Bound by lies Trapped by Desire novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Elena’s POV:

“Elena”

Her voice cut through the room like a blade. I flinched and stared harder at the TV remote in my hand, pretending to fumble with the buttons, even though the Turkish drama was already playing

Yeah. It had been a couple of hours

Three in the afternoon, and I still hadn’t told her.

Good thing she couldn’t move much, because I was fairly certain she was about five seconds away from summoning the strength to strangle me with her IV line. I could feel the fury radiating from her bed like a furnace. My sweet, fragile mother who was recovering from open heart surgery looked ready to commit murder,

I cleaned my throat, flicking through episodes we’d already seen a hundred times. “Episode fourteen offered weakly.

She narrowed her eyes. “Elena.”

This was bad.

She’d taken a two–hour nap earlier. I’d used the time to breathe, to plan, to gather the courage to tell her everything.

I had come up with exactly zero strategies.

There was only one viable option now, panic and blurt the truth, then pray she didn’t keel over and die a second time out of sheer frustration.

A knock on the door interrupted the tension like a deus ex machina. I leapt to my feel, practically jogging toward it with a breath of relief.

“Must be the nurse. I muttered

I opened the door, expecting a meal tray

And froze.

Oh, for the love of

My heart dropped to my toes.

Standing there, in all his six–foot plus glory, was Nikola Vetrov. Tailored suit bouquet of white lilies in hand, eyes calm and impassive as ever.

No. No. Not yet.

I wasn’t ready. This was way too soon.

He looked past me into the room with a polite nod. “Good afternoon

I felt my jaw tighten.

He was going to blow my coher

I hissed under my breath, “What the hell are you doing here?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t tell her yet?”

“She just woke up!” I whispered furiously.

“Elena!” My mother’s voice floated from the bed. Is a Dmitri

I physically winced

Nikolai’s brows shot up. He gave me a look that clearly said you have got to be kidding me.

Before I could slam the door in his face, he strode in with quiet confidence, bouquet still in hand.

“Hello, Mrs. Kovalyova,” he said smoothly,

My mother blinked at him in confusion.

13

8:35 PM

Chapter 14

“Oh.. thank you,” she said, accepting the flowers. “You’ll have to forgive me, I’m a little groggy. You are.

“Nikolai Vetrov,” he said with a practiced smile.

She willed. Then let out a short, awkward laugh.

“Right. I know that name. The renowned billionaire. But you’re here!” Her gaze flicked between us, confusion blooming

I saw the exact moment she put the pieces together. Her eyes dropped to my dress–the one Nikolai had bought last night. She studied the cut of the fabric. Her brows lifted. Damn it, obviously she was too smart not to understand.

Her attention snapped to me again. “I’m sorry, Nikolai, this is the first time we’re meeting—I had expected Dmitri

Nikolai flicked his gaze to me, and I could tell he was silently asking. Want me to take over!

The silence that followed was deafening.

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