Seven Days Seven Nights

Chapter 153

Chapter 153

Chapter 153 Waking Up And Mistaken Identity

“She was very drunk, and I’m not an animal,” Luke replied.

Nicholas raised an eyebrow. “So, do you think I am one?”

Luke was speechless.

Over the years, despite Nicholas often portraying the image of a gentleman, he had a knack for sarcasm, which left Luke with a single term in mind-a refined rascal.

Luke began to urge Nicholas, saying, “Just take what you need and leave.”

Nicholas, calm and collected, responded, “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in live-streaming real-life experiences, and I have no appetite for such pleasures.”

The mention of live-streaming and pleasures incited Luke’s frustration, culminating in him pushing Nicholas and ordering, “Hurry up and get out of here.”

Nicholas was at the door when a sudden memory of Nancy’s words resurfaced in his mind. She had said, “Linda, I think the young hunk in your phone with the great physique is much better than Nicholas. How about you introduce him to me?”

He couldn’t help but mutter, “Young hunk and mature man, huh?” Hence, he narrowed his eyes and teased Luke, “But I think, with your figure, you might seem a bit unimpressive to Linda.”

“What do you mean?”

Nicholas elaborated, “She likes men with great physiques.”

Unimpressed, Luke chuckled and retorted, “Is my physique not good enough?”

Nicholas nodded approvingly, his smile remaining. “It’s good, but it’s probably not as good as the young hunk and the mature man on her phone. I heard that her camera roll is full of different styles and a variety of options.”

As the realization of Nicholas’ words dawned on Luke, his expression darkened.

Just as Nicholas had left, Linda had finished her shower, wrapping herself in a towel. Her fair, long legs were exposed as she walked out with wet hair, and her small, rosy-blushed face retained a dewy, post- shower glow, enhancing her natural beauty. Her natural beauty was already striking, and the touch of blush only added to her allure.

When he saw Linda, Luke’s throat went dry, a brief moment of unease crossing his features. Despite the racing thoughts provoked by Nicholas’ earlier words, Luke quickly regained his composure, his eyes becoming inscrutable. He had always been a master of masking his emotions. Suddenly, he reached out and firmly gripped her chin. His voice, low and intense, rumbled from his throat. “Young hunk? Mature man?”

She winced in pain, a soft “Boohoo…” escaping her lips. “Luke, what are you doing? Let go of me.”

“Linda…” His serious and stern voice lingered in her ear as he continued, “Other than me, I suggest you

not think about anyone else.”

Linda retorted, “I’m certainly not thinking about anyone else; I just want to sleep.” With that, she promptly jumped onto the bed and cocooned herself in the warm blanket.

Observing her, Luke couldn’t help but smile, feeling a significant wave of relief wash over him.

When Nicholas returned, the two hotel staff had just finished showering Nancy. With her nightgown in hand, he handed it to them. They aided Nancy in changing, and together, they opened the bathroom door.

Observing the situation, Nicholas immediately moved forward, lifting Nancy gently and placing her back on the bed. The shower had left her feeling relaxed, and she turned over and soon drifted off to sleep.

The following morning, Nancy stirred in her sleep, letting out a soft whimper as she turned onto her side. In a sleepy whisper, she called out, “Linda, but there was no response. Growing concerned, she called again, “Linda, do you have a headache? What’s going on? My head hurts so much!” She was still in a semi-asleep state with her eyes closed, subconsciously calling out.

With no response to her calls, she decided to reach out and feel around. Her fingers brushed against what she thought was Linda’s sleep shirt, but little did she know it was Nicholas’ body she was touching. Despite the unusual nature of the situation, she remained oblivious as she continued to express her comfort, “Linda, this bed is so comfortable!”

She rolled over in bed, unintentionally pulling the man into her embrace. At the same time, she stretched her legs, clamping him between hers. She then snuggled into his arms, seeking a comfortable position, looking utterly content.

In her contented state, Nancy murmured, “Linda, why do I feel like you’ve grown taller, and… the muscles on your body seem to be more defined. Have you been working out lately and trying to develop your abs?” She continued playfully, “I heard that having abs is very sexy; I’m so envious. Can I touch them, please? I promise to only touch a little.” And without waiting for a response, her hand slipped into Nicholas’ pajamas, finding its way to his waist.

At that very moment, an electric current seemed to course through his entire body. He parted his lips, drawing in a sharp breath and releasing it slowly. Already in the throes of morning hormones, her touch

ignited deeply buried emotions within him. Each wave of sensation seemed more intense than the last.

With her eyes closed, Nancy sighed. “Wow, Linda, your methods are incredibly effective. How do you do it? I might have to give it a try when I get back.” As she prepared to retract her hand, something unexpected happened. She hesitated for a moment, then quickly withdrew her hand.

Just then, in a dizziness that seemed like the world spinning, Nancy felt as though someone had scooped her up and then pressed her onto the bed. Her hand once again felt the muscular strength of the person beside her. As realization dawned, she slowly opened her eyes, gazing at the unmistakably familiar face in front of her. “Nicholas? How is that possible? How… How could he be here?” The thought raced through her mind as she tried to make sense of the situation.

She was left momentarily speechless in shock. After a brief pause, she finally found her voice and inquired, “You… How did you get here? Why are you on my

bed?”

Nicholas countered, “Why can’t I be here?” He then began to explain, “I arrived last night.”

“What?” Nancy was shocked again. Despite her hazy memories from the previous night’s heavy drinking, a good night’s sleep had sharpened her senses, and she wasn’t entirely clueless about what had transpired.

She recalled, “Linda, do you know what? I actually saw a fake Nicholas just now.”

“Linda, I think the young hunk in your phone with the great physique is much better than Nicholas. How about you introduce him to me?”

“Or maybe a mature man is okay. Mature men are caring.

“Naughty, go away.”

“Hurry up and leave,” Nancy urged.

Fragments of those scenes began to resurface in Nancy’s mind, causing her to bite her lip in regret. She wished she could find a hole to crawl into. She pondered, Oh my goodness! Did I really say all those things? Did I criticize his appearance and ask Linda to introduce me to a new boyfriend? Oh no! Did those words really escape my mouth? Have I brought this trouble upon myself?

Temporarily disregarding their uncomfortable proximity, Nancy focused on another pressing question. “How did you get here, and… how did you know I was here?” She prepared herself for his response and added, “Please don’t tell me it was just a coincidence that you happened to be on a business trip and stumbled upon me. I won’t believe that kind of excuse.”

Nicholas confessed, “It’s definitely not a coincidence.”

Intrigued, Nancy asked, “Then what is it?”

Chapter 154 How Can You Compensate Me?

After Nancy posed her question, she took a deep breath in an attempt to regain her composure. Strangely, a glimmer of unexpected hope flickered within her when she asked Nicholas. Nevertheless, she quickly dismissed this notion, thinking she must be losing her mind.

“Linda was filming here, and Luke wanted to come and visit her. I had just gone through a divorce and was feeling quite low, so he invited me to join him and unwind. As soon as I arrived at the hotel, I witnessed two distressed women crying and embracing one another. You happened to be one of them,” Nicholas explained with unwavering confidence. He displayed his remarkable storytelling skills, effortlessly shifting the blame onto Luke. It was a clever maneuver, leaving no trace of embarrassment.

Nancy found his explanation rather logical. After all, Linda was here for work, and her romantic involvement with Luke made his visit reasonable. Tentatively, Nancy began to believe his narrative and

asked, “So, how did you end up in my room?” Suddenly, she struggled to break free from Nicholas’ grasp and demanded, “Let go of me!”

They were no longer married, so the prospect of sharing a bed was bewildering.

“I didn’t even want to come in the first place,” Nicholas confessed. “However, a certain someone was intoxicated and insisted on dragging me into her room. She even asked me to stay the night, so I reluctantly consented, considering her inebriated state.”

Speechless, Nancy tried to fathom his tale, wondering, “He must be lying. Could I have acted so uncharacteristically when drunk?” Her agitation grew as she scratched her head. She then turned her intense gaze toward him and questioned earnestly, “You’re lying to me, right? Why would I invite a stranger to sleep with me?”

Clearing his throat, he retorted, “Am I truly a stranger?”

Overwhelmed by the situation, she decided to put an end to this conversation. She just wanted to leave. “Fine. I’ll concede. Let go of me. I want to get up.”

As Nancy attempted to get up, Nicholas’ handsome face suddenly loomed close, closing the gap to within an inch of her. “I spent the whole night sleeping with you,” he said. “My back and arms are sore. Don’t you think you should compensate me in some way?”

His unexpected proximity left her breathless, and her heart raced. Her blush deepened as she nervously inquired, “Compensate for what?” Her curiosity was quickly replaced by a realization, prompting her to push him away with a swift motion, creating some distance between them.

Observing her retreat like a startled rabbit, Nicholas couldn’t help but smirk and playfully quip, “So, you’re that afraid of me? Are you scared that I’ll eat you?”

Nancy, trying to change the subject, said, “I just thought of something. Since you’re here, how about I treat you to a meal?” Her proposition made her rush to the bathroom for a quick freshening up.

After exiting the bathroom, she was faced with a clothing dilemma. “What should I wear for the meal?” Then, her gaze fell upon her luggage, revealing a chaotic scene of scattered clothes. “Did you go. through my suitcase?” she asked.

Nicholas, looking somewhat embarrassed, admitted, “There was a reason for it last night. It was rather

urgent, as I was looking for a nightgown for you. However, you kept bothering me, so I didn’t have time to tidy up.” He continued, “If you want, I can help you sort it out later after we finish our meal.”

Speechless, Nancy acquiesced. Her luggage also contained some personal clothing, but it seemed pointless to argue about it at this moment.

Once they had changed into fresh clothes, they left the room together, heading for the elevator. However, they ran into a surprise encounter with Linda and Luke.

Nancy’s heart raced as she spotted Linda, and she practically sprinted over to her, clutching her hand as if Linda were her savior. Their mutual astonishment was evident when they laid eyes on each other.

“Luke is here?”

“Nicholas is here too?”

Their exchange of words left the women in silence. As they stood in the elevator, two tall and imposing men loomed behind them, speaking volumes without uttering a word.

Even though Nancy had initially suggested inviting Nicholas to dinner, in reality, they were on their way to the hotel’s self-service breakfast. After the chance meeting with Linda, the women managed to

secure a two-seat spot near the window in the corner. It was evident that they had no intention of leaving any seats for the two men.

As they exchanged a glance and held their respective plates of food, Luke and Nicholas seemed to realize the situation. They had no choice but to locate separate seats in the crowded hotel dining area.

With newfound privacy, Linda and Nancy began to converse freely, with Linda expressing her astonishment, “I’m so surprised that Nicholas actually came here to pursue you.”

“I’m surprised too, but please choose your words carefully, Ms. Steward. He didn’t come here to pursue

me.”

“How is that possible? It’s so obvious. Isn’t he here to see you?”

Nancy sipped her milk thoughtfully and replied, “He said that Luke came to find you, and he was brought here by Luke to relax before running into me coincidentally.”

Linda, chuckling at Nancy’s naivety, countered, “My dear Nancy, you’re unbelievably naive. You believe whatever he says. Moreover, Luke never mentioned coming here to visit me. If he had such plans, he would have told me in advance. Based on what I see, it’s more likely that he brought Luke here, not the other way around.”

Nancy exclaimed, “How can that be?”

“So, did you two spend the whole night together?” Linda asked.

Nancy blushed briefly and then nodded.

“In that case, he couldn’t bear to be apart from you, so he came to win you back.”

Nancy firmly denied this idea, stating, “That’s impossible.” She couldn’t fathom any reason why Nicholas would have lingering feelings for her, especially when his heart belonged to Madelline.

“Why would he sleep in the same room with you then? Is he a pervert?”

After a moment of hesitation, Nancy decided to reveal the truth to Linda. “He said I was the one who was drunk and insisted on dragging him into my room. He agreed reluctantly out of consideration for our past marriage.”

Linda was momentarily speechless by this revelation.

Once they had finished their meal, she set her cutlery down and promptly led Nancy to another location.

“Linda, where are we going?”

“The surveillance room!”

“What?” Nancy was even more puzzled.

“Why am I so reluctant to believe what Nicholas said? I refuse to believe that you seduced him. Let me assure you, it must have been him bothering you. The surveillance room is just ahead. Let’s go inside to review the video from yesterday, and we’ll have all the answers. Would you like to come along?”

Nancy hesitated for a moment and then nodded decisively. “Alright. Let’s go.”

Inside the surveillance room, Nancy watched a few crucial minutes of video footage, her gaze fixed on the screen. As she observed herself in a state of complete drunkenness, almost unconscious and entirely oblivious to her surroundings, the footage depicted Nicholas forcefully carrying her back to the room. Her frustration intensified, and she clenched her fists as her face turned as red as an apple. She marched straight up to the man, glaring at him with intense anger.

Chapter 155 Nicholas, Did You Come Here On Purpose?

Nancy asked angrily, “Why did you lie to me?” Her face was pouting, and Luke, sensing the situation, tactfully excused himself.

“Please have a seat,” Nicholas said calmly.

His composure was in stark contrast to her anger, as he appeared unfazed by the situation, almost as if he found everything inconsequential. Yet, strangely, the calmer he seemed, the more infuriated she became.

“I won’t sit down,” Nancy asserted, rejecting Nicholas’ offer and persisting in her inquiry. “I just want to know why you lied to me.”

As she pressed the issue, he lifted his gaze, and his deep, jet-black eyes locked onto hers. Then, in a hushed tone, he uttered, “Fear.”

It was a single word, yet it left Nancy momentarily stunned. She couldn’t understand why Nicholas would be afraid, prompting her to ask, “Why would you fear? Fear of what?” She couldn’t believe the response she was hearing.

He abruptly stood up and took her hand, guiding her to a more secluded area within the hotel. There, he held her frail shoulders with a touch of desperation in his voice, confessing, “Because I was afraid that you would distance yourself from me once you found out the truth.”

Nancy, her emotions in turmoil, pushed him away, asserting, “You shouldn’t have lied to me then. Your deceit has only driven us further apart. Do you know how terrified I was when I believed I had lost my sanity and was dragging a stranger to rest with me? I even thought… thankfully…” At this point, she fell abruptly silent, her realization gradually sinking in.

“What are you thankful for?” he inquired.

“Never mind,” Nancy said and cast her eyes down. She thought, Thankfully it wasn’t someone else, but him. Did he know how scared I was at the time? While pondering Linda’s words, Nancy felt a growing need to seek clarity, and she found the courage to ask, “I have a question to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

Nancy hesitated, feeling a bit shy, but determined to seek the truth, she continued, “Linda mentioned that you came to Swania just to find me. Is that true?” Despite her reservations, a glimmer of hope lingered within her. Her heart raced as she waited for his response, creating an anxious anticipation. What would he say? Is it the truth? She held her breath, eagerly awaiting his reply.

Nicholas, reflecting on how he nearly made a mistake that frightened her, cast his gaze downward and calmly replied, “No. It just so happened that I had some business to attend to here. Luke mentioned coming to visit Linda and surprising her, so we came together. Meeting you was a coincidence.”

Unfortunately, Nicholas’ answer did not align with what Nancy had been hoping for. Her eyes, which had momentarily brightened, quickly dimmed as a wave of bitterness and disappointment washed over her. It was a reminder that expectations often led to greater disappointments.

However, she found herself at a loss-what could she do in this situation? The weight of

disappointment bore heavily on her chest, creating an unsettling discomfort. Resolute in her efforts to maintain composure, she raised her head and mustered a smile. “Thank you for your honest answer.” She continued, “It’s reasonable for friends to travel together. I understand.” With that, she turned away abruptly and left in haste.

Her departure was driven by fear-fear of inadvertently revealing her disappointment, loneliness, and unhappiness if she stayed any longer. Nancy imagined that, at that moment, Nicholas would merely

regard her as a spectacle, a source of amusement. She had overthought a seemingly straightforward trip, forgetting that both of them were divorced and moving on separate paths. Inwardly, she chastised herself, Nancy, you fool. You’re divorced. What were you expecting?

After reaching the hotel, Nancy swiftly packed her belongings and headed for the airport. It was only upon her arrival at the airport that she phoned Linda, explaining, “Linda, I’m sorry. I’m already at the airport, and I plan to return home today.”

Linda, surprised by the abrupt change in plans, asked, “What? You’ve only been here for two days. Weren’t you supposed to leave tomorrow? I’ll send you off.”

“No thanks.” Nancy shook her head, declining Linda’s offer. She continued, “Actually, I know that you have a busy schedule on the set, and you took leave specifically for me. I’m sure you’ll be working all night after this and…” Her voice trailed off as she contemplated the next point, her tone growing noticeably quieter. “I asked him about it, and he denied it. He said it wasn’t true. He mentioned that it was Luke who wanted to give you a surprise. So, Luke didn’t inform you in advance, but he did come along with him.

Linda, upon hearing Nancy’s words, was suddenly filled with regret. She blamed herself, thinking that if she hadn’t mentioned it, Nancy might not have inquired, sparing her from another emotional blow. “I’m sorry, Linda. I…” She tried to explain and console Nancy, but the right words eluded her.

“It’s okay, Linda. I know you did it for my own good. How could I blame you? I just don’t want to see him right now. Once you’ve finished filming and returned, there’s still plenty of time for us to meet up.”

Linda reluctantly hung up the phone. “All right, Nancy. You must take care and stay safe on your way back.”

“Don’t worry; I will.”

After the call, Linda sighed with sorrow as she left the bedroom.

Luke, who overheard the conversation, asked, “What happened?”

“Nicholas,” Linda muttered through gritted teeth.

“What did he do to upset you?”

“It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, Nancy wouldn’t have asked, and she wouldn’t have had to endure another emotional blow. I defended him, thinking he came here to pursue Nancy, but in the end, it’s not true. He came here on a business trip and happened to run into her.” Linda’s frustration and regret grew with each word. “Scoundrel! He infuriates me.” The more she spoke, the angrier she felt.

Luke was puzzled by the situation. “Nicholas happened to… Who told you that?”

“He told Nancy himself!”

He shook his head in disbelief. “It’s impossible. He came here specifically to pursue Nancy.”

“Never mind. I can’t trust any of you anymore.”

“I swear,” Luke said solemnly. “Nicholas indeed came here specifically to pursue Nancy. It wasn’t a

coincidence.”

“Never mind.” Linda shook her head. “It’s pointless to dwell on these things now. Nancy has already returned.”

“She has returned? When did this happen?”

“Just now.”

Luke immediately phoned Nicholas, delivering some distressing news. “I regret to inform you that your ex-wife has already departed.”

Nicholas was taken aback and ill-prepared for the news. “What did you just say?” After ending the call, he promptly attempted to contact Nancy, only to find her phone switched off.

As Nancy’s plane soared into the sky, she closed her eyes and settled into her seat, yearning for some much-needed rest. The two-hour journey passed swiftly, leaving her exhausted upon reaching home. She opted for a quick meal of instant noodles before retiring to bed.

However, her peaceful respite was abruptly shattered by the sound of the doorbell. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was already 10.00 P.M., indicating that she had slept for nearly four hours. The incessant chime outside her door persisted, creating a disruptive commotion.

Anxious about the unexpected disturbance, Nancy pondered who could be at the door. It couldn’t be Linda; therefore, the question lingered-who could it be? With her fatigued body, she mustered the strength to open the door. As she did so and caught sight of the figure waiting on the other side, she was overcome with instant and profound shock.