Nikolas Bastiani walked into his penthouse, making his way over to the large sofa to take a seat.
"The sun will set soon. Put down the curtains, please," he ordered.
"Yes, sir." His only maid, who was rather in a tailored suit with a fitted waistcoat, bowed deeply, rising with a nod.
Her movements were fast, blurred even, as the curtains all fell one by one, dimming the entire living room. The wall lights lit up.
Nikolas glanced at the woman who'd come into the penthouse with him.
"What now, Francesca? You look like you have something to say."
The lady, Francesca, her beautiful brown skin illuminating golden from the light, ruffled her curly hair dolled up into a bun. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you think it's time you stop living anonymously? I mean, you run one of the biggest and wealthiest companies in the world, and yet no one really knows who you are. Who really is behind Bratva. You've been using a random human as a proxy, and everyone thinks he's the owner of your company."
Nikolas settled down on the sofa, crossing his leg. "Francesca, you know what I am. A pure-blooded vampire like me can't walk in the sun." He smiled at her. "I'd burn. And I can't afford to die. Bratva will crumble without me."
Francesca plopped down on the ottoman. "So you're going to keep being in the shadows, like Batman or something?"
"That's funny." He gave a sarcastic laugh, picking up his phone.
"Niko."
"What?"
"Don't you think you've been single for too long now?" she asked, gesturing with her fingers. "What? You've been asleep for a century. Woke up twenty-five years ago. I mean, I get it, you're ageless, but still, you've got to feel too lonely, no?"
"I'm not interested in whatever you're about to suggest."
"Will you hear me out first?" She hissed at him. "I have an idea."
"Francesca." Nikolas waved his hand. "Just because you married my brother even as a human and allowed him to turn you. Don't get me wrong, it was a beautiful love story, but it doesn't make you an expert in love. Relationships are not for me. I can't love any woman."
"You're still on about that mate of yours?"
Francesca tilted her head.
"It's been years now, Nikolas. You went into a deep coma after she died because you couldn't take the pain, and when you woke up, you didn't even remember what she looked like anymore. You still have no memory of her. Makes me feel like this mate of a thing you're on about is bullshit. Though my husband says otherwise."
"You think I'm delusional?" Nikolas's gaze turned sour. "I may not remember her, but it doesn't mean I don't feel it."
"Nikolas—"
"Fran, do you know why I woke up?"
"No."
"The woman who put me to sleep said that once I wake up, I'd be able to find her again if I searched. She's out there, she exists. I just… haven't been able to find her. But that doesn't mean she isn't real, or that I've lost my mind."
Francesca bit her bottom lip. "I believe you. But Niko, it's been twenty-five years now since you woke up. Move on. If you were meant to find her, you should've already done so. Who knows? She's probably already married somewhere with kids. I mean, twenty-five years and counting? Huh."
Nikolas breathed out his mouth.
She wasn't wrong. Maybe… his mate was never reborn. After all, it was all strange how he no longer had any memory of her. Just left with only a feeling.
"Hear me out," Francesca persisted.
"Fine. Go ahead."
"Have you heard of a blind date?"
That earned a brow raise from him. "A blind what?"
"A blind date."
She shifted closer.
"It's like this. You go on a date with a random stranger you've been matched with. There is a chance of clicking. So what do you think? It wouldn't hurt to give it a shot. I mean, you might luckily meet this mate of yours, and bam! Nikolas is in love."
"I'm still not interested," he deadpanned.
Her smile fell off.
"You are miserable. You need a woman in your life to save you from this level of loneliness."
"I'm not lonely."
"Egh! You lack love in your life. It's almost pitiful." She shook her head with sympathy evident on her face. "Give it a shot. It's not going to kill you if you do. Look at yourself, you are incredibly handsome and a gentleman at that. Any woman would love to be with you, human or not. "
Nikolas stared at her.
She squinted her eyes at him, pressuring him.
"If I do, will you stop pestering me?" he asked.
"I cross my heart, Niko."
"Fine," he agreed. "But I'm only doing it once."
———
Viviana sat in the living room of her apartment, using a scissor to mess up the edges of the wedding dress that had been sent over by her father.
"Do you… feel okay?" Her best friend, Sabrina, who sat with her, asked, fixing the glasses resting on the bridge of her nose.
Viviana breathed. "Why not? I've suspected it before you ever mentioned it. It's not that surprising."
"But you sound angry."
"Yes. Because it was humiliating, Sabrina."
"Well, looking on the bright side, you got what you wanted. Although… you're going to be all over the news by tomorrow."
Sabrina scratched her head, apprehensive.
"Who knows what they'll say? The nasty ones, my gosh. Maybe we shouldn't have exposed him publicly."
Vivian looked at her. "Who cares? The point of all this was to show my father the sort of man he wanted me to marry. I'd like no one to judge me because I intend to call off this wedding."
"Do you realize what he's done?" Her voice pitched high. "While this engagement was arranged, it's been over a year now, and we've both fully accepted it. He knew doing this would cause a scandal if it were to ever come to light. It would humiliate my family and me, yet he did it. Right after his family accepted the partnership deal. Fernando thinks I'm just a rich man's idiotic daughter. He's been playing around with me, Sabrina, because he thinks I'm naive, because he thinks I'm trapped in his hands."
"Are you?" Sabrina asked. "Think about it, you're in a tight position. You can't afford a scandal."
Viviana's skin crawled.
She knew Sabrina was right. Fernando had the upper hand in all these. Anything she did would affect her family. But then again, if her father decides, all these can be stopped.
"My father won't tolerate this," she said.
"Are you sure?" Sabrina cocked a brow. "I highly doubt it. Especially with your stepmother around."
Viviana frowned. "What are you trying to say? I know the kind of man my father is. He wouldn't give me to a man like Fernando after what he's seen. I'm much too valuable to him."
Sabrina didn't seem all that convinced.
"If you say so," she said. "But if things for some reason don't go well, let me know and I'll set you up for a blind date."
That made Viviana pause.
"A blind date? Sabrina, really? You think that's what I need?"
"C'mon, Vivi. A blind date will be good for you." Sabrina smirked. "You've never been on a date or even dated anyone before. This will be nice. Who knows, you might even end up liking whoever you're matched with. Not to mention, if you end up not doing so, it stops there. Doesn't hurt anyone."
She shrugged, adding, "It might be a night you get to meet your soulmate. Your dream man. Remember? In high school, we used to talk about it."
"We were teenagers."
"So what? You once had a dream. It's messed up that they caged you up and turned you into this. I mean, for once make a decision by yourself without being afraid. Don't you want to be free, Viviana?"
"Sabrina—"
"You need to be free. You can't let them control you forever. Gosh, you can't even walk into a cafe and order a coffee for yourself. Every step of your life is orchestrated and decided by your father. This perfection of a person you are, it's more than pathetic. You're unhappy, and you need some love." She persuaded her, "Please. Just give it a shot."
"Love isn't what I need to be free," Viviana deadpanned. "I am not interested."