Chapter 172: Whirlwind of Emotions (4)
Georgia’s POV
"A simple game of hide and seek—"
"Vicky’s idea, of course. She begged us to play, and we could never refuse her. We were all a little too fond of her, even Reagan.
When it was Vicky’s turn to count, I darted into our father’s office without realizing Liam and Reagan had the same thought. We were barely catching our breath inside a cabinet when the door opened. Our grandfather, grandmother, aunt, and father walked in, deep in conversation. We froze, hidden in the shadows, holding our breaths as their words sliced through us like blades.
They said I was chosen as the heir. Liam was second in line. Reagan... not even considered. And Vicky? She wasn’t destined for freedom, but for marriage—a transaction, like a business deal to strengthen the family name.
I remember the silence between us after they left. Heavy. Suffocating. That was the day something in Reagan changed. From then on, he kept his distance even from Liam.
Cold. Resentful. Maybe he told Violet, maybe it was my father, I’ll never know. But after that, Violet’s hatred toward me burned hotter than ever.
Now, years later, I’m back—and this time, I’ve chosen to step into the company, into the very role they tried to script for me. Which means Reagan and Violet are restless. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re already plotting something despicable.
Nick’s voice dropped low. "So now that you know the truth about my life, can you trust me? Can you tell me what Violet said to you?"
His eyes searched mine, fierce and vulnerable all at once. My heart raced—not just from his story, but from the raw honesty shimmering between us.
"Okay," I whispered, my voice trembling with both fear and affection. "But promise me something, Nick. Please don’t do anything reckless after I tell you. I don’t want you fighting your family because of me. If you do, they’ll only hate me more... and it’ll make things harder between you and them." My chest tightened, almost like I was begging him to choose peace over chaos.
The last thing I wanted was to be the reason he burned bridges he could never rebuild.
Nick’s eyes softened, and in the middle of such a heavy moment, he lifted his hand and traced an X over his chest. "Cross my heart, stick a needle in my eye..." He leaned in with that devilish grin of his, "...I swear I won’t do anything reckless or pick a fight with Violet."
The gesture was so boyish, so unexpectedly playful, I couldn’t help but laugh. The tension cracked open just enough for me to breathe again.
But then the truth pressed against my lips, demanding to be spoken. So I told him. Everything. From Violet’s call, to her venomous words, to the way she walked out of the restaurant like she owned the world and me. My chest felt lighter as the words poured out, but the storm in Nick’s eyes only darkened.
His hand curled into a tight fist, the muscle in his jaw twitching. And then his voice thundered, raw and unrestrained. "That witch!" he spat. "She just gave me every reason I need to take over the entire company and throw her out of the Knight family for good."
My heart skipped, caught between panic and exhilaration. He was dangerous like this, sharp edges and fire, but the way he was willing to fight for me made my pulse race.
I should have been terrified. Instead, I felt alive.
I groaned and covered my face with my palm. "Nick... you literally just promised me you wouldn’t do anything reckless."
When I peeked through my fingers, he was smirking at me like the cockiest man alive. He slid closer, his hands slipping around my waist as his face hovered near mine, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"I’m not reckless, babe," he murmured, his lips dangerously close to mine. "Every move I make is calculated, every risk I take is planned. All you have to do is trust me."
"I do trust you," I shot back, narrowing my eyes at him, "but sometimes you do stupid things."
That earned me a low laugh, the kind that made my stomach flutter. "Oh really? Tell me when."
I arched a brow. "When you jumped off the ship. Not once, but twice. And don’t even get me started on that insane plan of yours—baiting Raymond just so you could get a video. What if he had killed you? What if he buried you on that island? Did that ever cross your brilliant mind?"
He only laughed harder, pulling me even closer until I was practically on his lap. "Baby, I’d do it all over again if it meant saving you. Yeah, I’ll admit jumping off the ship was reckless, but come on—
If I hadn’t been reckless, we never would’ve met. You’d either still be at the bottom of the ocean or six feet under by now." He flashed me that smug, infuriating grin that made my heart pound.
"Can’t you see, Georgia? I’m your soulmate. You’re stuck with me forever—whether you like it or not." He made a goofy face that was so ridiculous I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
I shook my head, still giggling. "Oh, so now you believe in soulmates?" I teased.
"Of course I do. How else can I explain my feelings for you?" He tapped his chest, his expression softening. "I tried to reason it out, I really did. But nothing makes sense except this—I’m yours. In this lifetime, the next one, and every single one after that. You can’t escape me, Georgia."
My heart flipped violently inside my chest. And before I could stop myself, the words tumbled out of my mouth—loud, reckless, unfiltered. "So tell me about those feelings of yours. Do you love me?"
The second it slipped out, I froze. My brain screamed, ’Oh my god, did I just say that?’ Too late. The words were already hanging in the air, heavy, dangerous, and absolutely impossible to take back.
********
Thanks to maelstrom143 for the Golden Ticket!