Elena’s POVb: /b

bNiki /bbuttoned hispel with a smooth, bpracticed /bmotion and strode toward the door. His movements were always so smooth, alwaysposed. as if the world bent to hismand without question.

I hurried to follow him, my heels clicking softly against the marble floor. “Where are you going?”

He barely nced at me bas /bhe pressed the elevator button. You wanted to see your mother, didn’t you?”

1 blinked, nodding. “Yes, bbut- /bMy brows furrowed. “You’reing with me? Don’t you have work!”

I cast a nce back bat /bhis secretary, who immediately looked away as if pretending not to beavesdrop/b.

Niki smirked bas /bthe elevator doors slid bopen/b. “You know,” he mused, stepping inside and waiting for me to follow, “there’s something myte mother used to say. Family alwayses first.

I hesitated before stepping in, standing a careful distance from him.

Family

That word sat ufortably in my chest.

Because everyone knew the bstory /bof the Vetrov family scandal–how Andrey Vetrov, one of the richest men in Alderidge, had cheated on his wife and brought home a pregnant mistress–Dmitri’s mother. Though that was decades ago.

I gave him a sideways nce, unsure how to respond.

As if sensing my thoughts, he continued, “Not that it helped her much. After all, her choice in men was bjust /bbas /bbbad /bbas /bbyours/b.”

My lips twitched. “Well, I’m marrying you now, aren’t tr

He turned his head band /bgave me ba /blook. The kind that made me feel positively stupid.

“Who said 1 was a good choice?” he murmured.

I grinned. “Do you know how to cook?” I asked, remembering his remarks back at the birthday party.

He raised ba /bbrow, clearly surprised by the question. “Of course I do. I’m not ipetent”

“Do you manage your money well!”

He scoffed. “Would I be a billionaire if I didn’t?”

“That doesn’t make you a good bman/bb?/bb” /b

A smirk btugged /bat theer of his Lips. “Nob, /bit doesn’t”

I huffedb, /bcrossing my arms. Well, on the bright side, you’re only going to be my husband for one year, right? So it doesn’t really matter to me whether byou’re /bba /bgood man or not

From the corner of my eye, I saw him tilt his head slightly, his gaze lingering on me for a second longer than necessary

Then he exhaled ba /bquiet, almost amused, “Right”

The Next Few Hours Felt Like ba /bStorm.

bNiki /bdidn’t talk much. He only did.

His presence alope moved things faster than 1 bcould have /bever imagined.

The medical fees? Paid immediately

The transfer to the most elite hospital in the city? Handled without a singleplication.

The moment the new surgeon arrived, he greeted me with a professional bnod /band a calm reassurance, “Rest assured, Mrs. Vetrov, I will do my very best for your mother.”

Lexhaled slowly, my chest loosening for the first time in what felt like ages.

834PM

The relief was overwhelming.

Then, as the surgeon disappeared behind the doors of the operating room, something binside /b

The view was so familiar. One that I had witnessed only a couple days ago,

cracked.

when Dad an

ident. But he never made it out alive.

George Anderson bhad /bbeen a foreigner, a tourist visiting Velhaven City when he met my mother bthirteen /byears ago. bAnd /bin bjust /bba /byear, they had married.

He was the best bfather /bI bcould /bhave ever asked for.

I had been lucky–so incredibly lucky.

When I bwas /bsix, I was adopted by Beatrix Kovalyova after years in an orphanage that I barely remembered. My memories of that ce had be hazy over time, like a bad dream I had long since tried to forget

But Mom and Dad!

They were my reality. My safe haven.

And now-

Now I was alone.

For the first time in my

y life afte

after six, neither of them were beside bme/b.

The reality bof /bit hit me hard.

I was twenty–five. Not a child. Not young anymore. More than ban /badult.

But I didn’t feel like one.

I still felt small, still felt like a little girl reaching out for her mother’s hand.

Please be okay, bMom/b.

I didn’t think I’d survive if she didn’t

I tried to push the thought away, but it settled in my chest like a weight I couldn’t shake.

Then-

A deep voice cut through my spiraling thoughts.

“She’ll be okay. Don’t worry

I blinked, nding to my side.

bNiki /bwas sitting next to me, his expression solemn for the first time ever,

I exhaled slowly, straightening my back. “Let’s sign the contract tonight. My voice was quieter than I intended. “We can hold an official weddingter if you wantb./bb” /bAfter all, I owed it to him after he just paid all the bills.

Not to mention that this surgeon would probably charge more than just fifty eight thousand,

He nodded, his gaze still fixed bahead/b. “Alright. That bworks /bfor meb./bb” /b

“You should leave, I murmured. “I’lle to your office by the evening

He raised a brow. Trying to get rid of me?”

I sighed. “I just need time to bask /bbfor /bba /bbfew /bshifts tomorrow.”

Hh gaze darkened slightly at bthat /b

bdays /bbof /bextra leave from college. I also need to call my manager and let her know I won’t be covering my

I hesitated before adding, “I should probably quit, but… I’m used to bring independent. Besides, I still have other debts to pay off

bNiki /bleaned back slightly. “Tassumed those debts would be cleared once we’re married.”

“They will be,” 1 admitted. “But still.”

b1:14 /bPM

I trailed off, bidng my hip.

I didn’t mention the real reason I had been so obsessed with clearing those debts myself.

Because I knew.

I knew that the original loan–the principal amount–had been paid years ago,

But the interest kept increasing

And the stress that came with it!

That’s bwhat /bkilled George

A sixty–three–year–old man under bthat /bkind of pressure?

I clenched my fists.

Had I not been born with a heart condition…

Had I not needed that transnt…

Would he have to work so hard!

Wouldn’t he still be alive!

I swallowed the guilt lodged in my throat.

“Earth to bElena/b”

I snapped out of my bdaze /bas Niki snapped his fingers in front of me,

Iblinked, “What?”

bHe /bfrowned TU send the driver to pick you up by seven in the evening

I nodded absentmindedly, watching as he got up.

But then-

He paused.

Turned around

And before I could react-

He reached for my hand.

I frowned, staring at him in confusion–until I felt it.

A light tugb. /b

My breath caught in my throat.

He had taken my engagement ring.

Dmitri’s ring

Holding it between his fingers, Niki smirked.

Tll be taking this now

I stared at him, stunned.

“You don’t bhave /bany use for it, I’m sure, he murmured, eyes glinting with something dangerousb. /b

And then-

He did something that made my heart nearly leap out of my chest.

He bent down and kissed the inside of my wrist.

8.34 PM

Right over my pulse.

Right over the spot where my heart beat the loudest

I could faintly hear the whispers in the waiting room

I was still frozen in ce, my mind struggling to process what had just |

“See you tonight, Malishka”

I swallowed hard, my face warm.

“A–alright,” I stammered,pletely flustered

And just like that—

He turned and walked away.

Leaving me with a racing polse and an empty ring finger

I happened, when he lifted his head and smirked down at me.

AD