Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 425

Chapter 425: Tomb of buried emotions (2)
Zena’s cheeks had turned pink, as she understood that Noah, even if he did not know the truth—he had a slight inkling about what she felt for Nicolai.

She pursed her lips and nonchalantly remarked, “I am not doing anything as you claim. I mean—”

“There is no need for you to deny anything,” Noah flicked the little dirt that had settled on his shoulder because of the air that blew in the silent corridor, through the window. “I know things as I pay attention.”

He pulled a cigar case from his pants pockets and took one out.

“Your mother wouldn’t have suggested the alliance if you had not requested it,” he lit up the cigar and watched its end burn. “How touching.”

Zena clenched her fingers. She said to Noah, “You have no right to take mickey.” Her lips curled in a disdainful smirk as she remarked, “If you were apt enough then you wouldn’t be in this situation either.”

“Indeed,” one of the corners of Noah’s lips curled up. He said, “But at least I told my feelings to the woman whom I care for. She would know of my sacrifice if she were to find out that I am marrying you. But what about you?”

“Will Nicolai even know anything?” Noah stared at her. He bit the end of the cigar and took a swig from it, his eyes glinted maliciously before he remarked, “No. He will not —after all, if he were to find out about the kind of feelings that you hold for him.” His eyes squinted sadistically, “He is bound to be disgusted. Just as I am.”

“For his sake…you are using me as a little pawn.”

Zena’s face turned pale, just thinking of the situation that might appear if Noah were to bring up this matter in front of Nicolai. She pursed her lips before speaking in a cold voice, “We are both using one another.”

“Looks like you have an obvious insight into what we both are doing?” Noah remarked in a voice which was just above a whisper. “Then I suppose you are also aware of what will become of this marriage, right?” His eyes stared down at Zena pitilessly, “I am not Nicolai. I will never be him — and yet, you have to share my bed and give birth to my child.”

Noah blew a tuft of smoke in the air, “A tomb of dead emotions? Is this the kind of marriage that you are excited about?”

“I … I will do anything that will make him happy,” Zena spoke in a low voice.

“Hah,” Noah threw the cigar in his hand on the ground and squashed it with his foot. He had believed that he was above Nicolai in every way, but only now did he understand— he was beneath him.

What he had won was cold, hard money—Nicolai on the other hand, had won the hearts of people around him.

“How pathetically touching,” Noah ground out, he turned to look at Zena, as a kind of hatred filled his heart. She was the same as everyone else, she was using him just like everyone else.

And worst of all, she was doing all of this to let Nicolai get hold of Ari.

As for whether he used or disposed of her—that did not concern Zena. The only thing she cared about was Nicolai and Nicolai alone.

If that was the case, then —

He reached out and gripped Zena’s chin.

“What—” Zena gasped and a second later her eyes widened when Noah kissed her.

It was a fleeting kiss.

And yet—

SLAP.

The sound of a resounding slap echoed in the corridor as Zena looked at Noah with a glare in her eyes. “You…how dare you.”

Noah’s head had turned to one side, he raised his head and rubbed the cheek which had been slapped by Zena. His lips were stained with blood as her nails had scratched him.

“Why won’t I dare ?” Noah replied with an amused expression. “Did you expect me to be kind and gentle with you? Did you think that I will treat you like a princess even though you are using me to let Nicolai play with the one woman I desire with all my heart?!”

“Did you expect me to smile and clap my hands when you —for the sake of the happiness of your brother are using my Ari?”

Zena took a step back when she heard the bubbling hatred in Noah’s voice, but he caught hold of her chin and pulled her close.

“You want me to marry you, right?” Noah spoke in a trembling voice. “Then I will marry you, I will step out of your dear brother’s path. But…” his eyes vindictively glinted. “If that man dared to abandon Ari as he did to others —just remember I will make your life a living hell. Since you want to sacrifice your life for him, I will make you understand the true meaning of sacrifice.”

“So think it through Zena..because the fire that you are playing with,” he shook his head. “Is not friendly.”

He pushed Zena away from him, causing her to stumble, she raised her head and looked at Noah who was smiling at her wickedly, “Thank you for handing me such leverage over Nicolai, Zena.”

With three steps towards Zena, he came to a stop and patted her on the shoulder. He leaned down and whispered threateningly, “So you better pray that your brother will treat Ari well. Because whatever he does to her— I will make you pay it back tenfold.”

He then pushed past her, his shoulder brushing against hers.

Zena turned and looked at him with a complicated expression, her nails digging in her palm as she did so.

***

The next morning, as consciousness returned to him, Nicolai, who lay on the bed, sneezed twice in a row. Sneezing?

Him? Twice in a row at that?

Hello? Dear Satan? This was Nicolai de Luca speaking— and I would like to have an extension because he was so not ready to go yet.

But why the hell was sneezing? He questioned while blinking his eyes as he looked around his surroundings, no burning fiery pits. No demons and certainly not an edgy hellhole.

Nope, he was very much alive.

Where, though?