Chapter 2
Elena’s POV:
The sterile while halls of the emergency ward felt like they were closing in on me, the scent of antiseptic and fear thick in the air.
My mother was wheeled in on a gurney, nurses shouting to each other in rushed, clipped voices as the emergency room doors swung open, then slammed shut, sealing her away from me
I stood frozen in the hallway, my pulse a frantic drim against my ribs.
What do I do? What do I do?
My hands trembled as I pressed them to my face, trying to steady my breath, but it was impossible. She was fine this morning. Weak, but dive. And now she was in there, fighting for her life.
A nurse approached, her expression gentle. “Miss Kovalyova!”
I turned, my throat too tight to respond.
The doctor will speak with you shortly”
I nodded numbly, my nails digging into my palms.
Minutes streiched into eternity, I had no idea how long 1 stood there, my body tense and aching.
Then the doors swung open again, and a doctor stepped out, his face strained.
1 rushed forward. “Is the okay!”
– need
to perform an
The doctor exhaled. “Your mother suffered a severe cardiac episode due to prolonged stress and underlying conditions. We emergency bypass surgery to prevent further damage.”
My breath caught. “Okay.” I said, too quickly. Then do it.”
His face hardened. The procedure costs fifty cight thousand dollars here.”
The number hit me like a punch to the gut.
A sharp ringing filled my ears as my mind tried to process it. Fifty thousand dollars!!
I didn’t have that kind of money.
Hell, I barely had enough to cover next month’s rent. We were already in deep shit with our previous debt.
“You’ll need to secure the payment within the next twenty–four hours so we can proceed, the doctor continued, oblivious to the way my world was crumbling beneath my fedL
“Twenty–four hours?” My voice came out hollow.
“Yes. If we delay any longer, her condition may worsen beyond what surgery can fix.
I stared at him. Twenty–four hours. Fifty eight thousand dollars.
“Do you have insurance” the doctor asked, his voice impassive, like this was just another conversation for him.
“No” My voice broke on the word.
“Family who can assist?“
I wanted to laugh–What family!
–He sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose Tsuggest you find a solution quickly. We will keep her stable for now, but time is of the essence. With
that, he nodded and disappeared down the hallway, leaving me standing in the wreckage of my life.
I stumbled backward onto one of the plastic chairs in the waiting area, my vision swimming.
I was alone.
There was no one I could call, no one I could ask
1/4
Chapter 2
And for one horrifying second, my mind drifted to Dmitri.
Dmitri Vetrov. My ex–fiancé.
Rich Powerful. The youngest son of a multimillionaire. He could write a check for fifty thousand dollars without blinking
Would he help me?
My stomach curled in disgust at the thought.
I could see it now. His smug, self–satisfied smirk. The condescending ult of his head as he crossed his arms and leaned back, acting as if I owed him something for his generosity after how I had left him begging on his knees just a while ago.
No.
If my mother found out I had lowered myself to begging my cheating ex for money, she wouldn’t accept it. She would rather die than have me throw away my dignity for her.
And I wasn’t sure I could survive begging Dmitri either.
Then who?
„My nails dug into my knees, my breath coming in short gasps. What do I do? What do I do?
And then-
A familiar name echoed from a nearby television,
I lifted my head
The hospital’s mounted TV was tuned into a business channel, the news anchor’s voice crisp and professional
—Vetrov Enterprises, owned by billionaire Nikolaj Vetrov, announced a record–breaking deal today—”
Nikolai Vetrov
The camera shifted to a man in his mid–thirties, dressed in a sharp black suit, his jawline like it was carved from stone. His dark brown hair gelled back to perfection
His cold, calculating dark eyes scanned the reporters, his smile hiding something dangerous.
The most eligible bachelor in the whole of Alderidge.
Nikolai Vetrov
Dmitri’s older stepbrother.
And the man who hated Dmitri with every fiber of his being.
The memory surfaced before I could stop it.
Dmitri’s twenty–fifth birthday. Six months ago.
A lavish party was held in a massive ballroom, filled with people who definitely didn’t belong in my world. I was from a lower class family, attending college with a scholarship
However, I had become Draitri’s girlfriend and after four years, for the first time he had invited me to such an occasion. Introducing me to others like I was a trophy. I had actually been extremely happy that day.
Because
that was also the day Dmitri had proposed to me.
I had just left the restroom, smoothing out my dress, when I nearly collided with Nikolai Verrow.
He had been leaning against the hallway wall, one hand in his pocket, a cigarene between his fingers. His onyx brown eyes swept over me, slow and deliberate.
Then he exhaled, releasing a cloud of smoke. “My condolences”
I frowned. “Excuse me?”
“Your mind is sharp” he murmured, voice low, slightly slurred from alcohol. “But your taste in men is absolutely tragic“:
8:31 PM
Chapter 2
I had been dumbfounded.
Like, who says that about their own brother?
It was the first time I truly realized Nikolai didn’t just dislike Dmitri like a lot of siblings do. He despised him.
“You have such a smart little mind, he mused, “but it’s wasted on a man like him
I scoffed. “And what makes you say that?”
Nikolai took another drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he looked out into the city through the massive floor to ceiling windows in front of
“He isn’t exactly husband material.”
I let out a sharp laugh. “Oh! And what do you think makes a man husband material“” It had truly been funny to me, that a “man” was telling me what *husband material was supposed to be.
But I didn’t defend Dmitri. I noticed the venom in Nikolai’s tone and knew it would be useless. I didn’t want to pick a fight with someone like him either.
His gaze darkened, piercing straight into my soul.
“He sucks at cooking
My brows lifted. “Seriously?”
“You laugh, but a man who can’t even take care of himself can’t take care of you either.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s fine. I can cook and I’m used to taking care of myself
Nikolai’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk.
“He’s shit with money Spends it like water
“He’s rich. Why does it matter?”
His gaze sharpened. “Are you marrying him for money, then?‘
I met his stare and tilted my head. “What if I am Of course I wasn’t I hadn’t taken a dine from Dmitri. Not that I was against being treated like a princess. I was just not used to being indebted to anyone like this, it made my skin itch
However, instead of getting offended. Nikolai looked… satisfied. He straightened, flicking ash from his cigarette.
“Good” he said.
J frowned. That’s it?
He studied me for a long moment, then murmured, “I’m richer than him, you know.”
I blinked
“What does that have to do with me?
Nikolai shrugged. Then he walked away.
Only later on had I realized what he meant when he had said the last line, but had tossed it to the back of my mind and assumed he was testing me for his little brother.
That memory burned in my mind as I stared at his face on the TV screen.
Nikolai Vetrov was richer than Dmitri
More powerful. More ruthless. And he hated his stepbrother.
I sucked in a sharp breath.
An idea began to take shape–insane, desperate, but my only option.
I needed moncy.
I wanted power.
8.33 PM
Chapter 2
And there was a man who had both.
I needed Nikolai Vetrov.
E
