Chapter 3

Nikolai's gaze lingered on me for a long while—so long that I almost thought he would interrogate me. His Adam's apple bobbed. "Emi…" he rasped. "Did you… go outside?"

That was all he asked. He didn't interrogate me or press the matter. If anything, he sounded so cautious, as if he were walking on thin ice.

I held his gaze. To be honest, I could've come clean. I could've told him what I had seen, what I had heard, and even those few seconds of silence he had left hanging there, but I didn't.

It wasn't because I was weak. It was because I wanted to see if he would volunteer the information if I remained silent. I wanted to see just how much his devotion to me was really worth.

"I couldn't sleep," I responded calmly. "So, I went outside to get some fresh air. Earlier…"

I pushed before continuing, "What did Estelle want with you?"

Nikolai's lashes fluttered imperceptibly. In an instant, he loosened his grip on the key, walked over, and took my hand. "It was work. I've already handled it," he responded quietly. "It wasn't anything important."

It wasn't anything important. I listened and slowly traced their shape in my mind.

"I see," I said.

For the rest of the night, as if sensing something was amiss, Nikolai took care of me with painstaking tenderness, bringing me hot soup, wrapping me in a blanket, and even coaxing me into eating half a bowl of oatmeal. He pulled me into his arms, his palm resting against my back as he gently stroked it.

Later, he lowered his head, kissed the crown of my head, and nuzzled downward. I braced my hand against his chest and didn't reciprocate. "I'm tired," I admitted.

He came to a halt, and after a moment of silence, he simply held me tighter and said softly, "In that case, I'll just hold you."

After a while, as if talking to himself, he murmured, "Emi, do you still remember the first time we went to the beach? You insisted on climbing that dilapidated lighthouse before sunrise, and…"

I closed my eyes and listened intently. I remembered. I remembered every single thing, and because I remembered it all so clearly, it felt like it belonged to another world entirely.

"Nikolai," I abruptly called out, cutting him off. "If I don't survive this… what will you do?"

Silence settled over the room.

His breathing noticeably hitched. Then, he pulled me out of his arms, cupping my face. His gaze was deep and earnest as he said, "You'll survive this. I won't allow you to die. If you dare to leave before me, I'll…"

He couldn't bring himself to finish. The words caught in his throat.

After a long while, he whispered, "I'll bring you back, and I'll never let you go for the rest of my life."

I looked into his eyes. He meant every word he said, and that only made me feel worse.

Eventually, he fell asleep. My phone screen lit up in the darkness.

Dr. Sinclair: "Three days at the earliest. Once you sign the agreement, I'll arrange your admission procedures immediately."

Three days. I pressed my phone against my palm and remained on my feet for a long while.

Then, I walked out of the bedroom, stood barefoot in the hallway, and dialed a number. The person on the other end promptly picked up, as if they hadn't fallen asleep or had been waiting for something all along.

"What do you want?" Celine asked leisurely. "Why'd you call in the middle of the night?"

"Mom." Learning against the cold wall, I kept my voice extremely low. "Previously, you told me that as long as I leave, you'd give me a sum of money."

Celine fell silent for two seconds. Then, a soft chuckle echoed through the line. "Well, well. Have you changed your mind?"

"I want the divorce agreement within three days."

Celine guffawed. "You're smarter than I thought."

She paused for a second before continuing, "Did you know? I've known Estelle since she was a child. Her family and ours go way back. I never should have let Nikolai marry a woman like you…"

I didn't hear the rest of what she said, because at that moment, I felt as if a bombshell had been dropped in my head. Celine was the one who introduced Estelle to Nikolai?

"I want the money and the agreement in three days at the family dinner." I tightened my grip on my phone. "Please arrange it for me."

Celine paused for a beat before responding, "Very well."

The call ended. The hallway was pin-drop silent.

I stood in the darkness, pressing my spine inch by inch against the freezing wall. I told myself I couldn't cry.

…

The next morning, Nikolai pushed open the bedroom door with a bowl of oatmeal in his hands. His eyes crinkled into little crescents as he sat on the edge of the bed and smiled at me.

"Emi, I've come bearing good news!" He couldn't hide the delight in his voice. "My mom said she wants me to bring you back home for dinner."