Nikolai's POV

"So she's your plus one to events from now on?" Margaret asked from where she was seated on the ottoman. I didn't like the way she described it, but I grunted in agreement.

"Yes."

"I see," She replied simply, and as usual she gave a knowing smile. "Well in that case, you can't keep starving and overworking her. Sooner or later people will begin to suspect."

I frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well for starters, she's lean, malnourished, and has about a thousand bruises on her body."

Something clicked in my head when she said this. "Why hasn't she healed already?" I asked Margaret,...