Nicholas’s Conflicted Heart

Chapter Five – Nicholas’s Conflicted Heart

(Nicholas’s POV)

The marriage certificate felt heavy in my hands, heavier than I had expected. I sat at the small desk in Isabella’s hospital room, staring at the crisp paper. This was it. Proof that I had done what I needed to do. That I was finally fulfilling Isabella’s last wish.

And yet… my mind kept wandering.

Celeste.

Even after all this — after the divorce, after she had calmly signed the papers without a single tear, without a single word of begging — I couldn’t stop thinking about her. That calmness, that control… it haunted me. I could still see her face in my mind, the way she had handed me the papers, eyes steady, almost defiant. Why did she not fight? I wondered. Or was this her way of fighting?

I exhaled slowly and reached for my phone. I had to know where she was, what she was doing. Maybe just to hear her voice would calm this restless tension gnawing at me. I dialed her number quickly, hoping for a simple answer. But no. Straight to voicemail. Switch off.

I cursed under my breath and slid the phone into my pocket, just as Isabella returned from the lounge, her presence immediately warming the room. She smiled softly at me.

“Everything okay?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Yeah,” I said, forcing a calm voice. “Everything’s fine.”

But it wasn’t fine. My chest tightened with anxiety. My thoughts were a storm of panic and desire. I tried to focus on Isabella, but Celeste’s image kept flashing in front of my eyes. Her calm composure, her quiet strength — it was still stronger than anything I had with Isabella.

I leaned closer to Isabella, almost instinctively. She didn’t pull away. And then, without much thought, I kissed her. Softly at first, testing, then more urgently as desire took over. My hands slid to her waist. Her hands rested lightly on my shoulders, steady, confident. For a moment, I let myself forget everything — the divorce, the anger, the plan.

I pulled back slightly, resting my forehead against hers. “Are you… still sick?” I asked quietly, my voice low.

She chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes,” she said. “But what’s important now is me and you.”

I shook my head, confused by the mix of relief and guilt flooding me. Celeste… what would she think if she saw this? The thought twisted inside me.

Before I could think further, my phone buzzed violently in my pocket. My P.A. calling. I grabbed it quickly and put it on speaker.

“Nicholas, the hidden investor has withdrawn. Your company… it’s at risk. You could face bankruptcy,” the voice said calmly, like it was just another day at work.

My stomach dropped. Panic clawed at me. I hadn’t expected this, not now, not like this. My mind raced, trying to find a solution. It can’t be… could it be Celeste? The thought made my pulse spike.

Isabella noticed my sudden tension. “What’s wrong?” she asked, concern flickering in her eyes.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. “It’s the company,” I said, forcing calm. “The hidden investor withdrew, and now… things are unstable. We might… we might face bankruptcy.”

Her expression didn’t change much. Instead, she smiled gently and said, “Don’t worry. My parents are the richest people in the country. Now that we’re married, what is mine is definitely yours.”

Her words should have eased the panic inside me. And for a moment, I felt relief — but it was brief, swallowed by the rising fear of Celeste’s hand in all this.

“I haven’t met your parents yet,” I said, still uneasy.

She tilted her head and smiled. “My mum traveled, so you’ll definitely meet them soon. But for now…” She leaned closer, her lips brushing my cheek softly. “Let’s go shopping.”

I exhaled slowly, trying to push the fear down. Celeste… she’s out there. She’s moving, she’s planning, and I can’t see her. I can’t control her.

I tried to focus on Isabella, to enjoy this moment. We walked out of the hospital room together, hand in hand. I forced myself to smile at her, talk casually, joke about which stores to visit. But deep inside, I was restless. Every step, every word, reminded me of Celeste — the woman who had signed her freedom so calmly, who had taken control of everything I thought I owned.

And no matter what I do now, she will always be a step ahead.

The thought made me shiver. For the first time in years, I felt uncertain. Afraid. Vulnerable. And somewhere in the back of my mind, I couldn’t stop thinking: she’s going to make me pay for underestimating her.