Chapter 3

Nikita's sudden change of mood, however, did not escape the assistant's notice. She was watching Nikita's every move because she knew her job was on the line. Nikita was the apple of Spencer's eye, and if anything happened to her, she would be sacked before she could even blink.

She immediately notified Spencer of this, and five minutes later, Spencer showed up, having just come out of a meeting held over an international phone call. He stroked Nikita's head, then glanced at the table, noticing that her snacks were untouched. Finally, he hugged her and whispered, "What's wrong, darling? Is it too noisy here? Are they startling you? Why don't I take you home?"

Nikita did not object.

Spencer helped Nikita put on her coat, then picked up her bag and led her out the door, his arm slung protectively around her shoulder. As they walked, Spencer's gaze never once left her, but still, Nikita could feel someone watching them from among the crowd.

When they arrived home, Spencer put on an apron and whipped up a meal. Who would have thought that the CEO of Nextronics, a man with a net worth of tens of billions of dollars, would willingly step into the kitchen to cook himself?

Unbeknownst to the public, Spencer frequently cooked for Nikita. He knew his way around the kitchen quite well. Nikita was an extremely picky eater, but she was too kind to hurt other people's feelings. Therefore, although she did not enjoy their live-in chef's cooking, she never once complained. Spencer, however, noticed the way she picked at her food, and did not want her to go hungry, so he took up the responsibility of cooking for her himself.

After half an hour, Spencer emerged from the kitchen with a full, delicious-looking four-course meal. He set the table and immediately offered Nikita a slice of pork chop. He brought it up to her lips and crooned, "Have a taste, darling."

Nikita just barely swallowed the bite when all of a sudden, Spencer's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, and for just the briefest of moments, his face paled. He soon regained his composure, however, and explained, "Darling, I'm sorry, I need to take this. It's from one of our partners. Please excuse me."

Five minutes later, he reappeared, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, darling, but something urgent has come up. I need to stop by the office. Finish your meal, alright? I'll be back soon."

Without even waiting for her reply, he turned and disappeared out the door. Nikita knew there was only one other person who would tear him away from her at such short notice—his mistress.

All of a sudden she lost her appetite.

She waited a few beats, then walked out of the house and hailed a taxi. She pulled the footage from the dashcam of Spencer's car and followed the location of a luxurious high-rise condominium. Spencer arrived and parked his car.

Nikita just so happened to be the owner of one of the units in this condominium. Shortly after she started university, her parents bought her a unit here so that she would have a place to stay if she ever fell out with her roommates. She never told Spencer this, and thus he had no idea.

She went to the management office and requested to see the surveillance footage of the building, feigning that she wanted to check on the state of her vacant unit. She was chatting with the landlord when two familiar silhouettes appeared in the footage of the elevator.

It was Spencer and Queenie. They stepped into the elevator, and the doors barely closed when all of a sudden, they pounced on each other and were soon entwined in a passionate kiss. To Nikita's horror, she even saw Spencer's hand slide underneath Queenie's shirt. Queenie was grinning, but she pushed Spencer away abashedly. This only seemed to ignite Spencer's desire even more, for he began kissing her as if he wanted to devour her whole.

When the elevator finally stopped at the 17th floor, Spencer scooped Queenie up and carried her out of the elevator, as if he could not wait even another minute.

All of this happened so swiftly that the oblivious landlord did not even notice it. Nikita was the only person who witnessed the entire ordeal. Silent tears slid down her cheeks. Although she knew of Spencer's infidelity and already braced herself for the consequence, it seemed she underestimated just how much it would hurt.

It broke her to see the man she loved—the very same man who claimed he would love her to the end of their days—pounce onto another woman in such a lust-filled frenzy.

Years ago, when Spencer was trying to make a name for himself in the tech industry, his mentors tried to take him to various bars and clubs, under the guise of networking. There would be plenty of women at his beck and call, but Spencer turned these invitations down, even though it cost him many valuable contacts.

At that time, he kneeled before Nikita and said solemnly, "If a man resorts to sleeping with any woman he meets, then he is not a man, but a beast motivated by carnal desire."

He even mischievously added, "Besides, I wouldn't even be able to get it up, unless it's you, darling."

Nikita was so embarrassed by this that she smacked him playfully, but because of this seemingly sincere declaration, she never once suspected him capable of infidelity, no matter where he went or who he was with.

Ironically, it was Spencer himself who broke her trust. He turned back on his wedding vows, the oath he swore at the altar.

Nikita returned in despair to her taxi. Her phone buzzed with a message, and she glanced at it. It was a reminder from the hospital of her appointment.

[Ms. Nikita Young, you have an appointment on 15 June, 2 pm, for a medical termination of pregnancy. Do you want to confirm your appointment?]

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Nikita replied, [Yes.]

It was already late at night by the time she returned home. She wrapped herself in her covers and finally mustered the courage to call her mother.

"Mom!" she croaked. She wanted to cry but did not want her mother to worry, so she swallowed her sobs and tried to sound as normal as possible.

Her mother knew her too well and would not be fooled. She asked, sounding concerned, "What's wrong, my dear? Did something bad happen?"

Nikita opened her mouth and almost told her mother the truth, but she stopped herself just in time. Instead, she replied lamely, "Nothing's wrong. I just miss you and Dad. Can I come home on the 15th?"

"Of course, dear. Your father heard that you wanted to come home. He's already thinking of what to cook you for dinner!" her mother sounded delighted. "You're our baby. You can come home anytime you want!"

Silent tears streamed down Nikita's cheeks. Not long after she got off the phone with her mother, she heard the key turning in the front door.

Spencer finally came home after a passionate night with Queenie. He smartly took a shower, so that Nikita would not notice that anything was wrong. He tiptoed into the room, wrapped his arms around Nikita, and whispered, "I love you."

He was surprised when he felt Nikita's wet cheeks. He immediately turned the lights on and gazed at Nikita in worry. "Darling, is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Let's go to the hospital."

Nikita stopped him. Gazing upon his handsome face, all she felt was a wave of disgust. She wanted nothing more than to slap him and scream in his face, but she had to bide her time. She merely replied in a trembling voice, "Spencer, I had a dream that you cheated on me."