Ruthless Revenge

Isabelle POV

For the ninth time, I glanced at my wristwatch. It was 4:15 p.m. and the man isn't here.

I shifted on the couch, adjusting my white blazer. The nervous anticipation had turned into a restless unease.

"Where is he? We were supposed to meet at four," I muttered to Amara, my editor and assistant.

"I know, right? With all his assistants, you'd think he'd be on time," Amara replied.

"He's a billionaire, Amara. Time is probably just another commodity to him," I sighed.

I was here to interview Nikolai Ivanov, the young Russian billionaire. His secretary assured us he'd be back soon, but it was already fifteen minutes past four.

"Maybe he's stuck in traffic or dodging paparazzi," Amara suggested.

"Let's hope so," I said, rubbing my palms nervously. "He's not exactly keen on media attention."

"This interview will be the cherry on top of your blogging success," Amara exclaimed, beaming at me. "You've worked hard for this."

"Thanks," I replied, giving her a quick hug. "If I can get him to spill about that royal drama, the book practically sells itself."

"You've got the charm to get him talking," Amara said with a grin. "Can you believe those princesses fighting over him? He's like a Greek god."

We both chuckled.

"Let's hope this interview seals the deal with The Dreamers for more book deals," I said, crossing my fingers.

"You've got this; I believe in you," Amara said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. "Your followers will be thrilled when you score this interview with Nikolai."

"Yeah," I nodded. "I owe everything to them. Without their support, Isabelle Blog wouldn't be where it is today."

"They love your honesty and passion," Amara added.

"Thanks, bestie."

"You know I'm your biggest fan," she said, her eyes welling up with tears.

We hugged tightly.

I started blogging as a hobby, but it turned into something beyond my wildest dreams. Six months ago, Isabelle Blog went viral, and now I have millions of followers. Partnering with top brands and landing amazing projects—it's been surreal. I'm filled with joy knowing I'm doing what I love and connecting with so many people.

So when my followers flooded the comments begging for an interview with Nikolai Ivanov, I knew I had to make it happen.

As we waited, Amara checked her watch. "Let's go over some facts about Nikolai while we're here."

"Good idea," I agreed, glancing around the room. I'd spent hours researching Nikolai's life. "He's quite the success story. Born into wealth and power, he's made quite a name for himself."

"Absolutely," Amara nodded.

"He studied engineering at Harvard," I continued.

Amara gave me a thumbs up.

"His family's business empire spans across multiple industries: robotics, mining, real estate, airlines, you name it," I listed off.

"Seems like he's got it all," Amara remarked.

"True, but he's never had much privacy," I added. "With a mother like Katherine Pallis Ivanov, known as the Rebellious Bride, it's no wonder." She walked down the aisle in a black dress on her wedding.

Amara raised her eyebrows.

Nikolai's life had its share of drama, like the time he accidentally set their mansion on fire as a kid, making headlines for months. Since then, the media tracked his every move, from extreme sports to his recent playboy antics.

Despite it all, I had somehow landed an interview with him and the promise of a book deal. It was hard to believe my efforts were finally paying off.

After an hour of waiting, Austin returned looking apologetic.

"Mr. Ivanov won't be able to make it today, ladies. There's been an emergency," he explained.

"Oh no," I exclaimed. "What's going on?"

"He wants to talk to you directly," Austin said, handing me the phone.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Ivanov. This is Isabelle Martins," I said, trying to sound professional.

"I'm really sorry, Miss Martins," Nikolai's voice came through, sending a flutter through my stomach. "I was looking forward to our interview, but I'm dealing with an emergency right now."

"Oh, that's unfortunate..."