WEEK ONE

A week had passed by when he came to pick me up from college, and a week had passed by when I had last seen him. 

He dropped me off; went to the warehouse and didn't come back. I tried calling him, I asked the soldiers around the house, I called Scott, Bianca, and everyone I could think of to ask about Nikolai but no one knew where he was. I know Scott was lying, he knew where Nikolai was, and they are always together. He was lying because they didn't want me to know.

Nikolai was doing it again, ignoring me without telling me anything, ignoring me without even a reason.

It was not about our fight anymore. It was something else entirely. There was a reason only he knew. He kept talking in cryptic language and I'm not that smart to figure out what kind of mystery Nikolai is.

I paced back and forth in the living room, I had called Bianca and asked her to come over. She recently met with Nikolai's father, maybe he knew something and he told her.

Annoyed, I slumped over the couch and threw my head over my lap, wrapping my arms around myself.

I was scared out of my wits. What if something bad really happened to him? What if he is hurt? He had a lot of enemies, he could be anywhere right now and I can't even go out to look for him.

I tried to, but the soldiers all over this property don't let me out of their sight. When I step out of the front door just to be in the garden by myself, Lorenzo—the soldier appointed just for my safety, follows me from the distance. He tries his hardest to be discreet but I always know.

There wasn't a single moment of peace without Nikolai in this house. The walls closed in on me and I feel like I'm seeing things.

When I go to sleep alone at night, an eerie atmosphere envelops the room as if ghosts and ghouls are roaming freely around me. I sleep with the night light on now.

I heard footsteps coming from the foyer and I perked up, glancing in the direction of the footsteps. Bianca appeared in my view; all smiles.

I got up and opened my arms as she ran into them, I hugged her so hard. I needed someone here with me because isolation was driving me crazy.

Tears fell freely from my eyes as I held on to her, "I don't know where he is, B. I really don't know where he is... What if he is hurt? What if something bad happened to him? I'm so scared for him, B. No one tells me anything."

"He is fine, E, he's fine," she whispered.

I pulled back and stared at her with wide eyes, "You saw him?"

She shook her head, "No, but come on, It's Niko “The Devil” Costello, nothing can hurt him..."

"What if someone has?"

She rubbed my back up and down as we sat on the couch, side by side, "E, hey, he will come home soon. Maybe, he is just busy. Niko had disappeared a lot of times before and he always comes back."

"I'm so scared..."

"Don't be..."

She consoled me for like an hour and she constantly tried to change the topic.

"So, your birthday is coming up."

I sniffled, "How do you know?"

"Scott told me."

I frowned, "How does Scott know?"

"Niko must have told him. So, what's the plan? It's not every day a girl turns nineteen."

I shook my head, "I have no idea..."

I was in no mood to celebrate anything.

"Forget about all of it, E, we're gonna celebrate your birthday in style!" she squealed getting excited while I just sat there trying to seem cheerful about it.

┈┈┈┈․° ☣︎ °․┈┈┈┈

WEEK TWO

I wanted to pull my hair out. I spent most of my time roaming on the terrace that overlooked the main gate. Hoping that he'd come back.

It's been two weeks. Two agonizing, torturing weeks. It felt like my tears had dried out. Everything in this house reminded me of him.

The kitchen, the library, the pool, his study, the rooftop, this balcony, the gardens, the gym. He was everywhere yet nowhere.

I tried contacting his uncle, Vladimir Ivankov, I asked him if he had seen Nikolai but he had no contact with him for days. He asked if I was alright and I told him I was, it was no big deal but from the inside, I felt like I might explode with frustration and worry.

Today wasn't any different as I came back from college to an empty house. I showered up, had a snack, and sat in the living room doing my psych assignment.

One of the soldiers came in and nodded at me, "Madam, Dimitri Ivankov had come to see you."

I furrowed my eyebrows. I still remember that he talked to me in Russian last time, and from what Nikolai told me it wasn't anything good. Nikolai said he wanted to get back at him for sleeping with his girlfriend but what if... What if he is here to tell me anything about Nikolai? I had talked to his father, he didn't know anything but maybe Dimitri does.

Hesitantly, I nodded at the soldier to let him in. He went back out of the house and a few minutes later, Dimitri entered.

I closed my book and stood up, facing him, "Why are you here?"

"Heard that Niko wasn't in town..."

Even though I didn't know where he was but I again asked, "Why are you here?"

He breathed out a laugh, his eyes lit up with dark amusement, showing that he was up to no good. I was already regretting letting him in the house, "To keep you company, sister-in-law," he drawled in his Russian accent.

I crossed my arms over my chest, I felt like I needed to protect myself from him, "I'm fine by myself! And as you can see, I'm surrounded by my husband's men. They are all here to protect me."

He laughed again, "Are you trying to scare me, Lisichka?"

I rolled my eyes, I had no idea what he just called me, "No, just warning you to not try to do anything stupid. I won't hesitate to call my men in."

He came around the single couch and settled on it as if he owned it. He put one leg over the other and watched me while I stood before him, "Do you know who I am?"

"I don't care who you are, for me, you are just my husband's cousin. Who has no business being here because my husband isn't home."

"I'm Dimitri Ivankov, the heir to the Bratva. I'm your husband's strongest ally. I'm not scared of your men or your husband."

I nodded, keeping my face as impassive as I could, "Well, Dimitri Ivankov, you still hasn't told me why are you here."

"Your husband slept with my girlfriend."

I pursed my lips, so, it was about his girlfriend, "And where is your girlfriend now?"

"Dead"

My eyes widened, "What?"

"Dead to me."

I took a deep breath, "And what am I supposed to do with this information?"

"Help me get my revenge on him."

That made me laugh, "Why would I help you—"

He cut me off, "Because I know."

I frowned, "Know what?"

"That you aren't happy with him, Lisichka."

His words annoyed me, "My name is Evangeline. Stop calling me that!"

He chuckled deeply, "You and Niko put on a great show in front of everyone but you aren't happy with him."

"You are wrong, we are fine."

"That's why he hasn't been home in two weeks? You both may have fooled my father but not me. Come with me, Lisichka. I'll make you happy."

He made a V of his fingers around his mouth and stuck his tongue out between them, flicking it at me.

The gesture disgusted me. I instinctively took a step back. I had no idea what he meant by that but I knew he was talking about something inappropriate.

"Get out!" I snapped.

"Come on, Lisichka, a single night won't hurt. Niko won't know," he then laughed, "Not while we are doing it, maybe, after we can rub it in his face. I'm sure, he won't leave you alone again."

"GET OUT! LORENZO!" I called the soldier and he came running inside the next second with two more men following behind him with their guns ready.

"Yes, Mrs. Costello?"

"Escort Mr. Ivankov out of the house and don't let him enter again, not while Nikolai is not home."

Lorenzo's blazing glare turned to Dimitri. He placed a hand over the holster and gave Dimitri a look that made him stand up. Dimitri dusted his coat and glanced at me, "Your loss, Lisichka."

"Move, Ivankov," Lorenzo sneered.

Dimitri walked out of the house and soldiers followed behind. I sat back on the couch and wrapped my arms around my knees.

I grabbed my cell phone and texted Nikolai.

╭───────────────╮
   Me:
   Your cousin just came by

   and asked me to sleep with
   him. Do even care or should
   I just go ahead and do it?
╰───────────────╯

┈┈┈┈․° ☣︎ °․┈┈┈┈

WEEK THREE

I finally came to the conclusion that Nikolai didn't care. He didn't care about me at all.

It was true—what he said. He said that our marriage was over and he was sticking by it.

We hadn't talked to or seen each other in three weeks but he didn't care at all.

Then why do I? Why do I care?! Whatever it was, it was one-sided! It was only from my side. He didn't care and I'm tired, I'm tired of loving him alone, caring for him alone, waiting for him alone, and getting nothing in return.

I'm tired! I'm just so tired!

I stopped texting him, and I stopped calling him, but I'd be lying if I say that I had stopped crying.

Screw him!

No one can feel the pain I felt when I told him what his cousin had done and he didn't care enough to even send me a text to ask if I was alright.

I sat in the library, studying... recently that's all I did, I'd eat, sleep and study. Layla tried to cheer me up with her happy-go-lucky attitude but it didn't work too. Bianca came to visit a few times, she'd plan my birthday party or try to get my mind off Nikolai but it didn't work as well.

I slammed the book shut and threw my head back. I looked around the library and noticed that I was the only student who was still there. Everyone had left. My screen lit up and I saw Marco's call. I started to pack my stuff and heard a faint sound of a book dropping to the ground, someone must be still here.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and as I headed out of the library, the lights turned off making me halt in my steps. I looked around, took a deep breath, and continued walking to the library door. The library was dimly lit by the daylight peeking through the windows.

My back muscles stiffened as I heard a deep cough.  Someone was there, I heard footsteps. Terror sucked the very breath from my mouth. I suddenly remembered the dark night, Ignacio took me from my bed. My heart was beating so fast that it felt like it explode out of my ribcage.

My feets started moving faster and faster and I was almost running. As I was about to grab the door handle, someone grabbed me by my waist and placed a hand over my mouth pulling me back into the dark library.

I struggled in his hold, my arms and legs flying all around me. His hand muffled my screams, I tried punching my way out, remembering Nikolai's training. I elbowed him in the chest, which made him lose control over me, and he started coughing violently.

"Evie!"

I stopped moving, my screams got caught in my throat as I faced the man when he slammed me into the nearby wall.

I knew that voice...

He groaned, "Shit, Evie, it's me, it's me, Leo. It's alright, you're alright, it's just me..."

My mouth dropped open as I stared at him wide-eyed, "Leo..." I whispered as tears welled up in my eyes and I jumped in his arms.

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