Niki’s POV:

Okay, so maybe I had said something I shouldn’t have.

Obviously, I’m not used to cleaning, so yeah, I might suck at it. Tve never scrubbed a floor in my life, never doneundry either. But bcooking/b? bThat’s /bdifferent. Cooking is something I actually enjoy. Not that I had a habit of boasting about it.

It was just the way she looked at me, like I was some pampered, ipetent rich boy. And I knew I wasn’t. I’d worked for what I had. Maybe not from the bottom like some people, but I’d wed my bway /bto where I was, dragging the Vetrov name through fire to make it worth something other than scandal.

So why the hell was I trying so hard to prove myself to someone who was only going to be my wife for a year!

God, what was wrong with me.

I needed to shut this down. Compartmentalize. Focus.

bThis /bis a contract. A transaction. Nothing more.

She gave a small nod, her eyes flicking back to the contract. “Okay… cohabitating at my ce buntil /bMom’s better, then we bcan /bshift as needed”

Shit I couldn’t bback /bout now. That would be bgoing /bback on my word and that was one thing Niki Vetrov never did. “Alright,” bI /bsaid, nodding. She kept reading, eyes scanning the uing pages. Then, she suddenly huffed a quietugh.

“I don’t think I bhave /benough gowns to attend this many balls

Her sarcasm was dry, but the amusement in her eyes inade something twist in my chest.

“Don’t worry.” I said, smirking. “You’ll have more than enough to bwear /bone every day of the year as my wife.

She blinked. Her mouth opened, then closed, and for once, she didn’t have aeback.

It was… weirdly satisfying.

She sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear. The gesture was binnocent/b, but the curve of her neck band /bthe quiet vulnerability on her face hit me square in the gut. I looked away, swallowing tightly.

And then-

She signed it

Just like that.

A bneat/bb, /belegant signature at the bottom of the page

She bhanded /bthe pen back to me. Her hand brushed mine, and for a second, I didn’t move. Just stared at her. Her eyes, her posture, bthe /bslight tremble in her fingers.

She was trying so hard to stayposed. It was obvious.

“About the official ceremony..” she trailed off, a flicker of hesitation in her toneb. /b

“You’re gonna have to bgive /bme a little time to get my mother to agree toe to the welding

“Would one week suffice?” bI /basked, trying to keep my bvoice /bneutral.

She blinked, surprised. Then she gave a slow nod, That’s okay. Yeah. That’ll be okay

bWas /bshe saying that to me or to herself!

We finished the wine. She stood up, stretching a little, and I gathered the signed file before locking it away in my office safe. When I bturned /baround, she bwas /bstanding by the window, arms crossed, the city lights flickering in her eyes,

I walked over.

“Now then, dear wife, I said smoothlyb, /bing to a stop just a bbreath /baway. Her head turned, lips parting as she looked up at me. The light from the

chandelier made her eyes look almost golden.

I could’ve kissed her.

God. I wanted to.

Instead, I leaned in slowly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Her eyes widened. I smirked at the dumbfounded expression

“Shall we go and celebrate?”

She nodded wordlessly, still stunned,

Iled her out.

The evening was still young–barely past eight–and the air was cool as we exited the building Lunlocked the car, but this time, she didn’t try to open the door herself. Progress

She raised an eyebrow when she realized I was heading downtown. “Where are we going?”

“To get you ba /bbdress/b.”

I can bjust /b

home and change,” she bsaid/b, looking mildly exasperated. “I haven’t showered in two days. I probably smell.

I leaned slightly closer, catching the warm notes of cinnamon and vani.

“You smell like antiseptic and stubbornness,b” /bbI /bbsaid/b. “Not unpleasant.

She huffed augh, but didn’t argue further, I could see that she was ufortable and I had a hunch that she was worried about her mother.

bI /bknew that worry was valid. However I also knew the doctor that had operated on her was the best amongst the best. And if he had said that Beatrix would recover, then she would.

Even though I bwasn’t /bthat good of a person. I wasn’t aplete asshole

I wanted to take her mind off of everything that she had just suffered in the past forty eight hours. It was strange…I had expected her to be constantly on the verge of tears when I had heard of her father’s untimely demise.

Especially when I learned that she was making her way to my office. bDon’t /bbget /bme wrong. I wasn’t stalking her or spying on her. Well..not at that time specifically. They were meant for my brother.

And when one of my men called to tell me about Elena walking in on Dori cheating on her. bI /bbhad /bgotten just a bit ufortable.

I mean she was obviously in love with Dminti, why else would she have tolerated that idiot! So two heartbreaks in one day? bYeah/b, I was afraid that she might get into an ident. I had asked my men to follow her then, keep an eye on her and tell me if something happened.

I truly hadn’t expected the turn of events that would happen next. Her mother’s condition and the money to pay for it Even then, I bhadn’t /bexpected her toe to me. Not until I got the message that her destination was my office.

And I understood then.

We entered the luxury store where I knew Natalie–Dmitri’s mother, usually bought her clothes

However even as we walked binside/b, Elena didn’t gawk at the extravagance. Didn’t stop to run her hands over the silk bor /bmarvel at the prices. She simply walked behind me, arms crossed bas /bshe looked around..

Money didn’t faze her. It was obvious.

Her saying that she bwas /bmarrying Dmitri for money was obviously a lie. I knew that kept track of his bfinances /band she didn’t take even a penny for

him

I liked that. bNot /bbecause I bhad /bsome sort of aversion to gold diggers. I didn’t understand why people found that term degrading. Only mediocre men or impoverished ones would worry about their non–existent gold being dug. Women were expensive, obviously, men should be choosing bone /bin their own price range. Not expect them to lower their standards.

The reason I liked bthat /bshe hadn’t btaken /ba penny from Dimitri was simple. Because that meant she wasn’t thatfortable with him. She loved him. But she clearly didn’t trust him. Something about that fact just made me feel…good?

I wandered through the baisles /band selected three dresses

The first was a soft mossy green that would bring out the earthy tone in her eyes. Flowingb, /belegant, but understated,

The second-

|—a white, shimmering sheath that looked like it bwas /bstitched from moonlight and water. It would cling to her curves, catch the light like

8:35 PM

a second skin.

And the third–a simple beige linen dress. Clean lines. Comfortable. Nothing bshy/b.

Three options,

Three statements

I wanted to see which version of herself she’d choose to wear around me.

I turned and bhanded /bthem to her.

“Pick one,” I said simply.

bShe /braised an eyebrow, “Seriously?”

“bSeriously /b

A store attendant appeared at her side like magic. “This way, miss

She followed him after taking the dresses from me, and I leaned bback /bagainst the wall, arms folded.

This woman… she intrigued me in ways I wasn’t used to

Not because she was beautiful, though she was. Not because she was stubborn, though that helped. But because she didn’t want anything from me.

Not really.

She didn’t walk into this contract marriage for the money. But because she wan