Here comes the 100th chapter. Couldn't have made it so far, if not for the lovely readers like you. Make sure to vote with Gems if you like the book so far. It would help my work to reach a wider audience. Thank you!
[NADIA]I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, couldn’t study.What the hell was wrong with me? For the past two hours, I had been staring at the pages of my textbook but none of the words were registering in my brain. And the more I stared at the book, the more I started to hate the sight of it.I threw the book aside and pushed myself off the bed, pacing the length of the room. I was so restless that it physically pained me to stay still. My heart was pounding so loudly against my chest that I could feel it in my ears, and my hands were shaking. There was something bubbling in the pit of my stomach, something that felt a lot like anger.I didn’t understand why I was feeling like this. Why was I so bothered?Dimitri fucked me last night. Big deal. He was a man, I was a woman. It wasn’t the first time I had slept with someone, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be the last. So why the fuck was I acting like a hormonal teenager whose crush didn’t notice her existence?I was being pathetic.I paced t
(Flashback) “Loyalty is everything in this business, Ana,” Ivan growled, his voice low and dangerous. “And if you’re not loyal, you know what happens.” Anastasia’s eyes widened as she heard the threat in his words. She knew all too well the consequences of betraying Ivan and his criminal organization. “I’ve been loyal, Ivan,” she pleaded, her heart pounding in her chest. “I swear it.” Ivan’s expression remained hard as he advanced towards her, his hand reaching out to grip her arm with bruising force. “Don’t lie to me, Ana,” he snarled, his breath hot against her face. “You know what will happen if I find out you’re hiding something from me.” (Flashback Ends) * * * [ANASTASIA] I wake up to the blaring sound of my alarm, a sudden jolt that sends my heart racing. The stillness of my small, dimly lit bedroom is shattered by the noise, and I can’t help but feel a surge of anxiety coursing through my veins. My eyes dart around the room, scanning the shadows for any signs of danger. E
(Flashback)Anastasia scoffed as she deftly folded Ivan’s rumpled clothes and placed them inside the mahogany closet. “I don’t need a grandiose wedding, Ivan,” she remarked, her eyes rolling at his dishevelled room. “And how do you manage to make such a mess all the time? Don’t tell me you’re too busy to at least make your bed.”Ivan chuckled, sneaking up behind her and enveloping her in his embrace, planting a gentle kiss beneath her ear. “I don’t care about the wedding, my love. I just want you as my wife so I can make love to you for hours on end.”Anastasia blushed at his bold words, but she relished in his possessive touch, content to let him hold her tight. “And what about what I want?” she countered, teasingly. “What if I don’t like you hovering over me like a bee all the time? What if I want you to focus on your work and leave me be?”Ivan raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a mischievous smirk. With a sudden movement, he pinned her against the wall, his lips finding the
(Flashback)Ivan’s eyes blazed with fury as he grabbed Ana by the hair, yanking her head back to face him. “Ana!” he growled, his grip tight and unyielding. “Don’t you dare lie to my face. Tell me where he is. Tell me now, and I promise I won’t hurt you. But if you keep playing these games with me, I swear I’ll burn this whole place to the ground!”Ana’s eyes filled with tears as she struggled against the pain, the sharp pull of her hair almost too much to bear. “I don’t know anything,” she hissed, her fingers clawing at his hand, trying to pry it loose. “I swear it. The fact that you even think I’d lie to you makes me feel like you don’t know me at all. I love you, Ivan. But the way you treat me makes me wonder if you love me at all. What happened to us?”(Flashback Ends)* * *[ANASTASIA]“Hey there, little guy,” I said to Ivan Jr. as I knelt down in front of him, my heavy overcoat weighing me down. His blue eyes shone with innocence and curiosity as he looked up at me. “I’m going t
(Flashback)As the newlyweds leaned in for their first kiss as husband and wife, the atmosphere was electric with excitement and joy. Ivan’s hand gently cupped Anastasia’s cheek as they closed their eyes, savoring the moment. The guests erupted in cheers and applause as they finally sealed their love with a kiss.Anastasia pulled back slightly and looked up at Ivan with a radiant smile, feeling as if she were on cloud nine. “I can hardly believe this day has come,” she said, her voice full of happiness.Ivan smiled down at her, his eyes filled with love and adoration. “Believe it, my dear,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re now officially my wife.”Anastasia playfully swatted his arm, a grin spreading across her face. “As if I’d want it any other way,” she said, her tone teasing.As they leaned in for another kiss, the intensity of their emotions grew stronger. This time, their kiss was deeper, more passionate, and filled with the promise of forever. As they pulled back, Ivan rested his
(Flashback)“Why are you doing this?” Anastasia sobbed, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief. She stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the lifeless body on the floor, the crimson pool spreading slowly, staining the once pristine carpet.Her tears flowed freely down her cheeks, mingling with the horror that gripped her soul. The man she had once loved and married now sat casually on the couch, his foot resting on the fallen man’s chest, as if it were nothing more than an inconsequential event.A twisted smirk played upon his lips, his eyes gleaming with a perverse delight. The cruelty emanating from him sent shivers down her spine. It was as if he derived pleasure from the pain he caused, reveling in the power he held over life and death.“Don’t be too upset, malysh,” he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. “Next time, just remember to inform me before you plan to leave the house. I hate surprises.” His callousness was chilling, contrasting starkly with the tragedy that
(Flashback)Anastasia’s heart swelled with love and anticipation as she watched Ivan sweep her up in his strong arms, her white wedding dress cascading behind her as they made their way into the luxurious mansion that he had built just for them. She felt like a princess, floating on a cloud of pure happiness as he carried her up the grand staircase and into their new bedroom, a sanctuary for only the two of them.At the door, Ivan turned to face her and used his back to push it open, revealing a room bathed in soft candlelight and adorned with all of Anastasia’s favourite things. He gently placed her on the plush bed, crawling atop her as he lavished her with tender kisses on her cheeks, forehead, and the tops of her eyes.“I have waited for this moment for so long, malysh,” he murmured, pulling her close and helping her out of her wedding gown. He then turned her so that she faced away from him, marveling at the sight of his stunning wife’s bare skin with his dark eyes. “So beautiful
(Flashback)Anastasia recoiled, the force of it almost cracking the muscles of her face, as a glass shattered against the floor, crimson wine gushing forth and saturating the cursed red carpet.Ivan’s wrath knew no bounds as he sent delicate crockery hurtling from the dining table, their demise echoing off the walls, sending her flinching once again.Tears welled up, threatening to spill forth, but she held them back, clenching her fists tightly and digging her sharp nails into her skin. She refused to let her vulnerability show.Ivan turned abruptly, fixing her with a scorching glare. Despite the frigid air outside, his brow was drenched in sweat, his skin glistening under the light, and his dark eyes reflecting the madness of his anger.“Was that necessary?” she managed to ask, her words a fragile plea for understanding.“It was,” he retorted sternly, striding past her. But before he left her side, he leaned in close, his voice laced with menace as he whispered into her ear. “Until