Chapter 437 Tonight, He Is Unusually Silent!
Late at night, Oliver returned to his bedroom.
He loosened his tie, ready to take a shower, and looked up to see Nicole sprawled out on the bed in her cow-print pajamas, her little bottom wiggling like an adorable puppy.
Oliver pulled off his tie and sat on the edge of the bed.
Nicole scooted over to him, hugging one of his legs and pouting without saying a word.
Oliver sighed.
He lifted Nicole onto his lap, and she played with his abs for a while before scrunching up her delicate face. "I'm so dumb."
Oliver held her small body, feeling a pang of sadness.
He kissed her gently.
When Nicole was two, Claire bought children's books to teach her letters and numbers, but no matter how many times she was taught, Nicole never seemed to learn.
They had her tested for intelligence.
Nicole's IQ was only 52, indicating a mild intellectual disability.
That day, he carried Nicole home.
Nicole must have sensed something because she clung to his sleeve, whispering cautiously, "I'm so dumb."
That night, Oliver tried teaching her himself.
But Nicole still couldn't learn.
In the quiet of the night, Nicole fell asleep in his arms, her closed eyelashes wet with tears and looking pitiful. At that moment, Oliver thought, 'If she can't learn, so be it!'
He would take care of her for life.
Nicole was now five. She was the last in her kindergarten class, but she had a powerful dad, and the teachers were lenient with her. Some unmarried female teachers even tried to flirt with her single father.
Oliver never paid them any attention.
He leaned against the headboard, looking at Nicole in his arms, and couldn't help but think of Sarah.
He was a normal man.
His desires were stronger than most, and he had physical needs. But perhaps because he was busy raising a child and working, he had been single for four years. He didn't know if he had been waiting for Sarah, but when she returned, he still wanted her.
Nicole was fast asleep.
Oliver gently touched her face, his voice incredibly tender. "Our Nicole isn't dumb at all."
Late at night, Nicholas emerged from his study, his refined face marked with a few new scratches. As he came out, Aaron sighed, "Put some ointment on before you go to bed!"
From inside the study, Matthew shouted, "He dares to speak such rebellious words, and you still feel sorry for him? Four years and no progress, still stuck in his romantic entanglements."
Nicholas didn't want to stay a moment longer.
He returned to his room, where his two children were already asleep. His wife, Hestia, was still awake, carefully arranging the room.
Hestia was lost in thought.
When the door opened, she looked up to see Nicholas's face, full of unreadable emotions.
She had heard the argument from the study, though it was muffled.
But as a woman, she was sensitive. She welcomed Nicholas in and, as if casually, asked, "Who was that lady at the restaurant tonight? She seemed to be very important to Grandpa—someone we've never seen before."
Nicholas sat on the couch.
Seeing the marks on his face, Hestia brought over the first aid kit and knelt to apply ointment. Nicholas leaned back, his eyes half-closed, and said lightly, "She's my aunt."
Hestia paused for a moment.
She continued applying the ointment, her voice soft. "I didn't know you had an aunt! If she's family, why doesn't she stay with us? We have plenty of room."
She usually didn't pry.
Nicholas opened his eyes slightly, his voice cold. "That's none of your concern."
In three years of marriage, it was the first time he had spoken to her so coldly.
Hestia felt a pang in her heart.
But she continued to undress him gently, talking about his work. "Did you do something wrong to get scolded by Grandpa?"
Nicholas didn't answer.
He had followed Matthew's wishes, marrying and having children, and even working in the same field. But in the end, Matthew still didn't trust him or that person.
Feeling frustrated, he took his robe and went into the bathroom.
Hestia forced a smile.
After a while, she touched the spot where Nicholas had sat, feeling the lingering warmth. She slowly sat down. They had been married for three years, and while they seemed harmonious, only she knew his true feelings.
Her husband had someone in his heart!
He was ambitious, treated her and the children well, and even their intimate life was regular and considerate.
But Hestia felt something was off.
Over time,
She finally understood that he treated their marriage like a business.
He never criticized her,
He never got angry with her,
Everyone thought she had married well. The Moore family was powerful, Nicholas had a bright future and was upright, but only she knew he didn't love her.
Not loving meant treating her with respect.
Nicholas came out of the shower, and Hestia was already in bed. Most of the lights were off, leaving only a reading lamp on, casting a soft glow.
Nicholas lay beside her, gently pulling her clothes aside, kissing her smooth shoulder.
His voice was hoarse as he apologized, "I was harsh earlier, don't take it to heart, okay?"
Hestia resisted his advances.
But Nicholas reached over and turned off all the lights.
In the darkness, he pressed her down, and he loved to talk about their children during these moments, discussing them while making love.
She wasn't sure if it was her imagination.
Tonight, he seemed different.
In the morning, Nicholas was out on business. After finishing, he got into his black car.
His male secretary sat in the front seat, turning to say, "Mr. Moore, you were impressive today, catching the other side off guard! I think we'll soon regain control of this land development project."
Nicholas closed his eyes to rest.
His tone was indifferent. "If you can't handle such a small matter, how can you expect to advance? Grandpa won't place his hopes on me."
The secretary fell silent.
Nicholas opened his eyes, looking outside. "Is that Laurel Street ahead? Stop at the corner."
The driver naturally asked, "Mr. Moore, aren't we going back to the office?"
Nicholas didn't respond,
The driver didn't dare ask again and slowly stopped at the corner.
When Nicholas walked into the gallery, Sarah was chatting with a lady.
Seeing Nicholas, she was slightly surprised. She hadn't expected him to come alone.
Nicholas hadn't expected it either.
He hadn't expected that he couldn't resist...