Anastasia, a former mafia wife, has fled her dangerous past with her children and started a new life. But when her husband, Ivan, the powerful head of a criminal organization, realizes the grave mistakes he has made, he will stop at nothing to win her back. Anastasia is torn between her love for Ivan and the safety of her family, as she is forced to navigate a dangerous game of love, loyalty, and betrayal. Will she choose to return to the life she left behind, or will she protect her family at all costs?
View MoreAfter our fourth round of pure, wild sex, I have nothing left in me. Every ounce of energy drained, I barely manage to pull the sheets over myself before sleep claims me.When I wake hours later, the room is dim, the soft glow of my bedside lamp casting long shadows on the walls. My body feels heavy, sore in the best way possible.And then I see him.Dimitri—freshly showered, fully dressed—sitting at my study desk, casually flipping through my books like he owns the place. Like he hasn’t just spent hours wrecking me.I prop myself up on one elbow, my voice hoarse from sleep. “Seriously? You had time to shower and invade my personal space?”He doesn’t even look up. Just smirks as he turns another page. “You were dead to the world, milaya.” His fingers trace the edge of a textbook. “Figured I’d entertain myself.”I groan, burying my face in the pillow. “You’re insufferable.”He chuckles, low and rich. “And yet, you keep letting me in.”That’s actually true.I shake my head and pull myse
[NADIA]“You’re here?” I say into the phone, clutching my books tightly to my chest as I glance around. “Where?”“Outside. Meet me when you’re done with your classes.”A wide grin spreads across my face, excitement bubbling inside me. “Oh, I’m done. And even if I wasn’t, I’d still run to you.”Dimitri chuckles—that deep, rich sound that always makes my skin ripple with want. “Can’t wait to see you. Come soon.”The call ends, and I quickly excuse myself from two classmates who wanted to discuss something about today’s lecture. Rushing down the corridor, I nearly bump into a few students, barely dodging them in my hurry. Thank God no one gets hurt as I half-run, half-speed-walk through the massive glass doors.And then I see him.Dimitri stands outside, leaning casually against his car, dressed in a dark suit that only makes him look more devastatingly handsome. His brown hair is styled just right, accentuating the sharp planes of his face, and those piercing dark eyes are locked onto m
The Ivan I know is strong. Unshakable. Even in the worst situations, he carries himself with a quiet, effortless confidence that makes you believe nothing could ever touch him.But the man lying in this hospital bed, surrounded by beeping machines and the sterile scent of antiseptic, looks nothing like that.His skin is pale, almost sickly under the fluorescent lights. His face, usually so sharp and alive, is slack, lips slightly parted as if he’s lost in a sleep too deep to wake from. Bandages wrap around his head, a stark contrast against his dark hair, and an IV snakes into his arm, keeping him tethered to life.A terrible, suffocating weight presses down on my chest.This is wrong.Ivan doesn’t belong here. He belongs anywhere but here.For a moment, I just stand there, with my back pressed tightly against the door, like it’s the only thing keeping me upright. My pulse thunders in my ears, and I force myself to take a step forward. One. Then another.I don’t know what I expect whe
[ANASTASIA]Ever since I woke up after the incident, I have been dying to see Ivan.But now that I’m standing outside his room—where supposedly he had been admitted—, I can’t muster up the courage to push open the damn door.I’m nervous. Terrified. And most of all, unsure.I don’t know if I’m ready to see what lies behind this door.I don’t know if I’m ready to bear the truth either.What if Lena wasn’t exaggerating?What if Ivan is….No! No no no no no. I can’t think of the worst now. I can’t break myself just by imagining what might not be waiting on the other side.I sigh. Swallow. And lick my lips.“What’s wrong?” Lena asks, whom I conveniently forgot for some reason.She stands behind me, probably waiting for me to just rush in.But how am I supposed to explain this hesitation now that I’m actually close to the truth? How am I supposed to explain that I have second thoughts for unknown yet obvious reasons?“I don’t know,” I sigh, wiping the sweat off my forehead, even though it’s
[ANASTASIA]The next time I open my eyes, I’m not alone.Lena sits next to my bed, her hand in mine, her eyes closed, as if she fell asleep while watching over me.For the first time since waking up from my so-called long slumber, I look at her carefully. She looks more tired than I’ve ever seen her. The wrinkles on her face are more prominent, the skin around her neck slightly sagging, and her hair whiter than I remember. It’s as though she stopped taking care of herself, as if in the past two months, she aged by decades.My heart clenches painfully in my chest, so much so that I can’t stop the warm tears rolling down my cheeks.I turn away, wishing more than anything to wake up from what has started to feel like my worst nightmare—the kind of nightmare I never imagined could exist.“Ana…?” Lena’s gentle voice pulls me from my thoughts. I turn back to her and notice how she straightens up, her eyes alight with genuine concern. “You’re awake. Do you need something? Water, maybe?”I nod
[NIKOLAI]Once we finally get to his office, Konstantin takes his seat behind the desk and raises an eyebrow. He looks kind of pissed, but not enough to end me right here and now.He might have the power to do that and carry on with his day as if nothing happened, but I know in my gut he won’t. He made a promise to our parents that no harm would come to me. And if there’s anyone I know who keeps their word, no matter the circumstances, it’s him. My very own, very infuriating brother.“So,” he drawls, leaning back in his chair and propping his legs up on the desk, crossing them at the ankles. “What do you want to talk about?”I don’t sit in the chair in front of me; instead, I start pacing the room. I glance around and find it exactly how our father designed it. Not a single thing has been changed or moved. It’s like walking into a museum of old memories.“I want to challenge Madam Volkova,” I say, almost expecting him to scoff.But he doesn’t. Instead, he tips his head to the side. “Wh
[NIKOLAI]I hang up the phone and stare hard at the ground.“Fuck you, Dimitri!” I growl, clenching the phone tighter and huffing out a heavy breath.The bastard has the audacity to make me responsible for everything that happened to Ana and Ivan. But is it? Am I really the one to blame?I look away, peeling my back off the car and slipping inside.I put my hand on the steering wheel, unable to shake his words from my mind.Shit. If only I had known the consequences of my actions, maybe this day would have never come. Maybe Ana would still be safe, and Ivan would still be breathing on his own, not with the help of some fucking machine.“Fuck!” I punch the steering wheel, growling louder.I turn the key in the ignition and drive away from the motel. I’m not sure if what I’m about to do next is the right choice, but it seems like the only option I have left. I can’t go back to Madam Volkova after my fallout with her, and Dimitri doesn’t seem interested in having me by his side either.I
[DIMITRI]I storm out of the building and light a cigarette, unable to think of anything else.I breathe in the smoke and then blow it out, hoping it will take away the stress pressing on my chest, making my lungs incapable of doing their job.I don’t know what to do anymore. Ana is finally awake, which is good news, of course.But what the hell do I tell her when she wakes up next time and asks the same questions all over again? How do I give her the answers that are sure to crush her?Maybe I’ve developed a new weakness these days—maybe falling in love makes you a fucking weak asshole—but I can’t seem to bear seeing that woman cry. I just can’t.It fucking stabs me right in the throat to see those tears streaming down her face, to see that fear in her eyes that seems to linger around her whenever she asks about Ivan.I take another big breath of smoke and then drop it, crushing it under the tip of my boot.“Fuck!”My phone rings just then. I thank God for the fucking distraction and
[ANASTASIA]“Mommy!”One word, and my heart shatters into a million pieces.Before I even turn my gaze to the door, warmth floods through me, and tears well up in my eyes.My little girl comes running into the room, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail bouncing with every step. Her eyes are sharp, excited, and filled with so much love. Her face is a canvas of every emotion I’ve ever seen her wear in my entire life.I don’t even realize it, but my arms open on their own, my chest aching to feel her little heart against mine.But just when I think she’s about to jump onto the bed and throw herself into my arms, she stops and stands there with her hands behind her back, her little legs fidgeting as she looks up at the doctor, her small eyes seeking some kind of permission.I suppose the last two months have changed a lot. My daughter, who used to storm in and out of any place she wanted, now suddenly looks afraid of hurting me.Tears race down my face. I wipe them as quickly as I can,
(Flashback) “Loyalty is everything in this business, Ana,” Ivan growled, his voice low and dangerous. “And if you’re not loyal, you know what happens.” Anastasia’s eyes widened as she heard the threat in his words. She knew all too well the consequences of betraying Ivan and his criminal organization. “I’ve been loyal, Ivan,” she pleaded, her heart pounding in her chest. “I swear it.” Ivan’s expression remained hard as he advanced towards her, his hand reaching out to grip her arm with bruising force. “Don’t lie to me, Ana,” he snarled, his breath hot against her face. “You know what will happen if I find out you’re hiding something from me.” (Flashback Ends) * * * [ANASTASIA] I wake up to the blaring sound of my alarm, a sudden jolt that sends my heart racing. The stillness of my small, dimly lit bedroom is shattered by the noise, and I can’t help but feel a surge of anxiety coursing through my veins. My eyes dart around the room, scanning the shadows for any signs of danger. E...
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