Page 47 of Cruel Bet

While their situation might be unusual, it works for them. Kimiko and Juan are both happy to remain married on paper and live with their partners in separate houses for most of the year. They only see each other on occasion and all four get along well.

“It’s a shame Isabella couldn’t make it this time, send her my love, will you?” I ask.

“Of course, I know she can’t wait to see you both again.”

“How’s Endo and his wife doing?” I ask.

Endo married the Yakuza girl from the party almost a year ago, I know he was smitten with her from the get-go and that they were both more than happy with the arranged marriage.

“They’re good, they finally moved into their new home. Though I know Niki and Dimitri miss having him living with them.”

“I’m happy for them, they deserve it,” I say truthfully.

I’m tempted to ask more about Nikolai. When I first heard of Endo’s wedding, I couldn’t help but wonder if Nikolai married Svetlana like he was supposed to. But I haven’t been able to bring myself to ask, and Kimiko hasn’t mentioned it. I can’t bear the thought of Nikolai being married to that woman, to any woman, so for now I choose to remain in willful ignorance.

But then Kimiko breaks our unspoken rule.

“You deserve happiness too, Arianna. You can’t punish yourself forever for how things ended with Nikolai. It’s clear you’re lonely, and you never mention any guys apart from Luis. From what I can tell he has a thing for you, have you ever considered dating him, moving on?” she asks gently.

“In truth, no. I don’t see him that way, I haven’t felt interested in anyone in that way other than Nikolai,” I say with a shrug.

“And Mads’ father…” Kimiko says with a penetrating glance that suggests she doesn’t believe that there was ever another man.

“Yes… yes of course. But that was different, a drunken mistake,” I say, cheeks flushing pink.

“Don’t you think Nikolai has a right to know?” Kimiko asks softly, looking again at Mads.

Panic that Kimiko is finally going to tell Nikolai flares tightening my chest. I’m grateful Mads is busy playing and too young to understand and follow our conversation.

“There’s nothing for him to know. He isn’t her father. Besides, Nikolai doesn’t want to hear from me or see me ever again, he made that abundantly clear.”

“Things change, Arianna. He’s changed. I’m not sure it’s for the best. Now he’s even more closed off than ever, you were good for him. He’s so focused on revenge on finding your father and…”

“My father is still alive? I thought for sure Nikolai would have hunted him down and killed him long ago,” I interrupt, surprised.

I've deliberately avoided thinking of my father, he doesn’t deserve to take any more away from me, not even my time. He certainly doesn’t deserve my worries or concern over his fate. I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed to hear he’s still alive.

“Trust me, it’s not for a lack of trying. Nikolai’s like a man possessed. But it’s almost like he’s disappeared off the face of the earth,” Kimiko says with a small frown.

My eyes widen with alarm, and I automatically move to pick Mads up, suddenly fearful that my father or his men could be here, ready to harm me and take my child away. I curse myself for not asking about him sooner, for being foolish enough to believe I could ever escape him.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told you. But honestly, we’ve no reason to believe he knows where you are. The only people who know are me, Maria, Diego, Endo, Dimitri, and Nikolai. None of us would tell your father or his men a thing,” she assures me.

“Nikolai knows I’m here?”

“To start with, he didn’t want to know, and he’s not asked. But Nikolai knows everything within his empire, I’ve no doubt he knows now,” Kimiko admits.

The thought that Nikolai knows where I am and hasn’t hunted me down is comforting, he clearly still doesn’t hate me enough to wish me harm. But then, the fact he hasn’t come looking for me is evidence enough to show he doesn’t want to see me. That his parting words are still true today. Thinking of them still feels like a knife to my heart. But I had to do it, hard to hurt us both for my daughter. I have to believe that.

“I know you don’t like to talk about the past, about Nikolai, but just think about it. Is this really what you want for you, for Mads?” Kimiko asks, her big, brown eyes searching mine. “I promise I won’t say a word to anyone, but just think about it.”

I nod, “Thank you, Kimiko, you’re a good friend.”

I know I’m putting her in an impossible situation. Now she’s more or less said she doesn’t believe my lie about Mads’ father, I’m forcing her to lie to her family. Maria Adeline has to come first. My daughter will always come first, no matter what pain it causes me.

Chapter 28

Nikolai

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