Chapter 196 Move Out
Tension began filling the space after Nicole made her stance, and the two said nothing more, squaring off with their gazes.
Suddenly, Colton entered the front door and strode toward the two women.
He didn’t seem at all surprised by his aunt’s visit, greeting her as he stood next to Nicole, “Aunt Olivia.”
Olivia’s face was still deadpan despite Colton’s appearance. She dipped her head in reply and stood up.
“I’ve been here for a while, so I’ll take my leave now,” she announced as she grabbed her bag.
After a few steps, she stopped and turned her head sideways to him to remind him, “Colton, not anybody can marry into the Gardner Family.”
At that, she took a profound glance at Nicole.
After Olivia left, Colton said softly to Nicole, “You don’t have to take my aunt’s words to heart. She’s always been forthright with her words, but she means well.”
Nicole shook her head, indicating she wasn’t bothered. “President Gardner, thank you for sheltering me. Now that the public pressure has lessened, I should move back home, or I’ll only trouble you further.”
Colton frowned at her words, but just as he wanted to say something, the phone call earlier popped into his mind, so he swallowed his words.
Seeing his hesitation to speak, Nicole smiled and continued, “It’s indeed not right of me to continue staying here.”
He looked up, and his gaze coincidentally landed on Nicole. “It’s not my troubles that I’m worried about but yours,” he said in a slightly deep voice laced with hoarseness. Because of their difference in height, he had to lower his head slightly to look at her.
His words had her stumped as she didn’t expect him to put it that way. Then, she took a good look at him to notice a thin layer of sweat on his forehead despite his nearly expressionless face.
More than that, she could sense heat radiating from him when she inched a little closer.
It then struck her that he had possibly dashed home.
At that, she took a gander at the cup of unfinished coffee Olivia left on the coffee table, then refused resolutely, “Anyhow, it’s better that I move out. That way, neither of us will be troubled.”
Seeing that Colton remained silent after her refusal, she turned to head upstairs, but just as she took a step, he grabbed her arm.
A stumped Nicole looked over her shoulder at him.
A sliver of darkness laced his eyes as he announced, “You can continue to stay here if you want. No one can stop you from doing so.”
Nicole smiled at his resolution, but with a pause, she responded, “Thank you, President Gardner. The reason why I sought shelter here was because of the public’s voices regarding Daniella’s suicide. Now that they’re gone, I should go back now.”
While speaking, she turned her entire body toward Colton. “It’s inconvenient for the both of us when I’m here. So, since it’s a pain in the neck for everybody, I should move home.”
When he noticed that Nicole was determined, Colton released her hand and nodded. “Okay, I’ll help you to pack up.”
To that, she didn’t say no. Then, she turned to head upstairs.
Right as she turned, a hint of sadness flashed across his eyes before he looked up at the young woman walking upstairs.
For some reason, a tremendous sense of loss surged within him when she said she wanted to move out.
At that, he balled his loosely hung fingers into fists, standing rooted to the spot, pondering for a moment before following Nicole upstairs.
Colton wasn’t a fool. He was very much aware that the sense of loss he was feeling came from his desire for Nicole to stay.
