Chapter Seventy-Eight

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"Your father is constantly ringing up your phone," Nikolai informed with a cold voice and even colder expression as he tossed Dimitri's phone over to him, Dimitri grabbed it just as it was about to hit the floor.

He placed it against his ear and talked in Russian and all I got from it was "papa". Dimitri then turned to me and smiled before he walked out of the pool area. On his way out, he slapped Nikolai's shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Nikolai..."

He turned to walk back out, "Go to your room, Evangeline..."

I let out a loud groan of annoyance, "I'm not a goddamn child, Nikolai!"

"Could've fooled me," he mumbled under his breath.

"Excuse me?!"

"We are going for dinner at my uncle's place tomorrow night. Be ready by eight," saying that he walked out.

I immediately followed behind him, "Nikolai, what is wrong with you?!"

"Why would you think anything's wrong?" he asked, walking towards his study.

"Why are you avoiding me?" I asked, trying to keep up with his pace.

"I thought you were the one who told me to stay away from you," he answered, opening the door of his study.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that-"

He faced me, standing in the doorframe of the study, "What did you expect? You thought that I'd chase you? I don't fucking chase anyone. It's time you get off your high horse, Evangeline, you are not that special."

Then he slammed the door in my face. My lips slowly parted as I took in his words. I inhaled a sharp breath, my hands were trembling so were my legs. The shock from his words was too much for me.

Tears brimmed at the corner of my eyes. I sniffled and wiped them, I'm not gonna cry over Nikolai's behavior. If that's what he wants, if that's what he thinks, then I'm fine with that. I'm tired of running after him, I'm tired of being the only one who is trying to make sense of this doomed marriage.

I turned and went upstairs to my room. I closed the bedroom door and leaned against it for a few minutes.

Does he really not feel anything for me? Was it that easy for him to ignore me? Was it that easy for him?

I walked to my bed, holding in my tears, and slid under the covers. I turned the lampshade off and stared at the ceiling in the dark. I tried to sleep but it never came.

The whole night, I kept turning and twisting in my bed. I didn't sleep, I didn't cry, I just lay there staring at the ceiling. I felt numb.

I watched the night sky slowly get brighter and brighter until the sunlight spread all over it, lighting up the whole city. I picked up my cellphone and checked the time. It was six-thirty a.m, he usually wakes up at six thirty a.m. no matter how late he goes to bed, the second the clock struck six, he gets up and goes to the bathroom. After our marriage, he also had a routine for kissing my forehead every time he woke up, even in the middle of the night, I'd feel his hands caressing my skin, his lips softly exploring my body.

But all I felt now was emptiness.

I got out of bed and then I realized that I was supposed to be in college today. A little glimmer of happiness spread through my body but it got snuffed out the second I thought about the loneliness. I realized I have no one to share my happiness with.

I picked out an outfit for college and went to take a shower. I wrapped a towel around myself and my hair; I walked out of the bathroom to see our room crawling with maids. There were five to six maids going in and out of the room.

"Excuse me? What are you doing?" I asked, one of the women.

I noticed that they all were holding Nikolai's stuff-his suits, his ties, his watches; every single thing in this room that belonged to Nikolai was being moved.

"We are moving Don Niko's stuff to the guestroom downstairs," she said and walked out of the room.

My heart dropped to my stomach, I bit my lower lip as the tears I had been holding in since last night threaten to burst out.

"Why?" I asked no one in particular.

"We don't know, madam. Don Niko is moving to the guestroom downstairs, he ordered us to bring everything of his."

I looked around and waited as they all took his stuff out. This was his bedroom before our marriage but because of me, he had to move out of his own bedroom. He couldn't even bear to share a room with me.

I blow-dried my hair and put on light makeup before I went to the closet to change into the outfit I had picked out earlier.

I looked to Nikolai's side and saw nothing but empty racks. What did I do that was so wrong that made him hate me this much? What did I do? What was my crime?!

I changed and looked at my miserable self in the mirror. I grabbed my bag and put my books into it before I went downstairs.

I didn't look for him today, if he can live without me then I can try to live without him too. I know I'm not that heartless and cold and I'll break if he even glanced my way with love... but I could try, I could try to be like him.

He had again re-hired an entire staff of maids and cooks. I could see unfamiliar faces all around me. I clutched the strap of my bag and walked to the foyer.

"Mrs. Costello?" A soft voice called from behind.

I stopped in my track and turned to look at her. "What?"

"What would you like to have for breakfast?"

I stared at her for a few seconds. I wasn't hungry at all, so, I shook my head. "I'm not having breakfast."

"But Don Niko-"

I didn't stay there to listen to what she had to say. I walked out of the front door, the soldier there didn't stop me this time as he saw me holding my bag.

I headed toward the main gate, I had every intention of not using any of Nikolai's cars. I had money, and credit cards saved up from when I went back to my parent's house, and Nikolai transferred all of my dad's accounts and assets into my name. It was more than enough, actually, it was way more. My father was really rich according to worldly standards. I didn't know that before but now I do.

"Evangeline, get in the car."

I looked to my side and saw Marco, he was sitting in the driving seat of his Maybach and had rolled the window down.

I shook my head, "No, thanks, I'll take a bus or something..."

I had no idea how the bus system, or how taking a taxi to go somewhere worked. From the day I got out of my father's jail, I have been in Nikolai's jail. It wasn't anything different.

The only difference is Nikolai actually messed me up!

"Are you fucking kidding me? Niko would kill me first then he'll kill you."

"He already had..." I whispered.

"What?"

"Niko wouldn't care, Marco. Niko doesn't care. If I die or if I'm alive, he doesn't care, you have nothing to worry about!"

"Evangeline, he fucking instructed me this morning. He fucking told me to stay in the fucking college as long as you're there. I fucking feel like a babysitter!"

"Why?"

"Because you are his wife! Do you have any idea how many men out there would want to use you to get to him? They'll fucking torture and rape you first before they will kill you off, maybe, they will send him your body parts, to make him do their bidding!" Marco snapped, getting out of the car and standing before me. "Get your ass in the car, if you don't want all that to happen to you!"

If he was trying to scare me then he won because it worked. I suddenly got reminded of the time I spent in Ignacio's dirty, dingy cell. I gave Marco a weak nod and got into the car.

"Thank fuck!" I heard him mutter under his breath. He got into the car as well and then glanced at me through the rearview mirror, "What got your panties in a twist?"

I gave my head a shake, "Nothing, just having a bad day."

"Niko did something?!"

When I didn't say it, he probably understood because he stopped asking questions. He parked the car in Columbia University's parking lot. We both got out of the car and I saw the same woman I met the first day here.

"Tara, take care of her," Marco ordered and the woman-Tara Wells-nodded with a tight-lipped smile.

Rolling my eyes, I walked toward her and she started to explain everything all over again. I raised my hand. "I know, I remember. Now can you please get me my schedule and show me the classes?" I asked.

She nodded, "Yes, Mrs. Costello"

"Bolton!" I voiced.

She raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Evangeline Bolton, that's my name."

I know how people felt about the Costello name, I was here to make friends, socialize, and live my life. I didn't want to be feared, I didn't want people to run the other way the second they will hear my name.

"But on the papers-"

"Yeah, can you change that? I would like to be called Ms. Bolton"

"Of course, I think I can pull some strings for you."

"Thank you, it'd mean a lot."

It felt weirdly good to be back. I gazed around the campus, trying to find a single familiar face. Maybe, I will see Liam, Stacy, and everyone else again.

I took my classes, I looked for Liam and everyone else the whole day but didn't see them. It was not until the end of the day, I spotted Brittany and when I found her, the others were just by her side.

I made my way to them and smiled, "Hi..." I said in a weak voice, I didn't know where we stood after everything that happened the last time.

They all looked at me at the same time and went completely still. The color drained from their faces and they started to pick up their bags.

I frowned, "Are you guys going somewhere?"

"Yeah, away from you," Wade snapped at me.

Stacy slapped a hand over his arm, "Wade!"

Wade just rolled his eyes and walked in the other direction, dragging Stacy with him. One by one, every single one of them left, Liam was the last one to leave.

"Liam..." I called.

"I don't have a death wish, Evangeline. I barely escaped last time, this time he will kill me," saying that, he left too.

I stood there watching his back as he wrapped an arm around Brittany, they talked a little, and Brittany glanced at me from over her shoulder before they disappeared from my sight.

"Maybe, this time he won't kill you, Liam. He doesn't care anymore..." I said it, more to myself.

A girl stepped beside me and also stared in the same direction as me, "That was kinda mean. I saw the whole thing and I feel bad about the way they treated you. Are they your friends?"

I smiled sadly at her, "Used to be."

"Well, ditch them!" she extended her hand, "Layla, Psych major"

I shook hands with her, "Evangeline and me too"

"I know, I saw you in the class earlier."

Layla was amazing, she made me laugh a lot. She was friendly, beautiful, and smart. A complete package-she called herself. The best part about her was she was not from New York City and she didn't know anything about the Costello other than the fact they were businessmen.

It was like she was sent from heaven for me. I really needed a person like her in my life right now.

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