Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 96

Where did the wild cat go?
“Ah…” Stella opened her mouth to scream as she hadn’t expected to see Nicolai De Luca, but Nicolai immediately covered her mouth with one of his forefingers, stuffed in his ear.

“God, don’t start screaming yet when I haven’t even done anything,” He hated it when people started screaming without him taking his gun out. At least wait for him to take out his gun before starting the scream show.

Compared to them, his Pallas was way too courageous at least she did not scream when she saw him for the first time. Though Pallas trembled a bit, she held her ground until the end.

Unlike these women who went on a crazy screaming fit whenever they saw him.

“Now, you will be nice and quiet for me, right?” Nico asked the woman behind his palm and nodded. Good. Even if she started to reconsider her decision, he had more than one way to make her go quiet. For an hour. A month. A year or maybe whole life.

Depended on his mood.

He turned to look at Leila. The owner of the café and the woman did a double as if she couldn’t believe her eyes but unlike Blondie, she did not scream. Instead, she very calmly questioned, “How may I help you… Mister De Luca.”

She was far too calm and collected. Though she did not breathe power like he did, Leila seemed to have an authority of her own. Calmer but potent, maybe this was the reason that a man named Ryan was adamant about getting her back or something.

If he had a thing for women like Leila, he too would have found her amusing, but Nicolai’s preference was different.

Like a certain pink head with blue eyes? The voice in his head called and Nicolai pursed his lips. That was it. He was going to choke that little voice in his head to death one of these days, as it talked too much.

He quirked a brow and then answered, “Pal—— Ariana what happened to her?”

Upon hearing Nicolai mention Ariana’s name, Leila grew nervous as well as suspicious. Was this the man to whom Ari owed the debt? Leila thought as her gaze fell on the piece of paper that she was carrying in the pocket of her skirt.

If so, wouldn’t Ari be in danger in case this man were to find out that she ran away?

Though her actions were subtle, Nicolai caught them. With his agile hands, he snatched the documents that were crumpled until wrinkles were popping out of every inch of the paper and muttered, “Excuse me.” He might have said that, but he did not sound serious at all.

“Hey, wait…” Leila reached out for the paper, but it was too late, Nicolai was already done reading the content of the document. An amused yet mocking smile etched on his lips as he tore the paper into bits and pieces.

Someone dared to become the debtor of his Pallas when he was still alive? My oh my, it seemed like Nicolai De Luca’s name had lost all the respect and weight it once carried. What should he do about it now?

He turned his gaze at Leila, who flinched under those burning red orbs. Nicolai questioned, “Did Ariana go missing because of this thing?” It sounded like Pallas. Given that she acted tough but was someone who did not have the slightest clue when things went out of control.

He was certain that Ari must have gone crazy as a cuckoo on weed, upon finding out that her life was now trapped in debts and more debts.

Ten million dollars. She would have to either rob a bank or sell her body for an eternity to make that kind of money.

‘Quite heartless of her family to push such a debt on her head,’ Nicolai thought while waiting for Leila to respond.

Leila, on the other hand, was speechless by the actions of Nicolai. She could not understand what he was trying to do. Was he and Ari really acquainted, but how could it be possible? Ari does not seem like someone who would her along with someone like this man.

Maybe her expressions were too vivid but a second later Nicolai stated, “She owes me a debt as well. If she goes AWOL, who will pay me back?” She did owe him dinner and lunch, so technically he was not lying.

No sooner had those words left his mouth, than three people who were standing outside the café looked at him that he was worse than the incarnation of the Grim Reaper. Maybe he was because the man stepped in front of him and said in a quaking voice, “D… Don’t hurt Ari, she is a very kind woman… how much does she owe you, we…we will pay you back.”

“Even if you put your life on the line, I am afraid you can’t,” Nicolai responded with a grim smile. Since neither of them was Ariana, they couldn’t possibly sit next to him and sign the deal off. Of course, he knew that his words traumatized the three, but Nicolai did not bother to correct them.

He freaking loved terrorizing people.

Brett glanced at Leila and Stella. Damn, that old geezer from the Harlow family, just how much debt did he owe? From the local street thug to Nicolai De Luca, Ari had to owe debts to such dangerous figures because of that man.

“Please leave the matter of finding her to us, Mister De Luca,” said Leila, her voice shaky but filled with determination. The wind fluttered her brownish-red hair behind her as she stated with cold green eyes staring at Nicolai, “We will find Ari, don’t worry she is not the kind of person who would shirk her responsibility.”

“And who do you think you are for me to take your word? You have been looking her for how many hours, one? Two? Three? Don’t tell me it’s four?” Nicolai asked sarcastically.

“We are trying our best, it’s not like we are not giving our all,” Stella could not help but chime in between as she did not like how Nicolai was speaking with Leila.

Nicolai found her words amusing. He laughed, “Your all, doesn’t seem to be cutting, sweetheart. You might not know this, but a debt like this sometimes makes people take crazy steps. Steps that lead to death, and you have wasted four hours, do pray to the Big Brother up in the sky. For only he might be your last hope now.”