Chapter 38

“Marius, has been seen around” Ludwig informed Nicholas as they sat in his office.

“The coward finally resurfaced, I thought he would remain hidden forever” Nicholas said mockingly.

“There’s a rumor, that he is busy but we are yet to confirm it” Ludwig added.

Nicholas, didn’t look bothered by the news, “watch him and follow his every move, and act only when he makes a move at me or my brother” Nicholas instructed as he got up.

“I trust you know how to take care of this” he added picking his suit jacket.

“What if he makes a move at Daria” Ludwig asked out of the blue, “then kill him before he can even go through with it”he replied,his fist clenched at the thought of it.

“I thought she was only a p**n” Ludwig said calmly, “she’s not a p**n, at least not anymore, if anything happens to her it will affect Adrian”.

“I can’t have that happen again” Nicholas replied, “and you?” Ludwig pressed further as he got up to leave.

“She means nothing to me” he replied, more to himself than to Ludwig, “okay” Adrian said not convinced by his reply.

In Marius secret apartment.

“What do you mean you got nothing” Marius roared as he smashed his wine glass against the wall.

The informant lowered his eyes, scared of Marius wrath, “did you follow him or did you waste my money on your stupid family” Marius continued pulling out his gun.

The informant shook his head vigorously, “no sir, Nicholas is hard to track, he has a lot of men covering his tracks” he explained as sweat began to form on his head.

“You know I used to have a lot of men just like like him, and I lost sixty percent of them to a fight against him” Marius said, placing the gun on the informants head.

“I lost my second in command, and you expect me to accept that you have nothing” he roared again, the informant began to shake as Marius placed his finger on the gun and cocked it.

“You have ten seconds to give me something reasonable, or else I would blow head off and feed your family to the dogs” Marius threatened him, as me began to count.

“His wife, Nicholas wife” the informant burst out, “while you were away, Nicholas got married. I don’t know who his wife is but he has been spotted at the Jones enterprise a few times” the informant revealed, begging to his God’s that Marius accepts.

Marius burst into laughter, still holding the gun unto the informants head “the bastard got married” he said in a serious tone.

“He got married after taking everything away from me” Marius said as he stared into wall like someone stood their listening.

“Why didn’t you tell me this in the first time, you holding out on me” he asked, “doesn’t matter, his wife is the key, find her get her to me unharmed” Marius instructed dismissively.

The informant hurried away, thanking his fate that Marius spared his life but his, worry increased when he realized the mission he had been sent on.

‘Kidnap Nicholas Raceanu’s wife’ the thought of it made him want to pee his pants, ‘my family is on the line I have to’ he thought to himself.

Marius threw darts at the portrait of Nicholas hanging in his office, “your end is coming Nicholas” he said with a sinister smile.

Meanwhile 

Nicholas took the lift to his office after the three hour long meeting he just had with underground heads disguised as business investors.

Walking into his office he was welcomed by Daria as she stood staring at her faint portrait hanging over the wall previously covered by a huge curtain.

“I have been to this office a lot of times and never not even once did I ever notice this painting here” she said as she heard him walk in.

“My office is not a park, Daria” Nicholas replied, walking towards his table.

“You knew me, you kept tabs on me, this picture is from five years ago in my final year as a college student” she continued taking another pause to face him.

“I told you, I wanted revenge and that picture reminded me of my goals not letting me forget for a single moment” he replied as spiteful.

“You, blame me for something I had no control over, did you think I wouldn’t have returned if I hadn’t lost my memory in that crash” she said her emotion beginning to boil out.

“I loved Adrian as far as I could remember, I would have returned I would have called, and told him that I never abandoned him but I lost my goddamn memory don’t you get that” she began to feel her heart burst open.

“Yes you would have, but what makes it has to believe is if you truly loved why betray him the night before the flight” Nicholas revealed, he had become angry too.

“Adrian received a package a picture of you and some guy on the night before you left, that’s what triggered him” he added.

Daria’s eyes grew wide in disbelieve, “that is not true, I didn’t do it” she tried to exploit Nicholas cut her off.

“Don’t lie to me” he roared smashing his had on the table.

“I kept it, so that when the day comes that you deny I would show you” Nicholas grabbed Daria’s arm and pulled her towards the picture and pressed a button that couldn’t be seen without close inspection.

The picture opened up revealing a safe, Nicholas pulled a bunch of pictures and threw it in her face, “there” he said pointing at the pictures flying around.

Daria picked them up, and her face eyebrows rose in shock, “this is not me, this is my sister Regina and her boyfriend” Daria said to herself but loud enough for Nicholas to hear.

“Another lie” Nicholas retorted, “your lying again, that is clearly you in there” he said, annoyed by the excuses.

“That is not me, Regina looks so much like me, even a little change she could be my twin” Daria explained.

“Did you even get the picture checked to see if it was manipulated or are you willfully blinded ” she asked, throwing the pictures to the ground.

Daria couldn’t believe herself, this wasn’t her but she couldn’t back down now, “who would do that and what would they gain from it” Nicholas asked instead.

“All this” Daria replied stating the obvious, “it doesn’t matter anymore does it, Adrian is back and you guys can finish off where you left  eight years ago” Nicholas said as hiding his pain.

“That isn’t possible, we are married” Daria replied, “a marriage that will soon end in a year or sooner” Nicholas retorted.

“It doesn’t have to, it does feel right” Daria replied, a voice soft and calm as she spoke.

“It does, you and Adrian are in love, and I will never hurt my brother” Nicholas 

“And me?” Daria asked painfully, “would you hurt me?” Her tears began to drop. Nicholas ignored her and tried to avoid the question.

“You love Adrian” he replied instead, “told you not to decide my feelings for me” she replied.

“What’s do you mean by that” Nicholas looked at her the spite in his eyes and voice completely gone.

“What I mean is that I love you” Daria replied her voice shaky, Nicholas walls came crashing down as she broke into tears.

“I love you Nicholas” she said sobbing, her tears flowing heavily, “I may have loved Adrian back then and my memories may have brought back some feelings but they couldn’t overwhelm the fact that I love you not Adrian” she confessed. 

Nicholas reached out for her but stopped himself, his hand still hanging, he slowly withdrew them, “I….l can’t, Adrian is important” Nicholas said doubtlessly.

“I don’t love Adrian, Nicholas” “I would rather leave than stay and fake something just because you have an undying devotion to your brother” Daria said as she picked up her bags and left.

Tears clouded her vision as she drove aimlessly around the city lost, until a car pull her over and three jumped out each with guns.

“Get out off the car” one commanded while the other dragged and shoved Daria into their car and drove off leaving hers empty in the middle of nowhere.