Miss Hart?
He never called me that before.
It was always eitherCelineorlittle one.
Damn, he must be pissed.
By the time I raised my head, he was already walking away, leaving me with his men.
I felt rejected and unwanted in ways I couldn’t explain. That look of anger and disappointment in his eyes hurt me more than I cared to admit.
But why, though?
Wasn’t I just an insignificant prisoner to him? Wasn’t he just a ruthless monster to me?
What the hell was going on here?
My emotions were all over the place, and that scared the shit out of me. Especially because I had no idea what that meant.
Chapter 12 – Artur
I was furious with her and avoided her all day. In my mind, I was angry because this invasion was somehow linked to her. If she hadn’t pleaded on Mikhail’s behalf, I would’ve ended his life, and none of this would’ve happened.
Men died in the attack.
Fortunately, the number of casualties was minimal compared to what the enemy had planned. Even my domestic staff weren’t spared. Many were injured in critical condition. However, no life was lost in that department.
I kept telling myself that I was angry at Celine because this was her fault. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t the reason. It was just easier to blame her than to face the fact that I’d almost lost her.
When the attack began, I was in my study, buried in work after spending so much time thinking about her. After the first gunshot rang out and I realized what was happening, the first person that popped into my head was her.
The assassins tampered with the cameras and the comms, and because of that, my monitors went blank. I had no idea where she was or whether she was okay.
Amidst the chaos, I bolted through the hallways, yelling at my staff to take cover. I checked her room first, but she wasn’t there. Then I knew instantly where to find her.
By this time, the assassins had already invaded the building, exchanging gunshots with my men. I could’ve gotten to her soon, but I was attacked three times on my way to the library.
These attacks slowed me down, even though I killed the masked men without breaking a sweat.
Until now, the thought of what would’ve happened to her if I hadn’t reached the library on time still haunted me.
Thinking about it now—I wasn’t on time. I arrived late. The only reason she was still alive when I got there was because the masked man’s gun jammed. If I were superstitious, I’d say her guardian angel was at work that morning.
Seeing her helpless on the floor with a gun pointed at her head made my blood boil. I hadn’t moved as fast as I did that morning in a really long time. And that only proved what lengths I’d go just to save her life. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if she were killed under my watch.
Since she lived in this house, she wasmyresponsibility, and I had a duty to protect her.
It wasn’t until after I killed her attacker and realized she was unharmed that I was able to breathe fine. I finally understood at that moment that I cared deeply for this woman.
Therefore, I wasn’t really angry at her for pleading on Mikhail’s behalf. I was mad at myself for not making it to her on time.
What if that gun hadn’t jammed?
What if she’d already been dead when I arrived?
To be honest, the mere thought of that possibility infuriated me each time it crossed my mind.
Because I was avoiding her, I didn’t get to thank her for the role she played in Mikhail’s death. She was the one who slid the gun to me while the bastard beneath me wrestled against my strength.