Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 429

Chapter 429: A let down (2)
Only Penelope knew how hard it was for her to return to the Lonest city. Her brothers had grounded her and made it nearly impossible for her to get out of the house. For a while, it seemed like she would be nearly sixty before they would let her out again—

But there was no way Penelope was going to let them succeed which was why she had locked herself out in the garden on a rainy day causing her condition to worsen.

If not for the helpful attack that she had a few days ago, Penelope would still be locked up in the manor.

Fortunately for her, she had somehow managed to convince her parents that she was not feeling well and needed to get out and get some fresh air.

After weeks of continuous persuasion and beseeching, her parents had allowed her to leave the city and come to look for Nicolai.

‘I didn’t waste so much effort for nothing,’ Penelope thought scathingly. She came here with a mission in her mind and there was no way she was going to let anyone interrupt her.

This time around, she would make Nicolai bed her and take responsibility for doing so. Unlike other women, she would succeed.

Zena arched a brow at her commanding tone. “I would suggest using please, maybe then I might step away?”

A surge of annoyance swept up in Penelope’s heart as she tried to step past Zena. It was bad enough that Nicolai was avoiding her but if he was chasing after Ariana then —

A dark look surged in her eyes at that thought. She was already fearful of the fact that the woman might steal the position where she stood, Penelope didn’t want or need Ariana stealing the man she had set her eyes on.

However, just as Penelope stepped to one side, Zena did the same. Penelope couldn’t even take another step past her and was forced to look at Zena who was smirking down at her.

Clearly, she was rather amused with her actions.

“Pl—please,” through gritted teeth, Penelope requested, “Can you step aside? I need to step out of the cafe.”

“Hmm?” Zena tilted her head with her arms crossed in front. For two seconds she seemed to be seriously pondering over her request but then she smiled at Penelope before saying, “Nope. You need to be more honest.”

Penelope glared at her seethingly.

On the other hand, Nicolai was looking around for Ari. By the time he arrived outside the cafe, all the traces of her were gone.

Motherfucking motherfucker.

He pulled out his phone prepared to call her and demand answers but paused in his actions. Did he have the right to do so? And should he do it?

Clearly, she didn’t give a fuck about what he did and with whom he was. Ari watched Penelope cling onto him, she knew that the woman was literally begging him to take her and yet she did not even stop her.

Dear lord.

Nicolai could feel his emotions swirling out of control. He was back into the abyss from where he had pulled himself from and there was no way out of it.

A part of him wanted to go and chase Ariana, hunt her down and question her what she meant by ignoring him but he didn’t instead he wheeled towards his car with a determined expression on his face.

Since she did not care, he was not going to desperately beg her either.

‘Three years—she wasted three years on that motherfucker, and me? Even three minutes of her day was too much.’

** *** **

“Have you ever wondered about your family?” Emil asked Ariana once she was done with examining him. He blinked his eyes and stared up at Ari who seemed rather cross after lunch break.

The two of them were closer in age and thus, it didn’t take much for Emil and Ari to get close to one another. What was more Emil knew how to win the heart of his sister, he had told her jokes and his secrets alike before winning her trust.

And Ari had also confided in him about her secret — that her family was not her own.

Ariana upon hearing his question raised her head and turned to look at Emil with an annoyed look on her face. She suppressed her anger which had been bubbling in her heart for a while ever since she saw Penelope cling onto Nicolai.

Back then she had wanted to march up to Penelope and pull her away from him but soon she had suppressed that sudden urge. After all, Nicolai and her were not exclusive and even if they were — she was never going to beg another man to stay.

The pain from the last time was still etched deep within her heart.

‘If he wanted he could have moved,’ thought Ari angrily. ‘But he didn’t. Instead, he stayed put, doesn’t it mean that he was quite liking the attention?’

Though she was furious, Ari didn’t let her anger get the best of her.

“What did you say?” She asked Emil with a polite expression on her face.

“Your family,” Emil repeated. He was not at all annoyed by the fact that Ari was not paying attention to his words. “Haven’t you thought about looking for them?”

Though Keon had asked him to take it slow, Emil didn’t like the idea of that fake making use of the identity that belonged to Ari.

Not to mention he had never really liked Penelope.

Ari threw the syringe in her hands into the trash can before shaking her head. She replied, “Not really. In fact, I think living like this is much better. At least I have no expectations from anyone — my past … well, the family that I grew up in… they taught me that I am on my own.”

“What’s the point of looking for my real family? What if they are just as much of a letdown..” the image of Nicolai being touched by Penelope overlapped the one where Noah was kissing Ariel and Ari smiled melancholy. “Like my past? I am too scared to go through the same pain again.”