Chapter 12
Catherine’s eyes widened, her expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. But Ryan, completely ignoring her, stepped forward. His face was sincere, his voice almost pleading.
“Helena,” he said softly, “I brought her here. You can do whatever you want with her. If you want to kill her, then go ahead.”
Catherine’s face turned ghostly as she looked at Ryan, as if she had seen a ghost. I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at the pathetic pair they made.
I locked eyes with Ryan, seeing the panic and desperation flashing in his gaze. With deliberate slowness, I pried his fingers from my wrist and stepped back.
1/6
By the end of the year, I was pregnant with twins. When my daughters were born, they brought so much joy that I became completely absorbed in my new life as a mother and wife. Ryan, however, never even crossed my mind.
By the third year, I gave birth to a son. We celebrated his small birthday with close friends when one of the mafia families, closely tied to Nikolai, casually mentioned something.
“The American mafia is in chaos right now,” one of the men remarked, sipping his drink.
Nikolai raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What happened?”
“Everything seemed fine in the past few years, but now the leadership is in shambles
Rose Quartz is stepping in to handle things, and Ryan Quartz… well, he’s bedridden with some kind of mysterious illness.”
Nikolai frowned. “Is he still not married?”
The man shrugged, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “It’s just a rumor, but apparently,
psychologis fixated on a woman. The
even declared him brain dead, which is why he’s stopped appearing in public. Rose, his mother, is doing everything she can to cover for him, but it’s not going well.”
The gossip hit me like a wave, but oddly, it didn’t stir anything within me. It felt like a distant story that had nothing to do with my life anymore. As I walked over to Nikolai, he was cradling our eldest daughter in his arms, softly rocking her to sleep.
“Does it bother you, Helena?” Nikolai asked, his gaze searching mine.
I shook my head slowly, offering a soft smile. “No, not at all. It feels like someone else’s problem. The only person who matters to me now is you. You’re my past, my present, and my future”
Nikolai held my gaze, still searching for any hint of doubt. His concern for me was palpable, but all I could do was smile playfully. “You’re not worried, are you?”
He paused, his expression serious for a moment, before he spoke again. “Helena, I need to know if you’re sure. You have no idea how much I want to protect you, to make you feel safe again.”
I met his eyes, knowing that he would do anything for me. His sincerity was as
comforting as it was overwhelming, and I couldn’t help but tease him.
“I am actually quite sad,” I said with a sly grin. “You leave for the office every morning and come home late at night. By the time you get here, our three children have torn the house apart, and I’m losing my mind trying to keep up.”
Nikolai chuckled, a soft laugh that was both affectionate and amused. He pulled me into his lap, his strong arms wrapping around me. “Then how about I help you plan your escape? I’ll make sure I don’t follow you,” he teased.
I raised an eyebrow, playing along, but deep down, I knew exactly how devoted he was. “I’m sure you would follow me wherever I go,” I I said, laughter dancing in my voice.
5/6
VIKUlal’s smile was wide and teasing. “Of course I would,” he replied. “But, if you really want to run away, I’ll help you plan it. I’ll make sure you’re ready.”
I sank into his embrace, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart against mine. In this moment, nothing else mattered. There was no past, no pain–only us, together, building a life.
The End.
