“Would you like to guess how many people have a grudge against me?”
I swallowed hard, glaring at him.
“These walls you hate so much are the only thing keeping you alive right now. So, show some appreciation.”
I seethed in silence, my blood boiling with anger as I looked into those cold, hollow eyes of his. He stood there like a statue, exuding an air of authority and control. And I hated it. God! I hated it so much.
His calmness in this situation infuriated me even more, especially because he had me exactly where he wanted me: in the palm of his fuckin’ hand.
“I’d rather take my chances out there than spend another minute in this cursed place,” I began, leaning toward his face with blazing eyes. “You’re not fit to be a father.”
His expression turned dark immediately, his brows furrowing into deep creases.
Um. I think you’re starting to cross a line now,that voice in my head warned me. But I wasn’t done yet.
“You’re cruel, ruthless, and your life revolves around nothing but death, chaos, and destruction,” I added with a low, venomous tone. When emphasizing the last sentence, I poked his chest on each word.
He grabbed my hand mid-air, squeezing my wrist. “You will watch your tone.”
“Or else what?” I challenged him. “You’ll hit me?”
The shock in his eyes was subtle—faint—but I could see it. I forced my hand out of his grip and held his gaze as if daring him to do his worst.
“I will not jeopardize the life of my unborn child just so that you can enjoy ‘freedom.’” He air-quoted the word, his voice low and dangerous. “You will remain within these walls for as long as I want you to.”
I clenched my fists tightly, fury rushing through my veins.
“Try to defy this order, and you’ll realize quickly that there are a million ways to make you suffer without raising a hand against you.”
His threat struck me like a dagger to the heart, but I refused to show fear.
Nik turned around and returned to his desk. “That’ll be all. Shut the door behind you.”
His cold demeanor and the way he concluded the conversation with a boss-like attitude were as impressive as they were irritating. His maturity made me feel foolish, and it only increased my anger.
And for the first time, I snapped, shoving books off his table in a fit of rage. My chest heaved with uneven breaths as I glared at him with trembling hands. Not out of fear. Anger.
He didn’t say a word to me. He just sat there, watching in silence.
“I hope you rot in hell someday,” I growled, irritated by the smirk on his face.
With that, I stormed out of his study, angrier than before. I went back to my room, slammed the door shut, and let out a frustrated groan. My eyes landed on the flower vase sitting on the nearby table. Without thinking, I grabbed the damn thing and threw it against the wall.
“Argh!” I yelled out my frustration, fingers swiping through my hair. “I hate him, I hate him—I hate him!” The words flew out of my mouth like bullets from a machine gun.
I tossed myself on the sofa, my feet tapping rapidly against the floor. Nik had gotten under my skin, slithered into my mind and thoughts, and I despised the level of control he had over my life.
But despite my fury, there was absolutely nothing that I could do at this point. As much as I hated to admit it, he wanted what was best for the child, too. In his own twisted way, he was securing his child’s life. Of course, mine didn’t matter because to him, I was just a container—the vessel carrying his legacy.
I let out a heavy sigh, leaning into the sofa as a flood of thoughts swirled in my mind. It was clear I was outnumbered and outsmarted—fighting Nik wouldn’t lead me anywhere. I still had a mission to finish, and I’d need to come up with a plan to gather those pieces of evidence without getting caught.
Anger and frustration wouldn’t get this done; I needed to calm the fuck down and replan. The game was still on, so maybe if I played it right, I could just maybe make it through.
Chapter 18 – Nik
I’d seen her angry countless times before; in fact, that anger was exactly what drew me to her like a moth to a flame. But today’s rage was different. I couldn’t understand how or why. There was just something about the way she reacted to my authority that didn’t feel right.
I spent the whole day replaying that scenario over and over again in my head, trying to make sense of why she was so furious. Perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones—I heard pregnant women usually had those in abundance.
