Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 543

Chapter 543: Demand what he deserved (2)
Nicolai’s lips curled up again, but he made sure to hide it from Ariana. He walked to the bathing room from where he picked up a clean towel and then brought it back for her to wipe her clothes.

“Thank you,” she said to him in a tentative voice.

“Hmm,” Nicolai did not say anything as he walked to his bedroom and stripped off the black sweatshirt that he was wearing. He wiped himself clean before walking out of the room and haphazardly threw the clothes in the laundry basket.

“Don’t do that,” Ariana said to him with a frown. “You should wash your clothes if they get wet in the rain.”

Nicolai rolled his eyes. Leave it to her to still worry about wet clothes when he was marching around in front of her, silently screaming that he was sulking.

“Sure, mother,” he said to her in a mocking voice before picking up the clothes and heading to the washing machine. However, before he could put the clothes inside, Ariana strode over and took the clothes from him before taking out the beige bedsheet and white socks out of the machine.

“Don’t wash your black clothes with white or light ones,” she said to him before stuffing the black ones and removing the whites. She then reached out and picked up the fabric softener, mixed it with the washing powder and another liquid that was apparently good for skin and kept the rashes away.

Once her hocus pocus potion was ready, she poured it in the machine and set the timer.

He stepped out of the bathing room as soon as she was done. Nicolai could feel a glare pointed at his head, but then it was followed by a sigh.

Ariana walked out of the bathing room and headed to the kitchen, where she pulled out some eggs and a few avocados. While she prepared a small snack with tea, Nicolai watched her get busy in the kitchen. He never knew that he would one day wish to see the sight of a woman cooking for him.

He had always thought it was a bother, but now he believed that it was not as bad as he expected.

“Where did you put the sugar?” She turned to look at him.

He raised his shoulders and shrugged, “Who knows? I don’t usually keep track of sugar and salt. I hardly even live here and even if I do, booze is all that I need.”

“How can you live like this?” She asked with a frown.

“Like what?”

“So uncaringly,” she pointed to the kettle on the stove and said to him, “Now there is no sugar, and the salt is running out too. Can’t you pay attention to some things? It’s like you are a brute who will eat anything. Sometimes I wonder if your taste buds are even alright.”

“My taste buds are just fine,” Nicolai started with a snort. “If anything, it’s you who care about the smallest thing.”

“I do not.”

“Oh, you do.”

She glared at him, her lips curled in dissatisfaction as she turned the stove off and poured honey in the tea instead of sugar. The entire time her forehead was scrunched up as if she were committing blasphemy by pouring honey in the milk tea.

He wished to smoothen that frown, but Nicolai stayed where he was. The ball, he needed to keep the ball in his court, he reminded himself and straightened up his back when Ariana walked over to the living room and placed the tray on the tea table.

“What did you make?” he asked.

“Avocado and scrambled egg toasts,” she replied while placing the cups of steaming tea in front of him.

If it were before, he would have filled the awkward silence, but this time around he sat still, drinking the tea and eating the toast without saying anything.

“Why did you bring me here if you were not going to talk to me?” Ariana asked with a sigh.

“I suppose you wouldn’t have given an answer to my question if I hadn’t,” he mocked her again. “I mean I am way too beneath your highness for you to admit that you fucking want me.”

He leaned back and crossed his arms in front, “So tell me. Do you want me?”

She looked at him for two whole minutes before sighing as she nodded.

Nicolai had to pinch himself from stopping himself from smiling. Damn, she looked adorable.

Can’t he just jump through the song and dance and take her to bed?

No, no, this was not the time.

Nico the Great, you better calm the fuck down. This was not the time for them to go all out.

They deserved better. And by better he meant a fucking title.

Not a booty call or a lender who was only related to Ariana because of the money that he had lent.

“Did you go mute in these past few weeks?” Nicolai asked her and Ariana raised her head. “Say it.”

“Do I have to?” she asked as rain lashed against the window.

“That’s right. Can’t have you backing out.”

“I want you,” she spoke in a low voice. “Is this enough?”

“Do you think so? Because I don’t.”

“What are you trying to do?” she asked with a frown, her voice strained and choked up.

“What? Don’t like it? I thought you liked the push and pull game,” he said to her.

Her lips parted, and she clenched her fingers on her lap. Her voice came out sobbing as she said, “So is this why you are doing this? You are trying to play with me, Nicolai? This is all a game to you?”

“Who knows?” He raised a shoulder. “I learnt from the best after all.”

“I didn’t play with you —”

“Then what the fuck do you think you did?” He leaned forward. “Things are about to change, Ariana. I don’t care if you want to act like a goodie two shoes with your family. But you are not going to treat me like you treated me in the past. I either get the top slot on your list of priorities or we end this.”