Chapter 61.With the calm came tension.Nicholas stood in the apartment, surrounded by the work he'd done and the space he'd created for Rebecca.It was perfect but as he looked around, his heart hammered at the thought of the remaining amount to be spent. He still had over two million dollars left to spend and just less than a day to do it.Nicholas ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing.He'd bought clothes. Gifts. Furniture. Decorations.He'd spent a million on one shopping trip alone.But two million?How was he supposed to spend two million dollars in less than twenty-four hours?Nicholas exhaled slowly, his jaw clenching.He needed to think.But first, he needed to get Rebecca.Nicholas locked the apartment and headed back to the hospital.The evening air was cool and the streets quieter now as the city settled into the night.Nicholas's mind was still spinning, but he pushed it aside.He has resolved to be handling one thing at a time.When he reached the hospital, he we

Chapter 63.Rebecca's hand stayed on Nicholas's arm, her grip was gentle but firm."Nich," she said quietly. "Look at me." She tugged at his arms..Nicholas tore his eyes away from Kelly, his jaw still tight with anger, while his chest still heaving.Rebecca's expression was soft and sad, but calm."He's not worth it," she said.Nicholas exhaled sharply. "He doesn't even remember…""I know," Rebecca cut him off gently. "But getting angry isn't going to change that."Nicholas's hands curled into fists on the table.Rebecca squeezed his arm. "Please. Just sit down. Let's finish dinner."Nicholas looked at her for a long moment, then slowly sat back down.His shoulders were still tense and his breathing still uneven.But he stayed seated. Rebecca gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you."But Nicholas didn't respond.He just stared at his plate, his appetite long gone.But Rebecca started eating again, her movements slow and deliberate, and eventually, Nicholas picked up his fork to

Chapter 65Nicholas woke to silence.The kind of silence that felt heavy, thick, like the air itself was holding its breath.He blinked slowly, his eyes adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the hotel curtains.For a moment, he didn't move.He just lay there, staring at the ceiling, his mind foggy with sleep.Then it all came rushing back.The cruise. The arcade. The gallery. The spa.Rebecca's laughter. Her smile. The way her eyes had lit up with every new experience.Nicholas turned his head slightly.Rebecca was still asleep on the bed, the blanket he'd draped over her last night pulled up to her chin.The stuffed panda sat beside her, one of its ears flopped over her arm.Her face was peaceful, relaxed in a way Nicholas hadn't seen in years..He sat up slowly, careful not to make noise, and swung his legs over the side of the bed.His body ached, not from pain though but from exhaustion.The kind that came from spending an entire day on your feet, moving from place

Chapter 67.Nicholas left the apartment quietly, closing the door behind him.Rebecca was still asleep, her breathing soft and steady.He'd left a note on the nightstand: Gone to campus. Be back tomorrow or the next. Food is in the freezer xxxx,”The morning air was cool as Nicholas stepped outside, the sun climbing higher in the sky.He checked his phone.Eighteen hours left.The system's directive hung over him like a weight.Nicholas flagged down a cab, climbing into the back seat."Clinton University," he told the driver.The campus was an hour ride from the apartment district.Nicholas stared out the window as the city passed by, his mind working.He hadn't been to campus in days.The cab pulled up to the main gates, and Nicholas paid the driver, he decided to use the rest of the journey to stretch his legs. He stepped out, adjusting the collar of his new jacket.The clothes he'd bought from the boutique fit perfectly, dark jeans, a tailored black jacket, and crisp white sneaker

Chapter 69.Nicholas's phone buzzed as he walked across campus.He pulled it out, glancing at the screen.Agnes. Again. The name flashed across the display, insistent.Nicholas hesitated, then fibally answered. "Agnes.""We need to meet," Agnes said, her voice tight. "Now."Nicholas frowned. "What's wrong?""Not over the phone," Agnes said. "My office. One hour."The line went dead.Nicholas stared at his phone, his stomach twisting.Agnes never sounded like that.Never that tense, that urgent.Something was wrong.Nicholas checked the time, then flagged down a cab.Agnes's office was downtown, in a sleek high-rise that housed some of the city's top law firms.Nicholas had never been there once before, even when he'd first hired her to handle the investments.The cab dropped him off at the entrance, and Nicholas took the elevator to the fifteenth floor.The reception area was all glass and polished wood, minimalist and expensive.Nicholas gave his name to the receptionist, and she no