Chapter 8

Nikolai's POV

Who was that? She did not even feel remorseful for brushing shoulders and almost causing me to fall. Her appearance was quite an unusual one.

The weirdest part was that she does not even know who I am. Every woman knows and are fawning on me.

“Well, I guess there's always an odd ball.” I said and continued walking.

I soon reached home again and the door was pushed open by the guards. A maid emerged and bowed to me, “Welcome, Young master. Hope you had a splendid day?”

“Well, it couldn't have gone better.” I muttered and continued walking, heading to my room.

I finished having my bath and headed out to have dinner. The table was served and I ate silently, which soon caught my father's attention.

“ Nikolai, you seem lost in thought today. Did something happen?” He asked.

“What? Oh no, everything is fine father.” I replied, with a faint smile.

He nodded and continued eating, relieving me.

What was I thinking about again? Oh yes, the woman I met at the academy. For some unknown reasons, I could not get my mind off her.

My encounter with her had nothing special but I could not still just forget her. “Is this because she was so uninterested in me? My ego was hurt by her nonchalant reaction. That is it!”

Every woman I had met would have been head over heels for me but she just walked off, like nothing happened.

“I should look into this person, there should be a database about the pupils at the academy.” I muttered.

I stood up to leave, “Thank you, father. I have some important things to attend to now.” I said and left for my room.

Reaching my room, I grabbed my phone and called a friend that works at the academy. “Hey, Sorry I'm calling this late but can you connect me to the academy database? There is something I need to look into.”

“ it's weird to see you request for something like this, but sure.” Diana replied and ended the call..

“Well, that was easy.” I heaved a sigh of relief.

I got on my computer to see I now have access to the Academy's database. My search began, for the woman I spotted at the academy.

There was nothing about her for the first ten minutes, which I found quite weird. “Wait, I haven't seen her around before, this might mean she is new. I should look into the list of newly enlisted students.”

Barely few minutes in, I reached her own profile. Her picture was quite identical to the same dress she had on when I met her.

“She just registered today too, I am right on time. Hmm, Jessica Folan. Quite an odd name for someone that looks odd.” I muttered.

I continued going through her profile and discovered everything was so sketchy. It looked so much like a made up profile.

But there was no way to confirm this. I called Diana once more, “ I need your help with something again. This one might be quite stressful, but I'll pay you handsomely for it.” I stated.

Diana sighed, “What do you want, Nikolai?”

“I need you to help me stalk a person, Jessica Folan. She is a new student at the academy but something about her seems off. Can you completely stalk her and let me know where she stays at?” I asked.

“That is a very hard and sketchy job, but I'll do it since it's you.” Diana replied and ended the call.

Yes! I am getting somewhere now. Figuring her out would become a reality in no time.

I slept that day, thinking about everything and hoping Diana would be able to figure things out without raising any suspicions.

The next day, I eagerly waited for noon and finally received a call Diana. “You need to come finish things up yourself, I followed her and she's at a laundry building now. There is something I need to do, I'll send you the address.” She said.

My phone beeped and I stared at the adress. I eagerly headed out and drove to the address.

Reaching there, I parked and alighted from the vehicle. My eyes drifted to the laundry sign and I could tell I was at the right place.

I finally spotted Diana waving at me and I approached her. “ you're finally here, She should still be in there. I'll head off now and expect to hear from you later.” She stated.

“Alright, I should confront her now and put an end to all the confusions.” I said and headed for the door.

My hand reaches for the door and I pulled it open to see a woman standing in front of me. “ You are Alexei..what are you doing here?” The question slipped out of my mouth.

“ I am just doing my laundry, can you move out of the way?” She asked.

I moved, creating space for her as she walked away and left the laundry. I scoffed, “ Not today, I came here for something else.” I said and walked in

There was not a lot of people in there, most of them still doing their laundry. “Where is Jessica? I can't see anyone with a strange hair color.” I muttered and continued staring around.

I walked further in, searching around but couldn't find her. It was as if she had suddenly disappeared into thin air.

After a short search, it soon dawned on me that Jessica was really not in there anymore. “But Diana said she is in there, how could this happen?” I asked, furiously.

My hand reached for my phone and I called Diana. “Now, you really should not have deceived me. The woman is not in here.” I scolded.

“What? I even went in there myself. She had a weird hair.” Diana stated.

“Yes, that is the same person we're talking about here. Are you really sure she was in here? I can't find her, as if she completely vanished.” I replied.

Diana sighed, “Look around, there are cameras in there. You should speak with the owner and ask that he let you go through the footages.”

“Seems like the only way out now.” I replied.

The call ended and I headed for what looks like the office. I knocked and the door flew open almost immediately.

“Good afternoon, is there something I can help you with?” He asked.

I walked in and shut the door behind us. “ Your cameras, I need to see today's footages.” I requested

He stared at me meekly and sighed, “You should go finish up with what you were doing or you can just take your..” The man was talking but halted when I tossed a ward of cash at him.

His eyes widened with greed.

“Will you let me see the videos now or you still have some things to say?” I asked.

“You can check whatever you want, sir.” He replied.

As I hoped and expected, money was the solution to the problem yet again. I sat on the computer and started going through.

Few minutes in, I reached the video recorded today and played one from an hour ago.

In the video, the main door opened and a woman walked in. She walked around a bit and when no one was looking, Headed for the bathroom.

“Hmm, this is interesting..” I muttered.

We waited until the door opened and I was eager to see how things turn out. The door opened and my jaw dropped in shock to see Alexei, who I met on my way in

“Wait what! That is Alexei, what is she doing in there?” I asked no one particularly.

I could not believe it was the same person I encountered at the doorway. How could I have completely missed this and fail to recognize Alexei.

“Sir, it appears she went in there and changed her clothes.” The man said.

“Yes, I can see that too.” I said, Curt and rude.

Internally, I burned with anger. How and why is she doing all this without getting noticed. “She must have really thought she can deceive everyone forever. Ha!” I said, mockingly.

I stood up and left the room without saying anything else. My aim was to find her before she leaves but I was too slow with it and was already gone.

There is no point finding her now, I will find her at the academy and give her the shock of her life.

I went back home, yearning to surprise Alexei and appear at the academy. “She has a reason for doing this, I must know what it is, just incase she's up to no good.”

The next day, I instructed Diana to give me a call as soon as Alexei arrive at the Academy. Sure enough, the call comes in.

I wasted no time and headed for the academy.

Reaching there, I searched around for Jessica but couldn't find her. I was finally informed that she trains alone in one of the rooms.

I headed to the room and surely met her there, training alone.

She was startled to see me, which brightened my soul. “ You are quite a suspicious type. What are you doing here all alone, Jessica. Or should I say, Alexei?”