Chapter 1 - Nico
The church looked beautiful.
I hated it.
White stone glowed beneath carefully positioned white lights, transforming the old building into something almost ethereal against the darkening Miami sky.
Luxury vehicles lined the street outside, and men in tailored suits escorted women dripping in diamonds toward the entrance.
Valets moved efficiently while the extensive amount of security remained visible without appearing intrusive.
Everything had been planned meticulously.
Every flower. Every guest. Every single detail about the wedding, which was set to unfold soon.
Including the groom. Especially the groom.
I sat in the back of a black SUV across the street and watched it all unfold.
It had been six months since Vera walked into my office and destroyed my life forever.
Six months since she told me she had cheated on me and refused to name the man.
Six months since she stood before me and claimed that she had never loved me.
Six months since she looked me in the eye and turned all of our history into absolutely nothing.
At least that was what she wanted me to believe. And I believed her now.
Beside me, Viktor remained silent. Most men can’t tolerate silence for more than a few minutes, especially in situations such as these.
But Viktor had worked with me long enough to understand that silence wasn’t always empty.
Sometimes it was calculation. Sometimes it was patience.
Sometimes it was violence waiting for permission.
And tonight, it was all three.
“The eastern entrance is clear, Nico. The guards have been taken care of by our team.”
Viktor’s voice broke the quiet. My soldiers were roaming the vicinity, ready to move on a single command, but I didn’t need anyone to do anything except for the basics.
This was an operation I needed to carry out alone.
All by myself. I glanced at the tablet resting on his lap, where live security feeds filled the screen.
I could see church entrances and hallways.
Parking areas and private rooms. Every single corner of the building was displayed before me, and those inside didn’t even know it was monitored.
I acquired access three days ago. It was not because I had needed it, because this was an operation that I could have started and ended with my eyes closed. But only because I preferred certainty. I couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong when something so important was on the line.
“How many guards are inside?” I asked.
“Twenty-two.”
I nodded. “Any surprises I should stay ready for?”
“No. None.”
Of course, there weren’t. I didn’t allow surprises.
Not anymore. Not after Vera. It was best to eliminate surprises before they had a chance to jump at you from behind, and this was something I had only learned after a painful experience.
My gaze returned to the church where guests continued arriving.
The wedding would begin in less than an hour.
I checked my watch, followed by the photograph displayed on my phone.
It was Vera. The image had been taken yesterday by one of my photographers who had been tailing her for months now, bringing me news of every single thing that went on in her life.
We might not have been in contact, but I still knew everything that was happening in her life.
She had been leaving a bridal boutique downtown, and her hair had been pinned up.
My chest ached at her smiling in the picture.
I could imagine that she had been laughing at something one of her bridesmaids said.
The photograph should have made me angry, but instead it irritated me for an entirely different reason.
Underneath all the pomp and makeup she had on, she looked exhausted.
Most people wouldn’t notice it, but I wasn’t most people, and Vera wasn’t just anyone.
Hence, I did.
The smile hadn’t reached her eyes, and I had watched closely how the shadows beneath them had grown darker during the past few months.
I knew it because I had been watching. Constantly.
I knew where she drank her morning coffee and the route she took to work.
I knew which gym she attended, and I knew every restaurant she frequented.
I knew when she slept, and I knew when she didn’t.
Because, despite everything she had said in my office six months ago, I had never stopped paying attention.
“You’re thinking too much.”
I looked at Viktor, and he raised an eyebrow at me.
“That’s a dangerous observation to make about your boss,” I said, my voice dry.
“You haven’t killed me yet, so I believe I’m fine.”
“There’s still time.”
His mouth twitched slightly. That was Viktor’s version of a laugh.
“You know what I mean.”
Unfortunately, I did. The problem was that I didn’t particularly care.
“I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“Do you?”
The question lingered. I knew most people would never dare ask me such a thing, but Viktor wasn’t most people. He had earned the right years ago.
“Careful.”
“I’m serious, Nico.”
I leaned back against the leather seat. Outside, another luxury sedan pulled up, and more guests entered the church. More smiling faces followed by more congratulatory remarks and more lies.
“What exactly are you asking?” Viktor studied me. “I’m asking if this is about revenge.”
The answer came immediately. “No.”
“So it is obsession because it’s impossible for you to let her go?”
I considered it. “Partially.”
“Love?”
I laughed. The sound lacked humor. “That’s a dangerous word.”
“That wasn’t a denial.”
“No.”
Because it wasn’t. I wasn’t stupid enough to lie to myself.
I loved Vera even when I hated her. I wanted answers and explanations, and I wanted to know why.
Most importantly, I wanted the truth. One thing that had bothered me from the very beginning was how the story never made any sense.
A woman who supposedly never loved me wouldn’t spend so much time building a life with me.
A woman who was merely passing the time didn’t cry herself to sleep after I had an accident and was badly hurt.
A woman who didn’t care didn’t memorize every detail about my life.
None of it fit.
I had spent six months searching for evidence that supported her version of events, and I hadn’t found any.
Instead, I had only found more questions.
Thousands of them. Questions that always led back to the same conclusion that she had lied.
But none of that mattered anymore because I was a man who believed in people’s word.
If she claimed to not love me anymore than that was the truth.
And the only thing that I needed to do now was make sure she was as miserable as I was.
Viktor sighed. “You’re staring at the church again.”
“Very observant.”
“You do realize normal people would have moved on by now, right? They would not be stalking her and planning to barge in and ruin her wedding.”
I looked at him. “Good thing I’m not normal.”
“That’s one way to describe it.”
A corner of my mouth lifted. Briefly. Then disappeared.
The church doors opened, and a group of bridesmaids emerged from a limousine.
My attention sharpened instantly, but Vera was nowhere.
Just bridesmaids. I already knew their names, backgrounds, and social media accounts.
I knew which one talked too much and which one couldn’t keep a secret.
But most importantly, I knew how none of them had ever been Vera’s friends and had emerged out of nowhere.
Preparation and details mattered. Especially tonight.
My phone vibrated, and I answered immediately. It was one of my men.
“Yes?”
“It has been confirmed. Target is inside.”
“Location?”
“Private bridal suite in the north wing.”
Exactly where she was supposed to be. I glanced at my watch again and realized only thirty-eight minutes were left until the ceremony. Perfect.
“Any changes?”
“No.”
“Good.”
The line disconnected, and Viktor watched me carefully.
“You still have time to walk away. We don’t have to do this.”
I almost laughed. Instead, I looked through the windshield toward the illuminated church.
“No.”
Because walking away had never truly been an option.
Not after everything she had done to me.
If I was going to be unhappy for the rest of my life, then I would make sure she remained unhappy too.
I opened the door, and Viktor immediately followed.
The evening air felt warm against my skin, and music drifted from somewhere inside the church.
Guests continued arriving, but nobody paid attention to me.
We crossed the street, but neither of us rushed. Rushing implied uncertainty, and I had never been more certain. The side entrance remained exactly where it should be, and one of my men opened the door before I reached it.
“Boss.”
I nodded once. “Status?”
“Everything’s clear.”
We moved inside. The church smelled faintly of flowers and candle wax as voices echoed through distant hallways.
I could hear distant footsteps and laughter.
The excitement and anticipation before a wedding filled the air.
But none of it interested me. I moved through the building with absolute certainty.
Left turn. Twenty paces. Right corridor.
Private access staircase. Every detail had already been memorized.
Every route practiced. Every variable accounted for.
Execution was easy because I was fully prepared. Viktor fell into step beside me.
“Last chance to leave, Nico.”
I glanced at him.
“You’re becoming repetitive.”
“You’ve become impossible.”