Chapter 4

Chapter 4

ONE WEEK LATER

The sky over Velmore was heavy, refusing to let anyone breathe properly. It was as if even the heavens were mourning George Toriaga.

The Toriaga estate was swarming with black cars and camera flashes. Despite the solemn occasion, the press circled like vultures, whispering, snapping photos and throwing careless questions into the air as soon as Nikolai arrived.

“Mr. Toriaga, how do you feel about your father’s passing?”

 “Are you returning to Velmore to take over the company?”

 “Miss Indy, how does it feel to lose your future father-in-law?”

Tiana was curious and quietly anticipating seeing Nikolai again. She knew he wouldn’t waste time filing for divorce now that his father was gone. But at the very least, she would allow herself one final moment: to look at his handsome face, as her husband one last time before everything officially ended.

Nikolai stood a few meters away, perfectly polished even in grief. His black suit was tailored to perfection, his arm casually wrapped around Indy, the tall, stunning fashion model who seemed more concerned about camera angles than condolences. The photographers adored her; every tilt of her head, every fake tear, was a photo opportunity.

Tiana wasn’t very shocked that Nikolai had arrived with a woman. She knew Nikolai was a womanizer and with their sex life that she could count, she knew he definitely keeps other women. 

Taking a closer look at the woman… it was not just any woman, but Indy Selma, her step sister.

Tiana’s heart skipped a beat as soon as her eyes met with Indy. ‘What is Indy doing beside my husband?’ she muttered to herself.

She looked around, and no one seemed to be as shocked as she was, her gaze met with her step mother, Fanny who stood a distance from her with her other step sister, Eliana.

Fanny gave Tiana an evil cruel smile and just right there, it dawned on Tiana that they had orchestrated this all along.

She knew back then, eight years ago that Fanny, Indy and Eliana were envious of her, she knew that they wished she had gotten that unwanted pregnancy from a pauper. When they discovered it was Nikolai Toriaga and George was pushing for a wedding, they did all they could to stop it.

When they didn’t succeed, they visited Tiana occasionally under the guise of missing her, but Tiana knew what they were after, unfortunately for them, Nikolai was never home. Tiana doubts Nikolai knew them as her family.

She doubted that he knew his mistress was actually her stepsister. 

Tiana’s chest heaved, Indy had finally found a way to get to her husband. 

She sighed talking to herself about not being bothered, it is not like she could do anything about it. 

Nikolai never loved her, and with the look of things, he clearly loves Indy, by the look at how he is parading her openly to the world.

The world doesn’t know Nikolai is married, though the media assumed that he has a son out of wedlock which he flaunts on social media, because the wedding had been so quiet, it was just within the family, and Nikolai never showed Tiana off, so she was practically a stay home wife, and now, he is flaunting Indy.  

Tiana stood slightly apart from the rest of the Toriaga family — quiet, composed, her black dress simple yet elegant. Pascal clung to her side, his small hand gripping hers tightly, while his other hand was held by Eva, Nikolai’s mother, who had insisted on keeping her grandson close. Though to Tiana, the gesture felt more like control than affection.  

To an outsider, Tiana might’ve looked like the nanny — someone the child couldn’t let go of — or perhaps a distant niece from the Toriaga side that Pascal had grown attached to. No one would guess she was Nikolai’s wife. She didn’t fit the image.  

Indy was hot, glamorous, trending — exactly Nikolai’s type.

Every few minutes, Eva’s sharp eyes cut toward Tiana with thinly veiled disdain. Her lips pressed into a bitter line, as though even sharing the same air was offensive.

The message was clear: ‘you would soon be gone, bitch.’

Nikolai hadn’t spared her a single glance since he arrived. She shouldn’t have expected him to.  

Pascal’s small voice pulled her back to the moment. “Mommy… are you crying?”  

She blinked quickly and forced a gentle smile. “No, sweetheart. Mommy’s just… a little sad because of Grandpa.”  

He nodded with quiet understanding and squeezed her hand tighter, like he felt it too.

The ceremony began. People wept politely. Eva dabbed her eyes with a silk handkerchief embroidered with her husband’s initials. The elder daughters clung to each other dramatically, whispering and exchanging pitiful looks toward Tiana, as though she were an uninvited guest.

Only one person came to her was the youngest of Nikolai’s sisters, Sandy. She approached quietly, her dark curls tucked neatly behind her ears, eyes glistening.

“Tiana,” she whispered, taking her hand briefly. “I’m so sorry. Dad always… he always liked you. He said you were strong. I know you are so hurt right now”

“Thank you, I’m sorry.” Tiana murmured, her voice barely audible. “He was kind to me… the only one who ever was.”

Sandy squeezed her hand once more before retreating, knowing better than to draw attention.

When the ceremony ended, the crowd began to disperse. The press followed Nikolai and Indy, snapping photos as they entered their sleek black car. Reporters shouted questions, but all Tiana heard was the echo of her own heartbeat, dull and steady.

She stood still, the cold wind tugging at her dress, her gaze fixed on the grave.

Her heart ached for what could have been — for the boy she had once loved so fiercely, who had turned into the man standing proudly beside another woman, her step sister. For the girl she used to be, who had believed love could fix everything.

Tiana is sad about the death of Nikolai’s father, she had expected his death since he fell sick a month ago, that was why she hurriedly took the job at Lancaster Group. She will now have to let go of Nikolai, she had loved him dearly even though he bullied her back in high school, eight years ago.