Victoria Bella Volkov;The drive to the house was cold. After they heated arguments we didn't talk again till we drove into the house. We both went upstairs at the same time, I was taking off my earrings before it all became overwhelming."Why didn’t you tell me your family had history with the Arlingtons?" I demanded, my voice shaking as tears threatened to spill."What are you talking about? You’re angry over some random family?" he snapped, his tone defensive."They’re not just some random family! No family is random. You, your family—every single one of you—is rotten to the core!""Then deal with it," he growled, his eyes cold. "You married me, didn’t you?""You don’t get it, do you?" I said, my voice breaking as I stared at him, my chest heaving with anger and pain."What are you even talking about?" he shot back, his brows furrowing in frustration. "Why are you so worked up about some random family?""They’re not random!" I shouted, the words ripping from me like a wound tearing
Vincenzo Dante Volkov; The moment I stepped out of the room, the smell of scrambled eggs hit me. With the chef on leave, I couldn’t help but wonder who was cooking.I walked into the kitchen and froze when I saw her—my little mouse, making breakfast. Honestly, I had thought she left that night. I wasn’t expecting to see her here at all. Maybe... she was making breakfast for two?She was wearing my shirt, and from the back, she looked small, almost fragile, and somehow, even more adorable. It made my chest tighten, but I pushed the feeling down."Good morning," I greeted, sitting down at the table, watching her.She didn’t even glance at me, not a single acknowledgment. I sighed, frustration building inside me. I got up and walked over, trying to close the distance between us. "I'm sorry, but honestly, my family had nothing to do with your parents' deaths. I swear to you, I’m telling the truth.""I don’t want to talk about last night, Vincenzo!" she snapped, her voice cold, still refu
Vincenzo Dante Volkov:“Mum!!! Mum!!!” I called out as I stepped inside the house.“What is it, Vince?” My mother’s voice came from the kitchen. I followed the sound and found her there.“Ma…”“Oh my boy… you came to visit!” She said, pulling me into a hug.“Ma, I need the truth, and I need it now. I won’t let this family destroy mine.” I paused, my voice hardening. “Did Dad have a hand in the deaths of Mr. Edward and Mrs. Katherine Arlington?”My mother raised an eyebrow, her face unreadable. “What are you talking about? No, of course not!”I clenched my jaw, frustration rising. “Ma! Don’t lie to me!”“Watch your mouth! Don’t you dare raise your voice at mum!” Lorenzo’s voice cut through the tension, his words sharp and harsh. I turned to face him, fury bubbling inside.“And what the hell do you care about a random family?” he sneered.“They’re not a random family,” I snapped, my anger flaring. “My wife’s family is not some random family!”"Why would your wife accuse us of killing he
Victoria WashingtonHe wasn't coming.I could feel it in my bones. The hour was late, the candles on the table had burned down to nothing but stubs. My phone was still dead silent. The waitress's eyes lingered on me too long, giving me that sympathetic look, the one reserved for the pathetic girl who had been sitting alone for hours waiting. My fingers hovered over my phone, the screen still blank. No calls, no texts. Nothing.Today of all days—my birthday.I stood up slowly, my legs stiff from sitting too long, my heart heavier with each second that passed. I had dressed up for him. For us. Now I looked like a fool.I stepped out of the restaurant, the air biting against my skin like ice. I couldn’t cry, not here. Not in public. But the tears were close. Too close.Maybe something happened to him. Maybe there’s an explanation.Maybe…I swallowed the lies I was feeding myself, my mind too exhausted to believe them. I just wanted to go home. Sleep. Forget this night ever happened.But
"You can't do that!" I glared at my father, my heart filled with anger. After everything I explained to him, he still chose to side with his precious biological daughter, Marianne. "Why? Why did you even adopt me if you were going to treat me like this?" I shouted, tears streaming down my face."Victoria, you're doing this for the family. Think of it as paying back for all the food, the credit cards, the house—everything we've given you," my father said, his voice cold and indifferent. I gasped in disbelief."Payback? Is that all I am to you? A debt you need to settle? Fine, I'm just an orphan you brought in to clear your conscience. But what about Clifton and Marianne? How long has this been going on? They're getting married tomorrow, and no one—no one told me!""Were you blind?" My mother's voice cut through, and I turned to face her. She was dressed in a sleek red gown, her hair styled perfectly, as if none of this chaos affected her. "How pathetic were you to think Clinton would s
"Keep a straight face and smile, Victoria!" Mother glared at me as I stepped out of the car.We had been on the road for the past hour before arriving at St. Louis Catholic Church, the largest church in Russia. There was something powerful about it."Yes, Ma'am," I replied, walking inside while some maids helped with my gown. Since it was a small family wedding, I didn’t expect many people—just the Washingtons and the Volkovs.As soon as the big doors opened, my heart started racing like it would jump out of my chest. I was trembling with fear, each step feeling heavy and forced.To my right, I noticed men in black suits. They looked dangerous, and something told me I shouldn’t cross them.The church's grand interior was dimly lit, with soft light shining through the stained glass, casting shadows on the pews. I could feel my pulse in my throat, and my breathing became uneven as I kept moving forward.The Washingtons and Volkovs sat on either side of the aisle, their faces unreadable.
VINCENZO VOLKOV ;"Enough of this!" I shouted, pacing back and forth in my father’s office. The one thing I hate about the Volkov family is how they expect you to follow their footsteps, even if you don’t fit."Calm down, Vee," my twin brother Lorenzo said, and I scoffed, running my hands through my hair."Do you have no respect for me? Your father!" Don Roberto, my father, yelled, but I smirked, knowing I had no love left for him after what he did. He made me let go of the only person I ever loved."What is going on here? Have you lost your mind? Tell me!" My older brother, the one I sometimes wished I was as tough as, demanded. He was the perfect son, always following the family rules. My father pretended not to play favorites, but Nikolai always got 70% of everything, including the most powerful mafia organization, the Bravata."Tell him, Don! I don’t want any of this!" I said, frustration boiling inside me. Why couldn’t they just let me be? Why must I follow in their footsteps?"D
VICTORIA WASHINGTON ;We arrived at an expensive villa after Vincenzo had to gather himself. I had never seen anyone as grouchy as him. He smoked for about an hour when we parked in the middle of nowhere. He didn’t seem to care that a woman was with him. I mean, what if something had happened to me?His family was warm to me, which made me wonder why they had said such things to him. I could see from his eyes that he was broken. A part of me hated the fact that I couldn’t do anything for him. I followed him like a lost puppy, never leaving his side."Are you going to stand there and watch me change? And now I’m beginning to wonder if you were sent by my family!" Before I could process what he meant, he was already approaching me, as if he wanted to kill me. The look on his face was familiar—my adopted parents had that look, and Marianne had the same expression whenever she saw me. Hatred—that was the look he had while staring at me."I can leave if you want me to. I just thought I cou
Vincenzo Dante Volkov:“Mum!!! Mum!!!” I called out as I stepped inside the house.“What is it, Vince?” My mother’s voice came from the kitchen. I followed the sound and found her there.“Ma…”“Oh my boy… you came to visit!” She said, pulling me into a hug.“Ma, I need the truth, and I need it now. I won’t let this family destroy mine.” I paused, my voice hardening. “Did Dad have a hand in the deaths of Mr. Edward and Mrs. Katherine Arlington?”My mother raised an eyebrow, her face unreadable. “What are you talking about? No, of course not!”I clenched my jaw, frustration rising. “Ma! Don’t lie to me!”“Watch your mouth! Don’t you dare raise your voice at mum!” Lorenzo’s voice cut through the tension, his words sharp and harsh. I turned to face him, fury bubbling inside.“And what the hell do you care about a random family?” he sneered.“They’re not a random family,” I snapped, my anger flaring. “My wife’s family is not some random family!”"Why would your wife accuse us of killing he
Vincenzo Dante Volkov; The moment I stepped out of the room, the smell of scrambled eggs hit me. With the chef on leave, I couldn’t help but wonder who was cooking.I walked into the kitchen and froze when I saw her—my little mouse, making breakfast. Honestly, I had thought she left that night. I wasn’t expecting to see her here at all. Maybe... she was making breakfast for two?She was wearing my shirt, and from the back, she looked small, almost fragile, and somehow, even more adorable. It made my chest tighten, but I pushed the feeling down."Good morning," I greeted, sitting down at the table, watching her.She didn’t even glance at me, not a single acknowledgment. I sighed, frustration building inside me. I got up and walked over, trying to close the distance between us. "I'm sorry, but honestly, my family had nothing to do with your parents' deaths. I swear to you, I’m telling the truth.""I don’t want to talk about last night, Vincenzo!" she snapped, her voice cold, still refu
Victoria Bella Volkov;The drive to the house was cold. After they heated arguments we didn't talk again till we drove into the house. We both went upstairs at the same time, I was taking off my earrings before it all became overwhelming."Why didn’t you tell me your family had history with the Arlingtons?" I demanded, my voice shaking as tears threatened to spill."What are you talking about? You’re angry over some random family?" he snapped, his tone defensive."They’re not just some random family! No family is random. You, your family—every single one of you—is rotten to the core!""Then deal with it," he growled, his eyes cold. "You married me, didn’t you?""You don’t get it, do you?" I said, my voice breaking as I stared at him, my chest heaving with anger and pain."What are you even talking about?" he shot back, his brows furrowing in frustration. "Why are you so worked up about some random family?""They’re not random!" I shouted, the words ripping from me like a wound tearing
Victoria Bella Volkov:I walked out of the house, tears streaming down my face. My chest felt heavy, the pain almost too much to bear.The Washington family would pay for the emptiness they had left in my heart. Every last one of them.After meeting with Charles Arlington—who’s basically my grandfather—we decided to run a DNA test. Deep down, I already knew the truth, but I needed the proof.Driving down the highway, I noticed a car trailing me. It had been there for a while.I tried to shake it off, brushing away my unease, and pressed harder on the gas.I turned on some music and started humming along, trying to calm myself.But as I kept driving down the highway, I noticed something—it wasn’t just one car anymore. When I finally left the highway, the first car sped up, trying to catch me. That’s when I knew something was wrong.My heart raced as I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. I quickly fastened my seatbelt, my mind running through options.The road to the house was quie
Victoria Bella Volkov;Three days. Three long, sleepless days, and all I could do was think. Piece things together. Let the truth gnaw at the edges of my sanity.The Washington family. How were they connected to me? To my parents? I didn’t just stumble upon the answer—it came crashing down like a wrecking ball, shattering everything I thought I knew.Do you want to know how I found out? Fine, but buckle up, because it’s not the kind of story that lets you sleep easy.The so-called “accident”? It wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t some tragic twist of fate. It was murder. Cold, calculated, and vicious. And the one who did it? The last person anyone would suspect.The house nanny.Yes, you heard me right. The woman who was supposed to protect us, care for us, look after me as a baby—she was the one who destroyed everything.And now you might be wondering, who the heck is the house nanny.Allow me to introduce you to the Washingtons.For years, I lived under their roof, ate at their table, an
Victoria Bella Volkov;“There’s no such thing!” I snapped into the phone, pacing the room. My words were directed at someone I trusted—someone outside the suffocating circle of Vincenzo and my adoptive parents. Not that the latter ever truly felt like family to begin with.“Look, I know I came from somewhere. I have roots,” I insisted, my voice trembling with frustration. “Check the hospital records. Dig deeper. Just…please, do something.”A heavy silence hung between us before they finally responded.“Alright, Bella. I’ll look into it, but I can’t promise anything,” they said cautiously. Then, as if an afterthought, their tone shifted. “Oh, and… I came across something. Something about your family. It might interest you.”My heart skipped. Something stirred. Hope? Or dread?The voice on the other end hesitated, as if weighing whether or not to tell me. “Bella, there was a report… an incident from years ago. A car crash. It matched the date and location near where you were found. I t
Vincenzo Dante Volkov;"Are you okay?" Little Mouse asked the moment she returned from the bathroom. My stress must have been written all over my face."Why were you using my laptop late last night?" I asked, trying to sound casual. Her eyebrows shot up."Nothing important... I was just checking something," she replied, brushing it off. I pulled her into a hug, needing the comfort more than I wanted to admit."I don’t know if I’m losing it or not," I confessed, the emotions I’d been bottling up starting to surface."It’s okay," she said softly, cupping my face in her hands. "You can talk to me. What’s troubling my tiger?"In that moment, as I looked into her eyes, I knew—I had married the right person.She led me toward the kitchen, her arm around me. "Let me make something for you," she offered with a warm smile. Then, as she started making coffee, she casually dropped a bombshell."I met my adopted mother and Marianne yesterday. They offered me money to leave you. A huge amount."He
Vincenzo Dante Volkov: The warm glow of the setting sun painted my office in shades of gold and orange, but I barely noticed it. My focus was on the reports in front of me—progress updates on the empire I had worked so hard to build.The door opened suddenly, and Christopher walked in. He didn’t knock, didn’t ask for permission, which meant only one thing: something important. He dropped a folder on my desk, his face pale but tight with anger.“You need to see this,” he said, his voice clipped.I glanced at him, then at the folder. Slowly, I leaned forward, flipping it open.The first few pages caught my attention immediately—photos of me. Taken from a distance, entering and leaving meetings, driving through familiar streets. Maps followed, my regular routes marked in thick red lines.“They’ve been following me,” I said flatly, my voice calm even though my chest tightened.Christopher nodded. “For months. But it gets worse.”He reached over, pulling out a few more papers. These were
Vincenzo Dante Volkov;I sat in my car, observing the chaos outside De Stefano's Empire. Reporters swarmed like vultures, capturing every second of the protest, while angry chants filled the air.To think this company once thrived, meeting society's needs with precision and innovation. But greed and arrogance brought them here. De Stefano thought he could eliminate me—a so-called “low-level gang member.” The fool underestimated me, and now, his empire crumbles.“Give us our money back!”“Give us our daughters back!”The protesters were relentless, hurling rotten tomatoes and eggs at the security guards and police who struggled to maintain order. Employees—those who hadn’t already abandoned ship—stood at the gates, apologizing profusely to the raging crowd, hoping to calm them.Pathetic.I decided it was time to spice things up.Pulling the door handle, I stepped out of the car, buttoning my blazer as I strode toward the gates. My presence was immediate; the crowd quieted slightly, the