Bound by lies Trapped by Desire novel Chapter 126

Chapter 126

Chapter 126

Nikolai’s POV:

My intense dislike of my brother, Dmitri, had never stemmed solely from his blatant over–reliance on our father’s power and wealth. It wasn’t just his utterly spoiled nature that grated on my nerves. If that were the sole reason, I would have harbored similar disdain for a significant portion of the upper echelons of our society.

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The truth was, a good many of them were precisely the same entitled, arrogant, and completely detached from the struggles of the real world.

But not all of them were completely devoid of empathy, not all of them were utter cowards at their core. There was a line, a fundamental difference in character, that separated Dmitri from even the most privileged circles, and that line had been crossed long ago.

I had desperately hoped that the incident eight years ago had been a one–time, horrific lapse in judgment. It disgusted even myself now, sitting here, remembering the details, to think that he had seemingly repeated such a vile act. I had made damn sure to keep a discreet eye on him for a long time after that, ensuring he understood the gravity of his actions and hopefully preventing any similar occurrences.

However, it seemed my vigilance had faltered, my attention diverted, perhaps inevitably, after Elena’s arrival into my life. Her presence had become my focus, my obsession, and in that distraction, Dmitri had apparently reverted to his true, reprehensible nature.

“What are you… talking about, Nikolai?” Elena asked, her voice filled with confusion.

I took a deep breath, and turned my gaze towards Mielle.

Then I looked back at the road ahead. “Let’s go somewhere private to talk about this properly,” I said, my voice low and strained. Elena pursed her lips, a hint of impatience flashing in her eyes.

“Let’s just go to the penthouse then. We can talk there,” she said, and I frowned, my concern for her well–being overriding my own desire to keep her close. “Does your mother know you’re here?” She shook her head, her gaze resolute. “No. No time for that. I need to get back to Maxcester City before morning. It’s better if I don’t tell her.”

I frowned, but nodded slowly in understanding. Right. She couldn’t afford to take time off from her internship at Legacy, not with her career hanging in the balance.

Though I could easily arrange something for her, pull some strings with Seraphina to give her a few days leave… but I knew, with certainty, that she wouldn’t like it. No, in fact, relying on me for her career, even in this small way, was bound to make her upset.

“Alright then,” I said, pulling the car back onto the road, merging smoothly with the late–night traffic. “Have you had dinner?” I asked, glancing at her profile. She looked at Mielle, a silent communication passing between them, and then shook her head.

I pulled out my phone and quickly typed out a message to Benjamin, asking him to have a substantial dinner delivered to the penthouse as soon as possible.

The drive back to the city center passed in a heavy silence. Finally, we arrived at the penthouse. Elena walked in behind

1/3

Chapter 126

me, her steps hesitant. It was clear that she noticed the pillow and blanket I had left haphazardly on the living room couch A clear, unspoken question hung in her eyes, but I deliberately didn’t acknowledge it.

I had spent each night since she had left sleeping fitfully on that very couch, unable to bring myself to sleep in our bed without her presence beside me. I couldn’t believe I was even admitting that to myself. But the truth was, I would have preferred her own rickety, uncomfortable bed at her mother’s small house, as long as she was there beside me, to the vast emptiness of this luxurious penthouse without her.

quickly cleared the couch, tossing the pillow and blanket to the side, and arranged the delivered parcel boxes with the steaming fried rice, curry, and various side dishes on the coffee table. Then, I filled the electric kettle and set it on the stove before coming to sit on the edge of the sofa, leaving a respectful distance between Elena and myself.

“Let’s eat first,” I said softly, gesturing towards the food. Mielle excused herself to use the bathroom, while Elena silently began setting out the plates. The unspoken tension in the room was palpable.

No one spoke while we ate, the only sounds the clinking of cutlery and the soft chewing. Then, Mielle, looking slightly less pale and shaken, was the first to break the silence. “Sir-”

“Just call me Nikolai, please,” I said..

She nodded. “Nikolai, can you please explain what you were talking about earlier? About Dmitri… and that girl?” She asked, her voice calmer now compared to before. I didn’t know her well, but I had vaguely recognized her from Benjamin’s brief research – she was the classmate Elena had spent time with on her last day at university.

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts, and began. “Eight years ago, Dmitri met a girl in a bar he frequented. Her name was Liberty Romano, and she was sort of a… ‘free–spirited‘ girl. I remember her very little, to be honest, since I was barely in contact with my father and Dmitri at that time.”

A strange, unsettling impulse to fidget overtook me. All I could do was mindlessly move my thumb back and forth against the fabric of my trousers.

“Was she his girlfriend?” Elena asked, her voice soft byt probing, and I shook my head.

“As far as I know, they only had a… physical relationship. Neither of them wanted to be in an actual relationship. Especially due to the nature of Liberty’s job. She worked at the bar… as an escort.” I paused, letting the information sink in, and then added, “She became pregnant back then and had asked Dmitri to take responsibility.” Both Elena and Mielle frowned, a shared look of disapproval passing between them.

“She didn’t want a relationship, though? If she worked as an escort, then…” Mielle trailed off, her eyes wide with a dawning understanding, and I nodded in grim confirmation.

“Yes. Dmitri had told her, in no uncertain terms, to get an abortion. There wasn’t any concrete proof that he was the father, and like I said, Liberty was an escort, so unfortunately, no one in our social circles really thought highly of her or her claims. Her parents suddenly showed up at the Vetrov house, demanding a substantial financial settlement to pay to Liberty because she’d supposedly lost her job due to the pregnancy and no other establishment was willing to hire her in

her condition.”

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