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CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
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2024-10-29 19:42:56ALEXEI
The air was thick with tension as we stepped out of the salon. Zoey's anger radiated like heat waves, and I couldn't help but find her defiance both infuriating and intriguing. She had a spirit that refused to be tamed, and that was both exasperating and exhilarating.
"Welcome to the family, Zoey," I said, smirking at her obvious discomfort.
She shot me a withering look. "Don't get too comfortable, Mr. Pushkin. This marriage changes nothing for me."
I chuckled. "We'll see about that."
As we made our way back to the estate, Zoey walked beside me with an air of defiance. I couldn't deny the thrill of having her by my side, even if it was against her will. This marriage was a strategic move, a way to bind her to me in a way she couldn't escape.
Back at the estate, the news of our impromptu wedding had spread like wildfire. The guards and staff greeted us with a mix of surprise and curiosity, their whispers following us a
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ALEXEIThe room was dimly lit, the air thick with tension as Mikhail's piercing gaze met mine. The moment felt suspended in time, the weight of our shared history palpable in the charged atmosphere.I took a step forward, my eyes never leaving Mikhail's. "You didn't think I'd come knocking, did you?"Mikhail chuckled, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. "Alexei, my old friend, I must admit, this is unexpected. What brings you to my humble abode?"I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his feigned innocence. "Cut the act, Mikhail. We both know the game we've been playing."He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Game? This is no game, Alexei. It's survival. And in this world, only the strong survive."I scoffed at his pseudo-philosophical posturing. "Survival doesn't justify the lives you've ruined, the chaos you've sown. You've crossed too many lines, Mikhail."His eyes narrowed, a flicker of irritation
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