chapter 3

Seeing my face was still a stony mask, Valerian softened his tone, trying to coax me.

"Nadia, if you're upset, we just won't hang out with—"

Before he could finish, Beatrix's mocking laugh cut him off. "Aww, is the good girl still throwing a tantrum?"

She had followed us out without us noticing.

Now, she stood with a cigarette between her fingers.

She swayed her hips as she stepped between us, her unpleasant gaze drifting over my face.

She said, "Ms. Cooper, guess we just don't run in the same circles.

"You don't like me, and I can't stand your holier-than-thou act."

Then she turned to Valerian with a teasing smirk. "Don't tell me you two just do the same old routine in bed and never spice things up? Haha—Ahh!"

Her shrill laughter ended in a sharp scream.

Beatrix clutched her head, screeching.

I'd grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her back hard.

I'd always been naturally strong.

Caught off guard, Beatrix stumbled back several steps before landing hard on her backside.

She covered her eyes and burst into sobs.

She said, "Valerian, you bastard! You get a girlfriend and just forget about me? Are you really gonna stand there and let her walk all over me like this?"

After Valerian helped her up, his face darkened as he glared at me. His voice was icy. "Nadia! That was way over the line."

I smirked. "I can go a lot further. Want a real show?"

His expression turned even stormier.

I smiled. "I'm not someone you mess with, Valerian. You know that.

"If she ever tries that shit in my face again, I'll deck her every single time."

After our ugly fight that night, Valerian and I started giving each other the silent treatment.

I saw him again three days later.

He came to corner me outside my office building.

I tried to walk right past him without a glance, but he chased after me and blocked my path.

His beautiful eyes were full of anxiety. He said, "Nadia.

"Nadia, I was wrong.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking these past few days. They really did take it too far that night. I promise you, it won't happen again. Okay?"

As he spoke, he even grabbed the hem of my shirt and gave it a couple of tugs.

It was all there—the pleading gesture, the act of submission.

In our two years together, every time we had a spat, the sight of him like that softened me up right away.

But this time was different.

I coldly shook off his hand and looked at him with a mocking smile. "Valerian, do you even know what a dealbreaker is?"

His expression froze.

I rubbed my fingertips together. "I just don't get it.

"If you have a 'girl-bro' you're that close with, why did you even bother getting a girlfriend? Why don't the two of you—or actually, the whole lot of you—just be together?"