Chapter 221 Chapter 221
“Do you want me to do something about it?” he offered, his voice soft but lethal. “I can throw gasoline on this fire. I can sink her for good and make sure she never gets another role, not even in a margarine commercial.”
For the all-powerful CEO of Wolf Corporation, crushing a rising actress was easier than crushing an ant. It was a piece of cake.
Caroline was speechless for a second. “...There's no need for that.”
She felt that Nicholas, in his eagerness to protect (and pamper) her, had misinterpreted her intentions. She had shown him the news to share the gossip and her medical suspicion, not because she wanted to order a “reputation assassination.”
Claire was mean, selfish, and fake, yes. But Caroline had no intention of kicking someone who was already falling downhill. If she used Nicholas's power to crush Claire out of petty revenge, she would be no different from Claire herself.
Nicholas raised an eyebrow, surprised by his wife's mercy. “Are you sure?”
“I am!” Caroline said seriously, putting her phone in her purse. “I believe that karma never fails. Her retribution has already arrived. Didn't she just get exactly what she deserved at her own hands?”
“All right.” Nicholas opened the car door for her, respecting her decision. “If you don't want to get your hands dirty, we won't do anything.”
But remember: if you need my help with anything, just let me know. You'll never have to deal with your enemies alone again.
Caroline felt a pleasant warmth spread through her chest. “Hmm. I know. Thank you.”
Nicholas closed the door for her, walked around the car, and got behind the wheel.
During the drive back to Wolf Manor, Caroline continued scrolling through the news feed.
The fight had taken place in the lobby of a luxury hotel. There had been a large group of onlookers, and several amateur videos were already going viral on social media.
Caroline clicked on one of the videos and watched with half-closed eyes.
Her initial suspicion only grew stronger. The aggressive way Claire threw herself at the other woman, the force she used, the total absence of reflexes to protect her own abdomen... none of it was consistent with the instinctive behavior of a pregnant woman.
Liar, Caroline thought. Claire and Edward's house of cards was about to collapse.
It was past midnight when the Bugatti Veyron finally crossed the gates of the mansion.
So much had happened in a single day. The disastrous encounters, the anxiety at the hospital, the confrontation with Marcus Drews, the million-dollar purchases, and finally, their first “official meeting.”
Caroline was physically and mentally exhausted.
Right after a hot shower, she put on a light silk nightgown and collapsed into bed. The soft mattress swallowed her up, and she fell asleep in a matter of minutes, even before Nicholas finished his own shower.
When the bathroom door opened and Nicholas came out, wearing only a dark bathrobe and drying his damp hair with a towel, the room was plunged into silence.
He walked quietly to the edge of the bed.
There she was. His wife. The daring little girl who had turned his world upside down.
She occupied only a tiny corner of the huge king-size bed with black sheets. The contrast made her seem even smaller and more fragile.
Even though she was fast asleep, her cheeks had a beautiful rosy hue. Her long, lush eyelashes cast small shadows under her eyes.
Probably feeling hot because of the summer, she had kicked the blanket aside in her sleep. The hem of her nightgown had risen dangerously, exposing her long, slender, perfectly shaped legs.
Her skin was so fair and soft that it seemed to glow with its own light under the dim glow of the lamp.
Nicholas stood frozen, the towel forgotten in his hand. He simply couldn't look away.
He knew Caroline was beautiful. He knew it the moment he first saw her. But even now, living with her, he still found himself in awe.
His wife was so absurdly beautiful that the mere sight of her sleeping made the cold heart of the ruthless CEO race.
Nicholas watched her for another long moment, his dark gaze overflowing with possessiveness and tenderness. Then he tossed the towel aside, turned off the light, and lay down on the bed, taking extreme care not to wake her.
He slid across the mattress and gently pulled her close, wrapping her small, warm body in his broad arms.
Caroline murmured something unintelligible in her sleep and instinctively nestled against his chest, seeking warmth.
She smelled so good after her shower. A mixture of expensive soap, moisturizing lotion, and the sweet, natural scent that was uniquely hers.
Nicholas inhaled deeply, burying his face in her hair.
The floral scent enveloped him completely. The tension in his shoulders, built up from arguments and corporate pressures, melted away instantly.
Caroline was his oasis. His personal tranquilizer. She could make him relax and forget the world better than any drug or drink ever could.
Feeling completely at peace, with the woman he loved safely in his arms, the formidable Nicholas Wolf closed his eyes and, for the first time in a long time, fell into a deep, nightmare-free sleep.
That night, even with Caroline's comforting warmth beside him, the past came to collect its debt. Nicholas was dragged back into hell.
In his dream world, he was not the formidable President of Wolf Corporation. He had gone back in time, to the day that shattered his childhood.
He was there again: in a filthy, cold, damp basement.
His arms and legs were tied until his skin bled, and a dirty cloth muffled his screams. His boyish face, usually so clean and noble, was covered in soot, dried tears, and bruises. He was unrecognizable. He was guarded by armed criminals and given only a piece of stale bread a day to survive.
The kidnappers hated the elite and took sick pleasure in tormenting him, depriving him of water and beating him mercilessly.
They would have beaten him to death if they hadn't needed him alive to extort the billion-dollar ransom from the Wolf family.