Page 43 of Obsession of the Bratva

“You left me and told me you cheated and how you never loved me.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Because I had to.”

I froze. She froze. The entire world froze. Neither of us moved. I had never been more confused.

“What?”

The word barely emerged out of my mouth, and Vera laughed again. She wiped angrily at her face and then looked directly at me.

“I never cheated on you, you bastard.”

Silence. My heartbeat stopped.

“I never cheated.”

I stared. I couldn’t think or breathe or move. She continued anyway because apparently God hated me.

“It was a lie.”

“No. You are just saying that.”

“I didn’t want Adrian.”

No.

“I never wanted him.”

No.

“I never even touched him.”

No.

“I never cheated on you.”

Every sentence landed like a bullet. I couldn’t process them fast enough. Couldn’t catch up. Couldn’t understand.

“You’re lying.”

Vera laughed through tears. “Why would I lie now?”

I had no answer. Because there wasn’t one. She looked devastated and heartbroken. And horrifyingly honest.

“Oh my God.”

The whisper escaped before I could stop it. Everything suddenly looked different. The breakup. The engagement. The wedding. Her expression filled with relief when she saw me. Her lack of resistance in leaving the wedding. I stumbled backward.

“You ruined everything.” The words came out quietly.

I wasn’t angry or hateful, just tired.

“Vera, tell me. Why would you even do something like this? Why?”

“I have nothing to say, Nico. I can’t explain this to you.”

“What the fuck, Vera? No! You cannot tell me something so big and act as if this was a joke. That is not how things work.”

She backed away, running upstairs towards her room. I followed behind, but she was quicker. The door slammed shut seconds later. Then locked. And suddenly I was alone. For months, I had survived by hating her, and now that hatred had just been ripped away, leaving something far worse behind.