Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 93

Ria's POV:

I was practically vibrating with excitement as I finished my makeup. I applied a fresh coat of crimson lipstick, carefully perfecting the outline with a precision that made me feel like a professional. Concealer, eyeliner, mascara-check. My look was sophisticated yet chic. Tonight was special, after all. Jack and I were heading to that new restaurant everyone had been raving about, and I was feeling pretty damn good about it.

"Okay, Ria, you're all set," Benny said, giving my hair one last critical glance. He gave it a final flourish with the curling iron and then stepped back. "You look amazing."

I smiled, turning to admire my reflection. "I feel amazing."

Layla peeked out from the kitchen, where she and Jamal were prepping food for their own evening. "You do look amazing, Ria! Jack won't know what hit him!"

I grinned, feeling a rush of confidence. Layla and Jamal had been the most supportive friends anyone could ask for. It was clear they were genuinely excited for me, and their enthusiasm was infectious.

Just then Jack texted me, informing me he has arrived.

Jack: I'm parked downstairs, darling.

Darling.

I fucking love british men.

"Alright, alright, enough with the compliments," I said, grabbing my clutch and heading towards the stairs. "I'm off."

I grabbed my bag, and hurried downstairs. My heart raced as I opened the door to find Jack waiting with a wide, charming smile. His deep blue eyes sparkled with genuine warmth, and he held out a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

"Jack," I said, reaching out to take the flowers. "These are beautiful."

"Not nearly as beautiful as you," he replied smoothly, leaning in for a kiss.

We'd kissed before, so this was a familiar, comfortable gesture. As I pulled back, smiling up at him, my gaze happened to shift past his shoulder-and that's when I saw him.

Nikolai.

Standing behind Jack, almost as if he had materialized out of nowhere. My heart seemed to skip a beat, and I felt an icy shock run through me. His icy gray eyes met mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop. I felt like a deer caught in headlights, my smile freezing on my face as my heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst. After all these years...

"Victoria," Nikolai said, his voice cutting through the air with an authority that made my skin crawl. He took a step toward me, his gaze never leaving mine.

"No," I choked out, shaking my head as if that alone could erase him from my life. My heart was racing, my mind spinning with a mix of fear and anger. Without another word, I turned and bolted in the other direction in my heels.

Fuck no.

I was so not doing this shit again.

I ran as fast as I could, my heels clicking against the pavement until one of them snapped. I stumbled a few steps before catching myself and continued to run, my fury propelling me forward. I had to get away, to escape the reminder of a past I had worked so hard to leave behind.

Whoever said you can't run away from your problems is a fucking liar.

Eventually, I ended up in a random park, breathless and disheveled. I limped over to a bench, only to find a tree log that looked like it had been cast aside as an afterthought. My makeup was smeared, my heart was still racing, and the broken heel of my shoe had turned my graceful escape into an awkward, hobbling mess.

Fury bubbled up inside me like a boiling pot. How dare Nikolai show up here, ruining my night, my life! I grabbed the nearest smaller log and began hitting the larger one with all my might, the frustration pouring out with every swing. I didn't even realize I was crying-angry, frustrated tears streaming down my face.

"Miss, are you... alright?" a passerby asked, his tone a mix of concern and confusion.

I stopped mid-swing, looking up at him with smeared makeup and a wild expression. I probably looked like a lunatic, but I wasn't about to let that stop me. "Yes," I snapped, before turning back to my assault on the tree log. "I'm perfectly fine!"

The passerby took one look at my state-broken heel, angry tears, and the furious log-bashing-and wisely decided to keep walking. I could hear him muttering something under his breath, but I didn't care to listen.

Undeterred, I continued my one-woman battle against the inanimate object. My strikes became more erratic, more desperate. I was hitting that log as if it were the embodiment of all my frustrations, all my past troubles. With every hit, I felt a tiny bit of my anger dissipate, though it was replaced with a sense of absurdity.

Why couldn't I be happy? Why could I not have a bit of peace and quite in my life? Why must the past keep reappearing?

Finally, after what felt like hours of futile rage, I slumped down on the bench, my energy spent. The log had barely been dented, but at least my fury had been somewhat vented. I took a deep breath, wiped my tear-streaked face, and sat in the quiet park, feeling a mix of relief and humiliation.

"Well, that was one hell of a date night," I muttered to myself, shaking my head.