“Get in here.” Nikolai dropped into his chair, trying to look composed while his entire world was falling apart. His bloody fingers drummed against the desk, leaving crimson streaks.
The assistant walked in, stopped short at the destruction, glanced at Anneliese, then clutched his files like a lifeline.
Anneliese felt the atmosphere in the room turn toxic. Every instinct screamed at her to run. She practically sprinted out of the building like the place
was on fire.
The assistant handed over the documents and stood there like he was facing a firing squad, barely daring to breathe.
Nikolai stared at the papers, and with every word he read, something inside him died a little more. His face went darker with each line, eyes completely bloodshot now, rage burning like twin flames. His fingers gripped the pages so hard his wounds reopened, fresh blood dripping onto the documents and spreading like spilled wine.
Austin was really dead.
Veloura had been heartbroken. She’d burned the clothes and scarves she’d made him by hand. Sold off all the gifts that held their memories. Given back the estate he’d bought her like it was contaminated.
She’d erased every trace of herself and walked away forever.
His breathing got heavy, like someone was crushing his chest with steel–toed boots. Nikolai crumpled the papers, veins bulging in his forehead, his whole body shaking with pure, murderous fury.
“Round up Anneliese and her entire goddamn family. And every single bitch who laid a hand on Veloura. The doctors who let Austin die. Bring them all to the Meridian.”
The assistant looked like he might piss himself. He nodded and ran for his life.
Nikolai drove to the cemetery like a man losing his mind. When he saw fresh sunflowers on Austin’s grave, his heart nearly exploded out of his chest.
“VELOURA!” He spun around wildly, scanning every shadow. “Baby, are you here? Please tell me you’re here!” His voice was shaking so hard he didn’t recognize it. “I’m so fucking sorry. I’ll kill everyone who hurt you, I swear to God, just come back!”
Only the wind answered him. He kept calling her name until his voice went hoarse, swaying on his feet like a drunk.
“She’s not here, man. I brought the flowers.” A cemetery worker approached, laying sunflowers by Austin’s headstone. “You’re scaring the other visitors.”
“The woman who set this up–where did she go? You have to know something!” Nikolai grabbed the guy’s shirt.
“Easy, buddy. She only came once. Sat here for a whole day and night. Left me enough cash to keep bringing flowers forever. Said her brother loved sunflowers and she wanted him to have them every day.”
The words hit Nikolai like a sledgehammer to the gut. Veloura had sat here for twenty–four hours, grieving alone, planning her escape.
“If she comes back–when she comes back–you call me.” He shoved his business card and a blank check at the worker.
He drove around the city for hours, checking every place they’d ever been together, before finally heading to the hotel.
The ballroom looked like a fucking tribunal. Anneliese and her family, the women who’d tortured Veloura, a few doctors–all sitting there looking nervous as hell.
Anneliese perked up when she saw him walk in looking calm. She stood up first with that entitled attitude,
“Finally feeling human again? Did you drag us all here so you could apologize properly?”
Something absolutely lethal flashed across Nikolai’s face. He’d been too fucking nice to her, made her think she was untouchable.
Go Play Your Duet with Your Mistress: My Life’s Melody is Going Solo on My Own
Chapter 12
Remembering Veloura’s broken body in that hospital bed, her desperate voice begging him to save Austin, made him want to tear her apart with his bare hands.
He smiled–the kind of smile that made smart people run for the exits. Crooked his finger at her.
“Come here, sweetheart.”
Anneliese sauntered over with fake reluctance, playing her usual bratty games. “I’m warning you–no more tantrums. I’m not your emotional punching bag.”
The moment she got within reach, he backhanded her so hard she went flying.
“You thought you could destroy my wife and get away with it?” His voice was quiet, which somehow made it ten times more terrifying. “Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?”
Anneliese was sprawled on the floor, tasting blood, but still trying to look defiant. “I don’t know what you’re talking about! I never touched that pathetic-”
“Wrong answer.” Nikolai’s smile got wider, emptier. “But don’t worry. We’ve got all night to help you remember exactly what you did.”
