Nicolai groaned, shaking his head, clearly dazed from the punch. Blood dripped from his split lip as he glared up at Gideon, struggling to get to his feet. “You think you can just show up and play the hero? You don’t know what’s going on, Gideon.”
“I don’t need to know the details,” Gideon shot back, taking a step closer to Nicolai, his presence towering over him. “I just know you’ve hurt her enough. And I’m not going to stand by and let it happen again.”
I stood frozen, still reeling from the shock of the scene unfolding in front of me. Gideon. Gideon was the one who had intervened. It had been so long since I’d seen him, let alone spoken to him, and now here he was, protecting me—when I least expected it.
Nicolai, still on his knees, wiped the blood from his chin and glared up at both of us, his voice dripping with venom. “This isn’t over,” he spat. “
As I drove through the empty streets, the cool night air creeping through the cracked window, I focused on keeping my grip firm on the steering wheel. The hum of the engine was a dull noise against the thundering thoughts in my head. My pulse still raced from the confrontation with Nicolai, but my mind was more preoccupied with the man who had shown up uninvited: Gideon.I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion swirling in my chest. It had been so long since I’d seen him, and yet, here he was, right when I least expected it.Gideon. I could still feel the weight of his gaze, the way his presence seemed to fill every space between us. But no matter how much he tried to be the hero in my life, I wouldn’t let him back in. Not after everything.The past was filled with too many scars, too many broken promises, for me to entertain the idea of letting him slip back into my life. What he did to me, what we had, couldn’t be undone. I wasn’t some helpless girl waiting for him to save me
As the finality of the words echoed in my mind, I slammed the phone down onto the passenger seat, my breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts. The engine hummed louder in the quiet, but it did nothing to drown out the storm brewing in my chest. My grip on the wheel tightened until my knuckles were white, the car speeding through the dark streets as though the road could outrun my thoughts.Gideon. Nicolai. Both of them seemed to be haunting me, lurking at the edges of my mind, tugging at the threads of my past like they thought they had any claim to me. But they didn’t. I wouldn’t let them.I had promised Nicolai I would marry him. I hated how his words echoed in my mind, how they pushed into my thoughts no matter how hard I tried to ignore them. He had helped me bring justice to my mother, had fought alongside me when I needed it most. And in exchange, I had given my word—my promise—that I would marry him. A deal sealed in the chaos of a moment, but a deal nonetheless.I closed my eyes
The door to my office slammed behind Nicolai, his presence still lingering in the air like a storm cloud. I stood there, fists clenched, heart racing, as the sound of his footsteps echoed down the hallway. For a moment, I thought I might collapse under the weight of his words. “You owe me, Amethyst. You’re not getting out of this.”I tried to steady my breathing, tried to push the anger and frustration aside. I was done with him. Done.But even as I forced my thoughts to calm, I could feel the storm inside me building. Nicolai hadn’t come to talk—he had come to control, to make sure I stayed trapped in a deal I had made in a moment of weakness. He wasn’t going to let me walk away, but that didn’t mean I had to roll over and let him take everything.I grabbed my coat, my movements sharp and deliberate as I marched out of my office, my heels clicking on the floor with the same intensity that burned in my chest. As I reached the elevator, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Nicolai’s eyes
The door clicked shut behind me with a finality that echoed in the stillness of the house. I leaned against it for a moment, my head resting on the cool wood, as the weight of the confrontation with Gideon settled over me like a heavy cloak. My breath was shaky, my heart still pounding in my chest. I had said everything I needed to say, everything I’d been holding back for years, but it still didn’t feel like enough.The anger that had fueled me outside still burned, but beneath it, there was a deeper, more painful exhaustion. I’d closed the door on him, but something inside me felt like it had been left open.I pushed off the door and stepped into the foyer, the dim light from the hallway casting long shadows on the walls. My hands were trembling, my mind racing with thoughts of Nicolai, Gideon, and the unshakable feeling that something was coming—something I couldn’t outrun.I walked into the living room, only half-aware of where I was going. My eyes drifted over the space—pictures
The nurse’s voice on the other end of the line grew softer, a touch of sympathy threading through her words. “It’s too early to say, Ms. Amadeus. He’s unconscious, and we’ve started treatment, but his injuries are quite severe. I recommend that you come in as soon as you can. He’s asking for you.”The words hung in the air like an unspoken command. Nicolai. After everything, he was still asking for me. The anger I’d felt toward him just hours ago seemed distant, replaced by an undeniable pull to be there, to see him for myself, to make sure he was really okay.“Alright,” I managed to say, though my throat felt thick, as though the words were difficult to extract. “I’ll be there soon.”I hung up the phone, my fingers lingering on the screen for a moment longer than necessary. I hadn’t expected this. I hadn’t expected to care, to be pulled back into his orbit so easily, so completely. But here I was, heart racing, guilt swirling inside me like a whirlpool.I stood up, my legs weak benea
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. He had caused me pain—there was no denying it. He had shattered trust, dragged me into a world of lies and deceit. But he had also been there for me when no one else had, an unlikely ally in a world that had turned its back on me. The justice for my mother’s death, the truths of my fake parents, the dark reality of the world I’d been thrust into—Nicolai had been there through it all, even when I refused to acknowledge it.“I’m here,” I said, my voice calm, unwavering despite the storm inside. “I’ll stay.”For a moment, Nicolai’s face seemed to relax at my words. His hand found mine, but the grip was different—fragile, hesitant, as though he feared the slightest movement might shatter whatever connection remained between us.“I didn’t mean for any of this,” he murmured, his voice weak, the words dragging from him as if each one took everything he had. “I never wanted to hurt you. But I couldn’t let you go. Not then. Not now.”I remained silent. T
The woman’s smile widened, a glint of amusement in her eyes as she took a step closer to me. She didn’t seem intimidated by my questioning tone, which only heightened my suspicion. There was a cool confidence in the way she carried herself, as though she knew exactly how this moment would unfold.“I’m Nicolai’s sister,” she said, as though the words alone should have explained everything. “Name’s Elena.”Her name hung in the air, heavy with the promise of something I wasn’t quite prepared to face. I felt a pang of confusion and curiosity. Nicolai had never mentioned a sister, at least not in any context that would make this moment feel natural.Elena’s eyes didn’t leave me as she continued, her gaze flicking once more to Nicolai, who seemed to stiffen at the mention of her name. His expression darkened, and I could tell, even from the bed, that there was some history between them—a history that wasn’t written in any of the notes or explanations Nicolai had shared with me.“Funny,” Ele
Before I could respond, she turned and walked away without another word, leaving me standing there, heart racing, my mind in chaos.I glanced at Nicolai, whose expression was unreadable, though there was a flicker of something I couldn’t quite place in his eyes.And just like that, the air between us thickened, heavy with the weight of her words.“Amethyst…” Nicolai’s voice was a low murmur, fragile and uncertain.But I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. The question that hung in the air was far too real. Would I really go with him? With them? And what exactly did Elena mean by "getting to know each other"?The door clicked shut behind her, leaving us alone. But the feeling that something was about to change—something I wasn’t ready for—rippled through me.The decision had already been made for me.And now, I had to figure out what to do next.The silence that followed
The wedding day began with a haze of tension and forced smiles. Amethyst's heart hammered in her chest as she sat in the limousine, the fabric of her wedding gown pooling around her. The air felt stifling despite the car's air conditioning, and every passing moment seemed to pull her further into Nicolai’s trap.Her phone buzzed. The screen flashed with a breaking news alert, the banner at the bottom reading:"LIVE: BOMB THREAT REPORTED AT AMADEUS ENTERPRISES BUILDING."Her breath caught in her throat. The screen displayed shaky footage of employees evacuating the building. Police cars were parked outside, their lights casting ominous flashes of red and blue. Amid the chaos, the camera zoomed in on a familiar figure entering the building: Gideon Grayson.Amethyst's pulse raced as fear clawed its way up her throat. Gideon was going into the building—a bomb-rigged building—and she was on her way to a farce of a wedding."No!" she whispered, clutching the phone tightly. Panic surged as s
Nicolai's words echoed in my mind like a constant drumbeat, each syllable reminding me of the precarious position I was in. The bomb, the ring, the wedding—everything felt like a twisted game he was playing with me, and I was caught in the middle. But beneath it all, a fire still burned in me, refusing to be extinguished.As Nicolai went on, detailing every intricate aspect of the wedding plans, I forced myself to focus. His voice became a hum in the background as my thoughts began to shift inward. I couldn't let him think he'd won. Not yet.He paused, waiting for me to respond to something he had said. I snapped back to reality. "I'm sorry, what?" I asked, feigning distraction.He frowned, his sharp gaze assessing me. "Are you even listening, Amethyst?" His tone was suddenly colder, suspicion creeping into his voice."Of course," I replied, offering a strained smile. "I just... I'm trying to imagine everything. It sounds perfect." The words felt like acid on my tongue, but I forced t
Nicolai’s smirk returned, but it was tinged with something cruel, something that made the air in the room feel heavier. He moved closer, his presence suffocating, until he stood mere inches from me. “You still think this is a negotiation, don’t you?” he said, his voice low and mocking. “That you have some kind of choice. But let me show you just how wrong you are.”Before I could react, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward the center of the room. I stumbled, barely catching myself as he dragged me to a small table I hadn’t noticed before. On it sat a sleek black device—unassuming at first glance, but the red light blinking steadily on its surface told me it was anything but ordinary.My blood ran cold.“What... what is that?” I asked, my voice faltering for the first time.Nicolai’s smile widened, predatory and triumphant. “This,” he said, gesturing to the device, “is the key to your compliance.”He pressed a button on the side, and a small screen lit up, displaying a digital map
The sharp sting in my wrist reverberated as I clutched it to my chest, glaring up at Nicolai. His smirk was infuriating, and his dark eyes gleamed with satisfaction. But I wasn't going to let him see my fear—not again."You’re wrong," I spat, my voice steady despite the tremor threatening to break through. "I’m not yours. Not anymore."He leaned in, so close I could feel his breath against my face. "You’ll realize soon enough, Amethyst. You belong to me. Always have. Always will." His tone was low, almost a whisper, but the venom in his words was unmistakable.The car jolted as it turned sharply, and I used the momentary imbalance to push against him with all my strength. Nicolai stumbled back slightly, his grip loosening just enough for me to lunge for the door handle. My heart raced as I yanked at it, desperate for an escape, but it didn’t budge. Child locks. Of course."You didn’t think I’d make it that easy, did you?" Nicolai taunted, his voice calm despite the chaos in the confi
The sharp pressure of Nicolai's hand around my waist was suffocating, as though his grip was the only thing holding me to the world. I felt the panic clawing at my chest, but I forced myself to breathe steadily. There had to be a way out. I couldn’t let him drag me back into his hell.As we stood there in the middle of my office, the sound of footsteps echoed faintly outside, but no one seemed to notice the tension thickening the air. Nicolai’s eyes locked onto mine with that same unsettling intensity, the familiar mixture of possessiveness and danger swirling in his gaze."You’re not going anywhere," he growled, his voice dangerously soft. "I’ve already taken care of the people outside. No one will know you’re missing. Not until I’m ready for them to."A cold shiver ran down my spine. How did he do this? How did he always manage to control every situation, every person around him? I could feel the anger and helplessness bubbling within me, but I needed to think. I couldn’t just let h
I gripped the phone tighter, my pulse racing as Nicolai's words echoed in my ears. "You think you can walk away from me? From us? You think you can just erase everything we've been through? No, Amethyst, you're not done until I say you are."I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "I don't owe you anything anymore, Nicolai. You had your chance, and you lost me. This is over."There was a long silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I thought the call had ended. But then Nicolai's voice returned, low and dangerous."You don't get to decide that, Amethyst. You're mine. And I'll remind you just how much you're mine."The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating, as though he was already close, watching, waiting. I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard the faintest rustle on the other side of the phone, like the sound of a door opening.Before I could respond, the call a
Days passed, each one slipping by in a blur of activity and emotions I couldn’t seem to shake. It was as though the weight of the past hung over me, suffocating at times, but the presence of Gideon beside me provided a semblance of stability.Yet even his reassuring presence couldn’t erase the constant unease gnawing at the edges of my thoughts. Nicolai’s shadow still loomed large in my life, and I knew that my decision to walk away from him hadn’t gone unnoticed. I spent those days trying to ignore the anxiety that tugged at my heart, trying to convince myself that everything was fine, that the past was behind me. But the reality of what I’d left behind was too real to ignore. Nicolai wasn’t the kind of man who let people walk away from him without consequences.I was standing on the balcony one evening, the cool breeze brushing my face, when Victoria—my ever-vigilant assistant and best friend—came to join me. Her face was etched with concern, and she didn’t need to ask to know what
The following days felt like a delicate dance—one where I was constantly aware of the fragile balance between what I wanted to believe and the lingering doubts that gnawed at the edges of my thoughts. Each moment with Gideon felt like a small victory, but the weight of Nicolai’s threat still loomed over us, unspoken yet present in the quiet spaces between our words.Gideon’s presence grounded me, and I found myself leaning on him more than I thought I ever would. But beneath the comfort, I couldn’t shake the nagging fear that Nicolai was still out there, a shadow hanging over everything, threatening to destroy it all. Nicolai wasn’t a man who took kindly to betrayal or failure. The moment I’d left him, the moment I’d walked away, I knew he wouldn’t just let it go. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew that he would find a way to make me pay.On one particularly cold evening, as the sun dipped low and the sky bled into hues of purple and gold, I found myself once again on the balcony, wrapped
The days that followed were a delicate balance of old habits and new emotions, a quiet dance between familiarity and the tentative trust that had begun to grow between us. Gideon’s presence was steady, unassuming, yet it grounded me in ways I hadn’t expected. It wasn’t just the words he’d spoken or the kiss we’d shared—it was the way he existed in my space without demanding anything more than what I could give.Still, my mind raced when I was alone, questions swirling in the silence of the night. Could I really let my guard down? Could I trust someone again, after everything that had happened? The answers weren’t clear, but I found myself drawn to him in ways that scared and soothed me all at once.On a brisk evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and painted the sky in shades of amber and violet, I found myself on the balcony, wrapped in a blanket. The cool air nipped at my skin, but it was refreshing, a reminder that the world kept moving forward no matter how tangled my thoug