Chapter 25 Chapter 25
Inside the Rolls-Royce, Caroline stared out the window, distracted, unaware of the impact she had made.
Nicholas, beside her, was fiddling with something on his cell phone, his face illuminated by the soft light of the screen.
She watched him for a moment.
His relaxed posture, his calm demeanor—and yet there was something about him that exuded power.
Without realizing it, her heart began to race again.
And once again, Caroline Ford had the feeling that her life would never be the same again.
Sara was distracted by the TV when Caroline entered. The moment she saw her, her little face lit up.
“Sister!” she called, her voice sweet and excited.
Caroline felt her chest warm. Sara looked much better than she had the day she left the emergency room. She approached the bed with a relieved smile.
“Hi, sweetheart. What did you have for dinner today? Are you feeling better?”
Sara nodded, her eyes shining. “My brother-in-law sent me dinner tonight,” she said enthusiastically. “It's so much better than the hospital food! I ate everything. And he also bought a bunch of expensive supplements.”
As she spoke, her gaze naturally fell on Nicholas.
“Thank you, brother-in-law,” she added shyly.
Caroline then noticed the bags piled on the coffee table and sofa: boxes of imported vitamins, fresh fruit, new, fragrant flowers replacing the old ones.
She stood still, surprised.
She turned to him, her eyes full of gratitude.
“Nicholas Wolf... thank you.”
But he just watched her for a moment, his gaze darkening slightly. “Thank me?” he murmured in a low, hoarse voice. “Have you already forgotten what I said?”
Caroline froze.
She remembered. He had said he didn't want to hear that word from her mouth anymore.
She lowered her eyes, not knowing what to say. The only thing she wanted at that moment was to find a way to express how she felt—but nothing seemed enough.
“Sister? Brother-in-law?” Sara's voice broke the curious silence. “What are you talking about?”
“Nothing,” Caroline said quickly, looking away from Nicholas.
She went to the fruit table and picked up an orange.
“Sarinha, would you like one? I'll peel it for you.”
The girl blinked, looked at Nicholas, and after a moment, shook her head.
“I don't want an orange. Sister, I feel like eating the rolls from the shop near the hospital. Can you buy some for me?”
Caroline smiled, surprised.
It was rare for Sara to ask for anything—and even rarer for her to show an appetite. “Of course,” she replied immediately. “Wait a minute, I'll be right back.”
Nicholas opened his mouth to offer the security guards, but then he noticed something: Sara's gaze.
The girl watched him with attentive calm, a curious gleam in her eyes—and a clear intention.
She wanted to be alone with him.
When Caroline left, Nicholas dragged a chair to the edge of the bed and sat down, crossing his legs naturally.
“So,” he said, his voice low, almost amused, “it seems someone wanted to talk to me.”
Sara lowered her gaze, fidgeting with her fingers nervously.
Nicholas noticed that she was very similar to her sister—the same restrained sweetness, the same shy way of speaking.
He smiled gently.
“Is there something you want to tell me, little one?”
Her dark eyes, so similar to Caroline's, sparkled hesitantly. And for the first time, Nicholas Wolf had the feeling that this conversation would change everything—because, like Caroline, Sara also hid more strength than she appeared to have.
Nicholas kept his calm gaze on Sara, and the weight of his presence filled the entire room.
Even though he was trying to appear calm, the girl could feel the strength of his almost palpable aura—firm, authoritative, impossible to ignore.
She swallowed hard. The courage she had mustered wavered in front of the man before her, but she still took a deep breath and asked:
“Brother-in-law, can I ask you a question?”
Her voice sounded small, sweet, and tense.
Nicholas nodded, crossing his legs naturally.
“You may.”
Sara hesitated for a moment before blurting out:
“Do you... really like my sister?”
Nicholas was surprised. It wasn't the question he had expected.
His dark eyes narrowed slightly as he assessed the girl in front of him.
“Are you worried that I'm not sincere with her?” he replied, his voice calm but laden with meaning.
Sara blushed but didn't look away.
“Your brother-in-law has so many good qualities,” she said sincerely. “There must be many women who like you.”
She lowered her voice, her fingers twisting the sheet. “And although my sister is beautiful, I'm sure there are equally beautiful women around.”
She took a deep breath before continuing, her voice gaining strength.
“Besides... Edward Collins knew my sister for ten years. Even so, he betrayed her. She's already suffered once. I don't want her to get hurt again.”
For a moment, Nicholas was silent, watching her.
It was rare for anyone to dare to stand up to him like this.
Especially a girl so young, fragile, and nervous.
But there was something admirable about that courage—that pure loyalty to her sister.
“If you hurt my sister,” Sara added, her chin raised, “I won't let you get away with it.”
Nicholas stared at her for a long moment, surprised.
In all his life, no one had ever threatened him.
And now, the first time came from his sister-in-law—a hospital girl with a trembling voice and a determined look.
One corner of his lips rose.
“Do you want to hear the truth?” he asked, in an almost amused tone.
Sara clenched her fists.
“Of course.”
Nicholas let out a low laugh.
“Carol and I are not together for love,” he said bluntly. “So if you ask me if I like her, I can't answer that.”
Sara frowned, her heart tightening.
“You...”
But he interrupted her, raising an eyebrow.
“Is that the most important thing?” he asked calmly. “As you said yourself, Edward Collins was with your sister for ten years. And even so, he cheated on her.”
His eyes stared at her seriously.
“You fear that I am like him. But I am not.”
There was a brief silence.
Then Nicholas added, his voice firm, each word laden with conviction:
“I cannot promise that I will love you... but I can promise one thing: I will never betray you. I will never disappoint you.”
Sara stared at him, speechless.
For a moment, she didn't know what to feel—relief, confusion, or respect.
And for the first time, even without fully understanding this cold and enigmatic man, she believed him.