Elen’s POV

The doctor found me in the corridor just as bI /bstepped out of the waiting room, my heart clenched right in my chest. He looked calm, professional, but his gaze was softer than before.

“Miss bKovalyova/b,” he bsaid/b, removing his surgical cap. The surgery was sessful. Your mother bis /bout of danger for now, but she’ll remain under observation through the night.”

Relief surged through me so violently I nearly staggered.

“Thank you,” I breathed. Thank you so much.”

He nodded with a reassuring smile before heading off, and I pushed open the door to the private room where my mother nowy sleeping.

She looked so fragile, tucked beneath the hospital sheets, her blonde hair streaked with silver fanned out across the pillow. Her face–bonce /bfull of life,ughter, sarcasm–way now pale, blined /bwith the exhaustion of years she never got to rest. The machines beeped in rhythm with her heartbeat, and bthe /bscent of antiseptic couldn’tpletely cover the familiar warmth she carried with her everywhere. She smelled like home. Like dad.

leaned over, pressing a bkiss /bto her forehead. Her skin was cool, soft. The tears came before I could stop them. Hot, messy, ugly. I sat beside her and Jet it out, letting my body fold forward as I cried into the crook of my arm.

“I can’t believe this! I whispered with a bitter bscoff/b, wiping at my eyes. “You’ll kill me when you wake bup /band find out that I’m married,”

I looked down at her face again, her expression peaceful

“But I know you’ll forgive me. Eventually.”

With onest kiss on her temple, I stood and checked my phone

up with a call bright /bthen, surprising Inc.

Niki

1 hesitated. Then answered

“Good evening. Malishka,” came bhis /bsmooth voiceb, /ba hint of amusement threading through the words. I could practically bear his smirk. It was strange–he wasn’t what I’d expected. I’d bimagined /bcold, stoic, maybe a bit of a tyrant. But he had a warmth to him, a mischievousness that seemed carved into his DNA. Not childish like Dmitri. Something older. Smoother, Like he’d seen too much but chose to be amused bby /bbit /binstead of bitter.

bI /bshook bmyself /bfrom the thought.

This is contractualb. /bbTransactional/b. Stop reading too much into things I’ve only known him for a couple hours and I’m already like this?

“Good evening,” I replied, softer than intended.

There was a pause, Then, “Have you been crying?”

I stiffened, surprised that he noticed. A breathlessugh escaped me. “Should bI /bbeughing instead? Celebrating?

After ball/b, wasn’t it ridiculous! That all of this had happened in less than forty–eight hours?

He didn’t answer that, just said, “Your mother will be fine.”

A lump lodged in my throat. “Will she really! The love of her life just died yesterday, you know?”

bMy /bvoice cracked, raw and broken. I bhadn’t /bdared say it aloud until now. But there it was. The guitb. /bThe question. Had I been selfish clinging to her when maybe she wanted to go be with dad?

Niki cleared his throat, and his tone shifted, slightly awkward. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

I could tell he didn’t say things like bthat /boften

And bonce /bagain, the image I had built of him over the years–this untouchableb, /bsteel–hearted CEO–Bickered Cracked.

I wondered, did he even cry when his mother died! Would he bcry /bif his father died

Probably not if his father did. He seemed to have this steely sort of look in his eyes every time he bnced /bat himb. /bbI /bwouldn’t me him though. after all he may be a father, but he bwasn’t /ba dad,

1 hummed a quiet acknowledgment, not knowing what else to say Then

silence.

“Do byou /bwant to reschedule this for another day?” he finally asked.

That surprised me further.

I blinked, letting the words sink in.

Wasn’t he the one who said-

“Weren’t you the one who bsaid/b, and I quote. The early bird catches the worm?” I teased, just barely.

bA /bsigh on the other end: “Well, firstly, you didn’t let me finish that line. Secondly. Tapologize if I rushed you.”

His voice was softer now. Not business–like. Not firtatious.

Heal

I thought about it. Really thought.

No.” I bsaid /bafter a moment. “Let’s do it now.

He paused. I could hear the shift in his bbreathing/b.

“Okay thene down. There’ll be a car waiting for you.”

b“/bbAlright/b. Thank you,” bI /breplied, the word’s catching in my throat

That bthanks /b

-you wasn’t for the ride.

bIt /bwas for everything.

Even if it was ball /bjust part of ba /bcontract

I ended the call and turned back to my mother. I lingered by her side for one more moment, brushing ba /bbstrand /bof hair off her check.

*Sleep well,” I murmured Tease wake up soon.”

Then I walked out of the room

The hallway lights were too bright. The world felt too fast.

I ducked into the nearby restroom, gripping the edge of the sink as I stared at myself in the mirror. My reflection was haggard. Red–rimmed eyes, dark circles, and a dress that had lost its bcrispness /bfrom this morning’s funeral,

I dabbed water on my face, fixed my bun, then let my hair fall around my shoulders Tinkerb–/bbed through the tangles, winding as I met a stubborn knot

No time to change. No time to breathe.

I ran my fingers down my ck dressb, /bsmoothing it out as best I could. My heels clicked softly as I made my way to the hospital’s front entrance.

But to my shock-

There was no chauffeur.

It was bNiki /bhimself, leaning against ba /bsleek ck bcar/bb, /bone hand in his pocket, the other pocketing his phone.

Why