Chapter 18
Veloura stepped out from behind Marlon to face Nikolai directly.
The look on her face hit him like a physical blow. Her eyes held fear and something even worse–disgust. Revulsion. Like looking at him made her sick.
But not a trace of love remained.
The thought that crashed into his brain felt like drowning: she doesn’t love me anymore.
No. No fucking way. She was just angry. Hurt. People said things when they were hurt.
For the first time in years, Nikolai swallowed his pride and forced himself to back down. His voice came out softer, almost pleading.
“We need to talk. Please. There are things I can explain.”
Veloura glanced at Marlon, who immediately understood. He took Selina’s hand and headed for the door.
“I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”
The casual intimacy in Marlon’s voice made Nikolai’s expression darken, hating how close she seemed to this other man.
The room fell silent with just the two of them.
“What does Mr. Virellic want to discuss?” Veloura’s tone was distant, formal.
The title felt like a knife to his chest. “Don’t talk to me like that. I know I fucked up, okay? I found out what that psycho bitch did to you, and I made her
pay for it.”
Nikolai told her about Anneliese’s family’s fate, about everyone who’d mocked or hurt her getting their due punishment. Waiting for some reaction, some sign that she cared.
Nothing.
“Baby, I know you’ve always wanted children. When we go back, we’ll have them–as many as you want.” His voice cracked slightly. “Just come home with me. Everything can go back to how it was. You can do whatever you want–I won’t stop you anymore.”
“I never loved Anneliese. You have to know that. I was just playing around with her. I didn’t think you’d actually leave…”
Veloura listened quietly to his rambling, feeling nothing. It was like he was talking about someone else’s life.
Only when he mentioned children did her heart ache for a brief moment.
“Mr. Virellic, none of that matters anymore.” Veloura interrupted him firmly. “I’ve moved on. I hope you can let me go.”
“I don’t love you anymore.” The words came out steady, final. “You can force me to come back, you can imprison me, you can even kill me. But you’ll never have my heart again. That part of me is dead.”
She spoke each word clearly and firmly, meeting his gaze without flinching.
Each word was a bullet to his chest. He watched her expression shift from detached to resolute, searching desperately for any crack in that armor. Some sign that she was lying, that she was just trying to hurt him back.
But her eyes stayed completely empty.
Nikolai stood there like his brain had short–circuited. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He’d never considered that she might just… not want him.
He’d never felt this lost and uncertain before.
After waiting a moment, Veloura walked toward the door. As she passed by him, his hand shot out automatically, grabbing her wrist.
17:16
Go Play Your Duet with Your Mistress: My Life’s Melody is Going Solo on My Own
Chapter 18
Her skin was warm, alive. For a second, he thought maybe if he just held on tight enough, he could make her stay.
“Jesus, your hand is freezing.” She pulled away like his touch burned her. “Let go.”
The disgust in her voice made him drop her arm like it was on fire.
“Baby, do you really refuse to come back with me?” His voice came out broken, barely above a whisper. “Not even to try?”
Veloura rubbed her chilled wrist and shook her head without even thinking about it. “No.”
That single word hit him harder than any physical blow he’d ever taken.
She continued walking toward the door without looking back.
“Veloura.”
She paused but didn’t turn around.
“I love you.” The words ripped out of him like they were taking pieces of his soul with them. “I’ve never loved anyone else. I never will ”
Her shoulders tensed for just a moment. Then she kept walking.
She never wanted to live that life again, never wanted to be Nikolai’s accessory again.
Nikolai stood alone in that paint–splattered room, watching through the window as Veloura disappeared with the Brandt siblings. Watching her smile at something Marlon said.
Like she was already forgetting he existed.
The pain in his chest was unlike anything he’d ever felt. Worse than getting shot. This was his heart being carved out with a rusty knife while he was
still conscious.
She was really gone.
And for the first time in his life, Nikolai Virellic had absolutely no idea what to do next.
17:16
