WARMING THE BILLIONAIRE COLD HEART

Kimberly was taken aback as she continued to gaze at her reflection behind the mirror. Her mouth kept reciting words of gratitude because God had kindly bestowed upon her a remarkably beautiful appearance.

Kimberly wasn’t overconfident, but almost everyone acknowledged that she possessed above-average beauty. At the office where she worked, countless men had declared their feelings for her. Even her friend Keyra shook her head in disbelief when Kimberly received so many gifts on Valentine’s Day.

However, out of the many men who approached her, none captured her interest. Until a foolish bet she agreed upon with Alex led her to truly fall for Nicholas.

Her encounter with Nicholas Alistair could be categorized as a coincidence, but getting close to him and making him her boyfriend was one of her main goals. Who would have thought that today, in just a few hours, her status would change to being engaged to him?

Don’t be nervous, Kimberly.

Isn’t this your dream, after all, to be Nicholas Alistair’s girlfriend?

You should be proud of yourself.

Even if his feelings aren’t clear to you yet, it doesn’t matter. Over time, you can make him fall in love with you for real.

Kimberly nodded at herself in the mirror, self-suggesting that she was ready to meet Nicholas’s family in a few minutes.

“Kimberly, are you ready?” Nicholas called, knocking on her door.

Kimberly straightened her dress once again and then moved to open the door. “I’ve been ready for a while. Let’s go,” she invited.

However, instead of leaving, Nicholas was transfixed by Kimberly’s appearance tonight. She looked stunning in the sleeveless black evening dress she wore. The high slit in the dress exposed Kimberly’s long, flawless legs.

For a moment, Nicholas was mesmerized, and his eyes didn’t blink as he admired the appearance of the woman who would soon be his fiancée. He had to admit that Kimberly looked exceptionally beautiful tonight.

“No need to overdo it with the stares, Nick. I’m aware that I’m quite beautiful,” Kimberly remarked.

Nicholas snapped out of it and smirked. “Oh my, you’re so confident. You’re not my type, Kimberly.”

Kimberly narrowed her eyes. “Not your type, you say?”

Nicholas nodded in agreement. “You’re not my type. I’ve told you that countless times.”

Kimberly smiled sarcastically, a tinge of irritation in her heart. “Not your type, but you seem addicted to kissing me. Such a pervert!”

“Whoa, I’m just helping you out, right? I did it so you wouldn’t be awkward later,” Nicholas defended.

Kimberly grunted in annoyance. She even felt like strangling Nicholas right then and there. How could he use a kiss to tease her like that?

“Just wait, Nick. I’ll definitely get back at you!” Kimberly threatened before leaving Nicholas standing in front of her room.

Nicholas could only laugh shortly before following Kimberly, who had already exited the apartment unit.

****

Kimberly grasped Nicholas’s wrist before they got out of the car. Once again, she wanted to reassure herself whether this engagement really had to take place. Until now, she had only wanted to be Nicholas’s girlfriend, but now she found herself engaged.

“Are you sure?” Kimberly asked while looking into Nicholas’s eyes.

Nicholas took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. “It’s just an engagement, Kimmy. We’re not getting married right away. And I’ve already told you I’ll learn to like you, so relax.”

Kimberly sighed softly. “You talk as if liking someone is as easy as flipping your hand.”

“Enough, just relax. Your task is to help me learn to like you,” Nicholas replied casually.

“How can you learn to like me when I’m not even your type? Not to mention, my background is a mystery to your parents. I’m just an orphan-”

“But you’re definitely not a criminal, right?” Nicholas interjected. “Stop thinking negatively. My family isn’t what you imagine. Leave everything to me; I know what I’ll do in front of them.”

At this moment, Nicholas couldn’t decide if he should feel happy or sad. Happy because after so long, he finally had a partner again. Sad because he was bound to a woman he didn’t fully love.

The game that was originally designed to fool his mother ended with the reality that he had to be genuinely committed or even married to this woman. Nicholas chuckled inwardly. It seemed like fate was playing with him right now.

After convincing Kimberly that everything would be fine, Nicholas held his fiancée’s hand and confidently entered the Alistair family’s residence. Inside, the immediate and extended families of both their parents had gathered. Even Kenzi and Alma were present at this event.

This engagement ceremony could be considered quite simple, as it was attended only by close family members. It was Nicholas’s request not to make it too public. However, even for a simple event, Cassandra had spared no effort. She had prepared everything with great attention to detail. Nicholas could be proud of his mother’s skills.

“Welcome, my dear. You’ve finally arrived,” Cassandra greeted with enthusiasm. The middle-aged woman immediately pulled Kimberly to sit in the chair she had prepared. Shortly after, Nicholas followed and took a seat beside her.

“This is our star today, Nicholas’s future wife,” Cassandra’s words caught the attention of all present, and Kimberly felt a bit awkward as all eyes turned toward her.

Kimberly timidly raised her face, smiling slightly. Her eyes began to scan each family member present.

After a brief introduction, the event began. Nicholas’s parents delivered welcoming speeches to the attending families. Then, it was Nicholas’s turn to take over the proceedings and introduce Kimberly. He briefly recounted their meeting, although the story was mostly a fictionalized account.

“We were destined to meet, it seems. Who would have thought that the love I’ve been searching for would be so close to me? Yes, it turns out we work for the same company. I even fell in love with Kimberly from the moment we accidentally crossed paths in the Alpha Beta building corridor.”

Kenzi and Alma could only smile knowingly as they listened to their friend’s story. Despite the embellishments, they appreciated her efforts to convince the whole family.

“Then, where is Kimberly’s family? Why isn’t anyone here at the event? Do they not approve of your relationship?” one of Nicholas’s cousins asked.

Nicholas and Kimberly exchanged glances. With courage, Kimberly tried to address what had been worrying her earlier.

“I’m an orphan and have no living relatives.”

Everyone immediately turned their gaze to Kimberly. She took a deep breath, trying to continue.

“My father died in a car accident when I was six years old. My mother died in a fire four years after my father’s death. I was even in a coma for a few weeks during that incident.” Kimberly’s voice trembled, and tears welled up on her cheeks without her noticing.

A sudden silence fell over the room. All the family members present, including Nicholas, felt a deep sense of sympathy. Nicholas gently wiped away the tears that had fallen from Kimberly’s cheeks, held her hand tightly, and kissed the back of her hand.

“You have me. No matter what happens, I won’t leave you,” Nicholas said sincerely. He wasn’t joking this time.

Not wanting to dwell on the sadness, Cassandra immediately began the main event. She handed Nicholas a box containing a pair of diamond rings that had been prepared in advance. After expressing their feelings and exchanging rings, Nicholas and Kimberly were officially engaged.

Kimberly was relieved now. All her previous fears had proven to be unfounded. Nicholas’s family had warmly welcomed her, and no one had questioned her background.

However, a new worry emerged, and it was even greater than before. She had completely forgotten that the biggest issue was not with Nicholas’s family. The people she should be concerned about were Marco and Opa Arthur. They would surely take action if they found out she was engaged to another man.

So, did Kimberly need to be completely honest with Nicholas about who she really was? Or should she continue to hide her identity?

****

Nicholas settled himself on the sofa as they had just arrived at the apartment. Meanwhile, Kimberly had been relatively quiet since the journey back home. Realizing this, Nicholas took the initiative to ask.

“Is something bothering you?” Nicholas asked as he took off his suit jacket and tie.

Kimberly shook her head softly. “No, I’m just tired,” she replied casually.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“If you’re tired, change your clothes, take your medicine, and rest. You need to wake up early tomorrow. I’ll take you sightseeing before we return to Indonesia.”

“Really?” Kimberly asked with a brightening expression.

Nicholas nodded. “Of course. I’ll take you around. But for now, get some rest.” Nicholas gestured for Kimberly to go to her room.

Kimberly followed Nicholas’s instructions and went into her room. However, she emerged just a few minutes later and stood right next to Nicholas. Sensing her confusion, Nicholas asked again, “Is there something else?”

Instead of answering, Kimberly turned her body to face away from Nicholas and began to reach for the zipper of her dress to take it off. Nicholas’s eyes widened in panic.

“Kimmy… hey! What are you doing?” he exclaimed in a fluster, turning his face away.

Kimberly turned to look at Nicholas. “I want to change my clothes,” she said matter-of-factly. “Please help me unzip my dress.”

Nicholas became even more shocked. “Are you crazy, Kimmy?”

Kimberly frowned in disbelief. “What did you say? Am I crazy?”

Nicholas gave Kimberly an intense look. “Yes, you’re crazy!”

“I’m just asking for your help to unzip my dress. Why are you panicking? Even if my body is exposed, is that really a problem? Besides, I’m not your type,” Kimberly argued.

“Of course, I’m panicking. I’m a normal guy, Kimberly. How could you ask me to unzip your dress? No cat would refuse fish if it’s given to them,” Nicholas said.

Kimberly narrowed her eyes and intentionally sat down next to Nicholas.

“So you’re tempted by me, huh?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Kimberly. You’ll regret it if I do get tempted!” Nicholas threatened, sounding quite panicked.

Kimberly chuckled sarcastically. “Oh, come on, Nick. You’re the one who said you would teach me how to kiss. Why not teach me some other hot stuff? This is nothing, dear. Should I take off my dress right now?”

Kimberly prepared to lower the dress she was wearing. However, Nicholas suddenly pulled the zipper back up.

“Stop, Kimberly! Stop what you’re doing. Okay, you win,” Nicholas said, then got up and left. He left Kimberly, who was laughing triumphantly at her successful retaliation against his earlier actions.