Swapped: His Dead Wife's Revenge

Chapter 19

Nikolai’s Pov

I walked back into the house, jaw tight, anger still burning under my skin. Chloe never stopped finding new ways to test me. That scene at the bar could have been all over the news if I had not handled it quickly. Thank God I kissed her in front of everyone. It looked romantic. The kind of thing people expect from a new husband. But inside I was furious. She had gone there after telling me she was visiting her father. Who knew what she was really doing before I arrived.

I went to my study and tried to push it out of my mind. I sat down and started scrolling through emails, answering what I could. Work had always been the one thing that made sense. Numbers did not lie. Deals did not betray you.

My phone rang. It was Mr. Hayes, Chloe’s father.

I picked up. “Good evening, sir.”

“Nikolai,” he said, voice warm but businesslike. “I have good news. I have decided to finalize the deal we discussed. All the papers are ready on my end. We can move forward with the partnership.”

I leaned back in my chair, some of the tension easing. “That is excellent news. I am happy to hear it.”

“We should celebrate properly,” he continued. “I am planning a party. Invite everyone important. It will be good for both families to see this alliance come together.”

“When is the party scheduled?”

“I will send the details by email so everyone gets the same information. It should be soon.”

We spoke for a few more minutes about the terms. When I ended the call, I felt a small sense of satisfaction. At least one thing in my life was going according to plan.

I went outside to the garden where my parents were sitting. Betty was with them. I told them the news about the deal. My mother’s face lit up immediately.

“Oh, that is wonderful!” she exclaimed. “We should celebrate right now. Let me get some drinks.”

She hurried inside. My father stayed seated, looking at me thoughtfully.

“You should not be so hard on Chloe,” he said after a moment.

I let out a short laugh. “You did not see what she did today.”

“Maybe you misunderstood her,” he replied calmly. “She has been through a lot with the accident.”

I shook my head. “I have already married her. I have given this family everything they asked for. I do not think I need to be persuaded into loving someone I can never love.”

My father sighed. “Even if you do not love her, you should show her some kindness. I never knew you to be this way. You used to be understanding. Kind.”

“That was for people who deserved it,” I said quietly.

My mother returned with drinks before he could answer. We raised our glasses.

“Cheers to new beginnings,” she said brightly. “To the deal and to the future.”

We drank. The liquid was cold and smooth, but it did nothing to warm the emptiness I felt. After a while I excused myself and went back inside. I showered, changed into comfortable clothes, and sat down at my desk again. Work never stopped. Even though I was supposed to be on some kind of honeymoon, the idea felt ridiculous. I could not take time off. Not with everything going on.

My phone buzzed. It was Leo.

“You remember you are picking me up tomorrow morning?” he asked when I answered.

“Yes. Early flight, right?”

“Five a.m. I know it is brutal. Thank you, man.”

We talked for a few minutes. When I hung up, I tried to get a little more work done, but my mind kept drifting. I finally gave up and went to bed.

****

The next morning I woke before the alarm. I showered quickly, dressed, and drove to the airport myself. I did not want to send a driver. Leo was my oldest friend. Some things I still did personally.

I waited in the arrivals area. When Leo finally walked out, pulling his suitcase, I felt the first real smile I had managed in days. We shook hands, then pulled each other into a quick hug.

“Good to see you, brother,” I said.

“You too. Thanks for coming to get me.”

We loaded his bags into the car and started the drive back. Leo settled into the passenger seat and looked over at me.

“I hope your wife does not mind that I am staying for a while. My house is under renovation.”

I shrugged. “Why should she mind? It is my house, not hers.”

Leo chuckled. “You get married to someone, it kind of becomes their house too, you know.”

“No,” I said firmly. “It is not her house.”

He shrugged and let it drop. The rest of the drive was quiet, comfortable. When we reached the mansion, the driver helped carry Leo’s things to the guest room. It was still early, around six-thirty.

“Go get some sleep,” I told him. “We will catch up properly when you wake up. That flight sounded brutal.”

Leo nodded. “I cannot wait to meet your wife. Chloe never liked me much, but it has been years. I wonder how she will react when she sees me.”

I paused at the door. “I do not understand Chloe anymore. She is acting really weird. Like she is not herself at all.”

Leo raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, not herself?”

“I do not know,” I said. “But something is off. Maybe it is the accident. Or maybe she is playing some new game to get under my skin. Anyway, let us stop talking about that woman. Go rest. We have a lot to catch up on later.”

Leo smiled. “Good night, man.”

I nodded and left the room, closing the door softly behind me.

The house was still quiet. I walked down the hallway, mind heavy with everything that had happened. Diane’s face kept flashing in my thoughts. The deal. Chloe’s tears. The way she had looked at me in the car. I pushed it all down and headed to my study. There was always more work to do.

*June’s Pov*

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. The room was still dark, the curtains heavy against the morning light. For a second I forgot where I was. Then everything came rushing back. The tears from last night. The humiliation. The way Nikolai had looked at me like I was nothing. I reached for the phone, heart beating fast, and saw Blue’s name on the screen.

I answered immediately, my voice thick with sleep and leftover tears. “Blue?”

“June,” she said softly. “It’s me. I saw what happened at the bar. Nikolai came and dragged you away like that. Are you okay?”

Hearing her voice again made my eyes sting. I sat up in bed, pulling the covers around me. “I’m… I’m trying to be. But no. I’m not okay. That man is a monster, Blue. He’s the one who shot me. He killed my babies. And now I’m trapped in this body, married to him. I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

Blue was quiet for a moment. Then she let out a long breath. “He is really hot though. I mean, from the pictures I saw…”

“Blue, stop,” I said, almost laughing through the tears. “He is not hot. He is a murderer. A cold, heartless murderer. Sometimes I just want to kill him myself for what he did to me.”

“You can’t become a murderer too,” she replied gently. “That is not you.”

I wiped my face. “I know. But I don’t know what to do. How are we going to fix this? I need to get back to my real body. I need to find out who took me after I was shot.”

Blue sighed. “I don’t know yet. But we will figure it out. First, I need to be close to you. I can come to your city. The problem is your husband. I don’t know how he will react if I just show up and stay for a few days.”

I thought quickly. “I will try to get on his good side. Maybe I can invite Sarah and Amelia for a sleepover. Then you can come after they leave and find a reason to stay. We will make it work.”

“Okay,” she said. “Keep me updated. And June… I am so sorry I missed your calls. I have been a terrible friend. My phone got stolen and I had to get a new SIM. I should have checked on you sooner.”

“It is okay,” I whispered. “You are here now. That is what matters.”

We talked a little more. She told me she had broken up with her ex again and was focusing on herself. “I like being free,” she said with a small laugh. “I like the feeling of not belonging to anyone right now.”

I smiled for the first time in days. A real, genuine smile. “You are crazy, Blue. But I missed that.”

Someone knocked on her door in the background. Blue laughed. “I have to go. Talk soon. Stay strong.”

The call ended. I sat there holding the phone, feeling a tiny bit lighter. At least I was not completely alone anymore.

I could not go back to sleep. My mind was too full. I got up, put on a robe, and walked downstairs to the kitchen. The house was still dark and quiet. It was barely six in the morning. I opened the fridge and took out a bottle of juice. The cold glass felt good in my hands. I poured some into a glass and started walking back upstairs, sipping slowly, trying to clear my head.

I was not paying attention. My eyes were on the floor, my thoughts still with Blue. I turned the corner and bumped straight into someone. The glass slipped from my hand and juice spilled all over his chest.

“Oh my God, I am so sorry,” I gasped, stepping back quickly.

The man in front of me was tall. Extremely handsome. Dark hair, sharp jaw, warm brown eyes that looked surprised but not angry. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and sweatpants, like he had just woken up too. For a second I forgot how to speak.

He looked down at the wet spot on his shirt and then back at me. A small smile tugged at his lips. “Whoa, whoa, calm down, Chloe. It is just a drink. No big deal.”

I froze. He called me Chloe. Of course he did. Everyone did. But something about the way he said it felt familiar, like he had known her for a long time.

“Sorry,” I mumbled again, my face burning. “I did not see you.”

He tilted his head slightly. “Are we cool? After the last time…”

I had no idea what “the last time” was. My heart started racing. I needed to get away before I said something wrong.

“Yeah,” I said quickly. “We are cool.”

I stepped around him and hurried upstairs, juice still dripping from my robe. I did not look back. I could not risk another conversation that might expose me. When I reached my room, I closed the door and leaned against it, breathing hard.

This house was full of people who knew Chloe. People who expected me to act like her. And I was failing at every turn.

I changed out of the wet robe and sat on the bed, staring at the wall. The small moment of hope from talking to Blue was already fading. How long could I keep pretending before someone figured out the truth?