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I'm already on the finishing touches to the flower crown I'm making basically out of boredom. It's a combination of baby's breath and red daisies my Nikolai gave me. Alexei would still not allow me to go back to my apartment, so here I am wearing one of Yelena's clothes again. It's a white and simple Sunday dress. Alexei and I are in the living room. He's wearing a dark blue suit, sitting on the sofa, crossing his one leg over the other while scanning his phone. Nikolai and Alexei can wear a table cloth and still look good in it.

I'm on the floor, working on the table right across Alexei. The sun is already illuminating all over the living room.

To my surprise, my phone buzzed and it's Nikolai. I answered it hurriedly.

"Are you on your way home yet Nikolai?"

"You sound like you've been waiting for my call."

"I did not want to call you because you might be busy or having a meeting."

"Baby, you can call me anytime you want. I have time for you always."

My heart instantly melted,"Spend more time with me then? My work at St. Mary's is not until Monday. Me and you snuggling all day and night. What do you think?" I looked at Alexei and he's shaking his head while smiling. I just giggled. Nikolai was about to say something but I suddenly remembered what I swore last night.

"Oh wait a minute. You're still not allowed to touch me for one whole week. Soooo.."

"Not gonna happen. I'm going to touch you anytime I want. I own you. You said that yourself when were in the beach." He remembers.

"Uhh, well, I ah.." I was groping for words. Dammit Nikolai, he's enjoying my discomfort.

"That's right. It's nice that we clearly understand each other baby." Nikolai said all too arrogantly. I suddenly heard a beep.

I gasped in disbelief while looking at my phone. Nikolai hung up on me. I heard another soft chuckle from Alexei.

I just decided to let it go and continued finishing my flower crown. I tied the cream colored ribbon to hold the ends together. I place it on top of my head. I then made a few small braids on my hair.

"How are the trees in forest mother earth?" Alexei said mocking me.

"If only you're more entertaining Alexei, I wouldn't be this bored." He just smiles and continues with his thing. "Very well, let me be the one to give life to this dull world of yours Alexei." I stood up and went to the piano a few meters from Alexei.

"You know how to play?"

"Yup. I was kind of forced into it when I was a child. While my friends played hide and seek outside, I on the other hand played the piano with my spinster tutor."

I am surprised to see a piano sheet of my favorite piece All I ask of You, on top of the piano. I know this piece by heart. I love Phantom of the Opera. Whenever I play this song, I remember Erik and what he must have felt seeing the love of his life in love with someone else. Erik's character was dark and tragic. The fact that he has never been kissed even by his own mother is a fate no one should ever experience.

When I hit the last key I took a deep breath. I glanced at Alexei's direction. I am surprised to see Nikolai, standing several feet from Alexei.

He just stands there gazing at me. Alexei had the same look on his face. What is up with them?

I quickly ran towards Nikolai's direction and hugged him tight.

"Youre home." Nikolai did not hug me back. He just looks the other way.

"I'm tired Belle. Excuse me." Nikolai walked away from me. Belle? Did he just call me Belle? Nikolai never calls me by my name. What is happening?

I followed Nikolai to his room. He's in the shower. I sat on the bed facing towards the bathroom's direction.

A few minutes past Nikolai went out of the bathroom and walks directly towards his closet. He wore his usual white tee and boxers.

"What's wrong Nikolai?"

"Nothing." Nikolai's voice is as cold as ice. "Are you feeling fine already?"

"Uh yes. I'm fine Nikolai."

"Good. You can leave anytime you wish." I froze the moment Nikolai said those words. He wants me to leave. Nikolai wants me to leave. I feel like my heart is being crushed into pieces. Why is he doing this to me? What have I done?

I wanted to touch him so badly but I chose not to. If he wants me to leave I'm going to leave. My stupid tears are threatening to fall again. I walked away from him and ran back to my apartment.

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It's almost nine in the evening. I'm glued to my bed and have been bawling my eyes. I tried so hard to recall what happened so I can figure out what went wrong or what I did wrong for Nikolai to do that to me. It was the first time that Nikolai was cold and indifferent towards me. I feel like my heart wants to explode.

I checked my phone and not a single text or call from him, not even from Alexei.

Maybe he's suffocated by me. Maybe he needs time away from me.

Soon enough Nikolai will come to his senses and he will come for me. I will not give up on him just yet.

I wipe my tears off of my face and drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning, I still hasn't heard from Nikolai. Part of me wishes that Nikolai would just barge in my apartment and destroy my door again just for us to talk.

Suddenly I heard a knock on the door. I suddenly felt hopeful so I quickly opened the door. It's Loraine.

"Hello Belle."

"Hi Loraine."

"I'm here to give this. I was supposed to give this to you the other day but you weren't here." She handed a folded piece of paper and an envelope. We sat on the chairs on my porch.

"Oh, what's this?"

"This is your check for looking over Sawyer and the other one is from Sawyer himself."

"Thank you Loraine, how's Sawyer?"

"He's fine Belle, he already left." My eyes widened in surprise. Sawyer left.

"Where to?"

"To his father in California. He's a cardiologist but he knows people who can help Sawyer. He will be admitted into a facility."

"That's wonderful to hear Loraine!"

"It's all because of you Belle. Since my son met you, he came back to the old Sawyer I know. A fighter. One that never gives up. He thought that his world was over when the doctor said that there's a chance that he can't go back to playing football. One night, out of nowhere, he just told me that he wanted to go back to playing football again." Loraine looked very happy. She held my hand tightly as she spoke.

"No Loraine, I really did nothing. Sawyer already had it in him."

"I'm so sorry Belle, but I have to confess that I read the note Sawyer left for you. I just cant help it, forgive me." Loraine's mother instinct got the best of her and I completely understand that. She has an apologetic yet ecstatic look on her face.

"It's okay Loraine." I gave her a smile.

"I have to go Belle. If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to let me know okay?" I nodded at her in response.

I remained in the front porch and read Sawyer's note for me.

Belle,

Thank you for having faith in me. I promise I'll be back without the wheelchair. I'm looking forward to carrying you in my arms while walking, instead of wheeling you the next time you get tired playing baseball with a whole bunch of kids. I'll buy you as many bagel as you want.

Love,

Sawyer.

P.s I don't trust him.

P.s.s I'm just a few digits away.

I place Sawyers note to my heart. At least now I know that I'm not alone. I really wish Sawyer all the best. I know that someday he can go back to playing football.

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I'm walking back and forth in my room. I called Amy to be online to video chat.

"B!!!!!! What happened to you? You look like you've been crying."

I finally told Amy about me and Nikolai. I cant even count how many times she hurled profanities at me for not telling her earlier but she cried when I told her that I'm finally in love and heartbroken.

"Listen to me B. You see it doesn't make sense. You said you were able to talk to him in the morning before he came home right?"

"Yes."

"And he went cold on you only when he arrived. So, what changed? Why went cold on you all of a sudden?" Amy's right, it really doesn't make any sense.

"How I wish I know the answers A."

"I want to see this Nikolai. Do you have a picture of him?"

"I don't, just google his name A. The owner of Volkov Holdings, that's him." I can see Amy is already typing and searching Nikolai's name. I can see Amy's eyes widened and her lips parted. Yes A, he has the same effect on me. I understand.

Another tirade of profanities went out of Amy's mouth.

"Your boyfriend is a filthy rich demigod, B!!!!! Omg!"

"Amy!!!! Focus!"

"Alright, I'm sorry, I'm just saying." Amy is still looking at the screen. Suddenly she looked like she saw something disturbing.

"What A?"

"Oh..you said he was in Boston last night yes?"

"Yes. Why?" Amy sent me a link. I clicked on it. It's an article about a business event held last night.

"What am I suppose to look at A."

"Bottom picture."

If its even possible to cut my heart into tiny pieces than it already is, I'm already feeling it. It's a candid photo of Nikolai with a woman in white long gown along with other men in suit. It looks like they are close to each other. The right hand of the woman is on Nikolai's chest. Nikolai is however looking somewhere else. It has a caption at the bottom. Yrina Yvanislov, Vice-President of a company and the heiress of a real estate mogul in Boston.

This was Nikolai's very important business. And he stayed in Boston overnight. I checked and there was no reported weather disturbance last night. Nikolai and Alexei lied to me. They both lied to me.

"B! Listen to me. You should talk to him first before jumping to any conclusion. You hear me? It's just a picture. He's a filthy rich guy it's normal for him to attend to these kinds of events."

I heard Amy but I don't know what to say. My Nikolai and Alexei lied to me.

"B, talk to him."

Amy's right I should talk to Nikolai.

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I'm already outside my apartment when I saw Nikolai and Alexei on their way out of Nikolai's house. Their men are already waiting beside the two black SUVs. I quickly walked towards them. Alexei saw me first and he immediately called on Nikolai. Nikolai glanced at my direction but he still continued to walk his way towards the car. I quickly stood in front of him. Nikolai's men waited for his next move.

"I want to talk Nikolai." I looked him in his eyes. I cannot see my Nikolai in those eyes.

Suddenly, my heart jumped from my chest when he grabbed my arm and dragged me inside his house. Alexei held Nikolai's arm and said something to him in Russian but Nikolai just looked at Alexei sternly and whisked him off. At this point I can feel my heart beat so fast. This is the first time that Nikolai has treated me like this. I can slowly feel my eyes are being pinched again.

Nikolai then throws me to the wall, it made a thumping sound. This is not my Nikolai. You are not my Nikolai!!!!

"What do you want from me Belle?"

I could not look him in the eyes. I refuse to look him in the eyes.

"Why are you doing this to me Nikolai?"

Nikolai forced me to look at him. He held my chin with his right hand squeezing it tight.

"You don't really get it don't you? I fucking played you Belle! I'm done with you! Do you really think that I'm going to stick around with a girl like you? You were so fucking easy!"

Nikolai's words stabbed through my heart like a knife. Nikolai did not love me. It was just me who created the illusion that he loved me. All the questions that I want to ask him have been answered. He just played me. The women from his party were right. I'm just one of them.

I have nothing else to say. Nikolai has said what I needed to hear.

I ran away from him. I grab the necklace he gave me and I let it run through my fingers down to the ground.