Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 466

Chapter 466: A step close (2)
Ari closed her eyes as she spilt the truth that she had been keeping inside of her heart all along. “… I don’t know how to tell you this but — I am not as clean as you think I am.”

Her memories flickered as she clenched her teeth and continued, “A long time ago, when I was a child, there was a man who purchased me.” She could never bring herself to say these things to anyone but Ari knew she had to because Nicolai deserved to know the cause of her actions and the injury that he received.

These memories that belonged to her and yet, they didn’t, were something that she had to accept no matter what. There was no point in denying them as they would, sooner or later, become a part of her existence.

Since that was the case then she might as well let Nicolai take a peek into the darkness that she carried and the potential dangers he might be facing if he were to get close to her.

What could go wrong …with telling Nicolai about this past apart from him walking away? Even if he did walk away, Ari didn’t believe it was too big of a loss.

Because this truth would one day come out in one way or another, then she might as well tell him.

As the words spilt through her lips, Nicolai’s expression twisted again and again until it became so physically malevolent that it was difficult to look at.

“… Who?” He asked.

Ari raised her head and stared at the man in front of her. “Who?”

“Who was the man who did those things to you?” Nicolai asked, phrasing his sentence in a much better manner. “Who did it to you? Because baby, I am about to skin that man alive.”

“I don’t know…” Ari lowered her gaze, she clenched her fingers when she heard Nicolai’s words. And the chill in her heart receded. She closed her eyes and added, “That man always wore a mask— a neon stitched mask.”

It was alright.

At least this man named Nicolai de Luca truly cared for her.

Looking at his face, Ariana felt like it was meaningless to avoid the inevitable. Nicolai didn’t even ask her what she was hiding and why she was so hesitant to accept him.

And as much as Ari hated it, when she was in front of Nicolai she would rather not think or come to any of the conclusions that she had in her mind. It felt like nothing could go wrong when she was with him as if she were safe with him.

Which was funny because she had never felt like this, even in her own home.

In fact, when was the last time Ari felt like this before?

‘I don’t think…’ Ari closed her eyes as she leaned forward and placed her face in the crook of his neck. ‘I have ever been allowed to live like this before.’

For the past twenty-six or seven years, Ari felt like she was running from a beast that was chasing after her.

Though years went by, she was stuck in the same place. The desperation, anger, and grief that she had forgotten remained frozen where her childhood memories had stayed and yet, everything continued to follow her.

Like a shadow. Unchanging yet right next to her.

Those forgotten memories were covered with a thin veil which had now snapped off—and Ari could feel her life had been utterly wasted.

If she continued like this, Ari was sure that she would no longer have the energy to pretend that she was even left with any sanity.

In fact, there were times and moments when she wished her own life would come to a halt and Ari wouldn’t have to open her eyes again.

It was a good thing that Nicolai did not ask her anything, instead, he simply raised his hand and placed it on the back of her head. His fingers were nursing and skimming through her hair.

The two of them stayed like that for a while until the door of the office was pushed open and,

“Nico, I asked you to bring Doctor Harlow. What are you—” Aiden trailed off when Nicolai raised his head and glared at him with a seething expression, and Aiden stepped out of the office.

However, as he stepped out, he wondered why he left the office when it belonged to him.

Inside the room, Ari stepped away from Nicolai who asked her, “Are you alright?”

“I—no,” Ari wanted to say that she was alright but after a pause, she changed her words, she no longer wanted to live like she had before. Lying and deceiving everyone, including herself. “I am not…alright. I feel sick and disgusted at the mere thought of what my memories might hold.”

“I wish I could say that you don’t need to feel scared,” Nicolai told her. “That I will take care of the bad people in your memories, Pallas. But I can’t…” he paused while holding her hands in his. “However,” after a short intake of breath, he said to her, “When you come back, I promise that I will wait for you right here. You are not alone alright?”

Ari smiled down at him before asking, “Why did Doctor Aiden ask you to call me, Nicolai?”

“Oh there is a little gift that is waiting for you,” Nicolai told her as he stood up from the bed.

“Your wound,” Ari began, looking at the blood on his clothes which had splattered after she stabbed him.

Nicolai glanced down at his shoulder before saying, “It’s nothing to be worried about, but let me wash it off lest it causes alarm. My dear cousin outside can be a worrywart when he wants to Pallas.” As he finished speaking, he winked at her and walked over to the small table where he picked up the disinfectant.

And though he didn’t say it outright, Ari knew that he wanted to keep her little episode a secret.