137

137

Alesya quickly stepped away to answer a call from Nicholas.

"What's up, Al?" Nicholas greeted once the call connected.

Alesya, breathless from seeing Bryan and Shabila not responding, didn't answer immediately. She focused on catching her breath first.

"Al," Nicholas called again.

"I-it's my time of the month. I need you to top up my online motorcycle taxi account, Nik. I need to..."

"Alright, I'll do it, and you can order right away. Oh, by the way, I wanted to tell you, Al."

"W-what?"

"Devin's wedding has been moved up. After leaving here, I'm going straight to the hotel. I won't be able to come back before everything's finished."

"Moved up." Alesya sat down on the floor. Her aching stomach was nothing compared to the pain in her heart upon hearing that Devin's wedding was being moved up.

Was that it? Was the love Devin once proclaimed for her only going this far? So instead of canceling the wedding, they're moving it up?

"I hope everything wraps up soon so we can prepare for our own needs. I planned on having you design the outfits we'll wear next Sunday for Devin's wedding."

"I'll do it." Alesya tried to contain her heartache. Even though her feelings were shifting towards Nicholas, there was still a lingering hurt.

Nicholas ended the call and sent money to top up Alesya's online motorcycle taxi account. He had one hope: that Alesya wouldn't be upset by the news he just delivered. It might be impossible, but Nicholas still hoped that his closeness with Alesya could divert that pain.

In Nicholas's eyes, it seemed unlikely. However, in Alesya's eyes, Nicholas was the cure for all the heartaches she had endured. It was just that he wasn't sensitive enough to see through his current status.

"Nicholas, let's talk!"

Nicholas almost slammed the book in his hand onto the table as a woman suddenly dragged him away.

"Come with me, or I'll tell everyone your deviation!" Viska threatened Nicholas, hoping he would talk to her.

Viska didn't know how to get Nicholas to talk. It wouldn't take long. Maybe just a few minutes to tell him about her life over the past two years. Viska wanted to inform Nicholas that for the past two years, her life had been completely controlled by Gibran. She was more like a puppet than a wife.

Although Gibran claimed to love Viska very much, their marriage couldn't work if there were lies and traps involved.

"I don't have the time. I'm sorry," Nicholas adjusted his glasses. "If you want to tell everyone here, go ahead. They already know everything. They also know that I've changed since I met Alesya. We're just waiting for the right time; she and I will get married. We even share the same room and sleep together."

"Well, if that's the case, then it's a draw. Let's get back together!" Viska insisted. She was still officially Gibran's wife, and her aim was now to chase Nicholas. Once Nicholas was captured, Gibran could be cast aside again.

"I can't go back to someone else's ex. I'd rather cherish and formalize this new love," Nicholas replied, striding away. His steps were so fast that he left Shabila behind. He didn't want to be late for his guidance session to finally become a bachelor. Frankly, Nicholas was tired of this constant connection with letters and books.

Nicholas had always wanted to get straight to practice. If only a degree and bachelor's title could be obtained through practice alone, Nicholas would have gladly skipped all of this.

Viska sighed deeply. Her second attempt had failed, even though it was merely an attempt to talk to Nicholas. She hadn't even reached the stage of approaching him like the first time they met.

Nicholas, who had left, entered the room of a lecturer, where he would remain until his tasks were completed.

With no idea how long it would take, Viska decided to give in once more. She would search for another appropriate moment to talk to Nicholas. She didn't know when, but she was determined to make the effort.

Three hours later...

"I have a headache. Could you be the one to meet with the hotel to arrange our menu and their menu? I swear, I'm fed up. If this continues, everything might be canceled. As you know, brides can be really dramatic," Nicholas complained to his secretary on the other end of the call.

Before his trusted aide could respond, Nicholas ended the call. He was truly frustrated because he couldn't find many of the materials he needed for his thesis. He didn't know if they simply didn't exist or if he just wasn't motivated. Nicholas himself couldn't determine the correct answer.

"Maybe I should just go home?" Nicholas tapped his fingers on the steering wheel while contemplating his direction. Currently at a traffic light intersection, he had two choices: left to go home or right to the restaurant.

While waiting for the traffic light to change, Nicholas considered where to go. Should he go back to the restaurant to help the chefs, as usual, or go home to satisfy his longing for Alesya?

"To the restaurant," he muttered, remembering there would be no one to oversee the restaurant if he left, especially since his secretary had gone to handle Gibran's wedding plans.

However, when the traffic light turned green, Nicholas unexpectedly made a left turn. After reading Alesya's text message, she had pleaded for him to come home.

"Nik, my stomach hurts. If you're not busy, please come home... Just for a little while."

In anyone else's eyes, what Alesya did might seem excessive. But in Nicholas's eyes, Alesya regarded him as the only person she had right now.

Before going home, Nicholas stopped by a pharmacy to buy a compress. When he was in a relationship with Viska, she once told him that some girls experienced pain during their menstrual cycle. Reading Alesya's message, Nicholas was certain that she was one of them.

"Are you okay?" Nicholas hurriedly approached Alesya, who was curled up on the bed, clutching her stomach in pain.

Alesya shook her head. "Just some stomach cramps because it's the first day."

"Is it very painful?"

"Not too bad, but it's enough to make me unable to sit comfortably."

"All right. Now, straighten your legs." Nicholas guided Alesya to change her position. Only then did he lift her blouse and apply the compress to her stomach.

"Have you eaten yet?"

Alesya shook her head. "Shall we order something?"

"No need. It's getting better. I'll cook. I'm not that hungry yet. It would be a waste not to eat the ingredients in the kitchen."

"Okay, I'll cook, and you can rest." Nicholas covered Alesya with a blanket before getting up to leave.

Get ready. Tomorrow, we're going to Devin's place with Alesya and Nicholas. There will be a battle scene in the bedroom. Hahaha.

"I'm fine, really," Alesya assured Nicholas when he reached for her wrist to put the compress on her stomach. It was the sixth day now. There were no more stains left. Soon, Alesya would be completely clean.

But Nicholas continued to diligently apply a warm compress to her stomach with a towel. Alesya initially thought he was doing it just for that day. However, Nicholas did this every morning and before bedtime.

Nicholas nodded. "It's fine. Today is the last day, right?"

Alesya nodded. "You're probably going to be really busy today. You should get ready and have breakfast."

"Yeah, I'm going to shower. Are you feeling strong enough?"

"I am. Besides, it's all over now."

"As soon as the menu and the team arrive at the location, I'll come to pick you up."

"Alright. Are we coming as guests or...?"

"As guests. The work is being handled by the team, and the restaurant is closed exclusively for today."

"Okay, then."

"Well, I'll get ready. Later, I'll pick you up, and we'll go to the boutique and salon together."

Alesya nodded, letting Nicholas start packing. Since it was still early morning, he could arrive earlier than Devin's scheduled time.

"Dev, congratulations on your new life," Alesya whispered to herself, offering her congratulations to Devin, albeit indirectly. However, Alesya reassured herself that she would say those words directly later. Whether she was up to it or not, Alesya would try to agree so that Devin wouldn't see her broken heart. Even though it was just a little, the pain was still there, wasn't it?

Alesya closed her eyes for a moment, gathering the remaining pieces of her heart that had been shattered.

"At least she didn't get married on my birthday," Alesya said as she reached for her phone, which was not far from her. She looked at the date she had marked there.

In that calendar, Alesya had set an alarm to wish Devin a happy birthday. She smiled faintly, realizing that Nicholas's decision to redeem that phone might have been a mistake.