15
I sat down in Nicolai’s office. It was as luxurious as ever, complete with a master suite, a golf simulator, a cigar bar, a billiards table,
and even a gaming room.
I never understood his hobbies.
Hearing that his meeting would last two hours, I decided to take a nap.
Clara leaned in. “Serena, did you notice? The dress Chloe was wearing today looked a lot like one you had in college.” She paused,
then excitedly pulled out her phone. “I have an old photo. I took it myself. Mr. Payne gave me a month’s salary as a bonus for this
picture, you know.”
She eagerly scrolled through thousands of photos.
I’d been so busy lately. Rushing to the office to get a handle on the situation, just so I wouldn’t be caught off guard, had left me
exhausted.
I glanced at the phone screen, but a wave of drowsiness washed over me. I leaned back on the leather sofa and fell into a deep
sleep.
I was woken by a kiss.
When I opened my eyes, Nicolai was leaning over me, one hand unknotting his tie, the other braced by my side, kissing me deeply.
There was no escape. I nearly suffocated.
Nice, I thought. Trying to murder me to make way for his white moonlight already?
I bit him. He winced and pulled back, rubbing his lip. “What are you doing here?” he asked in a low voice.
I could count the number of times I’d visited his office on one hand. His question sounded strangely… hurt.
“I heard Chloe was transferred here. I came to see for myself.”
I stared straight into his eyes, not wanting to miss a single flicker of emotion. The man who was a terrifyingly shrewd predator in
the business world looked momentarily lost. Then, a thoughtful expression crossed his face, and the corners of his mouth turned
up slightly.
Chapter 2
2011 W
I stared at that upturned corner, at the spot I had just bitten red, almost breaking the skin. It was glaring.
He smiled.
I sighed internally. It seemed this divorce was inevitable. I’d have to go back and talk to my lawyer. If it came down to it, I might
have to plant a camera. If Nicolai cheated, I should be able to get more.
As I was meticulously planning my next steps, he pulled me into his arms.
He nuzzled my hair. “You mentioned her name so suddenly, i didn’t react at first. You’re jealous. It makes me happy.”
This man was insane. Me? Jealous?
“That’s enough. I have a class tonight.” I slipped out of his embrace. The atmosphere was strange, and I didn’t like it.
I went to fix my clothes and hair. Clara always said I was too meticulous, that even my feet were perfectly pedicured. No matter the
occasion, I was always impeccable.
I
I stared at myself in the mirror and reapplied my lipstick. She was right. I never allowed myself a moment of slack, just like my
daily six–kilometer run, which I never skipped.
Which is why I was here. To see if Nicolai was still worth keeping.
