Nicklaus POV

After she goes to her room, I come down to the poolside. This is one place where I can be at rest. last two days appeared to be a roller-coaster ride. The moment when I saw the photograph of Christina and that guy everything became red to my vision. I was infuriating to the extend of murdering her. She did exactly what her father did years back. I lost all ability of judgement.

Her eyes screamed innocence, her face was naive and soul was pure yet I end up punishing her. I saw her shivering in cold. But to my surprise she remained strong. In the next morning when she was making breakfast for me I sensed she was suffering from fever but I chose not to care much.

I was in the middle of an important meeting, when I receive the call from guards saying that Christina had a fall from stairs I drove home at the full speed, calling the doctor on the way. Reaching home, I found maids are trying to get her back at her senses but she stayed unconscious and blood were flowing out of her forehead. Picking her I laid her on my bed, cleaning her wounded forehead.

Her state was somehow mournful to my black soul.

Flashback

"She has high fever and her body is too weak. She needs to eat well Mr. Salvatore." Doctor says.

"I will take care of her." I reply.

"Here are some medicines and I've injected Acetaminophen to reduce her fever but if the fever comes back again you might give a sponge bath. It help to reduce the temperature." Prescribing a few medicines he leaves. I order the medicines and let her rest until she wakes up, in the meantime I take a quick shower.

 I cancel all the meetings for today as Christina is ill I was unable to attend any. I check her temperature and it is above 102 degree. She is burning and she constantly mumbling that she hasn't done anything. I feel a strange sadness witnessing her at this state. Her each beg punches my humanity. 

How did I end up doing this to her? 

Wait! Isn't this is what I always wanted, to make her suffer? 

Then why I'm not pleased?

Gulping down the rising rage, guilt and frustration I dial Liam. "Find out the main culprit who stole that file by tomorrow."

Though every evidence is against her, an unknown sense of trust sailing inside me for her. I know she has nothing to do with it. Hell she doesn't even know anything about the business. It is a trap. A distraction. A colossal web of conspiracy has been planning. Whoever is the culprit, he knows about Christina and my relation with her. The question is how. I kept my marriage private. Outsiders don't have the clue.

I'm thinking all when she wakes up. Checking her temperature I feed her a bow of soup. She is very hungry indeed. 

"When is the last you ate?" I ask.

"Yesterday in the afternoon." She says.

She is starving more than twenty-four hours, which makes me more furious but I decided not to burst out on her, not on her this condition. 

"You're so cruel." She commented as I force to take the medicines. She acted like a baby eating medicines.

Laying her down, I cover her with the blankets. She grabs my wrist and said, "I haven't done it." I had a strong urge to kiss her pink pulpy lips assuring her everything will be okay, but I hold myself back. I wish I could believe her completely, but I can never because she is the daughter of that fucking man who ruined my family. I place a kiss on her temple and leave the room because if I stay any longer I'm going to lose myself.

It's midnight when I come back to my room after completing few works at my study. I put my palm on her forehead and she is again burning up. I've no other choice but giving her a sponge bath.

My heart is increasing its speed to beat and my hands are sweaty. I've ripped off many girls' clothes in the past but this time it is different. May be this time it's her - my wife.

I carefully strip her white cotton frock, leaving her in her bra and panties only. I should have changed her clothes long back as there are blood stains on it. 

She has most perfectly flawless skin I've ever seen. No, I'm not gonna say that. It's true I've seen many beautiful bodies and comparing those with her would be insulting her. Because others were nothing but packed with plastic surgeries and fake appearances. They may looked ravishing but she looks pleasant. There is nothing 'plastic' about her. Her skin isn't flawless rather it is those flaws that make her stunning - a few moles and faded scars. I wonder the cause of her scars. 

She opens her eyes as I start sponging her. "Are you raping me?" 

"What?" I'm taken back by her sudden question. What the fuck does she thinks me as?

A beast! A monster! My inner voice  replies. 

I roll my eyes. Fine. I agree I'm not the best man alive but I can never stoop so low that I'll rape my own God damn wife. Here I'm trying to be civil and she thinks me as a rapist. She really knows to press my buttons, doesn't she?

"Don't! Okay. Just don't try to open your stupid mouth." I say.

"But I'm naked, Nicklaus." She pouts. Every time she takes my name, my stone heart skips a thousand beats.

She isn't in her sense. She is just rambling nonsense. She speaks a lot. I make her wear one of my shirt. "You know, you smells good. I love it." She smells the cuffs of the shirt and hugs me tight as if trying to make me stay. I didn't protest though because she is where I find relief. I don't know how she does this but it works to calm me. I sleep tonight. A real sleep. No nightmares. A good sleep.

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 I feel her caressing my face so I open my eyes and she didn't realize I'm woke as she was busy staring at me. For a moment I wished time to stay still. I love the feeling of her being in my arms. As she is busy admiring me, I take my chance to drink her features. 

Her brown orbs are flashing emotions her mind is speaking. I know she wanted to give this relation a chance but I can't even if I want to. 

I wish things were different between us. 

She has a soft face with a small nose. The freckles complete her features beautifully. Indeed she is beautiful inside and out.

What the fuck are you doing? 

I snap out of my idiotic thoughts and tell her to get out.  

I need her out as soon as possible because if she would stay any longer in my arms I would end up doing something regretful. She looks tempting in my shirt and my urge to take her right that time grow stronger. 

This girl! Damn it.

 When I see her struggling opening the door, I unlocked it for her. I'm so close to her yet I couldn't make her mine. I let her go after inhaling her sweet smell. I couldn't afford to lose myself.

What are you doing to me, love?

End Of Flashback

Today I left the mansion as soon as I got the call of Liam, informing me about the culprit. It was a girl named Jenna who actually stole the file. She impostor as a maid at the mansion and stole it. Upon asking she said that she was ordered to do so but she never revealed the name of that bastard. I commanded to end her. She was of no use. She won't tell anything. 

Thatbastard will regret the day he was born once I get my hands on him. He fuckingdared to step into my territory under my nose. There was nothing shamefulthan being a failure of catching your enemy even after being THE King.

I sometimes ponder what Christina would think of me when she will learn about my real identity. 

She will hate you more.

Oh shut up! 

Even I hate her. 

Really? 

This battle between me and myself subconscious will make me go crazy one day. I'm well of the fact that after she will know about me, she will run for the hills. She won't be able to stay with me. I know her this much in these months. She is a kind soul and I'm a hollow skeleton just alive because I need to. She lives for others, I live to kill. She can never accept with my flaws and I don't want her to either. Soon I'm gonna leave after avenging her. 

But why my heart isn't willing to this plan. Why it demands her?

Today when I held her close on my lap, I really wanted to kiss her untouched lips. But I didn't. She seemed happy to get a new phone. I didn't intend to give her a hurting reply when she thanked me. I couldn't let her see my soft side for her. She would use it against me. 

My phone starts to ring. I smile seeing the caller.

"YOU YOUNG MAN! HOW DARE YOU? HOW COULD YOU HIDE YOUR MARRIAGE FROM ME!" I hold the phone far from my ears. 

"Relax old man. You'll have a heart failure if keep on shouting." I tease.

"I already received enough shock for one lifetime. Now will you spill the beans or shall find out on my own. Trust me I find out on my own, the picture wouldn't be pretty." He is too stubborn and why won't he. Stubbornness runs in the veins of the Salvatores. "I don't want to know anything on phone now, bring yourself and my daughter-in-law on Tuesday and you will be spending the rest of the week at my house. End of discussion."

"But can you name the traitor at least, so I can teach him a lesson. Who told you?" I ask.

"Are you forgetting who am I? I'm your Grandpa means the father of your father. I know everything. Now I have sleep to cherish. Goodnight young man." He won't tell. 

"Take care, Grandpa." 

Jesus! Now how can I manage Grandpa? I don't have a freaking idea how he is going to react if I tell him the truth behind my marriage. I don't know anything now. He would definitely tell me that I'm wrong and other bullshits. But I need him to understand my cause. I can't let her go without breaking her as her father broke us. No matter I grow to like her, I can't never fall for her. Neither I'm capable of it nor she deserves it.

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"Pack some warm clothes, we'll be leaving in twenty minutes." I say as we are having breakfast together. 

"Why?" She is perplexed. 

"We're visiting my Grandpa." Saying that I leaves for my study.

I place orders to my gang for continuing their search in my absence. I need to find that bastard soon. I'd enough of his cunning mind games. He hasn't just challenged me but my existence and I'll rip his exist off from this earth and that's promise. 

Every culprit always leaves behind a clue of fault no matter how much intelligent he is and that's what I need to hunt him down. I really my men would be successful to find that one clue. 

But I need to sort the most important issue in hand. Grandpa. And that's why I'm going a day earlier. 

This is gonna be a long week.

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Another unplanned chapter...Today I'm stuck at home because of the rain so I thought of using my lazy brain cells at work. And also to announce something...

Recently I met two beautiful souls... 

@daydreamer182003 she is an amazing person and a really good friend. Please check out her story as well... she is fantastic writer.

@meuni23 well what can I say about her, she is my little sis.. And I love her a lot... In fact I love them both... I'm blessed to met them

Back to the story, let me known what you think about Nicklaus and his feelings...

Please vote and share. 

Stay happy and giggling🥰😁 

Love yaa...❤❤