CHAPTER 31: – YOU DON’T GET TO DECIDE THAT –

Nikolas leaned back against the chair in his office. He had his eyes closed, face turned toward the ceiling with only a few strands latched over his forehead.

He’d had one of his men look into Viviana to find out if she had any sort of relationship with him in the past. Maybe they had met briefly? Maybe somehow in a moment that he’s unable to recall.

He even tried to look into the possibility of her being his mate, but it was a waste of time. Be they vampires like him or any other kind out there, they could tell the very instant they stand before their mate.

With Viviana, however, not even a flicker of light had lit up inside of him. If anything, he felt something entirely different. A yearning kind of ache that confused him.

She wasn’t his mate, not the woman he was looking for, yet... Yet these strange feelings, the familiarity of her eyes, it was—

His phone rang abruptly.

Snapping out of his thoughts, he fished out his phone. An unknown number was calling him, and that made him frown.

This was his private cell.

Viviana, Francesca, Lucian, and his mother were the only ones who had access to it.

He answered.

[Hello, am I speaking to Mr. Nikolas, Viviana Di-grassi’s husband?]

"Yes, you are. Is something wrong?"

[This is the ANGEL’S hospital speaking. Your wife is here. She was involved in a car crash, and you were the emergency contact we found—]

"What did you just say?" Nikolas sat up.

[Mr. Ni—]

"What did you just say?"

[I’m trying to inform you that your wife is here in the hospital. She was—]

The phone slipped off his grip to the floor.

A... crash?

"Viviana?"

Blood red pooled over his eyes instantly, erasing the green of his iris. The only black to be found was his pupils.

Nikolas didn’t bother with the elevator down to the penthouse. He instead swept over to the floor-length wide window of his office and began storming forward with his head cracked from side to side.

He didn’t think, didn’t even blink as he smashed through the glass with his own body. Shards flew like glitter all over the place. The wind breezed past him as he plummeted all the way from the hundredth floor, heading for the concrete ground.

With an almost booming sound, he landed, startling the passersby whom he ignored, adjusting his waistcoat. He stalked toward his car, the cuts he sustained healing at a rapid pace with not a single scar to be found.

Nikolas got into the car and sped around and into the road.

Twenty minutes and he made it to the hospital, hurrying his way inside toward the receptionist desk. "My wife," he said. "Viviana, she’s here."

"Viviana who?" the nurse asked, typing into her computer.

"Viviana Di-grassi."

"Alright, give me a second—oh, there it is." The nurse smiled. "She’s in ward 6."

Another nurse led him to ward ’6,’ which he stepped into and froze at the sight of Viviana curled on the bed. She had a few cuts on her head and her arms, but she wasn’t...

"Luckily, she hadn’t gotten too hurt. And you have nothing to worry about, the other patient is fine as well. Normally, such a crash would’ve caused casualties for both, but they’re both fine. Very surprising."

Nikolas nodded.

She left them alone.

He came closer to the bed. Viviana knew he was there, but she couldn’t—no, she refused to look at him. He reached out to touch her, but she shot upright on the bed, yanking the tube from her arm.

"I’d like to go home."

She settled her feet on the floor into her shoes, grabbed her bag and stepped past him to leave. Nikolas grasped her arm. "Viviana—"

"I want to go home, Nikolas," she bit out. "If you’re unwilling, I’ll take a taxi." She snatched her hand back and stormed out of the room.

Nikolas pinched between his brows. But he did stalk after her, frowning as he saw her about to really flag down a taxi.

"Viviana!"

She wouldn’t even look at him.

"Viviana!"

He seized her arm and spun her around. She glared up at her, and he scowled back. "What is going on with you? Why are you—"

"Don’t touch me!" She tried to shove him. "I don’t need you to take me home."

"Does it look like I care if you need me? I am here whether you like it or not, so quit your stubbornness and come with me."

He began to pull her towards the car.

"Nikolas!" she grunted. "Nikolas, let go of me."

Nikolas shoved her into the car seat, fastened the seat belt, and slammed the door shut. Then he rounded to the driver’s side, slid in, and gripped the steering wheel.

"I can go back by myself," Viviana gritted out.

Nikolas sharply looked at her, saying, "I know you can, but I want you to go back with me."

He started the engine and pulled off onto the road.

Neither of them spoke the entire ride, and even when they reached home, Viviana was quick to get out and head into the apartment.

Nikolas moved after her. "Viviana," he called. "We need to talk. You have to tell me what hap—"

"It’s not a business of yours!" She disregarded his concern completely, shutting him down as she headed for the bedroom.

She tossed her bag on the couch, slipped off her shoes, and collapsed on the bed, tired and burnt out.

Nikolas entered the room and closed the door behind him. He watched her lying there for a moment before crossing over and sitting at the edge of the bed. "What happened?" he asked.

Viviana wouldn’t say a word to him.

"Viviana."

"Let me be!" she spat, shooting up on the bed. "You can have this room all to yourself if you just won’t mind your business." She was up on her knees, ready to get out.

Nikolas’s expression shifted and he grabbed her, yanking her back into the bed.

She grunted, "What are you doing?"

"I asked you what happened." He planted himself above her, straddling her legs to stop her from getting away. His hands pressed into the mattress on either side of her head as he glared down, and she met his stare, chest heaving with angry breaths.

"Get off me, Nikolas."

"Tell me why you’re like this. Is it me?" he asked. "Fine! What did I do? I’ll fix it."

"Ugh, goodness, don’t act like this!" she snapped. "This... This is not real, alright? This marriage, whatever you assumed it was, isn’t real. I used you, I am using you and you’re well aware of that. You do not have any reason for behaving this way as if..."

"As if what?" Nikolas’s expression grew cold.

"Do you need me to spell it out for you?"

"Oh yes," he said. "Please spell it out for me, Viviana."

"Fine," she spat, echoing her words. "I used you. Nothing other than that. It isn’t as though you’re clueless. You mean nothing to me, Nikolas Bastiani, and my life isn’t yours to interfere with. I don’t need you, I have no need for you, and sooner or later, this will end and you will—"

"Is that so?" Nikolas’s fingers dug into the mattress as he asked, "What happened to helping you get your revenge? Didn’t you ask me to? Wanted me to?"

"I changed my mind. Besides, let’s face it, you can’t lend me a hand." She laughed. "You’re not capable of that because you have no power at all. You’re useless to me, Nikolas. So, get off me right now."

The hurt that crossed his face was quickly replaced by coldness. "You’re underestimating what I can do for you. What I can give you."

"Like I said, I changed my mind." Viviana shoved at his chest, but he caught her hands and pinned them above her head. She glared up at him, anger building with every passing second. "Nikolas!"

"You don’t get to decide that, Viviana." His brows drew together in a hard line as he stared down at her.

"Oh? Is that so?" She balled her hands.