Chapter 688 - Auction VII

"You've returned?" Nikolai asked as he glanced up at her.

Zoey only offered a shrug as she walked back to her seat. Her eyes caught the item being bid on, and this time it was an island that was not part of the map. 

She immediately retracted her eyes away as she had no interest in it. This entire auction was nothing but lands to do illegal business, organs that were still inside the living human, smuggled weapons, stolen paintings, and so on.

"How was your talk with him?" He asked. She was not surprised that he already knew about it.

This entire yacht was his domain. It would be more odd if Nikolai didn't know anything.

"It broke my heart." Zoey replied coldly as she glanced at him. "Happy?"

Nikolai stared at her momentarily. Slowly, he removed his mask, clipping it in between his fingers as if it was a cigarette, resting his arm on the armrest.

"Patrizio went to see Angelo. Gel is probably dead."

"What?" Zoey leaned forward, in disbelief at this abrupt news. "Niko, what did you just --"

"I promised I would let your brother, Ivan, and that guy get out of here alive. Angelo is not included. The only traitor I'd pardon is Ivan." As cold as a cold-blooded killer, Nikolai clarified.

"If not for you, Ivan would share the same fate. Don't be greedy, Zia."

Zoey felt like a bullet impaled her abdomen. She huffed, clearly out of words as she assisted herself by clinging on the armrest.

Although her relationship with Angelo was a little bit complicated, Zoey perceived him as her friend. After he resigned, Angelo never left her mind as she would constantly wonder where he went off.

Who knew Angelo would end up working with Matthew? If only she knew, Zoey would have included him.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Through her gritted teeth, Zoey cast him, her eyes overflowing with restraint to kill. "You purposely didn't let me know about Gel's involvement with Matty."

"Watch your tone, sweetheart. You've been doing well until you met him. Now I'm curious what you two talked about… or did inside the restroom?" Remorseless, Nikolai rested his jaw on his knuckles, his attention on her who was sitting on his side.

His eyes drooped, his eyelashes fluttering ever so slowly. The usual wickedly charming smirk on his lips was gone. Yet, his domineering emanating from him and in his languid tone intensified.

Nikolai was furious. His eyes told her he had thought of every worst possible case of what happened between them inside the restroom.

"You're jealous? That's why you want to slap me with this news the moment I come back?' Zoey scoffed in disbelief.

Yet, he remained quiet without much change in his expression. He was never jealous; Nikolai could have every woman that caught his eyes.

However, this building fury of not knowing what Zoey and Matthew did was slowly eating him from the inside. It was just a matter-of-time before he could change his mind and order everyone dead.

She would still remain on his side either way. But this sickening part of him that wanted her to stay willingly often conflicted with his resolve.

Zoey ground her teeth, lamenting internally as she leaned her back against her seat. 

"Angelo's dead." She muttered.

Yet, instead of tears, Zoey could not help but chuckle. Not because she found Angelo's death funny, but because of this entire ordeal with Nikolai.

"Then, you're wondering why I can't let you in?"  She scoffed in dismay, shaking her head lightly.

Slowly, Zoey turned her head to him. As she did, she removed her mask for him to see the disgust plastered in her face.

"You're pathetic, Niko." 

As soon as Zoey dropped those remarks, his deep hazel eyes darkened. With one swift move, Nikolai grabbed her jaw, grinding his teeth.

"What did you say?" His hissed, mercilessly pinning her from her jaw.

His violent tendencies had grown her numb. Not just that, but the endless harassment and threats from him had drained her already. 

Hence, the pain right now could not even compare to the pain in her heart.

She was prepared to let things go; to let Matthew go, to throw away the life she wanted, and just live with Nikolai.

However, with his slyness, how could they even build trust? How could she even believe that Nikolai had some decency left in him to keep his hands from the people she was protecting?

"I must be stupid to even think you won't touch any of them in the future." Zoey spat out through her gritted teeth before he could entirely crush her jaw.

"You wanted me to stay, but you do things that just give me more reason why I shouldn't."

"Hah!" Nikolai smirked, his eyes blood-shot, getting blinded by anger. "You really want them dead, huh?"

"Go on. Try." Zoey challenged, apologizing to Matthew inside her mind for putting him in a tougher situation.

"I won't just sit back here and watch. I let the monster live, but don't forget that monster also created another one. I know what you're capable of, but do you know how deep I'd go?"

Despite the hand crushing her jaw, Zoey taunted bravely. If she didn't have anyone to protect or worry about, Zoey would bump head to head against Nikolai.

Thus, now that she didn't care who died or lived since the people she wanted to keep alive refused to live, then, so be it. She just didn't need to care and she would say whatever she damn well wished.

"Zia, well done. You've really pissed me thi --" Just before Nikolai could finish his sentence, both Zoey and him froze.

In the background, the auctioneer's voice faded abruptly as a man's laughter filled the air. Zoey watched as Nikolai's eyes slowly widened, so were hers.

"No way…" Zoey whispered as she turned towards the podium. The second she did, she couldn't believe who was standing in the middle: Inigo!

"Hahaha! Surprise, surprise!" Inigo laughed maniacally, clapping his hand as he moved his gaze on the shocked faces in front of him.

"What? I may not be the golden buddha you're all expecting, but I'm a walking gold, still!"