EIGHT

NIKOLAI POV:

The house was too quiet.

It was a rare thing for me to notice silence. Most days, I chased it, welcomed it. Silence meant control. But today, with Kate in the house moving about like she belonged, the silence felt off. It felt… full. Weighted.

I stood at the window of my home office, fingers laced behind my back, watching the garden below. She’d been down there yesterday. Planting. Smiling, even. Not at me no, never at me but at the flowers. Like she’d already made the place hers.

She had made the garden her sanctuary, a place where she marked as hers. I didn't really my mind what she did with the garden, as long as it's beautiful.

But I hated how easily she fit in.

I hated how I noticed it. How I was easily distracted anytime she's around, her scent was everywhere. Confusing my thoughts.

Shaking my head, I turned away and walked to my desk. I picked up my phone and dialed.

"Get me Jeremy," I said the second my secretary picked up.

Within seconds, Jeremy was on the line. "Mr. Voss. Morning."

"The Milan deal," I said. "I want those contracts signed and delivered to my office today. No delays." I needed to conclude the Milan deal today and move on to the next deal.

"Understood, sir. Everything has been finalized on their end. The courier is en route."

"Good." I hung up without saying goodbye.

I didn’t have time for pleasantries. Especially not today. There was a board meeting in about two hours. And we had to discuss a potential acquisition of a wine company that had been on our radar for months. They were family owned, prestigious, French and expensive.

Working with them would mean more business deals for my company, and plus, I love to win and do legit business.

I adjusted my tie and walked out of the office. On my way down the hallway, I caught a scent I hadn’t expected jasmine and vanilla. Subtle. Feminine.

Kate.

She had passed here earlier. The scent lingered.

I clenched my jaw.

In the dining room, I saw her. Sitting with Della, laughing softly over a cup of tea. She didn’t spare me a glance as I walked in, and I didn’t give her one either. But I felt her presence like static on my skin.

We were taking the "no talking to each other" seriously and I love that she's out of my space. I don't need her playing wife and needing attention from me.

She used my damn car yesterday. The one I had scheduled for the office. Left without a word, came back like she owned the place. Like she was untouchable.

The press had gotten photos. Paparazzi snapping shots of the ‘mystery bride’ who had replaced the heiress. Headlines were popping up faster than we could blink.

She wasn't a mystery though, it was the whole switcheroo thing she did with her sister that made the press hungry for more inside details.

And I had to take the fall and let them all know I was the master mind in the plan, to keep Kate away from the media. That alone had killed their story until yesterday.

I sat at the table, scrolling through one such headline: “Voss's Mysterious Bride Steps Out in Style.”

Bullshit.

Kate had done what Rhea was too much of a coward to do: marry me. I had found out that Rhea had been seeing someone else before we were about to get married.

But I didn't for once think she would actually make her sister take her place in marrying me.

And now she was playing the role like it was meant for her.

“Sir,” Della said gently, placing a plate of toast and eggs in front of me. I barely nodded.

Kate stood and carried her empty cup to the kitchen, refusing help from the maids. Her back to me. Her movements graceful, practiced. She didn’t spare me a glance. Not one.

I felt a flare of irritation. Or was it curiosity? What was she up to? Is she trying to prove something?

As she walked past me toward the hallway, I lifted my phone to my ear and pretended to make a call.

She didn’t even look up.

I watched her until she disappeared.

I dialed a real number this time.

“Take down every article. Every photo. Every video of her at that mall,” I said to my legal team. “I want full takedowns by noon or I’ll sue the entire network of outlets who ran them.”

“Yes, Mr. Voss.”

“And if anyone posts again, blacklist them. I want Kate’s name out of the press for now. Do it” Having Kate on every gossip blog site could ruin things for me, for my company. I could loose deals. And loosing deal isn't something I like so much.

I ended the call.

Let the world forget her for now. Let them remember me.

I took the car prepared for me without the driver to the company. I got to the company and head to the boardroom.

The boardroom at Voss Enterprises was glass walled, sleek, cold. Just the way I liked it. Executives in tailored suits filled the space. I stood at the head of the table.

“The Milan deal is done,” I said. “Documents are en route. We’ll move forward with the branding strategy by next week.”

Polite nods all around.

“Now,” I continued, tapping the screen behind me, “let’s talk about Château Virelle.”

A slide popped up. Images of rolling vineyards, antique barrels, sparkling wine.

“They’ve been in business since 1894,” I said. “Fully family owned. Profitable. Sustainable. But they’re lacking in digital marketing. That’s where we come in. We don’t need to change the wine we just need to sell it better. We attract more customers with our PR team and make the brand more presentable.”

Board member three seats down, Mr. Keller cleared his throat. “It’s a risk. The French are fiercely protective of tradition.”

“So are we,” I said flatly. “But we’re also rich. Money speaks louder than pride. And they do need our money and our brand to help market their product. I don't make deals with people that don't need us more.”

Chuckles. But they knew I was serious.

“I’ll fly to Bordeaux next week to make the pitch personally,” I said. “Meeting adjourned.”

I walked out of the Boardroom with Jeremy trailing behind me, telling me about another deal that the company might take interest in. I tuned him out.

"Jeremy, can we have this conversation tomorrow, when I'm not heading home."

"Sure thing, sir. Yes sir." He said, walking away and heading to his office.

---------------

Back home, the scent of earth hit me before I saw her.

Kate was in the garden again. Kneeling in the dirt, fingers brushing over rose stems. The sun kissed her shoulders. Her hair caught the light.

She looked… peaceful, like she was enjoying every moment of digging through the mud and planting roses and lilies.

Too peaceful for someone who had plotted with her family to take everything from me. To take my company.

I watched for a moment, arms crossed.

She didn’t look up.

I turned away.

“Della,” I called as I stepped into the house.

She met me near the stairs, wiping her hands on a towel.

“What’s for dinner?” I asked.

“Braised short ribs. With your favorite truffle potatoes and buttered carrots.”

I nodded.

“Also,” she added, “Kate asked to help in the kitchen tomorrow. Wanted to learn to make the saffron soup.”

I blinked.

“She did?”

Della smiled. “She’s… trying, sir.”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I turned and climbed the stairs. Does she think trying to play the good housewife will make me hate her less?

She doesn't know what hit her yet.

In the shower, I let the water run hotter than usual. Steam filled the space, but I couldn’t steam out the image of Kate in the garden.

Not smiling at me.

Not even seeing me.

And that, somehow, was worse than my anger for her.

It meant I was invisible.

And that...

That didn't sit well with me at all.

It meant that wasn't making her pay enough for what she had done. I had sent a threat to her father, warning him about who I was.

He had crossed a line no one else has. And I promised him I would take everything from him, make him looks stupid to his face like he had done to me.

Mr. Valdez was frightened, that was the plan. And he knows I don't bluff, I would give him a fair share back, even if it takes a long while to do that.

I would ruin his daughter's chance of happiness also. I had told him this, and didn't hold back on my words.