…19
I was woken by the doorbell.
2
As I got out of the tub, a chill ran through me. I’d been so tired lately, I was always exhausted. I had actually fallen asleep in the
bath.
Outside the door stood a weary, haggard–looking Nicolai.
“Serena.”
He said my name, syllable by syllable.
Then he pulled me into his arms, holding me so tight I could barely breathe.
“What are you doing here?”
If I remembered correctly, headquarters was incredibly busy right now. He was personally overseeing a pro
denly be here?
He bent his head and tore open my bathrobe.
Why would he sud-
Like a crazed beast.
I pushed, but it was useless.
After the storm had passed, he still held me, his hands like vises, trembling slightly.
You want a divorce? In your dreams.”
2012
What?
I was confused.
“Nicolai.”
My voice was hoarse, but as cold as frost.
He instinctively held me tighter.
“Serena, when I said we needed to talk, I was talking about your friend, Isabelle.”
A true businessman. His mind was sharp. My attention was immediately diverted.
Even though I hadn’t asked, I had been thinking about it. I wanted to ask why she had done this to me. I couldn’t understand.
“She took all the blame. Dillian Nash walked away clean. Isabelle is going to prison,” Nicolai said, looking at me with something like
pity.
I didn’t have many friends. Just Isabelle. We grew up together. We had our little fights, but I always gave in. She was a complicated person, keeping things bottled up inside. If I ignored her, she’d be the one to go hide and cry.
I stared at the ceiling, feeling lost for a moment.
Why?
I couldn’t understand.
But I don’t dwell on things I can’t understand. What’s done is done. Whatever her reasons, the fact was that Isabelle had tried to
harm me.
This time, I wouldn’t forgive her.
