Chapter 54 Anya's Apology-1
As Nikolai told her, a maid came and prepared a warm bath for her. She brought in with her a tray of nourished food.
Isabella was surprised to see the maid come in with a tray filled with assorted dishes and said, "I didn't ask for food."
"Master Nikolai sent me to you." The maid replied softly, her head bowed. "These meals were specially prepared for you."
Isabella was stupefied beyond words. The fact that Nikolai had thought to send food for her left her speechless.
When Isabella offered no further response, the maid took it as a sign and quietly set the tray on the small table near the bed.
On the tray was light chicken soup, porridge, avocado and a glass of warm herbal tea.
The maid after preparing the bath and setting the tray left, leaving Isabella to her thoughts.
Gently, and carefully with precise steps, Isabella soaked herself into the warm bath. The scented oil filled her nostrils as her muscles relaxed under the water.
Her mind envisioned different scenarios that she found hard to understand.
Does he love me now? Thought Isabella but she shooed the thought immediately it came and closed her eyes, letting the warm water do its job.
A few minutes later, after the water had turned cold, Isabella rushed out and dressed into a proper night dress.
Then she sat on the chair and began eating. Her face scrunched when she tasted the porridge, it was tasteless and had a weird feeling in her tongue.
She lost her appetite soon enough and could only manage to take few spoonfuls of the chicken soup. The avocado was left untouched, she wasn't a fan.
After she managed to drink the herbal tea that surprisingly had a sweet taste, she moved to the mattress and plopped down.
Gathering her damp golden hair into a loose, messy bun, she felt her eyelids grow heavy, her lashes fluttering as sleep began to pull her under.
Just as she was about to lie back completely, she heard a knock at the door.
She paused for a second, wondering who it could be, then said, "Come in."
A few seconds passed as if the person behind the door was deliberating on her actions. A creaked sound was heard as the door slowly pulled open, revealing Anya whose eyes were red and down, her feet still at the threshold.
Isabella's face immediately contorted in anger when she saw Anya.
How could she have forgotten? She had pushed her into the water and left her to drown.
Averting her gaze to the side, her tone stern and sharp, she said, "I don't want to see you."
Hearing Isabella's words, Anaya quickly rushed in and closed the door behind her.
"I'm really sorry, Bella." She blurted, "I spend every second regretting my actions, I should have thought of a better plan that didn't involve pushing you into the pool." Tears gathered in her eyes as her words rushed out.
Isabella had believed she was forming a genuine friendship only for it to be shattered by Anya's unfunny act.
"It doesn't matter! You knew I couldn't swim, yet you did what you did. What if I had died, Anya! It's a mistake from my part thinking we were getting close to being friends never realizing you hated my guts and wanted me out of this house. You should have just said so and I would have told Nikolai to take me out of here." Isabella didn't know what came over her as she poured out her emotions with shaky breath and quivering shoulders.
"I know! I know!" Anya cried. "That's why I'm apologizing to you. It would be happen again. I did what I did because I knew Nikolai was going to save you when he was a few walks away. I just wanted you guys to get close."
"What!" Her tone went above the ceilings, "Get close? I don't understand."
"I noticed your sombre expression as you asked everyday about Nikolai. I know it wasn't my place to interfere between you two and would never do such again even if it kills me. I just couldn't watch as you missed him everyday and you said he disappeared after coming back the night. I'm sorry for acting on my own."
Isabella was dumb-struck as she listened to Anya.
What did she mean by sombre expression?
Isabella was curled up in the library day and night, trying to read every book she could. She wouldn't deny that she also tried to find anything related to Nikolai but that didn't mean she missed him.
"That's not true!" She denied, the words bursting out louder than she intended.
"I do not care for Nikolai like that. The only relationship between us is that of a master and his prostitute. He owns me and uses me as his past time."
Isabella chewed her lips the instant those words left her lips.
She never intended on telling Anya about their relationship but because she was eager to dispel Anya's assumption she said what she had to say.
"Prostitute? Nikolai has never behaved this way with his previous ladies. Are you sure he sees you as a past time?"
Anger slowly burned in Isabella's veins, "ugh! What is it to you? I don't care for his decisions and if you can excuse me, I want to sleep." Isabella snapped, laying on the bed she roughly used the bedsheet to cover her dainty figure.
When she heard the door close, a heavy angry sigh escaped her lips.
She had no feelings for Nikolai. Why did Anya have to disturb her with those ridiculous words?
Nikolai was her enemy and she loathed him down to her bones.
All these happening between them will soon end the moment, she gets Daisy to safety.
Her mind drifted to that single paper she had squashed under her bed.
If the written content was real, she had expected to get another one from whoever sent the initial one but she had been left in the dark.
She could only depend on her own mind, hence her new decision to use Serah.
She only had to wait until Nikolai gave her the phone before she could contact Serah.
Isabella sighed exasperatedly hoping that Serah
would be compliant and help with her plans.