Mia immediately sensed that something was off. Raking her fingers through her hair, she said, "Nick,


    ignore whatever Dominic told you in the study. They were just kidding."


    It slipped her mind that Dominic must''ve summoned Nichs to the study because of what Eva said to


    her earlier. She was awash in embarrassment.


    Clearly, Nichs hadn''t wanted to develop a romantic rtionship with her—their rtionship was


    strictly tonic. Dominic''s meddling was only making things awkward for them.


    Nichs lowered his head and said meekly, "Actually, I don''t think I should ignore it."


    Mia was baffled.


    “To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised with what Dominic told me earlier.”


    Mia was stunned. Spiraling in bewilderment, she was at a loss for words.


    As she studied Nichs closely, she seemed to notice a distinctive glint in his eyes. It finally struck her


    that he might have feelings for her. Still, she''d failed to spot anything different regarding his attitude


    toward her. In fact, Nichs was more like a brother to her. Not once did her mind ever stray to other


    possibilities regarding their rtionship. However, his response earlier made her realize that certain


    things had begun to spiral out of her control.


    Nichs’ eyes bore into hers. "Mia, I know you''re preupied with Sage''s illness now. But can we talk


    after hepletely recovers after his treatment?"


    "Talk?" What is there to talk about? It couldn''t be what she was thinking, could it?


    Mia noted the suggestive tone in his words. She was nowpletely at a loss for words.


    She was already feeling quite awkward when Eva attempted to matchmake her with Nichs, even


    feeling a bit sorry for him for dragging him into this mess.


    She knew how hard it''d be on her future husband, because of her brothers’ standards. They simply


    wouldn''t be satisfied with anyone. Little did she expect Nichs to actually have feelings for her, which


    went unnoticed by her.


    Mia faltered and said, "Nick, we''ve always been just friends. Don''t feel like you have to take care of me


    and the kids just because of something Dominic told you."


    She still found it quite hard to believe that Nichs liked her. Frankly, she figured that he only agreed to


    date and take care of her out of respect for Dominic. He never had a crush on anyone before, after all.


    "Mia, do you think I look like someone who''d sumb to a lifelongmitment just because I was


    being kind?"


    "Actually, you don''t," Mia replied sheepishly. “But I''ve always treated you as my brother.”


    Nichs sighed. "Well, I haven''t been particrly bold in the past four years. From now onward, I will


    only be with you as a man." He closed the distance between them, staring at her intently. "Mia, I don''t


    want to be your brother."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Mia was bbergasted. She thought she had made herself pretty clear earlier, but she was still caught


    off guard by his candor. What should she do now?


    Flustered, she said, "Nick, I really haven''t considered getting in a rtionship, and the thought of dating


    you has never crossed my mind."


    "Take your time to think about it. I''m not in a hurry after all," Nichs said calmly.


    Mia was utterly speechless. She could only give him a mortified nod. A smile finally spread across


    Nichs’ face. "Then you should rest early. I''ll get going first.”