CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER-67. (SMALLER THAN A MOUSE HOLE).

"Huh? Aren’t you the blackmailer...the one threatening me with those compromised photos? "

He said, his eyes narrowing, his tone dripping with accusation.

What in the world was he talking about?

My brows knit together as I gritted out, "Are you seriously trying to play the blame game? Because trust me, it’s going to cost you a lot more than you ever imagined."

Nicole scowled deepened as he spat back, "Don’t you dare try to act innocent."

He tried to take a step ahead to intimidate me, but the beast standing beside me gritted out, "If you love your life, stay back."

I tightened my grip on his arm, steadying him in his position. The last thing I wanted was to have a physical fight between two humungous men who could throw me away with a single punch.

A non-humorous laugh escaped from his mouth as he shook his head, "I can’t believe how shameless you two could be." I clenched my jaw as my free hand fisted the fabric of my skirt with anger.

I would have slapped that brat, but I waited. Waited for him to speak out the absurd thought of his.

"First, you barged into my room using my little innocent daughter."

His glare hardened as he continued, "And then you tried to blackmail me with those photos."

He let out a bitter laugh. "What did you expect? That I had actually been scared of you?"

His voice dropped, venom lacing every word. "Of a cheap blackmailer who would stoop so low as to spike my drink and take those compromised photos?"

For a moment, my mind stopped working. I could not process whether I was hearing right or if it was just an absurd dream.

Oh God.

He thought it was me.

No, it was way worse than that. He thought it was me and Dave.

My gaze slowly shifted from Nicole to Dave. His expression also got grim. Our gazes got locked on each other until all the misunderstandings started to clear out.

I jerked my head in Nicole’s direction as I collected the courage to say those words out loud. As I opened my mouth to speak out, Dave’s voice echoed in the lobby, "We are not the blackmailers."

My whole body froze at his position as I did not know how to swallow those words...those big, detailed explanations that filled my mouth just because Dave spoke out those five words.

I blinked as I again looked at him with disbelief in my eyes.

We are not the blackmailers.

Those words kept echoing in my head again and again, like someone was banging them against my skull.

And the more I thought about them, the more the disbelief twisted inside me.

Why?

Why did he say that? Why did he speak before me?

I had been ready. I had been gathering every ounce of courage, every single word that was crowding my mouth and choking me.

I wanted to tell Nicole the truth myself, to explain, to make him see that this whole thing wasn’t what he thought it was. That I wasn’t what he thought I was.

But Dave... he just cut it all down into one flat sentence. He said it like it was the end, like it was enough.

I took a deep breath, not wanting to have an unnecessary argument, so becoming the bigger person, I took in some long, deep breaths and said in my ever most sincere and polite tone.

"Gentlemen, I think there are some things that need to be discussed..." I looked at both of those males who were everything but ready and continued, "In private, don’t you think?"

***

The silence in the room was unbearable.

Dave sat stiffly on one end of the sofa, his shoulders squared, jaw locked like stone.

Nicole, on the other side, leaned back in his chair, but his eyes never wavered, sharp and cold, drilling holes into the air...or maybe into me and Dave.

Neither of them looked at each other, nor did either of them try to break the ice.

The air felt suffocating, like a storm cloud had pressed itself into the four walls.

I sat in between, caught in the crossfire of silence, my fingers curled tightly in my lap.

I hated this. Please, Ele, just bear it. Think of Caroline, who helped you every time you needed someone.

This wall of unspoken rage. This dangerous silence was somehow worse than shouting.

Why did it have to turn into this? Why did every word seem like a weapon instead of a bridge?

I could feel it.

The tension vibrated through me as if waiting for a spark to light the storm in that big room, which felt smaller than a mouse hole.

If I did not say something soon, one of them would explode, and then all of this would spiral out of control.

So I forced myself to breathe, unclenching my fists, as I lifted my head. My voice came out softer than I expected, but steady.

"Okay," I said, breaking through the silence like a stone dropped in water.

Both their gazes flicked toward me instantly, sharp and waiting. My chest tightened, but I did not let myself shrink back.

"We’re not going to get anywhere sitting here like statues, glaring holes into each other," I continued. "If we want the truth, if we want to clear this mess, then we need to talk. Properly. Got it?"

My eyes flicked between the two of them, searching desperately for a yes...or even the smallest nod. God, I would have taken anything that hinted they were willing to have a civil conversation.

The room went so quiet after my words that I could hear my own heartbeat banging in my ears.

Nicole stayed still, arms crossed, his eyes still sharp as knives. Dave didn’t move either, but his jaw was grinding like he was chewing rocks.

I pressed my lips together, trying not to lose my nerve. "Look," I said, my voice a little firmer this time, "we all know there’s been a misunderstanding. But standing here acting like enemies won’t solve it. So... can we just talk like normal humans for once?"

Nicole’s lips curled into a bitter half-smile. "Normal humans? That’s funny, coming from the two people who..."

"Stop." Dave’s voice cut through like thunder.