Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 428

Chapter 428: A let down
“I can if that’s what you want,” Zena replied, and Nicolai narrowed his eyes as he noticed that her voice was a bit high-pitched. “But I don’t think that you will like it will you?”

Nicolai arched his brows until they were hitting his hairline as he questioned, “Moi? When did I do such a thing?”

“You do it every time,” Zena rolled her eyes and retorted, trying her best to hide the emotions raging in her heart. “Every damn time, Nico. So I decided to snap a page out of your book.”

For his sake —she had to take Noah out of the equation no matter what. And for that, she had to make sure neither of her brothers would ever come to know the truth. Not until everything was beyond the reach of a turning point.

“Do I?” Nicolai grinned as he leaned forward and pinched Zena on her cheeks, “My little sister has gotten way too sneaky. Look at you go, now you know how to quibble with your brother, eh?”

Her expression eased when Nicolai smiled at her. However, Zena knew that it was only because he didn’t know and had no idea the kind of feelings that she was carrying in her heart.

“Cling 10/10 alert,” said Kayden, causing Nicolai to pause and turn to look at him. His cousin’s face was laden with apparent disdain which confused Nicolai.

For a second, he thought that Kayden was talking about Ariana, which wouldn’t be surprising as they were sitting in the café which was not far from their hospital.

But then he remembered that Ari was not clingy, and there was no way Kayden would know what was going on between the two of them.

A second later, someone covered his eyes from behind and Nicolai would have thrown the person on the ground if not for the voice that drifted over to him, “Nico! Guess who?”

Penelope.

Nicolai gritted his teeth as he pushed the woman away from him. With his head tilted slightly, he fixated his gaze on Penelope. “What are you doing here?” He asked forcefully.

She pouted and to his greatest annoyance took the empty seat right beside him. “I came to see you silly. I convinced my dad that we had a little problem which needed to be sorted out.” With her hand placed on her chest, Penelope said to him, “I swear I mean no harm this time, Nico. I was just a bit nervous the last time because I had an attack.”

Nicolai licked his front teeth with the tip of his tongue. He couldn’t understand why Mister Ashford trusted Penelope so much, he would believe anything that she told him.

“I have no interest in hearing anything,” Nicolai gritted out. “You can get up and get lost for all I care.”

“But why?” Penelope asked as she leaned forward to take his hand in hers, but he pulled it away. “I know that you are angry with how I reacted, but I didn’t mean to, Nico. Why don’t you just listen to me? Anyway, didn’t you punish me enough already the last time?”

The way she spoke was rather suggestive, and Nicolai noticed Kayden looking at him with a raise of his brow as if trying to ask what was going on.

Nicolai wanted to tell him that the woman was just being pathetically clingy and nothing else.

Maybe you are just as clingy in someone’s head as well.

He ignored the stabbing voice of truth and was about to forcibly push Penelope off the chair on which she was sitting when—

A sharp gaze pointedly glared at him, Nicolai could sense the murderous intent behind it and was certain that if looks could kill, he would be dead for sure.

‘Who the fuck …’

He turned to look behind him and was stunned to see none other than Ari standing behind him. She was standing right against the cashier with a few of the nurses and doctors. A wispy-haired woman was talking to her, but Ariana did not seem to be listening.

She was glaring at him, with all of her attention focused on him.

Fuck him.

Ariana was right behind him, and she was looking at him and then at Penelope. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed Penelope skim her long nails on his arm. For a second, Nicolai thought that she was going to rush over and pull Penelope away from him.

Like she would boldly announce her claim on him.

But instead —

She smiled at him. It was one of those stupidest smiles of hers, the one she used to flash at him when they were nothing but strangers. Ariana retreated into whatever vault she carried with her all the time as the iron gate shut closed.

She turned her back on him and started talking to the woman next to her, it was as if she did not even see him.

That fucking woman —

Nicolai got to his feet, but his hand was still clasped by Penelope who didn’t seem to incline to let go of him, “Where are you going, Nico?”

And Nicolai didn’t have enough patience left in his body to care for her at that very moment. He watched Ari walk out of the café and a wave of rage started to swirl inside of him.

He flicked Penelope’s hand off his and rushed out of the café.

“Nico!” Penelope rose to her feet, wanting to chase after him but was stopped by Zena who stood up and came to a stop in front of her.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” said Zena with narrowed eyes as she looked at Penelope, who was now glaring at her. Clearly annoyed with the fact that she had interrupted her chase.

“Get out of my way!” Penelope demanded, her gaze flickering to Nicolai who seemed to be chasing someone and if she was not wrong, she did notice a mane of cherry pink head.