The Edge of Light ✔️

Chapter Fifteen

N I K O L A I

"She's been returned to the penthouse. The guards are on high alert. Matteo is the main guard in the penthouse," In-su muttered, keeping his voice low.

"Good." My voice was icy, hard like steel. "Has anyone told her what to expect?"

"No, Boss. They've followed orders. No one has spoken to her. She's locked in."

My lips twitched into a cold, unforgiving snarl. "Good. She'll know soon enough."

E L E N A

The silence was deafening.

I had been back in the penthouse for hours, locked in the room like a prisoner, waiting. My heart pounded in my chest, knowing what was coming. I didn't have my phone to inform Emilio about this, Nikolai had taken it from me. He hadn't said a word to me since he dragged me off the plane, but I could feel the weight of his rage in every glance, every tense movement.

And I knew... I had betrayed his trust.

I shouldn't have run. Maybe if I had just stayed, things wouldn't be so bad. Maybe he wouldn't have locked me up like this. Maybe he wouldn't be planning whatever he was planning. But I was desperate. Desperate to escape this life he had forced me into.

Now, I was paying for it.

The door creaked open, and my breath caught in my throat. Nikolai stepped inside, his presence overwhelming as always, but this time there was something darker in his eyes. Something that made my stomach twist with fear.

He didn't say a word, just stood there, staring at me like I was nothing more than a disappointment.

I couldn't take the silence anymore. "Nikolai, I—"

"Don't," he cut me off sharply, his voice cold and biting. "You've said enough."

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry as he stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I was frozen in place, my heart racing as I waited for him to unleash the fury I knew was brewing beneath the surface.

"You tried to run." His voice was low, almost a growl. "You betrayed my trust."

"I—"

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" His hand slammed against the wall beside me, making me jump. "Do you have any idea how much I've sacrificed for you? And this is how you repay me? By running like a coward?"

"I wasn't... I didn't want—"

"You didn't want what?" He sneered, leaning in close. "You didn't want this life? Well, guess what, Elena. You're in it now. There's no running. Not from me. Not ever."

Tears stung at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

"I... I just want to be free," I whispered.

His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I saw something flicker there. Regret, maybe. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a cold, hard resolve.

"There is no freedom for you," he said, his voice flat. "You made your choice when you married me. And now, you will face the consequences."

N I K O L A I

She looked so small, so fragile, standing there in front of me, tears threatening to fall. And for a brief second, I felt a pang of guilt. But I pushed it aside. I couldn't afford to be weak. Not now. Not after what she did.

"You think I'm going to let you keep living the way you have been?" I asked, my voice a low, dangerous rumble. Her eyes widened at my words, confusion and dread visible in them. "You think you can just run away and expect me to forget about it?"

Elena didn't answer, her lips pressed into a tight line, eyes wide and frightened.

"No more studio. No more Cecile. No more friends. You've lost that privilege. You're going to stay here, in this penthouse, where I can keep an eye on you. You won't leave without me, and you won't speak to anyone without my permission."

Her eyes widened, shock and fear mingling on her face.

"What?" she whispered, her voice shaky. "No... You can't—"

"I can, and I will," I cut her off, my tone final. "This is your punishment for betraying me. You wanted to run? Well, now you won't leave. Not until I say so."

Her face crumpled, and for a brief moment, I almost regretted it. Almost. But then I remembered how she had tried to slip away, how she had almost gotten on that plane to a new life without me.

Never again.

"You did this to yourself," I said coldly. "You're the one who made this choice."

E L E N A

My heart sank into my stomach as his words sank in. No more studio. No more Cecile. No more freedom.

I had brought this on myself.

I knew running away would have consequences, but I didn't think he would be this cruel. I thought... I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I believed there was still some part of him that cared, some part of him that wouldn't do this to me.

But I was wrong.

The weight of his punishment crushed me, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. I wanted to scream, to fight back, to tell him he couldn't do this to me. But what would be the point? He held all the power. He always had.

Tears slipped down my cheeks as I stared at him, hoping for some sign of mercy. But there was none. Just cold, hard anger.

"Please..." I whispered, my voice trembling. "Please don't do this."

But he didn't respond. He just turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with the crushing weight of his betrayal.

N I K O L A I

I closed the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment as I tried to steady my breathing. Seeing her like that... broken, defeated... it did something to me. Something I didn't want to acknowledge.

I was angry. No, furious. She had betrayed me, tried to run from me, and for that, she had to be punished. But the look on her face, the tears in her eyes, the way she begged...

I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. I couldn't let her get to me. I couldn't afford to be soft, not when she had tried to leave me.

But as I walked down the hallway, the image of her tear-streaked face lingered in my mind, and for the first time in a long while, I wondered if I had made the right choice.

No. I had to be strong. She had to learn that there were consequences for her actions. I had given her everything, and she had thrown it back in my face. Now, she would face the consequences.

But still... a small part of me couldn't help but wonder if I had pushed her too far.