I stared at my phone in disbelief. Nikolai had accepted my follow request instantly. Before I could process what that meant, a direct message appeared.
"Why are you hiding, Aurora?"
My heart skipped a beat. He knew. Somehow, he knew it was me.
I considered pretending to be someone else, but something about his directness made me drop the facade.
"How did you know it was me?" I typed back, my fingers trembling slightly.
"Your eyes," came his immediate reply. "They're unmistakable. Plus, Hayes showed enough photos for me to recognize you from any angle."
I swallowed hard. "And you still accepted my request?"
"I've been waiting for you to see him for what he really is."
The honesty in his message caught me off guard. I'd expected another player in Hayes's twisted game, but Nikolai seemed different.
"I know about the bet," I admitted, deciding to be equally direct.
"I find it repulsive," he replied almost instantly. "Hayes doesn't deserve you."
"Then why are you his friend?"
"Family connections. Business ties. Not friendship."
I paced our apartment, Isabella watching me with concern as my phone buzzed with each new message.
"What do you want, Nikolai?" I finally asked.
"To help you get revenge, if that's what you want."
I paused, considering his offer. "Why would you help me?"
"Because I've watched you light up rooms while Hayes took you for granted. Because you deserve better than being someone's betting chip."
His words struck a chord deep within me. For five years, I'd poured my heart into a relationship where I was nothing but entertainment.
"Meet me tonight," he said. "We'll talk face to face. No strings attached."
---
The speakeasy was tucked away in a forgotten corner of the city, far from Hayes's usual haunts. I'd never been here before—it wasn't the kind of place someone like Hayes would appreciate, with its dim lighting, vintage decor, and sophisticated clientele.
Nikolai was already seated at a corner booth when I arrived, rising to greet me with a slight bow that seemed both old-fashioned and perfectly natural from him.
"Aurora," he said, my name sounding different in his voice—respected, almost reverent.
"You're not what I expected," I admitted as we sat down.
"What did you expect?"
"I don't know. Someone more like Hayes, I guess."
A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "Thank you for that, at least."
The chemistry between us was immediate and undeniable. His eyes never left mine as we spoke, his attention complete and focused in a way Hayes's never had been.
"There's something you should know," he said after our drinks arrived. "I'm your landlord."
I nearly choked on my cocktail. "What?"
"The management company handles everything. I wanted to keep it separate from my personal life, but I've always made sure your rent didn't increase. I wanted you safe."
The revelation stunned me. While Hayes had been exploiting me for entertainment, Nikolai had been quietly protecting me.
"Why?" I whispered.
"Because even then, I saw something in you worth protecting."
I felt something shift inside me—a warmth spreading through my chest that had nothing to do with the alcohol.
"So what's your proposal?" I asked, trying to maintain my composure.
"Help me get revenge on Hayes," I clarified, my voice stronger now.
Nikolai leaned forward, his eyes darkening. "We pretend to be involved. Let him think he's lost you to me. It will bruise his ego more than anything else could."
"And what do you get out of this?"
Something flickered across his face—hunger, perhaps, or desire carefully controlled. "The satisfaction of seeing justice served."
We clinked glasses to seal our deal, but the electricity between us suggested this arrangement would become much more than a simple revenge plot.
---
The next evening, I stood in my bedroom, holding the small bottle of cologne I'd purchased earlier that day. It smelled of sandalwood and pine—Nikolai's scent.
"Just a few drops," I murmured to myself, spritzing the perfume onto my throw pillows.
Hayes was coming over in an hour. He'd been texting all day about some "emergency" with his work, but I knew better now. It was probably just another excuse to check if I was still his obedient girlfriend.
When he arrived, his nostrils flared immediately.
"What's that smell?" he asked, looking around suspiciously.
I smiled innocently. "New room spray. Do you like it?"
He frowned, sniffing again. "It smells like... I don't know, something woodsy."
"It's supposed to reduce stress," I lied smoothly, watching his expression carefully.
"Where did you get it?"
"Found it at that little boutique near my office. Why? Does it bother you?"
"No," he said quickly, but I caught the way his jaw tightened. "It's just... different."
As he moved closer to kiss me, I noticed him inhale deeply, trying to place the scent. For the first time in months, I felt powerful.
"Is everything okay with your work emergency?" I asked sweetly.
"Yeah, fine," he said dismissively, already pulling out his phone. "Just had to handle some business."
I nodded, thinking of the messages I'd seen on his iPad. "Business" was exactly what he meant—just not the kind he was claiming.
