Elena’s bPOV/bb: /b

The sterile while halls of the emergency ward felt like they were closing in on me, the scent of antiseptic and fear thick in the air.

My mother bwas /bwheeled in on a gurney, nurses shouting to each other in rushed, clipped voices as the emergency room doors swung open, then mmed shut, sealing her away from me

I stood frozen in the bhallway/bb, /bmy pulse a frantic drim against my ribs.

bWhat /bdo I do? What do I do?

My hands trembled bas /bI pressed them to my face, trying to steady my breath, but it was impossible. She was fine this morning. Weak, but dive. And now she bwas /bin there, fighting for her life.

A nurse approached, her expression gentle. “Miss Kovalyova!”

I turned, my throat too tight to respond.

The doctor will speak with you shortlyb” /b

I nodded numbly, my bnails /bdigging into my palms.

Minutes streiched into eternity, I had no idea how long 1 stood there, my bbody /btense and aching.

Then the doors swung open again, and ba /bbdoctor /bstepped out, his bface /bbstrained/b.

b1 /brushed forward. “Is the okay!”

– bneed /b

to perform an

The doctor exhaled. “Your mother suffered a severe cardiac episode due to prolonged stress and underlying conditions. bWe /bbemergency /bbypass bsurgery /bto prevent further damage.”

My breath caught. “Okay.” I said, too quickly. Then do it.”

His face hardened. The procedure costs fifty cight thousand dors here.”

The number hit me like a punch to the gut.

A sharp ringing filled my ears as my mind tried to process it. Fifty thousand dors!!

I didn’t have that kind of money.

Hell, I barely had enough to cover next month’s rent. We were already in deep shit with our previous debt.

“You’ll need to secure the payment within the next twenty–four hours so bwe /bcan bproceed/bb, /bbthe /bdoctor continuedb, /boblivious to the way my world was crumbling beneath my fedL

“Twenty–four hours?” My voice came out hollow.

“Yes. If we dy any longer, her condition may worsen beyond what surgery can fix.

I stared at him. Twenty–four hours. Fifty eight thousand dors.

“Do you bhave /binsurance” the doctor asked, bhis /bvoice impassive, like bthis /bwas just another conversation for him.

“No” My voice broke on the word.

“Family who can assist?“

I wanted tough–What family!

–He sighed, pushing his sses up his nose Tsuggest you find a solution quickly. We will keep her stable for now, but time is of the essence. With

that, he bnodded /band disappeared down the hallway, leaving me standing in the wreckage of my life.

bI /bstumbled backward onto one of the bstic /bchairs in the waiting area, my vision swimming.

I was alone.

There was no one I could call, no one I could ask

And for one horrifying second, my mind drifted to Dmitri.

Dmitri Vetrov. My ex–fiancé.

Rich Powerful. The youngest son of a multimillionaire. He could write a bcheck /bfor fifty bthousand /bdors without blinking

Would he help me?

My stomach curled in disgust at the thought.

I could see it now. His smug, self–satisfied smirk. The condescending ult of bhis /bbhead /bas he bcrossed /bhis arms and leaned back, acting as if I owed him something for his generosity after how I had left him begging on his knees just a while ago.

No.

If my mother found out I had lowered myself to begging my cheating ex for money, she wouldn’t ept it. She would rather die than have me throw away my dignity for her.

bAnd /bI wasn’t sure I could survive begging Dmitri either.

Then whob? /b

?My nails dug into my knees, my breathing in short bgasps/b. What bdo /bI do? What do I dob? /b

And then-

A familiar name echoed from a nearby television,

I lifted my head

The hospital’s mounted TV was tuned into a business channel, the news anchor’s voice crisp and professional

—Vetrov Enterprises, owned by billionaire Nikj Vetrov, announced a record–breaking deal today—”

Niki Vetrov

The camera shifted to a man in his mid–thirties, dressed in a sharp ck suit, his jawline like it was carved from stone. His dark brown hair gelled back to perfection

His cold, calcting bdark /beyes scanned the reporters, his smile hiding something dangerous.

The most beligible /bbachelor in the whole of Alderidge.

Niki Vetrov

Dmitri’s older stepbrother.

And the man who hated Dmitri with every fiber bof /bhis being.

The memory surfaced before I could stop it.

Dmitri’s twenty–fifth birthday. Six bmonths /bbago/bb. /b

Avish party bwas /bheld in ba /bbmassive /bballroom, filled with people who definitely didn’t belong in my world. I was from a lower ss family, attending college with a schrship

However, I had be Draitri’s girlfriend and after four years, for the first time he had invited me to such an asion. Introducing me to others like I was a trophy. I had actually been extremely happy that day.

Because

that was also the day Dmitri bhad /bproposed to me.

I had just left the restroom, smoothing out my dress, when I nearly collided with Niki Verrow.

He had been leaning against the hallway wall, one hand in his pocket, a cigarene between his fingers. His onyx brown eyes swept over me, slow and deliberate.

Then he exhaled, breleasing /ba cloud of smoke. “My condolences”

I frowned. “bExcuse /bme?”

“Your mind is sharp” he murmured, voice lowb, /bslightly slurred from alcohol. “bBut /bbyour /btaste in men bis /bbabsolutely /btragic“:

8:31 PM

I had been dumbfounded.

Like, who says bthat /babout their own brother?

bIt /bwas the first time I truly realized Niki didn’t just bdislike /bDmitri like a lot of siblings do. He despised him.

“You have bsuch /ba smart little mind, he mused, “but bit’s /bwasted bon /ba man like him

I scoffed. “And what makes you say that?”

Niki took another drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he looked out into the city through the massive floor to ceiling windows in front of

“He isn’t exactly husband material.”

I let out a sharpugh. “Oh! And what do you think makes a man husband material“” It had truly been funny to me, that a “man” was telling me what *husband material was supposed to be.

bBut /bI didn’t defend Dmitri. I noticed the venom in bNiki’s /btone and knew it would be useless. I didn’t want to pick a fight with someone like him either.

His gaze darkened, piercing straight into my soul.

“He sucks at cooking

My brows lifted. “Seriously?”

“Youugh, but a man who can’t even take care of himself can’t take care of you either.”

I rolled my beyes/bb. /b“It’s fine. I bcan /bcook band /bI’m used to taking care of myself

Niki’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk.

“He’s shit with money Spends it like water

“He’s rich. Why does it matter?”

His gaze sharpened. “Are byou /bmarrying him for money, then?‘

I met his stare and tilted my head. “What if I am Of course I wasn’t I hadn’t taken a dine from Dmitri. Not that I was against being treated like a princess. I was just not used to being indebted to anyone like this, it made my skin itch

However, instead of getting offended. Niki looked… satisfied. He straightened, flicking bash /bfrom his cigarette.

“Good” he said.

J frowned. bThat’s /bbit/b?

He studied me for a long moment, then murmured, “I’m richer than him, you know.”

I blinked

“bWhat /bdoes that have to do with meb? /b

bNiki /bshrugged. Then he walked away.

Onlyter on had bI /brealized what he meant when he had said thest line, but had tossed it to the bback /bof my mind and assumed he was testing me for his little brother.

bThat /bmemory burned in my mind bas /bI stared at his face on the TV screen.

Niki Vetrov bwas /bricher than Dmitri

More powerful. More ruthless. And he hated his stepbrother.

I sucked in a sharp breath.

An idea began to take shape–insane, desperate, but my only option.

I needed moncy.

I wanted power.

8.33 PM

And there was a man who had both.

I needed Niki Vetrov.

E