Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 163

ROMAN

I crumple the newspaper between both hands, clenching my teeth so hard my head hurts.

Damned reporters.

I should’ve been more aware of my surroundings, and I guess in the back of my mind I knew there were risks involved with fighting someone in broad daylight with so many people watching.

But I had no clue that this embarrassing situation would be all over the papers. Even the arrest! The worst part?

I’m the only one they’ve named. Sebastian is probably well hidden behind his connections, and has been described as a ‘businessman’.

It’s ridiculous.

I’m in a terrible mood. All of this was so unexpected. I’ll have to deal with court appearances and all sorts of • things. We’ll have to see how it goes.

Sebastian’s being an unnecessary pain about this. Then again, I’d probably act the same way if I didn’t get the girl.

I have a few meetings with some of my best clients later on, and I’m sure this altercation will be brought up. I’m sighing just thinking about it. The fucking fake laughter.

The nonsense talk. I hate all these pretenses.

But what can I do? The show must go on.

I check the time on my watch. By now, Nikki’s most likelytalking with Mason. I hope they come to an agreement. I can tell how much this whole situation is bugging her and I just want her to have peace.

A few minutes later, there’s a knock an my door, and as my secretary enters, saying something, that lunatic Esmeralda pushes right past her, nearly tripping her.

I stand up immediately. “What’s the meaning of this?

What the hell are you doing here?”

“I tried to stop her,” my secretary says with wide, fearful eyes.

“I saw what happened in the papers,” Esmeralda claims as she walks toward me. Her eyes are also wide, but they’re filled with tears. “Are you okay? Oh my God. Look at your face!”

I nod at my secretary so she can give us some privacy, and she closes the door behind her. I look at Emeralda squarely, wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do with this maniac. “I don’t know how else to spell it to you, Esmeralda. I try and try, and it just doesn’t register to you, does it?”

Her voice is small when she answers, “I’m j-just worried ab

-bout y-you.”

“Now you’re stuttering. Why? Out of fear? Are you afraidof me?”

“W-When you talk to me like this, y-yes.”

shake my head at her, trying my hardest to control myself. “You’re so full of shit. You’re not afraid of me. If you were, you wouldn’t be standing here, dirtying my space with your repulsive presence.”

“Please don’t talk to me like this. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. That’s it. I don’t mean any harm.”

“Well, you’ve done what you came here to do, so you can go on home. Do you understand me? I don’t need you to check up on me, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do it again.”

She starts saying something but there’s a knock on the door and I feel like I’m on the verge of exploding. “What!?”

Emeralda scoffs. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m the one who’s carrying his child.”

Nikki shrugs. “It was an accident, one I can’t blame him for. I know what you’re trying to do and it’s both disgusting and embarrassing for you. You’ve already tried to ruin things for me by sleeping with him. Now you’re trying to create a situation that doesn’t exist!”

“What do you know about us?” Emeralda retorts.

Nikki laughs,,though it doesn’t reach her eyes. “What are you talking about? You and Roman will never be an item.

You got what you wanted, didn’t you? You’ve secured your future with that child. You always wanted a rich man, and now you’re carrying the child of one. Good for you. You’ve always been vain like that. But don’t try to convince me that he loves you, because I know he doesn’t.”

Relief washes over me. God, I thought I lost her.

Emeralda looks back and forth between us before asking me, “You’re really going to let her talk to me like this?”I shake my head at her and point at the door. “Get out.

“My brother was right,” Nikki says bitterly. “You were never a good friend to me. I don’t know what you wanted, but it was never friendship. Maybe you just wanted someone broker than you to show all your nice things to.! don’t know. Either way, you don’t fool me anymore, and your time is done. You’ve always wanted to level up and be better than me, at least financially. Well, guess what?” She raises her hand. “I’m the one who has the ring. So, go home, Emeralda. Don’t humiliate yourself more than you already have.”

Emeralda cries out, racing toward the door.

Nikki and I exchange a look.

I don’t move. I just don’t have the strength to.

She doesn’t either.