Chapter 102: He Was Protecting Her

The sky hadn't yet darkened, but all of Lucien's properties were affected. The deals her company had just made all fell through.

Nicole looked at the news online, feeling like she was in a dream. In just one day, she experienced the ups and downs of life.

Thinking back on today's events, she still felt a sense of suffocation. If it weren't for Darian's appearance, she didn't know if she could still sit here now.

Darian Blaze.

She had just seen someone on Twitter post a screenshot of Darian, forming a grid of nine images.

The caption above read, [Am I the only one staring at Dr. Creed's husband? Even though he's wearing a mask, he's really handsome.]

There were plenty of comments below. They all said he had a strong presence, resembling a big shot. Some even said that with Dr. Creed standing beside him in her white coat, they created an image of the beauty and the beast; very well-matched. One reached toward the darkness while the other toward light, harmonizing with each other.

Nicole frowned slightly as she read these comments, clicking on the pictures. They weren't in high resolution, getting blurrier as she zoomed in. Even so, he was still striking.

There was one picture that framed both of them perfectly.

[They are truly two extremes; one gentle and elegant, the other domineering and arrogant. He is protecting her.]

This comment received the most likes.

Was he really protecting her?

Nicole wasn't sure, but today's events did take a turn for the better because of Darian's appearance. She sought out Lanny, who initially refused to intervene. Later on, something happened that made her suspect it was Darian's doing.

Moreover, the online exposure about Lucien was too coincidental. The next day, Nicole went to see Lanny.

When Lanny saw her, she seemed somewhat uneasy. "Dr. Creed."

"Ms. Brunson, I have a question that I need clarification on. Can you help me?"

Lanny pursed her lips, "You want to know why I came to help you again, right?"

"Yes."

"Actually, I wasn't helping you; I was helping myself." Lanny Brunson took a deep breath, her eyes filled with envy, "You have a husband who loves you; I'm jealous."

Nicole frowned. "Did he say anything to you yesterday?"

Lanny replied, "He called me yesterday. He said if I could step in, he'd help me gain more benefits and further my career. Even if he didn't ask me to, he could've resolved this issue. It's just that by me speaking up, the online community would have a better view of you."

She looked at Nicole with a surprised look and continued, "Your husband cares a lot about you. He was able to quickly investigate that family's mess yesterday, which isn't simple, and he genuinely cares. Dr. Creed, you are really lucky to have a man who silently protects you."

Nicole left Lanny's hospital room feeling somewhat unreal. She couldn't believe that people were getting jealous of her. Did Darian Blaze care about her?

It wasn't care, but he probably just didn't like his possessions getting trampled on. He said his woman wasn't someone others can bully, and he did so much because he didn't want her to trouble the Blaze family. The more Nicole thought about it, the more she felt this way.

If the media kept watching her for too long, it'd eventually implicate the Blaze family. This must be the case!

As work ended, Nicole treated her colleagues to dinner. Regardless of the situation, she wanted to thank them for not taking advantage of her and to apologize for the trouble she caused.

As they left work together, Sophia called again. Nicole decided to invite her along.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Sophia and Mike were already there. "Mike is also very worried about you. He called wanting me to take you out to dinner to comfort you, so I took the liberty of bringing him along."

She whispered to Nicole, "He was really anxious yesterday, trying to find ways to cool things down and even asked his friends to help write a public relations statement. He put in a lot of effort behind the scenes."

Nicole understood. Since they were all there for a meal, things worked out well. As the dishes were served, everyone began discussing the previous event, expressing their disgust toward Lucien.

Of course, they also couldn't help but praise Darian, the elusive Mr. Blaze.

"Nicole, why didn't you invite your husband? We've all gone through hard times together; let us see his true self."

"Yeah, he's been to the hospital several times, but he always wore a mask and never showed his face. Is he too handsome, worried of attracting attention from outsiders?"

"Could he be a celebrity? His demeanor and physique are really impressive. Those eyes, especially, are so deep and charming; he must be handsome!"

Everyone wanted to see Darian's true face.

Olivia remained silent, secretly wanting to see what Darian really looked like since he always hid his face in public. With over a dozen pairs of anticipated eyes on her, it seemed like refusing would be a sin.

Sophia quickly stood up to take their attention away, raising her glass, "Everyone, you're all Nicole's benefactors. You stood by her during such difficult times yesterday, so this toast is to all of you."

She smiled at everyone before downing her drink. Mike also stood up, "I'm Nicole's former schoolmate, and I really appreciate everyone's unwavering support for her during yesterday's events. Thank you all."

He also raised his glass to everyone. He was polite and refined, a young talent who naturally attracted many single women. Whether Darian was good-looking or not wasn't that important to them, as he was already married.

However, Mike was different; he was single.

Mike was a high-quality man, and if the women took advantage of this opportunity, it'd be quite good. Soon, no one was talking about Darian anymore.

Nicole looked gratefully at Sophia and Mike, feeling a bit unsure of how to handle the situation without them.

After the gathering, she saw off her colleagues first. Sophia then pulled her aside. "Should the three of us go out again?"

Nicole shook her head, "Not today."

"Why?"

"I have something to take care of at home first." Darian had helped her. If she had any emotions whatsoever, she needed to thank him. Sophia frowned but didn't stop her, probably understanding her thoughts.

Nicole hailed a cab, and as she left, Sophia saw Mike looking at the car driving off with a serious look. She patted him on the shoulder. "What are you thinking? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Mike realized he had been acting strangely but didn't hide it. "Has she fallen for Darian?"

Sophia was taken aback as she exclaimed, "Are you drunk? She fell for Darian? That's impossible!"

"Let's hope I'm just overthinking it." Nicole had her window down, feeling the evening breeze.

Since the last incident, she and Darian had barely spoken. Even when she returned home yesterday, he didn't show up. This was the lifestyle she had always hoped for, where they weren't involved with each other.

In the past, she would've been delighted over never seeing him again. But after yesterday's events, she felt indebted to him. Although she had always owed him, this incident left her with a strange feeling.

Upon returning to Pleasure Garden, Nicole stood at the door, hesitating to enter.