Chapter 230: The Perfect Place (6)
Georgia’s POV
We must’ve lost track of time in the garden. Benjamin threw himself into helping Prudence, Ella, and me transplant flower seedlings like it was a military mission, and by the end of it, he was sweaty, dirt streaking his shirt, and looking far too pleased with himself. I couldn’t remember the last time I laughed that much while gardening.
If Nick and Liam hadn’t strolled into the garden, we probably would’ve stayed there until the sun went down.
"Looks like you enjoyed yourself with my mom so much you forgot about the birthday boy," Nick teased, feigning a pout that had me giggling instantly.
"Are you jealous?" I shot back, grinning. "But yes, I did enjoy it. Your mom told us all sorts of stories about you and Vicky when you were younger."
Nick’s brows shot up, curiosity sparking. "Hopefully none of those stories were embarrassing, right?"
I couldn’t resist. I laughed and said, "I’m not telling you," before darting toward the house, skirts brushing my legs as I ran. His mock groan chased me across the lawn.
Inside, the atmosphere shifted immediately. Oliver and Vicky were huddled close to a laptop, their faces unusually serious. Oliver was on the phone, speaking in a low tone, while Vicky glanced up and spotted me. She quickly pressed a finger to her lips and gestured for me to come closer.
I padded quietly across the room, curiosity prickling in my chest, just as Nick and the others stepped inside behind me.
"Thank you. Please send me the details as soon as you can," Oliver said into the phone before ending the call and finally turning to face us.
"That was the investigator I hired," Oliver said as he set his phone down, his voice carrying a weight that instantly pulled everyone’s attention. "He told me there was one crew member from Raymond’s cruise ship he never got to interview, because she died just a few days after they docked. DUI, according to the report."
My stomach twisted, but Oliver pressed on.
"He managed to talk to almost everyone else from that day. The guys in the KTV room said Nancy went in to take pictures. Raymond stepped out to pee, and Nancy followed him. After that, the timeframe during which Georgia was pushed, Nancy never returned to the party. Ella already mentioned that before."
I swallowed hard, my hands clenching together as Oliver continued.
"Some of the guys went looking for Raymond later, but he was already passed out in his suite. No one knew where Nancy had gone. The strange part was, the time Nancy disappeared matched the time when that female crew member should’ve been resting in her cabin. But another crew swore he saw her step out to take a call."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone growing sharper. "The investigator now suspects that the woman might have witnessed something. She was headed toward the same deck at the exact time Georgia was attacked. But when he tried to speak to her sister, things got strange. The sister refused, shut him down instantly. Unlike everyone else who was helpful, she looked... terrified, he said."
I finally found my voice. "So, what’s the plan now?"
"I’ll try to talk to her myself," Oliver replied. "But this time, I’ll bring a female colleague. Maybe she’ll feel safer talking to a woman."
Nick gave a firm nod. "Good. Do it. Whatever it takes to get her to talk."
Oliver nodded back. There was determination on his face, but before the tension could linger any longer, Prudence clapped her hands lightly.
"Alright, enough heavy talk. Wash up, everyone. Vicky and I will handle the food," she said, before pointing at Liam and Oliver with motherly authority. "You two set the table while the rest of them scrub the garden dirt off. Move."
The heaviness cracked, replaced by small chuckles and sighs as we all scattered.
Nick led me into his room, and the moment I stepped inside, I paused. It was nothing like his sleek penthouse in the city. This space felt... softer. Lighter. The kind of room that carried warmth in its walls.
"Let me guess—your mom chose this style?" I teased, running my fingers over the light-colored wood.
His smile appeared instantly, boyish and unguarded. "Yeah. It’s actually very similar to my old room back in her previous house. Mom wanted to preserve it. She said she never really got to enjoy us while we were growing up, so this was her way of keeping those memories close. A piece of what little time she had with us."
The sincerity in his voice tugged at me. My chest tightened, but curiosity pushed forward. "Then why don’t she and your dad just get married now? I mean—it’s 2025. Divorce is normal these days, and all of you are adults already. What’s stopping them?"
I caught his reflection in the mirror as I washed up at the sink. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching me with that thoughtful look of his.
"They can’t," he finally said. "They signed a prenup, but that’s not even the real problem. Dad could pay Violet off—alimony, prenup fines, all of it. But it’s the business."
He sighed, his jaw tightening slightly.
"Violet has influence over some of the investors and board members. Friends, relatives, people she’s tied to the company. It’s complicated. If Dad divorces her, it won’t just hurt him—it’ll shake everything in the company. And Mom... she doesn’t want that kind of war. She says she’s already content with how things are. She didn’t lose us, after all. We’re still here with her."
His words hung in the air, heavy yet tender. I couldn’t help but wonder if that kind of sacrifice was strength—or heartbreak in disguise.
"I see... and soon she’ll have her grandkids running around here," I teased with a laugh, not expecting it to spark anything.
But Nick’s expression shifted—dark, heated. Before I could ask why, he stepped forward and quietly closed the bathroom door. My breath caught when I saw his reflection in the mirror, moving toward me like a predator who had already claimed his prey.
In an instant, his arms circled my waist, pulling me back into him as his lips found the sensitive curve of my neck.
"Nick!" I squealed, wriggling against him. "That tickles—stop!"
Only, my squirming made things worse. My back brushed against his body, and I froze the second I felt his hardness pressing insistently against me. My eyes went wide. "Oh my God... you’re such a pervert!" I half-laughed, half-gasped, trying to wriggle free.
"You mentioned grandkids," he murmured huskily against my ear, "so this is entirely your fault. My body just... instantly decided it wants to make one—with you. Right now."
Before I could protest, he turned me around in one smooth, commanding motion.
"Nick! What are you—wait, gosh!" My voice pitched in alarm as his hands moved faster than my brain. He hooked my underwear down before I could even push his hands away.
He smirked, lowering his mouth over mine, his voice a low growl. "I’ll make it quick... unless, of course, you’d rather I walk out there with a hard-on for everyone to see."
And then his lips claimed mine, silencing any chance of an argument.
*****
Thank you for the Golden Ticket!
KATHLEEN_COLL