The Manipulated Villainess

"Nathan." She muttered his name but the unfamiliar pain she saw in his eyes made her unable to speak more! She knew that he wasn't fine too but... it's the first time he showed it!

"Don't you think you hurt me enough? My heart is not made of steel, Cassandra. I also have my limits. So please... leave me alone." Nathan's voice was so desperate that it fazed the calm facade of Cassandra.

She tried to speak up but before she could do that, he turned around and walked out of the pavilion. She stared at him approaching his car and the urge to speak up was stronger than ever when he was about to enter.

However, she shook her head. He seemed so desperate and fed up. He would only be more agitated if she talks again. He condemned her to that extent!

Nathan entered his car and started driving right away. He could see her reflection on the mirror for a while and he repeatedly shifted his gaze to that until it was out of his sight.

* * *

"Why don't we have dinner together tonight? You can also tell me what you want. Now that you succeed, I will keep my promise."

Nicole who was currently dressing up for work instantly halted all her movement when she heard Garcia Han. They were talking on the phone.

"Mother, I don't think I can do that today," Nicole said, glancing at the phone which she placed on the top of the drawer of her dressing table.

"Do you have an important meeting?" Garcia Han's voice echoed in the room as the phone was on loudspeaker mode.

Nicole holds one of the doors of the almirah, then turned to take out a grey blazer. "No. I forget to tell you last night. I will sign the contract to buy the house today. I will do it before going to work. In the afternoon, I will go there and take a look at the delivered furniture. I think it will take quite a time as the house is big."

Nicole puts on the blazer and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. But when she realized that Garcia Han had fallen silent, she turned to the phone again. "If you want, I can also go there tomorrow."

"No need." Garcia Han quickly responded. "Settling down is important first. I will check my schedule to know if I can come too."

"You don't have to do that, Mother. I will finish everything within two days. How about you come and visit me the day after tomorrow? Everything will be settled by that time."

Garcia Han gave a quick thought and said, "Fine. Let's do that."

* * *

After signing the contract, Nicole went straight to her office. She started attending meetings after meetings as usual. Because she cleared her schedule for half a day and even plan to take a leave the next day, she was busier than ever. She didn't even get to have lunch.

It was almost 2 in the afternoon when her assistant, Julia Cha entered her office.

"Chairwoman, the furniture company called and said that the furniture is ready to deliver now."

Nicole puts down her pen and glanced at the piled up files. "I will go there right away. In case of these files... I will continue at home." She rose from her seat and glanced at her assistant. "Julia, handle things here for me. Do that tomorrow as well."

"I understand." Julia Cha bowed and left the room.

Nicole then picked up the files and left the company right away.

She reached her new house in less than an hour and noticed that the two trucks which delivered the furniture were also about to reach the gate but... she saw something that caught her attention.

Behind it was a car that looked quite familiar. She ended up staring at the car until it reached where she was standing. Two people came out and she raised a brow. Leon and Shara? What were they doing here? No... It should be... How did they know to come here?!

 No matter how much she thought about it, she didn't remember herself telling them about the house. The only one who knows about this would be... she let out a sigh. Was it Aston?

"Hi, Nicole. We heard that you are moving in today. We came to help you." Leon simply said to her with a smile. 

"This a nice house," Shara commented as she observed the exterior.

"Did Aston asked you to come here?" Nicole promptly asked.

"He said that he won't be available today. So, we thought that it would be great to come here. Besides, we are quite free these days." Leon jokingly said and glanced at the two trucks. "Go inside with Shara. I will handle this."

"But your shoulder - "

"Don't worry." Leon cut off Nicole before she could speak further. "I will lead them. I won't move much."

Though Shara was quite worried, she didn't say anything and quietly entered the house with Nicole.

"Come inside," Nicole said as she leads Shara inside with a smile. "I thought that I will be handling everything alone. It's great to have a company." She added, glancing at Shara.

Shara handed her some plastic bags which contains fruits, some meat and vegetables. "We went shopping before we came here. We figured out that your fridge will still be empty."

Nicole narrowed her eyes at the plastic bags and blankly stared at them for a while. She didn't even make a move to take the bags.

Shara was taken aback by her unexpected reaction. What was the meaning of this?! Didn't she like it?! "Is something wrong?" She finally asked after a while.

Her voice snapped Nicole out of her stupor. She quickly looked at Shara and when she noticed her flustered face, she quickly takes the plastic bags from her. "I'm sorry. I never received something like this from anyone. I think it surprised me." She promptly clarified.

She never had someone who would bring her vegetables and all. Even the day she moved out of her family mansion and settled in her apartment, there was no one there for her. She was alone with no one to rely on or to help her. After a few months, she met Jerome and finally have someone who actually cared about her which she was truly thankful for.

For someone like her who was used to be alone without being cherished, loved or cared; even such a little gesture was enough to warm up her cold heart! As such, it made her zoned out for a while.

"Come. I will help you store that." Shara said and walked inside the kitchen with Nicole.

The two women quietly stored the vegetables and fruits. All the time, Shara think about what Nicole just said. She never received something this simple? She realized that this young woman leads a much lonelier life than she thought! While her mind was occupied by these thoughts, Nicole spoke up.

"Shara, I recall seeing you a few times before in Leon's museum. Did you work with him? What about your family?"

At Nicole's question, Shara instantly halted her movement for a few seconds but she quickly regained her composure. "You're right. I work with Leon. In fact, I grew up with him." She paused and glance at Nicole with a small smile. "I'm an orphan."

Nicole realized that she shouldn't have asked her such a question. She immediately felt guilty when she saw through her pain which was hidden under a smile. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that." She promptly apologized.

Shara still smiled at her. "It's fine. I grew up in the Prime Minister's mansion. Leon's parents took me in when I was a child. They raised me."

Nicole didn't know what to say. She was afraid that she would only reopen the wounds of this calm woman. She quietly gazed at her and realized that they seem to have many things in common.

"Don't feel bad for me. At least, I'm still luckier than you." Shara jokingly said.

"I'm glad you think that way. When you struggle so much in life, it's hard to remain positive. In that case, you're better than me." Nicole remarked with a smile. They finished storing the dishes and she closed the refrigerator.

"I realized one thing after going through many hardships. It's that... all our struggles make us stronger. I think it's true in your case. Don't you think so?" Shara said, turning to Nicole who was standing just a step away from her.

"I think I finally met someone who thinks like me," Nicole said as she lightly chuckled. Then she glanced at the fridge. "I ate dinner in your place when you move into your new house. How about you do the same tonight? Stay for dinner with Leon."

Shara glanced at Leon who was busy arranging the furniture with some men from the furniture company. She slightly smiled and turned back to Nicole. "Okay. We would love that." Then her eyes swept around the big house. "I think we should do some cleaning."

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