Bound by lies Trapped by Desire (Elena and Nikolai) novel Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Elena’s POV:

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The obstetrician smiled, a kind, reassuring expression on her face as she stepped back from the bed. She had just finished her examination.

“Everything seems to be progressing and healing well,” she announced. “You’re in excellent health.”

My lips pursed into a thin line, and I nodded, a faint blush creeping up the back of my neck. I felt a surge of ridiculous embarrassment, but I knew I had to ask.

“So,” I began, trying to sound as casual as possible, “I can have intercourse?”

A soft, knowing laugh escaped her lips. “Oh, yes, of course. Hadn’t I given you the go–ahead two weeks ago?” she questioned, a gentle curiosity in her

eyes.

I gave a small, sheepish nod. “Yeah. It’s just, my husband is very… considerate. He wanted to make sure I was fully recovered. I tried reassuring him about what you said, but he kept insisting we wait at least two months.” My voice trailed off into a frustrated sigh, and I felt even more ridiculous for having to admit such a thing.

She simply smiled, a look of understanding softening her features. We chatted a little more about my recovery and Haider’s progress before she gave me a final piece of advice about getting rest and left the room.

Alright. Yes. I was feeling sexually frustrated. Sue me. It was a simple, undeniable fact. It had been manageable when I was alone, when I wasn’t constantly within arm’s reach of Nikolai, but this past month had been an exquisite form of torture. I was reminded of how good he was in bed with every glance, every brush of his hand. Seeing him shirtless so often while he held Haider or simply moved around our cramped space was giving me a metaphorical case of blue balls, even though I didn’t have any balls at all.

I mean, yeah, I get it. Most new mothers are exhausted. They’re overwhelmed, they deserve all the rest in the world. But that wasn’t me. I wasn’t doing anything. Literally nothing. No chores, no studies, no work. Not even cleaning Haider’s diapers–the nurses handled that. I did help with feeding him a lot, but Haider was surprisingly well–behaved. He was a champion eater, always hungry on time and rarely crying. His little body, so fragile and tiny at first, was filling out, gaining a healthy weight. He seemed to know that his job was to eat, sleep, and just exist, and he was exceptionally good at it.

I didn’t feel tired. I felt bored, exhausted from the sheer monotony of the days, and completely, utterly frustrated. I wanted to go out. Even though I had been out a few times, I never ventured far from the hospital. My trips were usually just a short walk to the cafe below for an hour, the same route every time. The thought of leaving Haider here, even with the constant CCTV surveillance and the guards stationed outside our room and up and down the hallway, made my stomach clench with anxiety.

I understood that we should be worried after everything that had just happened. But at this point, the constant vigilance felt like paranoia. I mean, Dmitri was dead and Andrey was paralyzed. Nikolai had preferred not to tell me the exact details, a decision that both infuriated and unnerved me. But even though the news reports spoke of a “freak car accident” resulting in a spinal cord injury that left Andrey unable to speak or move for the rest of his life, I “had been damn sure it couldn’t be explained just like that.

Andrey had been a ruthless man. The idea of bi

being taken out by a simple accident was laughable.

Why wasn’t anyone questioning his three–day absence? It was the most glaring detail, a missing puzzle piece that no one seemed to care about. Not even his own wife. It was as if his disappearance and then his sudden, debilitating return were completely normal.

What was even more ridiculous was the situation with Lazar. Sergei’s son had somehow taken over the Vetrov family businesses. Not all of them, just the chain of restaurants and nightclubs.

What was even more ridiculous was the situation with Lazar. Sergei’s son had somehow taken over some of the Vetrov family businesses. Not all of them, just the chain of restaurants and nightclubs. It was an odd detail that I had brought up to Nikolai a few days ago. He’d explained it away with a casual shrug, stating that those particular businesses were legally owned by Dmitri’s mother–Andrey’s second wife–and therefore weren’t part of the main Vetrov enterprise. Nikolai wasn’t keen on getting into a legal battle with her, which would only bring unwanted drama and media attention. He was just biding his time, waiting for the right moment to consolidate all the power.

Only a week after the airing of that news, Sergei had contacted me. The first thing he did was apologize for not calling in so long. I was, of course, baffled by his apology. It wasn’t like I cared. And even if I did, how did he know? Had Nikolai told him? Nikolai had mentioned talking to him before.

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Chapter 166

He mentioned that Sergei had gotten bronchitis, and when I questioned if he was behind Andrey’s condition, he’d been straight up and answered with a truthful candor that was both surprising and terrifying.

“Of course, dochenka,” he had said, his voice raspy from the illness but still sharp. “I promised, didn’t I? I even took a wonderful video. Would you like to come see? I can have my new chef make some macaroons. It’s his specialty.”

As much as the thought of macaroons and going out tempted me, I had to decline because I couldn’t leave Haider at that time. He was still so small, and the idea of leaving him, even for a few hours, was unbearable. So our meeting had been postponed indefinitely.

I felt a soft coo and I looked down, smiling as I watched him suckle. Breastfeeding had been another thing that was slightly hard at first. Since he was premature, Haider didn’t have the coordination to suckle properly until a few weeks ago. It was a slow, sometimes painful process, but it was nice seeing him grow up, seeing his little cheeks plump up with milk. I felt a deep warmth spread through my chest, a feeling that had nothing to do with frustration or anxiety.

Maybe I was being too ungrateful? I mean, I had my mom, Aunt Rose, and Fiona visiting me almost every day. I had games, a TV, and books. I had my baby. What more could I ask for, right?

“Malishka?”

The voice startled me, and I snapped my head up, my eyes wide with surprise. I hadn’t even heard the door open. He moved so silently sometimes it was unnerving.

“You’re back?” I asked, a genuine smile spreading across my face.

Nikolai’s lips curved into a soft, genuine smile. He looked so at ease. “Yeah. I said I’d come early today, didn’t I?” he nodded, remembering his promise from earlier this morning.

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