Page 5 of Obsession of the Bratva

My chest ached at her smiling in the picture. I could imagine that she had been laughing at something one of her bridesmaids said. The photograph should have made me angry, but instead it irritated me for an entirely different reason. Underneath all the pomp and makeup she had on, she looked exhausted. Most people wouldn’t notice it, but I wasn’t most people, and Vera wasn’t just anyone.

Hence, I did.

The smile hadn’t reached her eyes, and I had watched closely how the shadows beneath them had grown darker during the past few months. I knew it because I had been watching. Constantly. I knew where she drank her morning coffee and the route she took to work. I knew which gym she attended, and I knew every restaurant she frequented. I knew when she slept, and I knew when she didn’t. Because, despite everything she had said in my office six months ago, I had never stopped paying attention.

“You’re thinking too much.”

I looked at Viktor, and he raised an eyebrow at me.

“That’s a dangerous observation to make about your boss,” I said, my voice dry.

“You haven’t killed me yet, so I believe I’m fine.”

“There’s still time.”

His mouth twitched slightly. That was Viktor’s version of a laugh.

“You know what I mean.”

Unfortunately, I did. The problem was that I didn’t particularly care.

“I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“Do you?”

The question lingered. I knew most people would never dare ask me such a thing, but Viktor wasn’t most people. He had earned the right years ago.

“Careful.”

“I’m serious, Nico.”

I leaned back against the leather seat. Outside, another luxury sedan pulled up, and more guests entered the church. More smiling faces followed by more congratulatory remarks and more lies.

“What exactly are you asking?” Viktor studied me. “I’m asking if this is about revenge.”

The answer came immediately. “No.”

“So it is obsession because it’s impossible for you to let her go?”

I considered it. “Partially.”

“Love?”

I laughed. The sound lacked humor. “That’s a dangerous word.”

“That wasn’t a denial.”

“No.”

Because it wasn’t. I wasn’t stupid enough to lie to myself. I loved Vera even when I hated her. I wanted answers and explanations, and I wanted to know why. Most importantly, I wanted the truth. One thing that had bothered me from the very beginning was how the story never made any sense. A woman who supposedly never loved me wouldn’t spend so much time building a life with me. A woman who was merely passing the time didn’t cry herself to sleep after I had an accident and was badly hurt. A woman who didn’t care didn’t memorize every detail about my life.

None of it fit.

I had spent six months searching for evidence that supported her version of events, and I hadn’t found any. Instead, I had only found more questions. Thousands of them. Questions that always led back to the same conclusion that she had lied. But none of that mattered anymore because I was a man who believed in people’s word. If she claimed to not love me anymore than that was the truth. And the only thing that I needed to do now was make sure she was as miserable as I was.

Viktor sighed. “You’re staring at the church again.”

“Very observant.”