𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓮

29| cold

I S A A K

The silence in the room was deafening, so loud that it almost hurt. The tension in the air was palpable, thick and heavy like a suffocating blanket. She looked stunning in her red dress, but the circumstances were far from ideal. And it was certainly not the time for admiring her fashion choices. No, the focus was on the situation at hand, and it was not looking good.

I was about to open my mouth to speak, but then I heard footsteps approaching, and a voice I didn't want to hear interrupted us. "Diane, you don't have to talk to him if you don't want to," Luka said, his voice steady but his gaze fixed on the floor. I wanted to scream at him, to tell him that he had no right to tell me what to do. But I held my tongue, knowing that it would only make things worse.

I almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of his statement. Who did he think he was, her white knight or something? "I think if she didn't want to speak to you, she would have made that decision herself," I said, my tone laced with sarcasm. It was clear that he had no business being here, that he was just trying to insert himself into a situation that he had no business being in.

"I was talking to you, Isaak," I said, my gaze shifting from Luka back to the man who had been my confidant for so long. "Luka, it's fine. I'm okay," I said, trying to reassure him. But he wouldn't be deterred. "But Diane -" he started, and I could feel my patience wearing thin. These two men were like children, both trying to protect me in their own way. And I was so tired of it.

"He's not going to do anything to me," Diane said, her voice gentle as she looked at me. For a moment, I felt a flicker of hope, of something. But it was quickly snuffed out as she turned away, her gaze falling on Luka. "I promise," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He reached up and took her hand in his, and I felt my heart sink. I knew I was losing her, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

He placed a soft kiss on her hand, and I looked away. "Call me if you need me," he said, his voice heavy with regret. I heard the sound of his footsteps receding, and I knew he was gone. I wanted to say something, to stop him from leaving. But I knew it was no use. I had lost her, and there was nothing I could do to change that.

"Why," I asked, my voice quiet but heavy with emotion. The question hung in the air. "You're asking me why?"  She said, her voice full of disbelief and pain. "After everything you've done?" 

I studied her face, and it was like like seeing her for the first time all over again. There was something different about her, something hard and unyielding. It reminded me of the day I first saw her, 5 years ago. But this time it was different. There was a coldness to her eyes.

"What do you mean Diane?" I asked, my voice tight and controlled but the anger was simmering beneath the surface. "Did I not see you holding that guy's hand?  What is it to you Isaak?" she snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. "Why do you care if I'm holding another guy's hand? You're getting married for heaven's sake." I felt my temper flare, but I tried to keep my cool. "You know exactly why it matters." I said, my voice low and intense.

"Is this your revenge?" I asked, my jaw clenched. "Is that why you're holding another guy's hand?" I couldn't control the anger rising inside me. She whirled around, her eyes blazing with fury. "Don't you dare disrespect me like that!" she snapped. "Do you think I'm so desperate for you that I'd just ran into another man's arms, for you?" She looked at me with her unshed tears. I tore my gaze away not being able to bear the sight. 

"My marriage with Yulia is - it's not real," I confessed. "It's nothing but a business deal."  I said even though I knew the consequences of her knowing. "So now you decide to tell me? What, you didn't trust me enough before? Or was it because you didn't want me to find out that you had stripped Roseline's happiness away?" I was taken aback by her words, my mind trying to understand what she saying. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice full of confusion. She looked at me, her eyes filled with hurt and anger. 

"Gosh, you're such a selfish asshole!" she chuckled, her eyes sparking with tears. "You kept your stupid arranged marriage a secret because you knew I would find out the real reason why you did it in the first place."

"What are you talking about? 

"You know what I'm talking about," she said, her tone dripping with disdain. "Don't play dumb with me."

"Gosh, Isaak. She was just a teenager when it all happened. If I had known you would've been the cause of her being in a wheelchair, I would have never had fallen for you."

Silence fell. 

"Who told you all of this?" I said, my voice tight with anger and confusion. "Is that all you care about?" I balled my fists, trying to maintain my composure. "Who told you this?" I lowered my voice.

I was ready to kill Viktor, to tell him that the deal was off. But the name that came out her mouth wasn't Viktor's. It was Luka's. 

I nearly laughed, my anger intensifying. 

"You're not denying it?" she asked, her voice trembling. "You've already made your verdict, haven't you?" I tried to keep my tone neutral but it came out cold  and emotionless. I popped a gum in my mouth, the loud crunch breaking the silence. 

"Trust me Rivera," she said, her voice now icy cold. "This is only the first." She turned on her heel and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor as she went.