Nikoli looked at Carolina as she continued to look at him with her arms still crossed resting under her breasts. When she motioned her head towards the door it caused shock to radiate his body. “Surely, you don’t mean right now?”

“Yes, the sooner the better.”

Nikoli laughed, “You are crazy. There is no way that I’m telling him right now. I’m not going to tell him until the 21st Century is over.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“What do you mean?” Nikoli asked as he continued to sit on the couch with his right arm spread out on the back of the couch.

“Nikoli, it’s not right.”

Nikoli sighed as he realized that he was going to do something that he hadn’t done in years. He removed himself from the couch and put his hands in his pockets and began walking to Carolina with his gaze to the ground. When he was done preparing himself for what he was about to do he looked up at her gorgeous brown eyes and spoke the words that he knew would bring anger.

“Carolina, I don’t take well to people ordering me around. You want me to tell Seyurn about Suyun and I will but when I find the time to be beneficial. I don’t care if you don’t like it but that’s the way I do things.”

He watched as her confidence began to crumble at the thought of her being wrong about him. “I know you—”

“You think you know me. Let’s not forget, my dear Carolina. I’m a monster and you can’t control me because I won’t let you.”

“Don’t talk to me like that.” She told him as she dropped her arms to her sides. Nikoli could tell that she was holding onto her emotions by a thread. It was the worst thing that he could possibly do to her but it was necessary.

“How am I talking to you?”

“I’m your wife! You don’t get to talk to me as if I’m nothing.”

Nikoli removed his hands from his pockets and gently cupped Carolina’s face in his palms. “Carolina, you do not hold any power over me. I’ve spoiled you and that must be rectified immediately.”  

Nikoli kissed her and put his hands back into his pockets. After looking at her tear filled eyes he shut off all emotion and walked out of the library leaving her alone. When he walked out into the living room the group was there waiting for him.

He looked at each of them in the eye as he began to feel regret for the words that were going to come out of his mouth. “Carolina is in the library. I want you to grab her and take her to the basement.”

The group looked at each other in horror. It was Bobby that spoke first, “Are you positive? Once we put her in there…”

“I know,” Nikoli said with a sigh. “Do it.”

Bobby nodded once before he walked over to the library with the group following. Nikoli stood there as Carolina’s screams started to fill the house and it took everything in him to stay where he was. He watched as she tried to fight off the group with every ounce of power she possessed. Her tears were running down her face as she pleaded with him but he ignored her as he watched the group drag her away from the living room making their way towards the basement. Nikoli clenched his teeth as he heard her screams through the house.

It was the right thing to do.

“What are you doing, Nikoli?”

“I’m doing what is right, Seyurn.”

“You can’t put her in the basement.”

Nikoli turned to face his closest friend. “Seyurn, if you keep talking you’ll find yourself down there with her. So, I suggest that you keep your mouth shut.”

Without another word he walked away from the love of his life as well as his friend. He didn’t know when he made it up to his room or when he laid down on his bed that he shared with Carolina but he realized that he was there when something felt something sharp at the base of his back. He reached under his body and grabbed the item when it came into view he placed it immediately. It was Carolina’s hair pin that he had bought her for their fifth year anniversary; he brushed his thumb over the pearls that were laced in diamonds. The image of the pin her hair brought a rush of longing that caused him to feel enraged. He clenched the pin in his hand and raised his hand in order to throw it at the wall but refrained from it. Instead, he placed the pin next to him before lying back down on the bed.

While staring at the ceiling without a thought inside his head, Nikoli didn’t even realize that Bobby has entered the room.

“Sir, may I speak freely?”

“You may,” he answered without removing his gaze from the ceiling.

“Why did you decide to place Carolina in the basement?”

“Bobby, have you ever found someone that you love so much that you would protect them at all cost even if it brought your downfall?”

“I have not,” Bobby answered.

“Carolina is trying to bring out the good in me.”

Bobby’s eyebrows lowered in confusion, “I thought that was a good thing?”

Nikoli sighed as he sat upright on the bed. “It isn’t if you’re going to be dealing with what lies ahead.”

“What lies ahead?”

“My enemies,” Nikoli revealed. “They are out for blood. So, if I want to defeat them…I need for my conscience to be out of the equation.”

“Sir, the basement is very traumatizing for her.”

“I know,” Nikoli told him as he got off the bed and walked over to the window. “She’s scared to death of the dark.”

Nikoli turned to face Bobby who looked at him with intense judgment within his gaze. Deciding to turn his attention to the furniture that surrounded his bedroom but it instantly brought back the memories of Carolina, which angered him.

“Would you like to take another room?” Bobby asked as he sensed the anger that was simmering within Nikoli.

“Yes,” he said quickly.

Bobby bowed slightly before walking out of the room. Nikoli looked around the room in a daze. The fact that he was alone with his thoughts angered him more than he cared to admit. Without realizing it, Nikoli had tossed is humanity within the basement but it was necessary if he wanted to win against the battle that their family was preparing.