Chapter 97DmitriAriel should have been here with me to say goodbye to the last phase of our trauma, but her body suddenly started acting up this morning, and after what happened three days ago, I admitted her for a general body check."Wait, Dmitri," Anya's raspy voice stopped me from taking any further step out of the ward.She'd be locked in here until the psychiatrist decided that her mental health was back to normal. At least, it was better than living in guilt for the rest of my life.I spared her a backward glance, my eyes roving through her pale face. How did I go from being madly in love with this woman to feeling nothing for her?"What do you want from me?"Her hands had to be chained to the metal rail of the bed after she made two attempts to escape from her ward this morning. I couldn't have her doing more damage to my family so the doctor and I decided on forcefully restricting her to a place."I'm sorry," She sighed, running her tongue over her lips. "Can I have thirty
Chapter 98ArielTWO MONTHS LATERI stood before Dmitri with the priest holding a book in his hands. A petal dropped from the canopy of flowers that was used as a roof to shield us from the harsh rays of the sun.And Dmitri beamed at me with the brightest smile I'd ever seen as we renewed our vows to each other in the presence of my parents, Vladimir, Liora and a few important Bratvan members.He reached for my hands and squeezed them tenderly, peering into my eyes. "A year ago, I was bittered by the fact I'd be getting married to a woman whom I barely knew anything about. We met for the first time unconventionally and your sassiness strengthened my dislike toward the idea of marrying you. I continued to console myself with the fact that the alliance would help solidify the gang and our trade, but what I never knew was that the marriage was arranged to make me a better version of myself,"His voice cracked as he paused and I began to wonder when he became this emotional.I leaned clos
Chapter 1ArielThe sound of the annoying alarm on my bedside jolted me up from my sleep and I hissed loudly, letting out a string of cusses while I found my way out of the bed groggily. My eyes darted to the huge clock on the wall and a gasp elicited my lips. I had a baking class to attend and the only thing I could do was sleep like a log of wood?Father would so have my head if he realized that I was lazing around by this time of the morning when I was supposed to be up and about. So I rushed to the bathroom to do some cleaning and then I joined my mother in the kitchen. "Good morning, mama," I kissed her cheeks, throwing my arms around her. She squinted her eyes with a questioning look, stirring a cup of steaming coffee she just made with the coffee maker. "You seem excited this morning, can you share the reason for your excitement?" She smiled and put the coffee on a saucer and handed it over to me.With a big grin on my face, I said, "No, mama. Or maybe I'll tell you when I'
Chapter 2ArielI stood in front of the wall mirror, my displeased expression staring right back at me while I accessed my short amber gold dress which had a spaghetti strap.The engagement was something I didn't want to attend so I left my face bare. I told myself all the while that I didn't want to give a serious impression, but in my heart, I just wanted to spite my father.He'd love me to look extra beautiful just so I could impress a man I didn't know how his face looked.I stood squarely, the heel of my shoe giving me some discomfort. I should have gone with a pair of black pumps, but I didn't want to go overboard with my silent rebellion and no matter how angry I was with this stupid arrangement, upholding the family's reputation was still important.A knock came on the door and without hearing her voice, I knew it would be her."You look beautiful, darling," She smiled wistfully, her eyes filled with sadness and dejection.Staring at her meticulously, I observed that she had b
Chapter 3ArielIt was just a day to my eighteenth birthday and my marriage to Dmitri. I should have been engrossed with picking nice dresses and searching for good spots to go on picnics with my best friend and family, instead, I'd busied myself with how to abscond without getting tracked.At least, I was doing well in that part. The driver I'd hired through Guilia was ready to take me anywhere I wanted once I was ready. The only thing that gave me a headache was how to leave the house without getting caught by the camera or those annoying guards. I chewed the edge of my pen, scrolling through my phone when I heard footsteps by the door, then a knock. "Let yourselves in," I said coldly and busied myself with the video that seemed to catch my attention. It was all I could do from screaming my lungs out in protest. Keeping calm and watching my parents plan my life like this was enough to make the sanest person mad. They strolled in, my parents, holding hands and then they stopped b
Chapter 4Dmitri"I can't believe that you're taking a stick on the morning of your wedding," Vladimir strolled towards the bonnet of my car where I leaned on, my mask lying carelessly beside me.I stared intently at the stick that was almost finished and puffed out some more smoke."If you were in my shoes you'd do the same, Vladimir. Getting married to that sassy little girl makes me want to puke and only this cigarette stick can keep me sane." I confessed. We were in the garage where I liked to stay alone sometimes. For some weird reason, being alone with my cars uplifted my spirit, so I sought succor from my favorite place today. Taking off my mask was something I rarely did, but today everything felt suffocating and that wasn't a good sign. Vladimir, my younger brother and consigliere, had assured me that the plan had been set in motion and everything was going on smoothly, yet I wasn't satisfied. "And Margaret? I thought you'd stay with her for some time before coming out her
Chapter 5ArielMy stomach grumbled the moment I stepped into the café. I didn't bother to look at the name because I wouldn't be staying for long.Grabbing a bite of any burger they sold and gulping down a cup of strong black coffee to keep me energized was my goal and as soon as I achieved that, I'd take a train that would take me to another state.My heart thumped hard against my chest with panic. I kept passing glances, hoping that no one was trailing me.It was past noon and if my calculations were right, the wedding should be over already. Though Guilia had asked me not to worry about her safety, I couldn't help the fear that sprang up each time I thought about her.Turning back and going home looked like a good option, but that would make me a coward and make all of my efforts to escape look like a joke.After ascertaining that I wasn't being followed, I walked to the stand and ordered a cup of coffee and a plate of hamburger. Fortunately, the café was quite empty save for the
Chapter 6ArielI had thought that staying with a man I knew nothing about would be difficult, but it was the opposite. There was a strange kind of peace that washed over me each time I remembered that I was a bit free.It's been five days since the marriage debacle and Guilia and I haven't stopped exchanging texts. Though she continued to assure me that everything was fine and I didn't have to bother about her safety, I still felt that she was hiding some facts from me.Knowing who my father was, they'd keep searching for me until they found me, but it was great to know that they might not consider returning to the café. Not until I was gone.While engrossed in thoughts, Lilia, the mean chief baker, trotted into the kitchen and dumped the tray that she had used in keeping the burgers that she prepared on the sink, wearing a huge scowl on her face.She glared at me and snorted. "Why are you lazing around? Don't you know that you have to do the dishes and attend to our customers?" She
Chapter 98ArielTWO MONTHS LATERI stood before Dmitri with the priest holding a book in his hands. A petal dropped from the canopy of flowers that was used as a roof to shield us from the harsh rays of the sun.And Dmitri beamed at me with the brightest smile I'd ever seen as we renewed our vows to each other in the presence of my parents, Vladimir, Liora and a few important Bratvan members.He reached for my hands and squeezed them tenderly, peering into my eyes. "A year ago, I was bittered by the fact I'd be getting married to a woman whom I barely knew anything about. We met for the first time unconventionally and your sassiness strengthened my dislike toward the idea of marrying you. I continued to console myself with the fact that the alliance would help solidify the gang and our trade, but what I never knew was that the marriage was arranged to make me a better version of myself,"His voice cracked as he paused and I began to wonder when he became this emotional.I leaned clos
Chapter 97DmitriAriel should have been here with me to say goodbye to the last phase of our trauma, but her body suddenly started acting up this morning, and after what happened three days ago, I admitted her for a general body check."Wait, Dmitri," Anya's raspy voice stopped me from taking any further step out of the ward.She'd be locked in here until the psychiatrist decided that her mental health was back to normal. At least, it was better than living in guilt for the rest of my life.I spared her a backward glance, my eyes roving through her pale face. How did I go from being madly in love with this woman to feeling nothing for her?"What do you want from me?"Her hands had to be chained to the metal rail of the bed after she made two attempts to escape from her ward this morning. I couldn't have her doing more damage to my family so the doctor and I decided on forcefully restricting her to a place."I'm sorry," She sighed, running her tongue over her lips. "Can I have thirty
Chapter 96Ariel Anya smirked. "Who else do you think it was?"Dmitri's eyes shimmered with tears. "I loved you so much, Anya. Why didn't you just tell me who you were?"She sunk her ass on the edge of the chair and shrugged. "I was scared that you'd break up with me if you found out so I faked my death. The plan was to watch you from afar and make sure you were alright. I didn't want a woman whom I couldn't control to be around you so I sent Margaret to watch over you, fortunately, she was indebted to me,""Don't you think you need to visit the hospital? Who sends a woman to fuck their man?""I do," She flashed her teeth vilely. "The plan was going smoothly until you decided to get married to this bitch and fall for her. I couldn't bear it anymore and then I thought to come back and get my man. It's that simple,"Dmitri paced around the room in frustrated struts, while drawing in shallow breaths to control his anger. "I have a question for you, Anya, and I want you to answer me trut
Chapter 95ArielIt was another chill morning for me to experience different kinds of emotions while everyone went about their day peacefully. The worst part was that I couldn't follow Dmitri around as I wanted.His work was just too violent and unsafe and we couldn't tell the next enemy who'd waylay us and use me as bait.The drama playing on the television was too chaotic for me to follow so I turned it off flippantly in a bid to head out. Maybe take a stroll or stop by Cake Treats.The doorbell rang twice and I abandoned my initial plans, hurrying off to get to the door. I placed my eye on the peephole and my heart skipped a beat.Overcome with trepidation, I dashed back to the sofa to get my phone to inform Dmitri about Chiara's visit, unfortunately he wasn't reachable.Back in Chicago, we had a safe house where we'd hide if anyone was in danger, but I couldn't make assumptions and raise an alarm when I wasn't sure of her identity.At least she was here, and I'd get the opportunit
Chapter 94DmitriMy knuckles met on the wooden frame of the door and then I halted for a while, impatiently waiting for the permission to come in. Nikolai and I had never related to each other as brothers so I didn't have access to his house.We fought a lot when we were younger and while I thought that we'd grow out of the resentment we bore for each other, it tripled when I found him banging a girl I liked in high school.I was met with silence so I knocked again and my instincts urged me to open the door. The door gave way and I strolled in, quietly taking in the features of his mansion.I didn't even know he had a mansion here in Seattle.Giggles and murmurs resonated from the staircase to the living room where I was. Then he appeared behind her, spanking her ass while she blew a kiss at him.She froze when she noticed my presence, her eyes bulging in surprise. Nikolai trained a smirk at me, clad in a long black robe that he didn't bother to tie up.His face was quite red, his li
Chapter 93ArielAnger and jealous tears streaked down my cheeks as I palmed my face; my raging hormones spurring the roller-coaster of emotions that rode through me.I quickly wiped the tears off my face when the door made a creaking sound.Shit! How could I have forgotten that Dmitri would be returning home soon? Not wanting him to find me in this embarrassing position, I dragged my panties up to my butt and kept the dildo back in the drawer, leaving the frame on the desk.In hasty and sad strides, I pushed the door open and he waltzed in, his dark orbs scrutinizing my face meticulously. My emotions chose to betray me at that moment as tears welled up in my orbs again."What's wrong, Ariel?" His voice was so soft and soothing."I don't know. I missed you so much," The part where I missed him was partially the truth, but I couldn't tell him that I was grieved about his past.He cupped my cheeks, his thumb wiping off the tear that hung around my eyelid. "I missed you too," He replied
Chapter 92Dmitri "Shoot them," Enzo's gruff voice resonated in the darkness and I lurched forward, falling flat on my stomach as more shots were fired above me. Nikolai single-handedly cleared all the guards that came with Enzo and then the light flickered on. Dead bodies were littered around the room, some of them stacked upon each other like a pack of cards. A deep pain-filled groan caught my attention and I found Enzo, holding onto one of his thighs, the same one I'd planned to explore my artistic carving skills on. A black vest was flung at me and I put it on quickly. As I crossed over to him in slow and calculated strides, he cowered, his body trembling visibly while blood seeped out from the bullet wound on his thigh. "How the mighty has crumbled," I mocked him, reveling in his fear. He flitted his gaze around and the light dimmed in his eyes when he realized that no one was coming to rescue him, just the same way he'd made me feel some moments ago. "Please," His lips qu
Chapter 91DmitriIt was one week already and I was yet to believe that Ariel was in love with me, just as I was with her. My lips stretched wide with a grin spreading over my face; a light chuckle cracked from my throat. Fortunately for Vladimir and me, I wasn't in the driver's seat or our lives would have been under threat without how I was chuckling nonstop. Vladimir spared me a glance, his brows arched. "What's wrong with you man?""I'm in love again, brother. Never knew it would happen this soon," I declared, pressing my knuckles. I was sure that if we weren't on a mission, he'd have parked the car to the side and drilled me of all the details. "Fuck that shit, Dmitri! What did she do to make you this excited about love again? I thought you just wanted a physical relationship with her,""It's hard to not fall in love with a woman who's everything to you. She's carrying my child,"This time he couldn't help but step on the break and floor the gas. "How did that happen so fast?
Chapter 90ArielThe rays from the bright incandescent bulbs fixed on both sides of the room jolted me from my sleep. At least, I wasn't feeling exhausted anymore and my vision wasn't blurry.Forgetting that a cannula was fixed to the vein on the back of my palm, I sat up abruptly and passed a paranoid glance around and realized I wasn't in my room. This wasn't even the queen-sized, plush bed I enjoyed sleeping on every night.It wasn't that the bed wasn't comfortable. I mean it was bigger than the size of most beds in each ward, and maybe a little birdie might have told the nurses whose wife I was, but I wasn't just comfortable being here.Then my mind flashed back to the reason I was here and Liora who was earlier staring at the window, spared me a glance and came to me with a huge smile plastered on her face."Mommy, you're awake. I'll go call, Dad,"I grabbed her arm in shock before she could take another move. "Your father is here?"She nodded with a sweet smile. "I called him on