As I listened to the silence on the other end of the phone, I realized that I had been too harsh in my tone. I shouldn't have been so aggressive... This sudden confession really scared me. I always thought that my relationship with Nicholas Scott was just within the normal range of friends. How could he like me? Strictly speaking, we haven't spent much time alone together. Most of the time, Shannon, Jake, and others are always with us. Why did he suddenly develop feelings for me? It doesn't make sense. Hmm... he must have misunderstood something. He got it all mixed up. I need to clarify things! I'm really glad I didn't answer the phone in front of Dominic Hartnell. With his dislike for Nicholas Scott, and now this, who knows what would have happened?I lightly tapped my chest, calming down my restless emotions, and carefully said, "No... Nicholas Scott, you... um... you're the national heartthrob. There must be at least two or more beautiful women waiting for you to like them. What kind of beauty is missing?" "Look at you, handsome, good at acting, and you treat people exceptionally well. Everyone who knows you speaks highly of you. With someone as perfect as you, you must need an equally perfect woman to match you." "But I'm not good enough. Let's not even mention the fact that I've been married before. I'm almost thirty, not stunningly beautiful, and I don't have any outstanding talents to show off. I can only draw cartoons... Nicholas Scott, I'm sure you don't actually like me, it's just a misunderstanding." "The most important thing is, I'm already married and I'm carrying another man's baby. Nicholas Scott... let's not joke around, I think we're better off as friends. We get along well!" I said all these words without taking a breath, and now my mouth feels dry and my tongue is parched. But even after saying so much, there was no sound on the other end of the phone, so quiet that I couldn't even hear a breath. If it weren't for the words "call in progress" on the phone screen and the ticking of the call timer, I would have thought Nicholas Scott had already hung up. I switched the phone to my other hand because my palms were sweaty. The silence on the phone made me anxious, so I had to ask again, "Nicholas Scott... are you there?" It was another few minutes of silence, and just when I thought Nicholas Scott still had no intention of responding, I heard his voice. "Liliana Zanetti, you've said so much, aren't you just giving me a 'good person' card?" "If you think so highly of me, then why don't you want to be with me? What does Dominic Hartnell have that's so great? He betrayed you, his family doesn't like you, and he doesn't cherish you at all..." "Tell me, what makes him better than me?" My temples throbbed a few times, feeling restless and frustrated. "It's not about comparing, neither of you is lacking anything. It's just that I see you as a friend, and he, even during the years we were apart, was irreplaceable to me." Love is never a matter of comparison, is it? Loving someone, even if they're a scoundrel, means loving them. On the other hand, even if someone is a perfect prince charming, flawless in every way, it's all in vain if there's no spark. The words I praised Nicholas Scott with were all true. In my eyes, he really is that great. But what does that matter? The only person I love is Dominic Hartnell. I pursed my slightly dry lips, realizing that I had been too harsh with my words. But I hoped Nicholas Scott could understand what I meant. Loving someone or not loving someone doesn't actually require a reason, it's all about the heart. "Heh... I'm just a friend, and he's irreplaceable?" Hearing Nicholas Scott's desolate murmurs, I also felt uneasy, but I had no other choice. I couldn't deceive him. "Nicholas Scott, you..." I wanted to comfort him, but before the words could leave my mouth, my phone was suddenly snatched away. Turning around, I saw Dominic Hartnell standing by my side, holding my phone in his hand. He put the phone to his ear, and with his free hand, he held mine. I was completely taken aback. When did Dominic Hartnell come over? I didn't even notice. "No matter what intentions you have towards my wife, you better get rid of them right now." "I'm in a good mood today, too lazy to argue with you anymore. If there's another time, I won't be so polite." Dominic Hartnell calmly finished his words and hung up the phone, not returning it to me but putting it in his own pocket. I didn't do anything wrong, even if Nicholas Scott called to confess his feelings to me, I immediately rejected him. But... I don't know why, but when I met Dominic Hartnell's gaze, I suddenly felt guilty. "Hehe... Honey, why did you come over? Where are my parents? Aren't we going to see the show house?" Dominic Hartnell reached out and wrapped his arm around my waist, leaning forward towards me, his hot breath blowing onto my face. "If I hadn't come, how would I have known that my wife could talk on the phone with another man for so long? What were you talking about, something interesting?" Upon hearing this, I quickly rolled my eyes and put on a perfect and pleasing smile. "No, no... Don't think too much, we didn't talk about anything. Even if you hadn't come, I would have hung up the phone." Dominic Hartnell smirked and leaned in to kiss my lips. "Let's go see the house first, my parents are waiting over there. We can talk about other things later." I fell silent. Was he planning to settle the score later? But I really didn't do anything wrong. Strictly speaking, I am innocent. "Honey..." "Yes, my dear. Let's take it slow and be careful not to trip." Dominic Hartnell replied with a charming smile that could kill, and he even considerately held onto my waist. Normally, I would have been completely charmed by this, but this time, I suddenly felt a chill down my spine.Boiling a frog in warm water can be quite torturous! I took a deep breath in silence and instinctively placed my hand on my stomach. Well, what is there to be afraid of? I have a trump card now. With these two Gilbert Hartnell boys by my side, what can Dominic Hartnell do? He can only be jealous until he's sour. Hmph, we'll talk about it later, no need to be afraid. I encouraged myself and after some mental preparation, my heart became much calmer. Dominic Hartnell swiftly led me to the entrance of the show house, where my parents awaited alongside the saleswoman. However, just as we were about to enter, a familiar voice warmly welcomed us.