BIT

Chapter 18

“Bitch! Don’t you dare lay a hand on his facel Alicia yelled, rushing to attack Rebecca, but Harvey stopped her by extending his right arm.

Rebecca and Harvey stared at each other in silence, unaffected by the commotion around them. Strangely, Rebecca didn’t detect any anger on her ex–husband’s face, even after she had slapped him so hard.

“Becky? Let’s go!” Nicholas pulled Rebecca’s Hand, guiding her into the car. Even as Rebecca sat down and fastened her seatbelt, Harvey kept watching her with his indescribable expression that made Rebecca shudder.

“Are you okay?” Nicholas asked, reaching out to touch Rebecca’s cheek. He did it deliberately, ensuring Harvey could see their intimacy through the open car window.

Rebecca took a deep breath and nodded, not saying a word. As Nicholas’s car sped away from the museum suddenly, Rebecca felt tight in her chest, the same feeling she had experienced when she first separated from her ex–husband. She realized how much she loved that arrogant man and how impossible it was to replace him, no matter how hard she tried.

“Hey, don’t worry about them, okay? Alicia and Harvey are a perfect match–a snake and a devil. I know you’re angry and hate them, but don’t let yourself get drawn into revenge; it’s pointless. Let’s finish our work here and get back to LA as soon as possible.” Nicholas said earnestly. He even smiled when he said that.

Rebecca felt a surge of emotions but managed to keep them in check. She gave a small, expressionless nod and checked her phone before saying, “I’ll stay here for about a month. I have some projects to complete, and the contracts are too valuable to turn.

down.”

“What? A month? But-”

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“Nic, I know this sounds harsh, but I really want to focus on my career. I told the start that starting a new relationship would be hard for me. You encouraged me to try with you, so I did, and I’ve been trying to fall in love with you every day, but I can’t…” Rebecca closed her eyes with her left hand as her head throbbed suddenly. Nicholas stared, shocked. “What do you mean? Are you breaking up with me?” he hissed, pulling the car over suddenly, causing Rebecca to grip the dashboard to avoid hitting her head.

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“You’re wasting your time with me, Nic. I want to feel the same way about you, but I can’t,

way even a spark. My heart is too broken to love anyone else. You don’t have to

wait for me! It’ll take years, God knows how long, and you don’t deserve to wait without certainty. So let’s end this here, please…” Rebecca finally found the courage to express feelings she had held back for months.

“How could you?” Nicholas shook his head, unable to believe what he was hearing. “This is all because you saw Harvey earlier, isn’t it? Do you still love that arrogant man after what he had done to you? Where’s your common sense?”

Rebecca sighed deeply.

“It’s not about Harvey, okay? It’s just me. I don’t want to give you false hope and make you wait. You deserve someone who truly loves you. I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but for now, I think staying friends is best. I’m burdened by trying to love while I’m still so hurt,” she said honestly, hiding the fact that she also distrusted Nicholas after receiving an email from Lucy.

Nicholas’s face turned red, his jaw clenched, and disappointment was evident in his eyes. For a moment, Rebecca thought he would explode and yell at her, but his response surprised her. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Alright, I won’t force you into a relationship. But I don’t want things to change between us. I don’t want any awkwardness, so can we stay like this?” Nicholas said, extending his hand to hold Rebecca’s cold fingers.

“Stay like this?” Rebecca asked, confused, because she truly wanted to end it.

“I mean, can we stay good friends-”

“Nic, of course, we’ll still be friends. Ending our commitment doesn’t mean we’re enemies, but we can’t stay like this. I need to move out of your apartment,” Rebecca interrupted before Nicholas could misunderstand her again.

Nicholas swallowed hard, shocked. He turned to face forward, driving in silence, not responding to Rebecca’s words as if they were too painful to acknowledge.

“Nic, I’m sorry-” Rebecca felt a sudden pang of guilt. She knew she should be grateful and reciprocate Nicholas’s kindness appropriately, but she was too tormented to continue.

“No, don’t be sorry,” Nicholas finally spoke, sighing deeply and nodding. “I respect your

decision. So, do you still want to have dinner with me, or should I take you to your hotel?” he asked without looking at her.

Rebecca exhaled in relief as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She smiled slightly, pushing aside her suspicion about Nicholas’s involvement with Alicia. “Of course, I’ll have dinner with you! This dress is too good to wear for just a short while; I’ll keep it on as long as possible!” she said cheerfully, trying to dispel the awkwardness.

Nicholas nodded, smiling thinly, keeping his focus on the road. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, silently channeling his anger.

After enjoying dinner and a few glasses of wine, the tension between them gradually eased. Rebecca felt more comfortable talking with Nicholas as a friend, without any

pressure.

“Ah, this is so nice! Finally, I can really talk to you!” Rebecca said, swirling her wine glass.

Nicholas frowned slightly, “What do you mean? Haven’t we-

“Well, ever since you showed interest in me, I’ve honestly held back and unknowingly built a wall between us. But now, I feel more comfortable,” Rebecca interrupted honestly.

Nicholas’s good reaction had significantly reduced her suspicion towards him.

Nicholas gave a faint smile, lifting the wine bottle to refill Rebecca’s glass while ignoring his own.

“You’re not pouring your glass?” Rebecca asked, her face slightly flushed.

“No, I’m driving.”

Rebecca nodded. “Alright, this will be my last glass before we go,” she said, sipping her wine slowly.

Meanwhile, Nicholas watched the woman he had admired for so long, feeling intensely angry that he couldn’t have her. But he knew forcing her wouldn’t change anything between them. He racked his brain, looking for a way to make her his forever.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you back to your hotel,” Nicholas said, helping Rebecca who was slightly drunk, up from her chair.

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Rebecca frowned. She did feel a bit drunk, but she was still fully conscious. She lightly slapped her cheeks, trying to stay alert, and sat beside Nicholas while scrolling through her phone to keep herself awake.

Nicholas started the car and drove towards the hotel. Once they arrived at the lobby, he turned to look at Rebecca deeply.

“Becky, can I ask you for one thing?”

Rebecca looked up. “Okay? What is it?”

“Can.l–kiss you one last time?” he asked.

“What?”

“Please? I promise our relationship will be nothing more than friends after this,” Nicholas said, his eyes dim as he looked at Rebecca’s pink lips.

Rebecca nodded stiffly. Nicholas quickly leaned in and kissed her passionately. He knew that not far from them, someone was watching.