Billionaire's match novel

---- Chapter 817 Of course, Nick was taking a gamble, too. If it was Khloe-if she had gone through all that, forcing him into this encounter-how could he possibly let her down? And if it weren't her... he would still throw himself into the fire without hesitation, willing to die by her side. "Khloe, | never meant to upset you," Nick said, voice tinged with anxiety. "I was just thinking... if you had people deliberately capture me, maybe it was because you were really mad at me. If letting you vent your anger means anything, I'd do it willingly- anything you wanted.

"Even if you wanted me to die... | would. Truly." But before he could finish, Khloe pressed her hand over his mouth, furious. "Who wants to hear that kind of truth? Even if we were divorced, even if we weren't together, | don't need you to die for me!" "Divorced..." Nick froze. Her words cut deeper than any threat of death could. Could it be ... over these past days, her feelings for him had cooled? Had she even considered divorcing him, walking away with a single strike? ---- "You... want to divorce me?" he asked, voice tight, disbelieving.

Khloe's surprise mirrored his own; the words had slipped out before she could stop them. But thinking of the past days-how she'd been consumed with longing for him, only for him to deliberately avoid her-her remaining anger hardened. "I've said it before," she said coldly, "| don't like being deceived or betrayed. If you don't want to continue with us, we can part amicably anytime... divorce works." "When did | ever say | didn't want to continue with you? Or that | wanted an amicable breakup?" Nick sat up, his chest tightening with the ache of each word.

His voice was calm, gentle, steady- but in that single line, he nearly choked on his own heartache. Khloe's gaze flicked to him from the corner of her eyes, sensing that his expression was genuine-not an act. "You knew how worried | was about you... how desperate, how afraid | was... and yet you came back to Goldmont and still refused to see me," she spat, hurt bleeding through her words. "Khloe, I-" "No. No excuse. None of it makes sense to me," she cut him off sharply. In truth, she didn't even need him to explain. She already knew ---- why.

He had risked his life for her; there was no way he didn't want to return to her side. But that was his nature-he would rather suffer, rather bear every wound himself than risk dragging anyone else down. Noah had told Khloe how grievously injured he had been. Though he now appeared fine by her side, she knew he had endured hardships far worse than hers. The tumor in his stomach was a silent anchor of fear. He had handed everything over to her, and when faced with life and death, he had let go without hesitation.

Khloe had turned the possibilities over in her mind countless nights-she realized he still wanted to push her away. He could give everything to love her, but he could never let her love him the same in return. Seeing that she refused to hear his excuses, Nick said nothing more. The facts remained: he had lied to her. He had avoided her. He had made her face the terror of possibly losing him a second time. That was his undeniable guilt. Yet, the fears and helplessness that haunted him-he could not bear to let her endure them too. "all | can do is say it again... 'm sorry," he whispered.

"| never ---- thought of leaving you... unless... | die." His voice was barely audible, low and restrained. No matter how selfless he was, he could not do what Khloe had demanded: truly let go. "Nick... I'm so angry. Truly, truly furious! | never thought you could treat me like this..." Her words still seethed with anger, but without realizing it, her voice grew smaller, softer, laced with hurt-and tears began to spill