Chapter 44: – Fernando Stolov –
Viviana took one last look at herself in the mirror before turning to leave the room. She stepped into the living room and paused, finding Nikolas pacing with his phone pressed to his ear.
"Lucian, listen..."
He fell silent, throwing his head back with a heavy breath.
"So? I told you that I..."
The words died in his throat the moment he saw her. His gaze locked on her, and the phone slipped from his hand to the floor. But even then, he was unmoving.
Viviana stood in a sleeveless, ankle-length dress of wine-red, its high neckline draped beautifully over one shoulder. His eyes traveled down to the gathered detail at the small of her waist, and he exhaled slowly, as if the air had left his chest all at once.
How could...
There was just something about her, like she was not quite real. As though she would vanish beneath his fingers were he to reach out farther than he should to touch her.
She was breathtaking, so much so that it made his chest ache.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Viviana asked. "Does it look bad? Should I change? Hmm, I thought it looked good–"
Nikolas closed the distance in an instant, pulling her in before she could even stumble back.
Her eyes widened, lashes fluttering rapidly as confusion flickered across her face. "Nikolas?"
Nikolas could not tear his eyes from her, even as the ache in his chest grew heavier. How could this human stir him like this? What was it about her?
His grip tightened around her waist, making her blink frantically, still trying to make sense of his sudden odd behavior.
"Nikolas?" she murmured, worry flickering in her eyes. "Is the dress that bad?"
He couldn’t speak. Was unable to.
Instead, he lifted his hand and traced his knuckles over her face, the curve of her jaw, the slope of her cheeks, and the fullness of her cupid lips.
"You’re..."
His thumb hovered at her dimples, deeper whenever she smiled. It was such a shame she didn’t smile much.
"...Beautiful."
"Oh?" The word stuttered out of her mouth. "I thought..." Her lips parted several times until she could finally blurt out, "T-thank you." Her chuckle was awkward and confused.
Nikolas brushed the tip of her reddened nose, his lips curling into the sweetest of smiles anyone had ever given her.
Her heart jumped.
She jolted out of his hold and stepped back with a hand pressed against her chest, the frantic pounding drumming in her ears. She wouldn’t meet his eyes—refused to, and proceeded to walk past him. "We should go."
"Viviana." He reached for her.
She shifted away too quickly, shaking her head with flickering eyes. "Do not act like that, Nikolas. You don’t have to do all this."
"Do what?"
"Be this way..." She hardened, her face turning blank and stripped completely of emotion. "Tell me that I am beautiful or look at me like that. This thing between us isn’t real, and you know it. I’m only using you for my personal gain, you already let me do that much. There is no reason to be so..." Her teeth pressed into her bottom lip.
Silence settled between them as she turned away. Nikolas exhaled, long and exasperated.
"Right. Let’s go."
"I can drive," Viviana said as they approached her car.
He shook his head, walking her over to the passenger seat where he helped her in, clicked the seatbelt into place, and said simply, "I’ll drive."
His demeanor had shifted completely since her earlier words, and the change made her stomach knot with unease.
It was odd.
The Nikolas she knew was a man who always smiled for her as though she alone was the reason he could. And the thing was, she had never seen him smile around people.
Still, she had to say what she’d said.
The things he casually uttered to her and the small gestures he made were things no man had ever done to or for her. And foolishly, they all made her heart jump. She was afraid.
’What if I end up like my mother?’
She didn’t want to be broken, not more than she already was.
The drive passed mostly in silence. She stole glances at him every now and then, her stare eventually falling to the suit he wore.
It was expensive. He must have spent a whole lot of money on it. For what? Her family wasn’t worth impressing. He didn’t need to do it. She couldn’t care less about their opinions and had no intention of tolerating any of their remarks.
Her eyes drifted back up to his face.
The usual grin was missing from his lips. It was so strange.
She didn’t like it.
Nikolas didn’t seem happy anymore. Had she pushed too far with her words? The thought unsettled her. Not a part of her liked seeing him this way.
"Nikolas, I–"
Nikolas turned the steering wheel, pulling up before the gate of the Di-grassi family house.
The security quickly opened up, and he drove inside, parking beside the other cars lined neatly in the parking lot.
He stepped out, rounded the car and opened the door, extending his hand.
Viviana met his eyes. They didn’t sparkle anymore like they often did when he looked at her as if she were a Christmas decoration. And it made her chest twist in the worst way possible.
Still, she took his hand and stepped out.
They walked toward the entrance door of the sky-reaching manor. A butler was waiting, bowing low at her.
"This way, Lady Di-grassi." He gestured in.
Viviana glanced back at Nikolas, then slipped her fingers into his without a word, weaving them tightly as she led him off.
Nikolas looked down at their joined hands, one brow lifting. She was always giving these little intimate gestures, only to turn around and shut him out again.
’What do you really want from me, Viviana?’
The elevator carried them to the second floor in silence. She never once released his hand, even as they entered the dining room, its floor-length windows spilling out a view of the entire city of Serovia inside their continent of Valestra.
Serena was already seated. Savannah as well. Her father, of course, sat at the head of the table. But there was also one other presence...
Fernando.
’What is he doing here?’