ANYA
I open my eyes and blink repeatedly, trying to focus in the unfamiliar surroundings. My body aches, the result of being confined and bound for far too long. This room is different from the one before; a bedroom, immaculately clean. I'm still chained to a chair, though at least my legs are free.
Attempting to stretch my legs, pain shoots through me, and I can't help but let out a cry. Damn cramps – a consequence of being immobilized for so long. How much time has passed? How long have I been here? And why hasn't Vincenzo found me yet?
My discomfort is momentarily forgotten as the door creaks open, revealing a man who exudes intimidation. My heart races as I take in his appearance – round face, sharp blue eyes, and an aura that radiates danger. Despite never having seen him, an odd sense of familiarity strikes me.
“So, you're the girl Chirkov's been keeping,” his deep voice resonates in the room.
“W
ANYAMy mind was in a mess. I felt like I was tumbling down a rabbit hole of confusion and despair. My whole identity was shaken – the parents I had known all my life were apparently not my real parents.A whirlwind of questions stormed my thoughts. Who were my real parents? Why had I been kept in the dark? What other secrets had been hidden from me?Before I could even process this revelation, Uncle Pietro roughly pulled me out of the room, yanking me away from the chaos of my thoughts. The sight outside was even more chaotic. Lifeless bodies littered the ground, a testament to the violence that had erupted in Vincenzo's wake.Amidst the turmoil, my heart leaped at the sight of Vincenzo in the distance. He was fighting, as fierce and determined as I had ever seen him. He was fighting for me. The realization sent a shiver down my spine. Vincenzo was my protector, my own personal storm.But the moment was fleeting. Uncle Pietr
VINCENZOI was pacing the hospital hallway angrily. Anya was in there fighting for her life, and it was all because of that fucker. The weight of guilt and anger pressed heavily on me. I should have protected her better. I should have prevented this.Right now, that bastard was in the dark cage, locked away where he belonged. I intended to make him pay for every bit of pain he had caused Anya. He was going to regret the day he crossed paths with us.My promise to protect her echoed in my mind, and I cursed myself for not being able to keep her safe. I shouldn't have asked her to trust me in that moment of chaos. I should have kept her out of harm's way, no matter what.Anya had been in surgery for nearly seven hours. The mere thought of her lying there, fighting for her life, sent waves of frustration and helplessness through me. The doctors had insisted that I leave the room, claiming I was disrupting their work. Matteo had to physically
ANYA"We are having a baby," Vincenzo told me. The weight of his words settled in my mind, leaving me utterly speechless. I didn't know how to react – whether to be elated or overwhelmed with emotions.After the nurse left, Vincenzo calmly told me the news again. I looked into his eyes, trying to decipher his feelings, but all I saw was love. It confused me even more. Was he truly ready to become a father or was he just trying to comfort me?“Vincenzo…” I murmured, my voice shaking with uncertainty.“I am so proud of you, Anya. Thank you for making me the happiest man on earth. Thank you for making me a father,” he expressed, genuine awe and joy evident in his face.I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was scared of the new responsibility that was growing within me, and on the other hand, I was overwhelmed by Vincenzo's reaction. He was excited about this child, about becom
ANYAErik's small hand reached out and touched my hair. I raised my head to meet his gaze. “Why are you crying so much like this?”Tears still shimmering in my eyes, I managed a smile. “I'm just really, really happy.”He turned his gaze to Vincenzo. “Does she cry like this often?”Vincenzo chuckled. “Yeah, she does. It's a miracle she still has tears left.”Erik then looked at Vincenzo, a determined expression on his face. “Thank you for taking care of her. I promise, when I grow up, I'm going to repay you somehow.”My heart swelled with pride and love for this brave boy. I had missed him beyond words. When Uncle Pietro had told me Erik was dead, I thought a part of me had died too. I couldn't imagine what life would have been like without him, my only living family. Meeting him had become even more crucial now, as I needed to learn about my true parents.Vin
ANYAI spent another three days in the hospital before finally being allowed to go home. Stepping out into the fresh air, I relished the escape from the hospital's distinct smell, which had become increasingly nauseating.Vincenzo, true to his overprotective nature, treated me like a fragile egg throughout our ride back home. I understand he cares deeply, but sometimes it feels like he's fussing over me too much.“Would you stop frowning already? It doesn't suit you,” he remarked, his eyes on the road.I snickered and shot him a mock glare. “I'm not sick, Vincenzo. I'm pregnant, pregnant!”He glanced at me and chuckled. “Do you think I don't know that?”“If you do, then you must know that it is not necessary to do this,” I retorted. He had placed a small pillow behind my back and adjusted my seat so that I was reclining slightly.“It's just for safety measures. We
ANYAI felt as if the ground beneath me had crumbled. Staggering backwards, I stopped breathing for a moment. Vincenzo's hands reached out to steady me, but my attention remained fixed on my uncle. This couldn't be real; he must be lying. My parents were my real parents, this couldn't be true.“You can lie to yourself by choosing not to believe it, but the truth won't change,” he sneered, his words laced with venom. “You are not a Chirkov, not by blood or any measure. You don't even have our blood running through your veins.”His words were like a dagger to my heart, each one piercing deeper. Anguish flooded my chest, threatening to drown me. “You're lying!” I spat, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and desperation.I swung my fist at him, my knuckles colliding with his battered face, and I hardly noticed the blood now trickling from my own hand.Blow after blow, I unleashed my fury upon him
VINCENZOShe was taking longer than expected, and my worry grew with each passing minute. When I entered the room, I found her on the floor, her face etched with misery and tears streaming down her cheeks. Seeing her like this twisted something inside me."Anya, why is it that every time I see you, you're in tears?" I asked, concern filling my voice as I knelt in front of her."It... hurts so...much." She looked at me with eyes filled with pain, trying to speak but struggling to find her words amid her sobs. I felt a pang in my chest, a deep empathy for her suffering."What hurts?" I asked, placing a hand gently on her arm. Her pain felt like mine, a shared burden I wished I could lift from her."Here, it hurts here," she managed to say, clutching her chest as if trying to physically contain the emotional turmoil within her."Anya, what's wrong?" I felt a knot of unease forming within me, a sense that something truly distres
ANYAEverything had gone relatively smoothly for the past week. I spent most of my time taking care of Alessia and Erik, as Vincenzo seemed to be occupied with some matters he referred to as "cleaning."To be honest, I had no idea what that meant, but I trusted that he knew what he was doing.Our nights together remained passionate and intense, but I noticed a change in his routine. He would slip away in the early morning hours, leaving me to wake up alone. I missed him terribly during those hours, but I understood that his responsibilities were vast.Now, though, an entire day had passed without any word from him, which was unusual. Even Matteo and Carlo hadn't heard from him, which definitely set off alarm bells. Vincenzo wasn't the type to disappear without a trace, especially not for this long.Two weeks later and my worries had grown into full-blown panic. His absence felt like a gaping hole in my life, and the uncertainty of