A Week Later
1081 Words
Chapter 4 – A Week Later
A week passes, and the pressure hasn’t let up.
Nikolai’s mornings start with numbers, calls from Milan before the sun’s even up in New York, and messages that carry more threat between the lines than actual words. His rival has been moving faster, pushing into territories Nikolai has kept clean for years.
It’s irritating. Dangerous.
And exactly why he can’t afford distractions.
Yet, somehow, he still finds himself thinking about a certain distraction.
Her.
Leo’s voice comes to mind—"Elaine Roosevelt. The other kids call her Miss El"—and Nikolai catches himself gripping his pen tighter. He remembers the way she’d looked from that window. Completely unaware that she was being watched.
He hears a knock on the door. It door creaks open, he looks up.
"Sir, you have a meeting by 4 Pm with the Croatian merchants". She says clutching her clipboard with her four eyes fixed on him.
He nods." Is that all for today?"
"Yes sir".
He sighs. "You may leave now".
Just then, his phone buzzes. A message from Maria displayed on the home screen.
Maria: Sir, I forgot to tell you this earlier...Leo asked if you’re picking him up today.
He picks up his phone.
Nick:I can’t promise. I have a meeting at four.
Maria:He said you've missed the last week. And there’s some kind of class thing. Parents invited.
He arches a brow at the screen, then types:
Nick: What kind of thing?
Maria: A reading afternoon. The children share their favorite books. Nothing serious.
Nothing serious.
That’s what he tells himself as he signs the last page and closes the file. But the thought of walking into that classroom—seeing her up close, hearing her voice—makes the corner of his mouth twitch.
He picks up his phone.
Nick: Tell me the time. I'll be there.
He rises to his feet after Maria texts him the time. Can't believe he's doing this.
He storms out the door, stopping briefly at his secretary's desk.
"Circe, Cancel the meeting with the Croatians. I won't be available". He says not batting an eyelid.
"Huh? O-okay sir!" She stutters in surprise.
He walks off, leaving her to her thoughts. "What the f**k just happened?"
By the time the afternoon comes, he’s pulling his Bentley continental gt into the school lot, ignoring the way a few parents glance at the car. Leo spots him from the playground fence, his face breaking into a rare grin before he runs to meet him.
“You came!”
“I said I’d try,” Nikolai says, ruffling his hair. “Go get your things.”
Inside, the classroom smells faintly of crayons and something sweet—cookies, maybe. Kids are clustered in little groups, holding picture books. And then she’s there, crouched beside a table, helping a student tape a torn page. His mind goes blank when he sees her, like he's broken into a cold sweat. How will they face each other? Maybe this was a bad idea.
She stands when she notices him. Their eyes meet for the first time. A tingling sensation in his abdomen hits him.
Nikolai registers the smallest flicker of surprise in hers before she smooths it away with a professional smile. But she's flushed, light pink. Just like the day they met at that bar.
“Mr. Vance, I assume? I’m Miss Roosevelt.”
Her handshake is warm, steady. And far too brief. He wishes for it to last longer, but that'll probably make her feel uncomfortable.
“Yes,” he says, holding her gaze a moment longer than necessary. “Leo talks about you.”
He feels like adding " It's been an earful, and I came all this way to finally see you again". But he restrains himself. He doesn't want her to think he's weird.
She glances toward Leo, who’s flipping through a book with Jacob. “He’s a wonderful kid.”
Nikolai almost smiles. Wonderful isn’t a word he hears often in his world.
He looks her in those honey brown irises. "And you're a wonderful teacher".
Her ears go pink. She smiles. "I'm just doing my job". She sighs. "And it's clear you're also doing yours".
She gives him the same look she gave him when she told him he was a good father.
He smirks. "What are the odds?"
She smiles. "I'd better get back to my students now".
He nods. "It was a pleasure to meet you".
"Likewise". And with that, she leaves him.
For the next half hour, he listens as Leo reads a page from his book, voice clear and precise. But Nikolai’s attention keeps drifting—to the way Elaine encourages each child, to the softness in her expression when she listens.
When it’s over and parents start filing out, Nikolai lingers.
“Miss Roosevelt,” he says, and she looks up from stacking papers. “Thank you. For… what you do for him.”
She tilts her head, just slightly. “It’s my job, Mr. Vance.”
His lips curve in something that’s not quite a smile. “Some jobs mean more than others.”
Leo looks up at both of them. "You two know each other?" He asks scrunching up his nose at them.
"Yes, we do". Elaine says with a warm smile. She strokes Leo on the head for the first time and he flushes. Eyes wide in surprise.
Nickolai almost laughs at his son's reaction.
"See you Monday Leo".
"Y-yeah". He stutters clutching his backpack. Nickolai leads him out.
He wouldn't blame the little boy for flushing because Elaine patted his head. She's a pretty young woman with a pretty personality...
He pauses. Guard up, brows furrowed.
Something's wrong.
He pretends not to know and strides over to his car with his kid.
He spots them from his side view mirror. They haven't realised that he's caught them.
Did they follow him here?
No. He would have noticed right away.
"Hah...those sons of bitches". He curses under his breath.
"Hey, why don't we stop at my workplace first, huh?"
Leo who seems to be lost in thougt just nods.
"What're you thinking about?"
"Nothing serious. I'm just glad you came". Leo says with a small smile.
Nickolai smirks. Eyeing the black car at the farthest corner of the lot, behind them.
"Me too".
He starts the engine, pulling out of the lot.
He suddenly feels like going for a long spin.
- Writer
