Sweet For You, Ruthless For Others
Chapter 18: To Get A Dress With Niklaus

Chapter 18: To Get A Dress With Niklaus

It wasn’t just a dress anymore—it was a statement, an unspoken war between my pride and my gratitude.

I clutched the package tightly, my emotions churning inside me. It was beautiful, and I should have been happy to have it, but it felt like a chain.

How could I wear something this expensive—something paid for so effortlessly by a man I didn’t even know—just for one night?

It didn’t sit right with me. It felt... excessive. Undeserved.

Niklaus’s voice cut through my thoughts. "Come on, let me drop you off if you’re done here," he said casually, as if this was something normal.

I blinked, his words taking a second to register. "I need to get a dress," I said suddenly, my voice steady, but the declaration sent a shockwave through the room.

I blinked, his words taking a second to register. "I need to get a dress," I said suddenly, my voice steady, but the declaration sent a shockwave through the room.

Niklaus frowned slightly. "Oh. Okay?"

"I can’t wear this one," I added, softer but firm.

The room seemed to inhale all at once. Gasps rippled through the crowd, followed by a flood of whispers.

"She doesn’t like it? After all that?"

"What a hypocrite."

"Ungrateful much?"

"Niklaus is wasting his kindness on someone like her."

"She knows she can’t pull it off—that’s why."

The laughter that followed was sharp, slicing through my already fragile composure. My grip tightened on the package as my throat burned with frustration.

Niklaus’s frown deepened, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. "Why?" His voice was low. "You don’t like it?"

I bit my lip, my eyes burning. I hated this—the attention, the whispers, the suffocating weight of his gaze on me. It was too much.

"Can you please stop paying attention to me?" My voice trembled as I spoke, each word a struggle. "You’re making it harder for me."

Niklaus tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Harder for you?"

I swallowed, staring at the polished floor. "You’re making them hate me. They don’t know me, but they won’t anymore—blinded by their obsession with you." My voice was barely above a whisper.

Niklaus let out a dry scoff, his sharp features twisting. "Who cares about them?"

"I do." The words snapped out before I could stop them, my voice rising just enough to silence the nearby whispers for a second. "I care, okay? And I don’t even know you. Why are you everywhere? Why are you doing this?" My voice cracked, and I turned sharply, clutching the bag as I made for the door.

Niklaus followed, his stride deliberate and unyielding. "Let me take you home," he said, not offering but deciding.

"I was going to order an Uber," I said, my tone clipped, determined to put distance between us.

"I will take you home," he repeated, firm. Final.

I exhaled sharply, frustration burning through my veins. "I still need to get another dress... a cheaper one." The words were quiet, but there was no mistaking the resolve in them.

Niklaus nodded, like he was conceding to some unspoken war. "I know a place. Come." He gestured toward the exit.

I hesitated, but exhaustion made my decision for me. Without a word, I followed him, my steps heavy.

Behind us, the whispers continued, relentless.

"Did that just happen?"

"Are they dating or something?"

"Someone needs to tell Selena about this."

"Seriously, Hermia is such a manipulative bitch."

"Do you think Niklaus knows what she’s really like?"

"He’s being catfished. No other explanation."

Each venomous word was another blade, slicing into me, deeper and deeper.

I forced my gaze forward, willing myself not to react, but my breath came out shaky. Beside me, Niklaus’s jaw hardened, his expression unreadable.

Outside, the air was cooler, but the tension lingered. The moment we stepped onto the street, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

Niklaus glanced at me, his dark eyes briefly softening. "Stay relaxed, Mia. I’ll take you somewhere quiet."

I didn’t reply. I didn’t trust myself to.

But the name lingered in my mind. Mia.

Why does he even call me that?

I looked at him, unease curling inside me like a storm about to break.

"Because you’re mine," Niklaus muttered. His voice was low, almost too quiet to catch.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Wait—had he actually said that, or had I just imagined it?

My heart pounded in my chest, but I swallowed the lump in my throat as we neared the waiting limousine. Its sleek black exterior gleamed under the streetlights, a stark reminder of the world he lived in. A world I didn’t belong to.

Niklaus reached for the door handle and pulled it open with an effortless grace that only deepened my unease.

"Get in," he commanded. His tone was sharp, yet unnervingly calm.

I hesitated.

Was this really happening?

I was about to climb into a stranger’s car—a man I barely knew, who had bought me a dress that cost more than my monthly rent.

A man everyone seemed to either worship or fear.

My fingers curled around the bag in my hands.

What if this was some kind of elaborate scheme? What if he wanted repayment—not in money, but in something I couldn’t give?

Niklaus’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "I don’t have all day, Mia."

The way he said my name—low, deliberate—made my chest tighten.

I stepped forward and slid into the limo’s plush interior.

The scent of leather and something distinctly him—woodsy and rich—filled my senses.

Niklaus followed, settling into the seat beside me. His presence was overwhelming, filling the space in a way that made me want to shrink into the corner.

As the car began to move, I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past. But my mind was racing.

Why was he doing this?

What did he want from me?

Silence thickened between us, but I could feel his eyes on me.

I wasn’t sure if that terrified me more... or if I liked it.