Chapter 118 Chapter 118
Caroline blinked, confused. “What? What are you talking about?”
Sara frowned, analyzing her sister.
“Caroline, let's be realistic. It's not possible that your brother-in-law fell in love with you at first sight, went crazy with love in two days, and ran to the registry office for fear that you would be stolen by someone else. That doesn't happen in real life.”
The girl was still very suspicious of that whirlwind marriage.
She knew Caroline could have married out of desperation, perhaps to pay the medical bills. But what about Nicholas? What did he gain from it?
Sara knew the world. She knew exactly the level at which Nicholas operated.
With his looks, money, and power, he was a “one in a million” man.
He could snap his fingers and have any woman he wanted—supermodels, heiresses, famous actresses.
It wasn't that Sara thought her sister was unworthy. Caroline was beautiful and wonderful. But... objectively speaking, the social gap between them was unbridgeable.
Edward's qualifications were already considered “elite.” Many women would kill to be with him.
But Nicholas? He was in a stratosphere where Edward would look like a beggar. A man like that doesn't marry a penniless Cinderella without a very strong reason.
“I don't believe in fairy tales, sister,” Sara continued pragmatically. “A man like him, surrounded by temptations, wouldn't be so easily impressed by just a pretty face. There must be something else.”
Seeing Sara's analytical gaze, Caroline's lips trembled. She had a sudden urge to flick her sister's forehead.
“Sara, you're overthinking this...”
“Could it be...” Sara ignored the interruption, her eyes wandering as her brain formulated theories.
Suddenly, Sara's expression changed. Her eyes sparkled with mischievous understanding and a slight smile of pity curved her lips.
She glanced at the door to make sure no one was listening, then pulled Caroline closer and whispered:
"Your brother-in-law... does he have any ‘health problems’?
Caroline frowned. “Health? He seems perfectly healthy to me.”
“Not that kind of health, Carol.” Sara made a vague gesture with her hands. “I mean... a functional problem. You know? Maybe... he can't ‘perform’ when the time comes? Or maybe he doesn't like women?”
Caroline was paralyzed.
Sara continued, feeling she had unraveled the mystery: “Think about it! It's the only logical explanation for a rich, handsome, powerful man to rush into marriage with a woman he barely knows and pamper her so much without demanding anything in return. He needs a wife as a cover to hide the fact that he's... impotent!”
Caroline opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Impotent?!
Nicholas?!
The image of the man who, minutes ago, was about to tear her clothes off with a voracious and insatiable desire flashed through Caroline's mind.
If Sara knew the truth...
If she knew that the only reason Caroline was “resting” in bed was not for lack of action, but because she had to run away to avoid being devoured alive by his excessive “health”...
Caroline felt her face burn.
“Sara...” Caroline tried to stifle her nervous laughter and embarrassment. “Believe me... that's definitely not his problem.”
He walked calmly to the edge of the bed, ignoring the panic on Sara's face, and fixed his dark, amused eyes on Caroline.
“I am, in fact, obsessed with her,” Nicholas confirmed, his voice soft and husky, like dangerous velvet. “From the first moment I saw her. I was afraid that some other man would realize how wonderful she is and steal her from me. So I had to be quick and secure my place.”
Caroline felt her heart skip a beat.
Was he... playing along?
He didn't call her out. On the contrary, he took her clumsy lie and turned it into a movie-worthy declaration of love.
Nicholas sat on the edge of the bed and gently blew the smoke rising from the bowl.
“Drink,” he said, bringing the spoon to her lips, acting as if serving his wife was the most important task of his day. “It's at the perfect temperature.”
Caroline opened her mouth robotically, swallowing the sweet, warm liquid, but her eyes couldn't stray from his face.
Sara, who was cowering in the corner, felt a chill run down her spine. She tried to retreat toward the door, invisible.
“And, sister-in-law...” Nicholas's voice sounded again, stopping Sara in her tracks.
He didn't turn around. He remained focused on feeding Caroline, but the smile on his lips became a little more mischievous.
“As for your... medical concerns about my health.”
Sara froze.
Oh, no. He heard. He heard the ‘dysfunction’ part!
“I... I...” Sara stammered, her face burning so hot it felt like it was on fire. “Brother-in-law, I didn't... I was just...”
“No need to explain,” Nicholas interrupted calmly. He finally looked at Sara, and there was a glint of amusement in his eyes, not anger. “It's natural for you to be concerned about your sister's happiness. But I can assure you...”
He paused, glancing quickly and meaningfully at Caroline's body under the comforter before turning back to Sara.
“...that all my functions are in perfect working order. I have no problems in ‘that’ department. In fact, I'm quite healthy. Perhaps too healthy.”
Caroline almost choked on her water.
Too healthy.
She knew exactly what he meant. The image of him in the bedroom minutes ago, with that hungry wolf look, invaded her mind.
Sara, sensing the subtext (and the embarrassment), laughed nervously. “Oh! That's good! Hahaha... I'm relieved! So... um... I'm going to see if my room is tidy! Bye!”
The girl turned on her heels and fled the room as if escaping a fire, slamming the door behind her with a bang.
Silence returned to the room.
Now, it was just the two of them.
Caroline lowered her head, staring at the dark liquid in the bowl, not daring to look at him.
“So...” Nicholas placed the bowl on the nightstand and leaned forward, holding her in his arms. “Am I obsessed with you?”
His warm breath brushed her ear.
“And did I fall in love at first sight?”