Chapter 6 How Dare You!

• Oliver’s lips brushed gently against Nicole’s. The softness of her lips made his mind go blank. His tongue traced hers slowly, caressing the inside of her mouth. In the pitch-black room, their thoughts became dangerously blurred.
• It felt like they were swept away, drowning in an endless sea. Neither of them fully realized what was happening. But a few seconds later, Nicole’s senses snapped back. Reflexively, she shoved Oliver away just as the lights flickered back on.
• Slap!
• Nicole’s hand landed sharply on Oliver’s cheek. Her eyes reddened, threatening to spill tears, but she fought hard not to cry. Nicole’s shoulders trembled from a mix of fear and anger.
• “Bastard! How dare you take advantage of me!” Nicole shouted, her voice loud and strong.
• Oliver touched his cheek and glared coldly at Nicole. “If I hadn’t silenced you, you would’ve kept screaming like a lunatic. It was just a blackout! You’re the one overreacting!”
• Nicole glared at Oliver with pure hatred. “You’ve never changed, Oliver Maxton! You’ll always be a jerk!”
• “Come on, Nicole. What’s a kiss anyway? You’re not a child. Don’t make such a fuss,” Oliver replied, cold and indifferent.
• Nicole gave a bitter smile. “You’re right. It means nothing. But what you did was still disrespectful — a clear lack of respect for women, Mr. Maxton.” She paused, locking eyes with him. “Stay away from me. Know your boundaries. You’re my stepsister’s fiancé.” With that, she turned and walked away, a single tear escaping the corner of her eye.
• Oliver didn’t notice the tear that slipped from Nicole’s eye. He stood frozen, watching her walk away. Her words gnawed at him, leaving a deep unease. Why had he kissed her? Damn it.
• “Mr. Maxton.” A hotel staff member approached Oliver, his face apologetic and anxious.
• Oliver turned, fixing the staff member with a cold, sharp stare.
• “Mr. Maxton, we sincerely apologize for the blackout. The generator didn’t kick in automatically due to a technical error. We are truly sorry, sir.” The staff bowed his head in apology.
• “This is a five-star hotel. How could the generator fail to start immediately?” Oliver’s gaze grew even sharper.
• “We apologize, sir. There was a technical failure that prevented the generator from starting automatically. We assure you this will never happen again.” The staff member bowed again, pleading for forgiveness.
• Oliver glanced at his watch. “I have to go. My assistant will contact you if I decide to rent this ballroom.”
• Without another word, Oliver strode out of the hotel ballroom. The staff member bowed his head even lower as Oliver left.
• ***
• “Miss Nicole? Are you okay?” Sadie asked, startled as Nicole entered the hotel room with swollen, tear-filled eyes. It had been a long time since Sadie had seen her cry.
• Nicole gave Sadie a weak smile. She sat on the sofa, her face clouded with countless problems. Instinctively, Sadie moved closer and sat beside her, concern in her eyes.
• “Miss, if you have a problem, please tell me. At least your heart will feel lighter,” Sadie said, trying to comfort Nicole.
• Nicole stared straight ahead, her face somber. “Sadie, what would you do if you met the man who ruined your life? You want to avoid him, but you’re trapped in a circle you can’t escape.”
• Sadie gently rubbed Nicole’s shoulder and replied, “If I were you, I’d show him I have a good life. Crying is pointless. What’s broken can never be whole again, right?”
• Nicole fell silent at her assistant’s words. Oliver’s audacious kiss only fueled the fire of anger and hatred inside her. The wounds he had inflicted felt deeper than ever.
• But Nicole swore never to cry in front of Oliver again. She wouldn’t let him see her weakness. Nine years ago, she had been made a fool of because of her own naivety. She would never fall into that bastard’s trap a second time.
• ***
• Oliver stood in his office, staring at the skyscrapers of London. His expression was one of deep contemplation, as if something was disturbing his peace.
• What happened earlier was insane. Oliver admitted his stupidity for kissing Nicole. At that moment, he felt he had no other choice. Especially since Nicole kept screaming in the dark room. If he hadn’t silenced her, people would have rushed in and assumed he was assaulting her. That would only have made things worse.
• “Mr. Oliver.” Vincent—Oliver’s assistant—approached, bowing his head respectfully.
• Oliver gave Vincent a cold look. “Why are you here?”
• Vincent hesitated for a moment. “Excuse me, sir. Are you sure you want to marry Miss Shania Tristan? Your parents don’t even know about your wedding plans with her.”
• Oliver closed his eyes briefly. Yes, he had decided to marry Shania after five months of knowing her in Las Vegas. At the time, Oliver was cornered because his grandfather kept trying to set him up with the granddaughters of his business associates. That was what made Oliver impulsively propose to Shania.
• Besides that, what made Oliver choose Shania was that she gave him freedom. She never tried to control him. In fact, Oliver had already started planning the wedding without telling his parents.
• “My parents will agree. They already know Shania,” Oliver replied flatly. In fact, two months ago, Oliver had introduced Shania to his parents. But he hadn’t told them about his wedding plans yet. Not because he didn’t want to, but because he had decided to tell them later.
• Vincent scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “But you also haven’t told Mr. William about your wedding plans. He could be furious if he finds out you kept it from him, sir. Especially since lately, Mr. William has been busy introducing you to the granddaughters of his business partners.”
• Oliver clicked his tongue in annoyance. William Geovan, his maternal grandfather, was always trying to set him up. That pressure was what finally pushed Oliver to decide to get married at just 27. He’d always been reluctant to argue with his grandfather, who was used to getting his way.
• “Tell my grandpa, if he’s bored with Grandma and wants a new wife, he can go ahead and marry the woman he picked out for me,” Oliver snapped, his eyes sharp.
• Vincent grimaced. “Sir, there’s no way I could say that to your grandfather.”
• Oliver glared at Vincent. “Are you working for me or for my grandfather?”
• Vincent just bowed his head, not daring to answer.
• “Go. Don’t bother me!” Oliver ordered.
• “Y-yes, sir. Excuse me.” Vincent bowed and left Oliver’s presence.
• Oliver grabbed the wine on his desk and drank it harshly. For some reason, his heart felt heavy about marrying Shania. And now, he had run into Nicole again—who turned out to be his fiancée’s stepsister.