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“No, she has endured enough hardship,” I replied. “We can handle this without her.”

Her agreement provided a small relief.

“I’m calling Vik now to discuss the details,” I said, adopting a professional mindset despite the personal hurt I felt beneath the surface.

“Okay, let me know what you find out. I love you, Laya,” she said.

I exhaled, a sound heavy with pent-up emotions and unexpressed thoughts about Niko that I couldn’t yet disclose.

“Love you too. I’ll be in touch soon.”

After I hung up, I paced the corridor. Frustration swirled in my thoughts, each heartbeat amplifying the sting of betrayal.

Reluctantly, I set aside my feelings for Niko and called Vik’s number.

“Ah, I was expecting your call.” His greeting was instantly recognizable and oddly comforting in its straightforwardness.

“Of course you were,” I responded dryly. “You have spies everywhere, across every syndicate, feeding you all the rumors. Care to tell me who’s watching me right now?”

“I’d never divulge my sources.” Vik chuckled.

“Killjoy,” I replied, our shared banter lightening the mood for a moment.

Vik always had a way of bringing calm amidst the chaos.

“Let me get right to it,” I said. “I’m livid.”

“That’s clear. I don’t need anyone to tell me. I can hear it in your voice. Continue so I can confirm the reason.”

“Oh, I’m certain you’re aware.”

“Just verify it for me.”

I gritted my teeth. “My husband is secretly organizing a covert meeting with the syndicates without my knowledge.”

“Laya, not everything is so black and white,” he said in his firm, parental, chiding way.

I couldn’t suppress the agitation that rushed up. The last thing I wanted was a lecture about trust and secrets.

“But keeping secrets from your wife is as black and white as it gets,” I shot back.

“You’ve got much to learn if you believe Niko isn’t hiding things from you, sweetheart,” Vik warned. “Some things are best left undisclosed.”

I sighed, the sound weighed down by mixed emotions.

“I’m not someone who needs protection from the dangers or consequences of our world. I’ve dealt with it myself my entire life.”

“Remember, Niko has lost every woman he ever loved, including his mother and sister. It makes sense that he’s overly protective of you, worried that the past might repeat itself. He doesn’t want another tragedy to occur, and I can’t blame him for that. He underestimates your strength.”

My emotions burned in my throat as Vik’s remark about Niko losing every woman he loved stung.

Niko hadn’t admitted he loved me in the way I yearned for. It was a truth that always felt just out of reach. I had known his rules from the beginning, as if each step were preordained.

No, this was purely business. Yet, the raw, intense nature of the sex was a major component, so physical and bewildering that I often questioned how such passion could exist without affection.

As I planned my next move, guilt tightened around my chest. Keeping secrets from Niko felt like a betrayal, but his silence left me no choice. The difference between shielding him and deceiving him seemed increasingly blurry.

I cursed myself for sending that foolish text and revealing my vulnerability.