Chapter 4 3

These two had always irritated me, but today Vlad drove me to the point where my knees were actually shaking. A puffed-up turkey, not a man. I am certain that the company will end up in his hands. Men like him never miss their chance and, if necessary, will walk over others to get what they want. Just remembering his arrogant face makes me want to tear off all this ridiculous mourning attire. He didn't need to say anything out loud, but in his eyes I clearly saw something close to disgust, contempt, and a whole range of similar emotions.

As if he had been kicked after me, sent along to drag me back.

I understand that Makar is a friend of our family, but still-he is a stranger to me.

I stood near the car, filling my lungs with fresh air. I thought that this little breathing exercise might help calm the storm raging inside me, but no... Enough. Decision made. As soon as my father returns, I will spend a couple of unforgettable days in his company and then leave immediately. Valen gave me a whole month off, which was generous of him, but there is no way I can survive in this place for that long.

A crowd began pouring out through the cemetery gates, and I suddenly felt an unbearable urge to hide from everyone inside the car-which is exactly what I did. Mom appeared beside me only after more than half the guests had already left, freeing up the parking lot. She looked far too pleased for someone who had just come from a funeral.

"Did something good happen?" I couldn't help asking, because she was glowing brighter than the gold adorning her hands and neck.

"Oh, nothing you should worry about," she replied casually and told the driver to pull away.

"Mom, could you drop me off in town? Nina is already waiting for me at the café Cherry."

"All right, but remember-you need to be home this evening."

"How could I forget when you keep reminding me?" I smiled. "Just tell me one thing-your sister isn't coming to visit, is she?"

"No, not her." She smiled mysteriously, but I didn't attach much importance to it. If Aunt Amina wasn't coming over, then I could survive the evening.

"Then it's fine," I said with a smile and pulled the scarf off my head. It had gotten unbearably hot.

I loosened my braid, and when my blonde locks fell softly over my shoulders, I sighed in relief.

"You've become such a beauty," my mother said unexpectedly, taking my hand.

"I take after my parents," I replied with a smile, glancing at her. I inherited my hair and eye color from my father, but my mother gave me my delicate, gentle features. Looking at her now-still slim and beautiful-I realized that time had no power over her.

The car stopped near the familiar café I used to visit so often that the memories instantly wiped the smile from my face, plunging me headfirst into nostalgia. Watching the car disappear down the road, I lifted my gaze to the sky, where heavy clouds were already gathering. The heat had eased, the air turning pleasantly fresh, and the moment I stepped inside, a light rain began to fall.

Nina was sitting at a table, and I couldn't hold back a squeal. Unbelievable-she hadn't changed a bit. Spotting me at the entrance, she jumped to her feet and rushed toward me with arms wide open. Our shrieks could have been ignored only by someone deaf, and the woman sitting at the nearby table shot us an angry glare. But what could we do when emotions were bursting out of us like a fountain?

"Oh my God," Nina exclaimed, pulling me toward the table she had just been sitting at. "You've changed so much-it's impossible to put into words."

"And you're exactly the same," I replied, taking a seat across from her.

Of course, we had kept in touch from a distance, but seeing each other in person after several years was something else entirely.

"I thought you didn't wear glasses anymore," Nina remarked, taking a sip of her coffee.

I ordered a slice of strawberry cake and a cup of tea, then turned all my attention back to her.

"I don't," I snorted. "But the day before I came home, I had a photoshoot by the pool and accidentally fell into the water-lost my contact lenses. Since it was my last pair, I had no choice but to wear glasses."

"So I wasn't mistaken," she beamed. "That was you in the latest issue of Evening Star, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was me." I had never hidden how I made a living, but for some reason it felt a little awkward to talk about it with her.

"Tell me," she said, suddenly serious. She studied my face closely, then lowered her gaze to the plate with the cake the waiter had just set down. "Are models even allowed to eat something like that?"

"Technically, no," I laughed. "But if my manager doesn't see it, then nothing terrible will happen."

She smiled in response and fell deep into thought. A spark flared in her eyes with such intensity that it almost made me nervous. I remembered that look from childhood all too well-it usually ended in serious trouble. Nina was plotting something.

"Nadya, tell me-would your manager be against you taking part in my photoshoot?"

There it was. I knew it. With a groan, I rolled my eyes, sighed heavily, and sent the first bite of cake into my mouth.

"I wanted a break from all of this, Nina," I groaned.

"Please," she grabbed my hand and looked at me with such hope that it was hard to refuse such a small request. Whether Valen would agree was another matter entirely. I couldn't say yes without his approval.

"I'll ask my manager, but I'm warning you-he might be against it."

"But you'll try, right? I can compromise. Your face won't be visible-just your body in luxurious lingerie."

"Lingerie?"

"Yes. A designer clothing store commissioned me to do a shoot for their new lingerie collection for men and women, so I agreed. Everything worked out so perfectly."

She was glowing with excitement, and I didn't dare interrupt her enthusiasm. Still, one thing bothered me.

"You said for men as well. Does that mean I'll have a partner?"

"Yes, but I haven't found a man with the perfect body for it yet. I still have a couple of days to look..."

"By the way, Nina, why weren't you at Darvin's funeral? Are things between your families still that tense?"

All her joy vanished as if by magic. The moment I mentioned that name, Nina frowned and shut down. I didn't know what exactly those families had fallen out over, but their feud had been dragging on for years. Still, that hadn't stopped her from falling in love with one of her family's enemies.

"Don't tell me you still love Vlad?" I groaned, rolling my eyes.

"No, I don't. That's all in the past," she replied sharply. She could fool anyone she wanted-but not me. I knew she still loved him. It was written all over her face. "They didn't invite us. Father said we had no business being there."

"I see," I said dryly and turned my attention to the dessert waiting patiently on my plate.

I shouldn't have brought up the Darvins. After that, our conversation just wouldn't come together. I quickly finished my tea and said goodbye-Nina had clearly sunk into gloom. I could tell something had happened, but until she was ready to talk, there was no point pressing her.

I called a taxi and waited obediently under the café awning, since a real downpour had broken out outside. The weather had completely deteriorated, and the only thing I wanted now was to take a bath and curl up in bed with my economics notes. I had to finally understand why that awful professor had lowered my grade.