bChapter /b4

Elena’s POVb. /b

As expectedb, /bNiki Vetrov went rigid.

His bsharp/bb, /bposed expression didn’t falter, but something in his posture shifted. His dark eyes locked onto mine, piercing, calcting–assessing

Then, he stood up. Slowly.

“You really are something, you bknow /bthat?” His voice was smooth, almost amused, but there was an underlying challenge in his tone

“Fine then” He leaned against his desk, arms crossed. “But tell me, Elenab–/bbwhat /belse are you bwilling /bto give! Because making Dmitri aughingstock? That’s not difficult for me.

He smirked. “I could do bthat /bwithout marrying you.”

He was right. He truly didn’t need me for that.

bBut /bI needed him

My wedding with Dmitri bwas /bset for three months from now. If I didn’t get married, I would be the one peopleughed bat/bb. /bMy friends, my ssmates, the very bpeople /bwho had seen me unt my rtionship on social media for years.

The image of Dmitri’s betrayal and his pathetic excuses burned in my mind.

My stomach twisted. I wanted him to suffer.

That’s when I realized–this wasn’t just about saving my mother. If I only needed money for that I bcould /bjust borrow it from him. Not just him, I could go back to the loan sharks and take more inoney from them.

They wouldn’t decline me, in fact they would only be happy bto /bbsee /bme paying back my debts for the rest of my life.

So yes, I wanted to destroy Dmitri.

Iwanted to rip him apart from the inside.

Make him feel even a fraction of what I had felt when I walked in on him with someone else.

I inhaled deeply, staring at Niki

If he wasn’t going to marry me, he was useless to me.

*11 give you a wife on paper and bnothing /bbmore/b,” bI /bsaid firmly. “I have nothing else to give.

bThat /bwas the truth or so thought.

Silence stretched between us

Then Niki got up, his movements slow, deliberate. 1

bHis /beyes bnarrowed /bas he approached, his steps measured, predatory. The air between us grew heavy, thick with an intensity I wasn’t prepared for.

I forced my body to stay still, my heart pounding loudly in my chest

After what felt blike /ban eternity, he finally spoke

bYou /bwant to marry bme /band have my name, Elena!”

His breath grazed my ear, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.

Then you’ll take everything bthat /bes with it.”

My eyes widened slightly. “What do you mean?”

He smiled, his fingers gripping the arms of my chair bas /bhe turned it to bface /bbhim /bpletely

Our noses almost touched. Our breaths almost intertwined.

“Everything” he murmured. “My money. bMy /bfame. And even my body.”

8:24 PM

My breath hitched.

But I shook my head. No. No, I couldn’t do that.

“I bwant /bba /bbstrictly /bcontractial marriage. With a time limit,” bI /bbsaid/b, my bvoice /bsteady, but my hands clenched into fists.

His lips curled into a bsmirk/b. “And a contract marriage is what you’ll get. No feelings. No strings attached. One year.”

1 narrowed my eyes, “I won’t sleep with you.” I truly didn’t trust myself around a man like him. If bI /bactually slept with him, what if I developed feelings? No..not again. Especially not a Vetrov.

His next words however knocked the air right out of my lungs.

“Oh, no, I need you to understand this, bMalishka/b. There will be no sleeping. Only fucking”

entire body stiffened.

He leaned closer, his voice smooth, leasing, “I will fuck you. If you can ept bthat /bthen I will make sure Dmitri grovels at your feet. I’ll ensure your mother’s surgery is done by the world’s best surgeon.

He straightened, studying bmy /breaction before he delivered the final blow.

And I’ll make sure you never bhave /bto work a part–time job again. You’ll have all the btime /bin the world to study to build your dream of making

My pulse thundered-

He listed everything I needed. Everything I ever wanted

If my mother fully recovered, she wouldn’t be upset with this decision. I could focus on my studies. Graduate without worrying about money.

And all I had to do was give myself to ba /bman bbuilt /blike a Greek god!

worse than Nikit

What other bchoice /bdid I have? The loan sharks? Dmitri Any other rich old guy, someone way worse

It would be stupid to decline.

But my body was frozen.

My mind was racing.

Could I really do this? Could I really sell my body to this man for a year!

I but my lip, his unwavering stare making my heart pound.

After what felt like forever, inhaled deeply, forcing my thoughts to clear.

Finally, I met his gaze head–on.

b“/bFine. I ept your conditions”

bI /bsquared my shoulders. “But if you bgo /bback on your word, Niki–I will ruin you.”

I didn’t know how I would do it.

But I would find ba /bbway/bb. /b

I believed in myself.

At bleast/b, in my follicr phase.

bNiki /bchuckled, his bsmirk /bwidening,

“You have my permission to do so

Finally, he pulled away, straightening his suit as he nced at his watch. Then, his gaze flickered bback /bto me.

“Shall we go then?”

I frowned. b“/bbGo /bwhere?”

“Well, there’s much to be done if we’re getting married today.

b2/3 /b

8:34 PM

My eyes widened. “You mean, right now? Todayb!/b”

bHe /bbsmirked/bb. /b“You know what they say, malishka. The early bird-”

“I need to go

to the bhospital/b, I cut his nonsense off.

His smirk faded.

I took a deep breath. “I need to be with my mom. I can’t just leave her like this”

He sighed, studying me for a long moment.

“Are you going to perform the surg

I blinked. “What‘

“No?” He raised an eyebrow “Then why do you need to be there!

I clenched my jaw. “Because she’s my motherb. /bI’m her only immediate family. I need to be there for her”

Niki rubbed his temple, exhaling sharply. “Fine. We’ll take care of her first. Give me a moment.

Then, right in front of me, he pulled out his phone, dialed a numberb, /band put it bon /bspeaker.

“Prepare the operating room,” he ordered,

My breath caught

There was a pause, then a voice responded. “Sir?”

“I’m sending you a patient. Her name is Beatrix Kovalyova. bMake /bsure you’re prepared to perform a bypass procedure. You are to treat her as a patient. Nothing bbut /bthe best”

I stared at him, stunned.

The person on the line hesitated, then cleared their throat,

“Understoodb, /bsir. May I ask who the patient is to you?”

Niki’s gaze flickered to me

Then, smoothly, he said, “My mother–bin/bw.”

bMy /bbreath hitched.

The bdoctor /bon the line hesitated–then let out a soft chuckle.

“Congrattions on the marriage, Mr. bVetrov /b

Niki smiled. “Thank you”

I blooked /bat him,pletely dumbfounded.

What

The.