Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 43

Nik's POV:

The moment Victoria's eyes met mine, I saw it—pure, unfiltered betrayal. It was like a knife to the gut, sharp and sudden, twisting deep inside me. But before I could even process the pain in her gaze, she swayed on her feet, her eyes glazing over, and I barely had time to react before she crumpled, collapsing like a marionette with its strings cut.

"Woah!" I lunged forward, catching her just before she hit the floor. Her body was limp in my arms, her breathing shallow. Panic shot through me like lightning.

"What the fuck...?" I muttered under my breath, quickly lifting her into my arms in a bridal style, cradling her close to my chest. I could feel her heart beating, but it was too fast, too erratic. "Move!" I barked at everyone in the room, my voice laced with urgency. I need to get her to the living room!

My aunt and father stepped aside immediately, worry flashing across their faces. Even Amara and Layla looked startled, but they moved out of the way without hesitation. I carried Victoria into the living room, my heart pounding in sync with the wild thoughts racing through my head. What happened? Why did she look at me like that? What did I do wrong?

I gently set her down on the couch, my hands trembling slightly as I raised her legs onto the armrest to help with blood flow. My mind was spinning, trying to piece together what could have triggered this. She had been fine just moments ago, or at least I thought she was.

"Layla," I snapped, my voice sharper than intended. "Get me an ice pack."

Layla blinked, clearly rattled by the whole situation, but she nodded and hurried off. I turned back to Victoria, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. She looked so pale and fragile, so different from the stubborn, fiery woman I was used to.

"Victoria, come on," I murmured, worry gnawing at me. "You're okay. You're okay. You have to be okay."

Eduard crouched down beside me, his usual calm demeanor now tinged with concern. "What happened, Nikolai? She just... collapsed."

"I don't know," I admitted, frustration evident in my tone. "One minute she was fine, and then..." I trailed off, shaking my head. I couldn't make sense of it.

Alisha, who had been standing on the sidelines with wide eyes, suddenly piped up, her voice filled with childlike fear. "Is she dead?"

"No, no, she's not dead," I quickly reassured her, forcing a smile for her sake. "She just fainted. She's going to be fine, munchkin."

"Why did she faint? Did you scare her?" Alisha asked, her tone accusatory, as if I had done something terrible.

I opened my mouth to respond, but Layla reappeared with the ice pack, which I promptly took from her. "Thanks," I muttered, gently pressing it against Victoria's forehead. The coolness seemed to help, and I watched her closely, waiting for any sign of her waking up.

"Maybe it was a little bit to much for her," Kathryn suggested softly, her eyes filled with empathy as she watched over us.

"Maybe," I mumbled, though that explanation didn't feel right. Something had triggered her—something I hadn't seen coming.

Victoria let out a soft groan, her eyelids fluttering slightly. Relief surged through me, so intense it left me dizzy. "Victoria?" I leaned closer, my voice gentle. "Victoria, can you hear me?"

She shifted slightly, her brow furrowing as if she was trying to make sense of where she was. I held my breath, watching her closely, willing her to open those eyes and give me some sign that she was okay.

"She's waking up!" Alisha declared, jumping up and down beside the couch. "She's not dead!"

"Shh, Alisha," Eduard said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "Let her wake up slowly."