MR ZILLIONAIRE’S ROAD TO REVENGE

From Grace to grass

Chapter Five

The sedan pulled up in front of the headquarters of Ivanov Industries, and Nikolai stepped out, his eyes locking onto the building that had once been his empire. The employees who milled about the lobby did double-takes as they recognized him, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion. Whispers spread like wildfire, the return of their former boss sending ripples of unease through the crowd.

Nikolai walked with purpose, his steps echoing off the marble floors as he headed straight for the elevator. He was going to confront Marcus and Olivia, and he was going to take back what was his.

As he reached the elevator, a group of security guards stepped forward, blocking his path. “Sir, you’re not authorized to be here,” one of them said, his tone firm but nervous.

Nikolai’s eyes narrowed, his temper flaring. “I built this company. Get out of my way.”

The guards hesitated, clearly unsure of how to handle the situation. Nikolai took a step forward, ready to push his way through, but the guards moved to stop him. The tension in the air was palpable, the situation on the verge of exploding into violence.

But before things could escalate, a commotion in the lobby caught everyone’s attention. Mikhail and Olivia had arrived, their expressions a mixture of shock and anger. Mikhail pushed through the crowd, his gaze locked onto Nikolai with a cold intensity.

“What the hell is going on here?” Mikhail demanded as he approached, his voice carrying through the lobby.

Nikolai turned to face his brother, the man who had betrayed him so completely. For a moment, the two men simply stared at each other, the weight of years of betrayal and resentment hanging between them like a storm cloud.

“You tell me, Bratan,” Nikolai said

“ look who finally decided to show up,” he says, his voice dripping with contempt. “The prodigal brother returns, expecting what? A hero’s welcome?”

Nikolai’s fists folded at his sides, the muscles in his jaw tightening. “I didn’t come here for a welcome, Mikhail. I came to take back what’s mine.”

Mikhail let out a bark of laughter, the sound echoing off the lobby. “What’s yours? You’ve been gone for years, Nik. The world moved on without you, and so did we.” His eyes narrowed, his tone turning venomous. “You’re nothing now, just a washed-up ex-con trying to cling to a past that no longer exists.”

Nikolai took a step forward, his voice low but firm. “I gave you this company Mikhail, I can take it back when I want to, am back now so you can step down from CEO position.”

“That’s not happening anytime soon brother, this company was mine from the start it always has.” Mikhail said

Then the realization dawned on Nikolai “You and Olivia.... was this all a set up from the beginning?” Nikolai says, his eyes widening

“And who’s going to believe you?” Mikhail shot back, his smirk never wavering. “You’re a convicted criminal. Your word means nothing here.”

Nikolai’s anger flared, but he forced himself to stay calm. He couldn’t let Mikhail get to him, not now. “I trusted you brother, and this is how you repay me? Your flesh and blood,.”.”

Mikhail leaned in closer, his expression darkening. “You’re delusional, You’ve already lost. The sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.”

Nikolai stared at his brother, the betrayal cutting deeper than any wound. But it wasn’t just Mikhail’s betrayal that stung; it was the betrayal of the woman standing silently beside him.

Nikolai turned his attention to Olivia, his ex-wife. Her once warm eyes were cold, her expression unreadable. The woman he had loved, the woman he had sacrificed everything for, was now a stranger.

“Olivia,” he began, his voice softening as he approached her. “Why? Why did you do this to me? After everything I did for you, after everything we went through...”

Olivia’s lips curled into a cruel smile, and for a moment, Nikolai thought he saw a flicker of something—regret, maybe? But it was gone as quickly as it appeared. She began to laugh, a cold, mocking sound that echoed through the lobby, causing heads to turn and whispers to spread among the employees gathered around.

“Did you really think I was going to wait for you?” Olivia asked, her tone dripping with disdain. “You were gone, Nik. You left me alone while you rotted in that cell. Did you honestly believe that I’d still love you after all that?”

Nikolai elt the ground shift beneath him, the weight of her words almost too much to bear. “I didn’t leave by choice, Olivia. I took the fall to protect you, to protect us.”

She shook her head, still smiling, though there was no warmth in it. “You were a fool to think that would mean anything to me. I don’t love you, Nik. I haven’t for a long time.”

The words struck him like a physical blow, but she wasn’t finished. She stepped closer, her eyes cold and unfeeling. “I moved on. Mikhail gave me everything you couldn’t. Power, security, control—things that matter in the real world. Things you were too blind to see.”

Nikolai’s heart twisted in his chest, the pain of her betrayal cutting deeper than anything Mikhail could ever say. “So that’s it, then? You used me, and now you’re done?”

Olivia laughed again, a harsh, bitter sound. “Used you? You were a means to an end, Nikolai. I needed someone to take the fall, and you were the perfect candidate. Did you really think I was going to stick around, waiting for some fairytale ending? Grow up.”

Nikolai’s vision blurred as the reality of her words sank in. He had been living in a fantasy, believing that his love for Olivia had meant something, that his sacrifice had been worth it. But standing here, in the cold, harsh light of the Ivanov Industries lobby, he realized just how wrong he had been.

Mikhail, clearly enjoying the spectacle, leaned back with a satisfied grin. “It’s time to face the truth. You’re nothing now. You’re nobody. And there’s no place for you here, so do us both a favour and fuck-off.”

Nikolai looked around, seeing the pity and judgment in the eyes of the onlookers, the employees who once respected him. His heart ached with the weight of humiliation, but deep down, a new resolve began to form. He had lost everything, but he wasn’t finished yet.

Straightening his back, Nikolai forced himself to meet Mikhail’s gaze. “From her grave, I just pray mother can forgive me for what am going to do to you. This isn’t over.”

Mikhail’s smirk faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. “Oh, it’s over, Nik. You just haven’t realized it yet.”

Nikolai turned away, his heart heavy but his mind clearer than it had been in years. As he walked out of the lobby, leaving behind the company he had built, the woman he had loved, and the brother who had betrayed him, he knew one thing for certain.

He would be back. And when he returned, he would make sure that Mikhail and Olivia would regret every moment of this day.

After the tension-filled confrontation at ivanov Industries, Nikolai and Jeff left the building in silence. The weight of everything that had happened hung in the air. Nikolai slumped in the back seat, staring blankly out the window as they drove through the city.

Jeff broke the silence. “Nik, I know you don’t have anywhere to go right now. If you want, you can crash at my place until you figure things out.”

Nikolai hesitated. He wasn’t used to accepting help, especially now, when his pride had taken such a hit. But with no home and nowhere to turn, he nodded slowly. “Thanks, Jeff. I appreciate it.”

They pulled up to Jeff’s modest apartment. It wasn’t anything close to the luxury Nikolai was accustomed to, but right now, he didn’t have the luxury of choice. Inside, Jeff offered him a guest room, and Nikolai collapsed onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. His mind churned, replaying everything over and over—Olivia’s laughter, Mikhail’s smug grin, the humiliation.

A few hours ago when he was stepping out of the prison he never expected this kind of surprise.

‘is this even real?’ he thought to himself while giving his cheek a small slap.

‘How could they have done this to me, everything was a set up, I spent five years confined in that hellhole and it was all part of their plan.’ All this thoughts flowed through his mind as he began to feel more and more hatred towards them.

What was going to be his next step now that Nikolai had nothing?

Now we wait and see