Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 95

Ria's POV:

The minute I walked back into my flat, I knew I had to act fast. Nikolai's little power play had left me seething, but it also gave me a renewed sense of urgency. I couldn't stay in the flat funded by him, not if it meant he'd have leverage over my life and career. I needed to find somewhere else to live-somewhere out of his control.

I wasted no time. I fired up my laptop and dove straight into a search for one-bedroom apartments in Oxford. I scanned through listings, jotting down potential options. I didn't care about the neighborhood or the decor right now; I just needed somewhere that would be my own, free from Nikolai's influence and in my price range.

I found a few places that seemed decent. I quickly drafted emails to the property agents, explaining my situation and asking to schedule viewings as soon as possible.

The first agent responded almost immediately. They seemed keen to help at first but then, after I mentioned I was looking to move in quickly, their tone shifted. "I'm sorry, but the flat you're interested in has just been taken off the market. It's no longer available."

I frowned at the screen. That was quick. I moved on to the next option and sent another inquiry. This time, the response came with an unusually long delay. When I finally heard back, it was a polite but firm rejection. "Thank you for your interest, but we've decided to go with another tenant."

The third never responded.

Confused but not deterred, I tried a fourth property. Again, the response was swift and curt: "We are currently not taking new applications. Best of luck with your search."

I stared at the screen in disbelief. This wasn't adding up. It was as if someone was actively blocking my attempts to find a new place. I tried calling the agents directly, hoping to bypass any potential email filters or misunderstandings. But every call seemed to lead to dead ends-voicemail boxes, unanswered calls, or abruptly hung-up lines.

Frustration mounted as the day wore on. I paced around my flat, trying to keep my mind focused on finding a solution, but it was impossible to ignore the growing frustration. The entire process felt like a rigged game. Was Nikolai somehow pulling the strings from behind the scenes? No, he didn't have that kind of power.

I hope.

I took a deep breath and dialed another number, a more direct contact for one of the properties I was interested in. "Hi, with Victoria Winters. I'm interested in the one-bedroom flat on Merton Street. I sent an email earlier and-"

The voice on the other end was clipped and distant. "Oh yes, I remember. Unfortunately, that flat has been taken. "

"That's strange," I said, trying to keep my tone even. "I've saw that the listing was still up and-"

"Sorry, but that's the information I have. Goodbye." The call ended abruptly.

Rude.

I slammed my phone down in frustration. This was getting ridiculous. It felt like every avenue I tried was being shut down deliberately. I knew Nikolai had connections, but this was beyond what I'd anticipated. Was he really manipulating the rental market to make my life harder?

Determined not to let him win, I decided to visit a few of the properties in person. Maybe if I showed up, I could talk directly to the agents and persuade them to reconsider. I grabbed my coat and headed out, feeling a mix of desperation and resolve.

As I walked to the first property, my phone buzzed with a new email notification. I hoped it was a positive response, but when I checked it, it was just another rejection. "Thank you for your inquiry, but we're unable to accommodate your request at this time."