In his stoic gaze, I see the echoes of a forgotten vulnerability. My heart aches for the man who has been strong for so long that he's unfamiliar with the gentle dance of weakness. -Unknown. |A L E E Z A|I arrived at the location Kirill shared, the familiarity of the forest tugging at the edges of my consciousness. However, I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand. The gravity of the situation unfolded before me as I saw him, a man I knew as strong and dominant, now sitting with his back against a tree, his vulnerability laid bare.The forest seemed to hold secrets, echoing with a shared history that transcended the present. But my attention was drawn to him, who looked more like a fragile child than the formidable man I knew.His knees were pulled close to his chest, head buried between his palms, as if seeking refuge from the storm within.I approached him quietly, my steps careful on the forest floor. As I kneele

Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. -Neil Gaiman. |K I R I L L|My room, usually a sanctuary of solitude, was invaded by an unexpected presence. The creak of the door hinges pulled my attention away from the scattered papers on my desk. There he stood, my father, an enigma wrapped in an aura of arrogance. Surprise etched across my face, I blurted out, "What are you doing here?"His response, a casual smirk paired with a sarcastic tone, sliced through the air, "Well, I was hoping for a more welcoming welcome, Kirill."My brow furrowed in confusion. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just... surprised," I muttered, attempting to compose myself.He sauntered into the room, a mockery of nonchalance, and settled into the chair, his gaze never leaving mine. "Surprised, huh? That's a first," he quipped, the

I can force the world to kneel down in front of my sister, and I can kneel down for her in front of the whole world. If that does not tell you about my love for my sister, nothing else will. -Unknown.|L O R E N Z O|As I sat in the dimly lit room, surrounded by the subtle hum of my empire's operations, I couldn't help but reflect on the intricate dance of chaos that defined my existence. The intricate web of power and influence that I had woven over the years wasn't built on order; it thrived on chaos, fear, and the unpredictable currents of the underworld. It's what made me the don of Italy, the orchestrator of clandestine movements that shaped the city's destiny.I learned from the best, my older brother and father, masters of the art of deception and power. They instilled in me the philosophy that chaos is not a force to be feared but a tool to be wielded. A tool that molds destinies and crushes opposition. In this world, where the lin

The responsibility of love is to keep another's heart safe. And, I failed. I failed in loving her. -Unknown. |K I R I L L|The roar of the jet engines echoed my frustration as I flew back to Russia, anger boiling within me like a tempest. My father's betrayal felt like a scorching flame, fueled by the revelation that he had orchestrated Aleeza's torment.I can not even imagine the torture she must have to go through. Ivan told me how her brothers were forced to kneel for the sake of her protection. I do not care about them. I can give a flying fuck about them. But I can not sit still about it because Aleeza thinks of her brothers like some sort of gods. Maybe to her, they are. From what I know, she was raised and protected by her brothers. After giving her birth, her parents were not really active in parenting. It was her brothers who filled the role of parents in her life. The sight of Aleeza, broken and vulnerable, and the haunting i

And, between all the misunderstandings the line between the truth and the lies blurred. -Unknown. |A L E E Z A|The breakfast table served as a stage for our daily performance of familial normalcy. I draped myself in a full-sleeved top, a feeble attempt to conceal the secret beneath.I sensed Lorenzo's watchful gaze. "Full sleeves in this weather?" he queried. A forced smile played on my lips as I replied, "Just felt like wearing it."An unspoken agreement lingered in the air, urging everyone to avoid delving deeper into the complexities veiled by my seemingly mundane choice.Yet, for me, each day was an unspoken battle. The small cut that marked the beginning had evolved into a clandestine ritual—a silent plea for respite from the storm within. I had a cut on my wrist for every night, when I begged to sleep without pain and requested the almighty above to help me, to save me. But when nothing helped me, I helped myself in The way tha