably and wait for your lasagna to be ready,” Nicholas responded. With a swift motion, he opened the fridge, took out the lasagna, and put it in the microwave.

“I’ve been thinking of moving somewhere else,” Rebecca blurted out suddenly, causing Nicholas to turn in surprise.

“What? You mean moving for good?” Nicholas asked, his eyes widening.

Rebecca nodded three times. “There’s nothing left for me here. If I stay here any longer, my hatred for Harvey and Alicia will eat away at my sanity. They are no match for me

now-

Nicholas blinked twice, shocked by Rebecca’s words. “What did you say? No match for you now?

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Chapter 8

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“Yeah, for now, but someday, I will be a worthy opponent for them, and I promise I will make them pay for everything they did to me. I swear on the baby that disappeared from my womb,” Rebecca said, her voice trembling.

Nicholas was about to reach out to embrace Rebecca, but the microwave beeped loudly, drawing both of their attention.

Rebecca continued to ponder her future while chewing on her lasagna. She thought about what she could do with her legs still in the healing process. She calculated her savings,

“Airplane ticket, renting a studio apartment, buying a camera…

“I’m moving to LA!” Rebecca suddenly exclaimed, causing Nicholas to turn in surprise. “LA? Are you serious? Why LA?”

Rebecca wiped the corner of her mouth with her thumb, unaware that Nicholas was watching her every move. “Um, I don’t know, New York is too cold for me,” she answered, her chest feeling like a sword was piercing it as she said it.

“Alright! LA then!” Nicholas exclaimed, nodding his head excitedly as if he were the one moving there.

“Why are you so excited?” Rebecca asked, feeling a bit offended because Nicholas seemed happy about her departure as if he acknowledged that she was just a burden.

“Well, I have a branch office there, so I can accompany you, at least until you can walk again,” Nicholas replied casually, ignoring the shock on Rebecca’s face.

“What? No, you can’t move to LA just because of me! That’s ridiculous!” Rebecca exclaimed. She didn’t want to burden Nicholas, especially since she had no feelings for that poor man.

“Yes, I can! I won’t let you face all this hardship alone. Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to return my feelings or anything. I’m doing this purely because we are friends. Sorry, there’s some bolognese sauce on your cheek, Nicholas said as he approached and gently wiped Rebecca’s check, wiping away a sauce that wasn’t there.

Rebecca cleared her throat, breaking the sudden awkwardness.

“Nic, you can’t-”

“Ssh, Becky, we have an uninvited guest,” Nicholas said, his eyes fixed on the small 11-

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Chapter 8

inch screen displaying the CCTV footage of the apartment’s front door.

Rebecca turned to the screen, frowning. “Shit, is that Harvey?” she exclaimed in surprise.

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Nicholas raised an eyebrow. “Let me deal with him. You stay here and don’t make a sound.”

“Why is he here?” Rebecca murmured almost in a whisper, wondering if Alicia knew that Harvey had come to see her. A foolish thought crossed her mind that maybe Harvey was there to ask her to return to him.

‘Should I forgive him after what he did to me?”

“Move! I know she’s in there!” It was Harvey’s voice, and not long after,

“It makes sense now!” Harvey exclaimed, clapping his hands three times, causing Rebecca to turn to him with wide eyes. “I don’t understand why you made such a fuss just to divorce me, but it turns out this man is the reason,” Harvey said in his deep, cold voice.

“Watch your mouth!” Rebecca hissed, her voice trembling.

“You know, you just had to ask. You didn’t need to use Alicia as a tool-”

“Fuck you! How dare you say that to me! One, Nicholas and I just reconnected two weeks ago, and obviously, he and I are just good friends. Two, I will never change my statement about the crime Alicia committed against me. I’m sure she deliberately destroyed the evidence of my pregnancy to ostracize me. Three, get out of my sight! I’m sick of seeing you!” Rebecca roared with fury,

Before long,

“Please escort this man out of here. He trespassed on my property without my consent,” Nicholas said firmly to the apartment’s security guards who just arrived.

Harvey stared at Rebecca silently, then angrily brushed off the security guard’s hands. “Get your hands off me. I can walk by myself! he barked.

Suddenly, Harvey stepped closer to Rebecca.

“What are you doing?”