139

139
Chapter 139
Mandy?!! Are You Insane?!!

”Why do you get everything?!!” Mandy shouted, her voice trembling with anger as she held up a knife close to Cassandra. 

She sneaked in when she noticed Cassandra was asleep.

Her back was facing the open window, the night breeze brushing against her hair. 

“I’m going to end you tonight, Cassandra,” she said through clenched teeth. “And no one will stop me… not even Nikolas. He isn’t here to protect you now.” She gave a chuckle that sent chills down the air.

She raised the knife higher, her eyes wild. 

“You know,” she said, tapping her own head lightly, “I actually considered letting you live… but I can’t anymore. I just can’t…”

Cassandra was still asleep, her breathing soft, completely unaware of the danger inches away. 

Mandy took one step closer, her hand shaking slightly as she lifted the knife above her shoulder, whispering, “You took everything from me… everything…”

But before she could strike, the door suddenly flung open.

“What are you doing?!!” Nikolas’s deep voice roared through the room. 

His eyes widened at the sight before him, Mandy standing over Cassandra with a knife raised high.

Mandy froze for a moment, her eyes wide, the knife slipping slightly from her grasp and falling to the floor.

But within seconds, she snatched it up again, turning in panic.

I jerked awake, my eyes flying open. 

I sat up immediately, confused and terrified. “Mandy?!!” I called, my voice shaky as I saw the knife in Mandy’s hand.

Before I could even move, Mandy rushed forward and grabbed me roughly, pulling me against her own body. 

The knife pressed cold against my neck. 

I froze, my heart pounding fast.

“Keep that down right now!!” Nikolas shouted, his voice filled with rage and fear.

“Why should I?!!” Mandy screamed, her grip tightening around me. “She gets everything!! She took my life, my job, my peace!! I served you way before her, Nikolas!! And this is what I get?!”

“Mandy…” Nikolas’s voice softened slightly, trying to steady the situation. “I’m not going to repeat myself. Put the knife down.”

Mandy laughed bitterly. “One more step, Nikolas, and I’ll kill her… I swear I will.”

Nikolas stopped immediately, hands slightly raised. His eyes met mine, fear, love, and silent reassurance all in one look.

“Please, Mandy…” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Don’t do this. I don’t want to hurt you. You don’t have to do this, please.”

Mandy’s eyes filled with tears but she quickly wiped them with the back of her hand. “You don’t want to hurt me?! You ruined my life!! You took my place beside him!! Do you know how long I worked to get him to notice me?!”

“What do you want then?!!” Nikolas asked sharply. “Tell me what you want.”

Mandy smirked slightly, her knife still pressed against my skin. “Good question… since you’re offering, I want half of your property. Everything you own, half.”

I gasped softly. “Mandy… this isn’t you. You don’t have to…”

“Shut up!!” Mandy snapped, pushing the knife closer until I winced slightly. 

“Don’t talk, Cassandra! You don’t understand what it’s like to be invisible. You came into this house and suddenly everything became about you. Nikolas this, Cassandra that. You wear his ring, his name… you drive his car. And me? I’m just the maid who cleans up after you!”

“Mandy, please…” Nikolas said calmly, taking one cautious step forward. “You’ll get what you want, alright? Half of it. I’ll give you half of everything I have. Just let her go.”

I shook my head quickly. “No, Nikolas… don’t do that. Don’t let her control you like this.”

“Shut up!!” Mandy yelled again, her voice breaking now. “You think I’m bluffing? I’ve got nothing left to lose.”

Nikolas’s jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists. “Fine, Mandy,” he said finally. “You’ll have what you want. But let her go first.”

“Do you think I’m stupid?!” she spat. “You’ll call the guards the moment I let her go. I’m not falling for that.”

“Mandy,” Nikolas said quietly, slowly taking a step closer. “You’ve known me for years. You know I keep my word.”

“Don’t come closer!” she yelled, the knife trembling now in her hand. “You think I don’t see what you’re trying to do?! I’m not a fool, Nikolas!”

Nikolas stopped again, his eyes steady. “Alright… alright. How about this then? You want the property? Fine. I’ll sign the papers right now. You can watch me do it. Just… put the knife down. We’ll handle this like adults.”

Mandy blinked, her expression shifting slightly. “Sign it now?” she asked suspiciously.

“Yes,” Nikolas said softly. “Now. You’ll have everything you’re asking for.”

For a moment, Mandy hesitated. Her grip loosened just a little on my arm. 

Her eyes darted between Nikolas’s calm face and the papers he was slowly reaching for on the nearby table.

“Sign it,” she demanded. “I want to see it happen.”

Nikolas gave me a subtle glance, an eye signal that I caught immediately. 

I took a deep breath, pretending to stumble a bit to distract Mandy.

The second Mandy turned her head slightly, Nikolas acted. 

In one swift, precise move, he pulled his gun from the back of his trousers and fired.

The loud bang echoed through the room.

Mandy screamed, dropping the knife as the bullet grazed her hand. 

She fell backward, clutching her wrist in pain. 

I stumbled forward, breathing hard, while Nikolas ran straight to me, pulling me into his arms protectively.

Within seconds, Dre burst through the door with two guards, his gun already drawn.

“Boss!!” Dre shouted.

Nikolas held me tightly. “Get her out of here!!” he yelled at Dre, pointing at Mandy.

Mandy was crying now, her hand bleeding. “You shot me… you really shot me…” she muttered weakly.

“You brought this on yourself,” Dre said coldly as he grabbed her roughly by the arm. 

The two guards helped drag her out, ignoring her screams.

When the room finally went quiet, Nikolas turned immediately to me, cupping my face with both hands.

“Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!!” he asked frantically, his eyes scanning my body for any sign of injury.

I was still shaking. 

“I… I’m fine,” I whispered, tears forming in my eyes. “She was going to kill me…”

Nikolas hugged me tightly, one hand on the back of my head. “Not on my watch,” he said softly. “No one touches you. Not while I’m alive.”

I clung to him, my tears soaking his shirt. “I thought I was going to die…” I said weakly.

Nikolas kissed my forehead. “I would never let that happen, Cassy. Never.”

We stayed like that for a while, breathing heavily, the sound of our hearts almost syncing in the silence.

After a few minutes, I looked up at him. “You could’ve gotten hurt too…”

Nikolas smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I can take a bullet if it means you’ll stay safe.”

I hit his chest softly. “Don’t say that…”

Nikolas chuckled lightly. “I mean it.”

He looked into my eyes, his tone growing more serious. “No one will ever harm you again. I’ll make sure of that.”

I nodded slowly, still trembling. “She looked so different… so angry. Mandy… I never thought she’d do something like this.”

Nikolas sighed. “Jealousy makes people lose their minds. She wanted everything you have…”

“Yeah….” I said calmly.

Nikolas smiled faintly. “That love isn’t something you steal. It’s something you earn.”

I leaned into him, resting my head on his chest. “You were fast back there,” I whispered. “If you hadn’t been here…”

Nikolas wrapped his arms around me again. “Don’t even finish that sentence, wife. I’ll always be here. You don’t ever have to fear again.”

Outside, Dre’s voice could be heard barking orders at the guards to lock Mandy in the underground cell. 

I flinched slightly at the sound, and Nikolas rubbed my back gently.

“Hey,” he whispered, “it’s over now.”

I nodded, closing my eyes. “I just want peace, Nikolas… I’m tired of fighting everyone.”

He kissed my hair softly. “You’ll have peace, Cassy. I promise you’ll have it. No one will touch you again.”

I held his hand tighter. “You scared me…”

Nikolas smiled faintly. “I scared myself too. But I had to act. The moment I saw that knife near you, I lost control.”

I looked up at him, tears glistening in my eyes. “You saved me again.”

Nikolas smiled, brushing his thumb against my cheek. “I’ll keep saving you, every day if I have to.”

And for a while, we just held each other in silence.

Downstairs, Dre reported that Mandy had been locked away and treated for her wound. 

Nikolas simply nodded. He didn’t want to hear her name again.

Nikolas stared at me for a long time, his fingers tracing my hand slowly.

“She’ll never touch you again.. I swear it.” The words echoed in my head.

“Husband…” I called as I looked up.

“Yes wife…” Nikolas answered with a smile. “You have something to say…”