Elena’s POVI don’t expect Marco to bring him to me.I had asked him to keep this a secret.The rest house is quiet, tucked away from the chaos of the city, surrounded by nothing but open land and the occasional whisper of the wind through the trees. It was supposed to be a safe space, a place to clear my head, to convince myself that leaving was the right choice.And yet, the moment I see him standing in the doorway, all those carefully constructed walls I built around myself begin to crack.Nicholas.He looks like hell. His sharp suit is wrinkled, his usually perfect hair is disheveled, and dark circles shadow his eyes. He’s always been so put together, so untouchable, but right now, he looks like a man on the edge. A man who hasn’t been sleeping. A man who’s been… suffering.I tell myself not to care. Not to feel.But my breath catches anyway.“Elena.”My name on his lips is hoarse, raw. There’s something almost hesitant in the way he says it, like he isn’t sure I’ll want to hear i
Nicholas’s POVI haven’t slept in days.She had done everything possible to be on my good graces but u didn't care, all I did was vent out my anger on her, I didn't even give her the chance to breath, now she was gone and all I could think of was my heart breaking in piecesThe weight of exhaustion presses against my skull, a relentless drumbeat of fatigue and frustration. The silence of the house is suffocating, the walls closing in on me with every passing hour. My hands tighten into fists as I pace the length of my office, the air thick with the scent of whiskey and regret.She’s gone.No matter how many times I try to push that thought away, it crashes back into me with the force of a wrecking ball. Elena is out there somewhere, hiding, disappearing into the world like a ghost. And I hate it. I fucking hate it.Marco was supposed to find her. He was supposed to bring her back. But it’s been days, and there’s been nothing.No calls. No updates.Nothing.My patience snaps the moment
Elena’s POVI had told myself I wouldn’t look back.Not at the city, not at the past, and especially not at him.But as I stepped out of the car and took in my surroundings, I realized how much I had underestimated the weight of my own emotions.The rest house was tucked away in the countryside, a stark contrast to the chaos I had left behind. It was a secluded sanctuary, surrounded by towering trees that swayed with the whisper of the wind. The air smelled clean, untouched by the scent of smoke, whiskey, or regret. The sky stretched endlessly above me, painted in deep shades of indigo as dusk settled in.For the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe.Marco shut the car door and turned to me, his sharp gaze assessing. “Not bad, huh?”I let out a small breath, nodding. “It’s… quiet.”“That’s the point,” he replied, motioning for me to follow him inside.The inside of the house was warm, but not in a way that felt welcoming, more like a place built for solitude. A hideout, not
Nicholas’s POVI slam the door behind me, breathing hard.My hands are still clenched into fists, my pulse a chaotic mess beneath my skin.That kiss.What the hell was that?I press my fingers against my temples, trying to steady the storm raging inside me. I should have stopped her the second she leaned in. I should have pulled away before our lips even met. But I didn’t.Because for a fleeting, stupid moment, I wanted it.I wanted to feel her again.I curse under my breath and shove a hand through my hair, pacing across my room like a caged animal. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to stay angry, stay distant. I was supposed to punish her for what she did.But every time I try, something holds me back.Her eyes.Her stubbornness.The way she’s been pushing herself, breaking herself, trying so damn hard to prove something to me.And I hate that I care.Hours pass, but sleep doesn’t come.I sit at the edge of my bed, staring at nothing, wrestling with my own pride.Why ca
Elena’s POVThey say actions speak louder than words.If that’s true, then maybe... just maybe.. I can make him see me again.Because words don’t work.Not with Nicholas.Not anymore.He doesn’t hear me. He doesn’t even look at me.His silence is worse than his rage.I’d take the shouting, the accusations, the bitter words laced with anger. At least then, I’d know he feels something. But this? This void, this nothingness between us?It’s killing me.So I do the only thing I can.I prove myself.The morning air is crisp as I step into the kitchen, the scent of fresh bread and brewing coffee wrapping around me like a warm embrace. The staff, a mix of cooks and housekeepers, pause mid-task, their eyes widening in surprise as I roll up my sleeves."Miss Elena," an older woman, Maria, starts hesitantly, "what are you doing here?""I’m helping," I say simply, reaching for an apron.She exchanges a look with the others before laughing nervously. "That’s… not necessary. This is our job.""I w
Nicholas’s POVThe moment the front door shut behind them, I felt my pulse skyrocket. I stood in the middle of the sitting room, fists clenched at my sides, my body coiled so tight I could snap. The air in the room was thick with tension, the silence deafening except for the sound of my own breathing, deep, slow, controlled, but only barely.I had been standing there, waiting, drowning in the sheer fucking anxiety of not knowing what they had been up to. And now that they were back, the sight of them, smug and victorious, did nothing to ease my fury.I turned sharply, facing Marco, my voice slicing through the silence like a blade."What the fuck were you thinking?"Marco barely flinched, his expression unreadable as he shrugged off his jacket and tossed it onto the couch. "Nice to see you too, Nick.""Don't give me that shit, Marco!" I barked, stepping toward him, my jaw so tight it ached. "You should never have let her do this! Do you have any goddamn idea what could have gone wrong