NICKSON'S HATRED (FIVE)

Tears welled up in her eyes when she saw her sister's husband standing in front of her with a stiff face. He looked disheveled and tired. His hair was so messy like he had tousled it repeatedly with his hands in frustration. Besides that, there were a lot of tired lines in his eyes. His eyes were bloodshot like he had been crying for a very long time.

"How is your condition?"

"I’m fine. It just hurts all over from the bruises, but the rest I'm fine. Rebecca? Have you seen her condition?”

"I have."

The second Blakely asked Nickson about Rebecca's condition, Blakely already suspected that something bad was happening to Rebecca. Nickson's face said it all. But she just didn't want to be overthinking and panicking because of something she only thought was going on. She could be wrong right?

"Where is she? I want to see her. The accident occurred when the truck driver—”

"I know." Nickson stopped his words while glaring at her. “The police have explained everything to me. CCTV cameras have also proven everything.”

“Then let me meet Rebecca.”

Blakely's eyes filled with tears, and her lips trembled every time she remembered the terrible events that had happened to her and Rebecca. She wished she could turn back time to stop everything. She wanted to fix this situation so that Rebecca wouldn't have to be in her current position and have an accident with her. Her heart was whispering, blaming herself for all the events that had happened to her and Rebecca today. If only she hadn't asked Rebecca to go to Decatur.

"Rebecca—"

"Dead," he replied coldly and flatly.

"Are you serious? You must be kidding! Rebecca... no way—” Blakely couldn't continue. She took two steps back, still clinging to the wall because her legs were wobbly and weak.

"You're not serious, are you? You must be kidding." Blakely chuckled bitterly. "You must be lying. Rebecca can't be dead."

Her feet kept moving backward as Nickson stepped forward to reach her.

The statement Blakely threw at him didn't seem right at all. Even Blakely had noticed. She just wanted to comfort herself who suddenly lost all her orientation. How could Nickson joke with such a tired face and bloodshot eyes? But then he looked angry at her because she had made things so difficult.

“Rebecca is dead. Take it, Blakely!”

Had they not been in such a tense situation, Blakely would have been very surprised when she heard Nickson's very weak voice calling her name. But now the situation is different. The man was mourning the death of his wife.

"Impossible! Rebecca can't die."

“You are not a God who can prevent death.”

"But why Rebecca? Why did it have to happen to Rebecca?”

Blakely continued to back away until her feet hit the edge of the stretcher. With a blank stare, she looked at Nickson who was now also looking at her furiously.

“Accept that, Blakely. Rebecca is dead. You killed Rebecca."

Nickson shook Blakely's body repeatedly, but there was no response from the woman. Blakely just kept crying while staring blankly at Nickson, and then she fell to the ground when Nickson suddenly let go of his hand from Blakely's shoulder.

“Rebecca is not dead. You're lying… you're lying.”

"She was already dead when the medical team managed to get her out of the car."

"I don't want to kill Rebecca."

“But you have done it. You made Arthur instantly motherless. You shouldn't have come here, Blakely. Haven't you always left your family? Your coming here is just a disaster for my family. You killed my wife."

"Enough! Enough Nickson! Don’t say anything else!” Blakely sobbed on the cold hospital floor, plugging her ears tightly with her palms. She didn't want to hear any more vile accusations from Nickson's lips. It was too painful for her heart, which was currently grieving the death of her sister.

"Where is Rebecca now?"

"What would you do?"

“I want to see Rebecca. I want to be beside Rebecca.”

"She's already on her way home."

"Take me to your house, Nickson."

Instantly Blakely stood up and gripped Nickson's shoulders weakly. The man immediately threw Blakely's hands from his arms and walked backward without the slightest feeling of pity for his sister-in-law's state of shock and sadness. Blakely isn't the only one grieving here. Nickson felt he didn't need to feel sorry for the woman who had caused his wife's death.

“Please, Nickson. Please take me to Rebecca. I want to see her."

"You just woke up," replied Nickson sarcastically, looking away.

"I'm fine. I didn't have any serious injuries. Wait a minute, I'll call the doctor."

Blakely was just about to go find a doctor, but Nickson's right hand suddenly grabbed her arm and stopped her footsteps for a moment.

“Before I came here I saw a doctor who examined you. Said you could go straight home because you only had minor injuries. If you feel pain, you are advised to take the medicine your doctor will bring you before going home.”

"No, I'm fine. I don't feel pain at all."

The look in Blakely's eyes conveyed a very deep plea. Still, with tears running down her cheeks, Blakely begged Nickson to take her to his house.

“Let me see Rebecca one last time.”

“You are her sister after all. Rebecca would be so mad at me if you didn't get to see her one last time.”

Without saying anything else, Nickson immediately walked out of Blakely's treatment room and continued walking without even looking at Blakely who was limping behind him.

This is a very tough day for him. Never once had he imagined that he would be left by his wife in this state. In the past, he even thought that his marriage relationship would only end up in court if one of them couldn't maintain their relationship any longer. But who would have thought if it turned out that their marriage relationship was separated by a sudden and very tragic death?

Nickson had to accept that as a major blow in his life. One of the domestic conflicts that never crossed his mind. But this has happened. There was no point in lamenting his life which had turned into chaos in an instant.

Over his shoulder, Nickson looked at Blakely who was trying to catch up with her limping legs. Her entire face was filled with tears and she still had a large stock of tears in her eyes. The strangest thing Nickson thought about was why all of this had to happen so soon after Blakely arrived in this town. Before that his life was fine and he had never had a hard day. But ever since Blakely came, his life suddenly became insecure. He was hAunted by a strange fear that one day Blakely might mess up his life. And unfortunately, everything he feared has come true.

"You can wait in the lobby. I'll bring my car here so as not to trouble you."

"That's not necessary. I can walk on my own and I am in a very strong condition to do it.”

Blakely's stubbornness irritated Nickson. He didn't say anything after the woman insisted on walking towards the parking lot. In fact, she left him behind with an unbelievably annoying persistence.

Nickson walked silently behind Blakely's very wobbly body. He was worried that at any moment she might pass out and he might be ready to catch her. He then walked ahead of Blakely as they were almost at his car. The white Audi car was parked next to a black suburban car that looked very large beside his car. Blakely stood between his car and the suburban, looking restless as she continued to wring her hands nervously. Nickson opened his car window, motioning for Brysnlee to get into his car.

"You okay?"

“A bit dizzy, but it will get better soon. The doctor brought me some medicine that I will take later."

Nickson didn't say anything else. He drove out of the parking lot and let the atmosphere in his car become quiet. Now and then he glanced at the woman, still restless as she looked at the streets around them which were quite congested.

"Is Arthur okay?"

It was a question that Nickson had not expected to slip out of Blakely's lips. The woman looked at him with a look of sadness and concern that was very thick. He thought staring at the busy streets was just one way to reduce her anxiety about his family. And it kind of bothered Nickson that Blakely cared about his family.

“He is safe with my parents. A child as young as Arthur, he doesn't know much about death yet."

“I'm so sorry for causing all this mess. I... I love Arthur. He must be very sad.”

Blakely's lips trembled. The woman cried again silently in his car, which made Nickson even more furious. For some reason, he hated seeing her cry. He preferred to see Blakely look as arrogant as when he came to her restaurant with Antonio. It gave him reason to hate her and stay away from her instead of seeing this frail Blakely.

"I know what it's like to lose a parent. Arthur shouldn't be going through the same bitterness of life as me and Rebecca."

“Arthur still has me. He will not lack the slightest affection.”

Blakely didn't say anything for a moment. Her eyes stared at Nickson who was driving with a dubious look.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Nickson was uncomfortable being stared at like that. Even though he was very concentrated on driving, the corner of his eye kept an eye on Blakely's movements ever since.

"You are very busy. Rebecca said that to me as we were driving towards Decatur. You might find it difficult to divide your time between taking care of Arthur and working.”

“My parents will help me and I will hire a nanny for Arthur. There is nothing to worry about my son's life."

"If you don't mind, I can babysit Arthur while you work."

The traffic light turning red gave Nickson a chance to turn to Blakely. His sister-in-law seemed to mean her words. The look on her face said that she didn't accept any refusal from him.

“No need, I can take care of my own family. Since you're Rebecca's sister, and Rebecca is now dead, it makes the relationship between you and Arthur no longer necessary. You get what I mean right?”

“You want to kick me out of Arthur's life? After all, I am his Aunt." Blakely's sad face turned angry.

“I know, but you just came into his life. He doesn't know you."

"He knows me well. We spent time together when I visited your house.”

Nickson gave a faint smile that sounded sinister. "In four years of his life, you were only present for no more than two hours. Do you think a kid of Arthur's age will remember you and want you to be around him?”

Blakely clenched her fists furiously in her lap. She knew Nickson saw her clenching her fists.

“I'll prove to you that Arthur wants me better than he wants you. Huh, you're nothing more than a workaholic who rarely spends time with him. Do you know his habit before going to bed? You know which storybook he likes?”

Nickson didn't say anything. Instead, he drove his car out of the intersection when the traffic light turned green. He held back his anger because Blakely's words hit the spot. He never knew what Arthur's habits were and what storybooks he liked. He always came home late at night when Arthur was asleep. And the next day he only had time to talk to Arthur for a while before he left for the office and the boy was still sleepy because he had just woken up.

“You can't take care of your son, Nickson. You were never close to him."

“I am his father, never forget that fact. I know what to do with my son."

“You've always relied on Rebecca to take care of Arthur. You never did it in person.”

"We don't need to argue about this. My household is none of your business," said Nickson flatly.

They arrived at the Nickson residence which was quite crowded with mourners. Some people show sad faces that are not made up. Blakely was so relieved that Rebecca had the affection of the people around here. Previously she was a little doubtful that her sister's husband loved her sister because Nickson didn't show a loving look when he looked at Rebecca. For some reason, she saw that there were irregularities in the relationship between Rebecca and her husband. But she didn't want to speculate too much at this point. It was probably just prejudice because she was too annoyed at Nickson's attitude.

After Nickson stopped the car across from his house, Blakely rushed out of the car. She didn't look at Nickson at all or thank him for the ride. She thought he didn't deserve her thanks.

Just as she was about to open Nickson's car door, the man's voice stopped her and made her freeze for a moment.

"I don't want you to stay in my house too long. After Rebecca is buried, I want you to be gone forever from our lives.”