"Mr. Petrov..."
"A Petrov...?" "Why a Petrov is here...?" Hushed, terrified mumblings erupted as Samuel Petrov stood in the middle of the room, looking foreboding. A lot of questions are whirling around but no one dared ask aloud. Tense silence rules as everyone nervously waits. No one dared move more so leave despite wanting to scurry away from his dark gaze. While everyone's attention is on the Petrov entourage, Kamilla is busy lamenting her miserable state. More than her throbbing cheek, her fortitude is ebbing away. She felt like being stripped of whatever dignity was left in her. She was slapped not because of the insult she hurled, but because people regarded her as insignificant. An irrelevant member of society she thought she belonged to. She had been too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice the intent gaze that bore down on her. Only she realized the attention after a huge hand cupped her chin. She looked up, startled, only to be met with a piercing cold gaze she had previously encountered. A pair of dark orbs that only belong to certain people known for their immense power and ferocity in the underworld. The Petrovs. For a fleeting moment, she seemed drawn to the realm of the unknown as she locked gazes with the man. But before she could grasp what was happening, the baleful pair looked away. "What plausible explanation for such violence...?" Though he sounded calm, no one was convinced as his cold questioning eyes drifted and bore at Desiree Baranov. For a mere woman, under the scrutiny of a formidable man whose presence is feared by strong men and even criminals, Desiree seemed to have lost her tongue as she gaped in fear at Samuel Petrov. "Waiting is not my cup of tea, woman" Samuel gritted his every word as he impatiently issued his warning to Desiree. "I'm demanding repayment of my money, Mrs. Desiree Baranov's son owed me" Though nervous, Kamilla brazenly blurted out, earning everyone's attention including Samuel. "Shut up, you crazy girl. Stop these lies" In a low and hushed voice, Desiree tried to silence her. But Samuel's threatening look made the older woman nervously step back. Seemingly trying to get away from the man's piercing sharp eyes. Samuel narrowed his eyes to Desiree before they averted to the guy next to her. "Mama to the rescue?" Samuel snickers in mockery after grasping the situation he arrived at. "No, Mr. Petrov. It's not what you think" Vehemently shaking his head, Ivan tried to salvage his pride. "That girl is just fabricating stories, Mr. Petrov. My son doesn't owe her anything. She is a liar. She can't accept that my son dumped her" Desiree, after gulping hard, defended her son. "Is that so?" Samuel turns to Kamilla with raised brows. "Ivan Baranov owed me thirty grand eight months ago to pay for his car. It has nothing to do with his betrayal. Anything borrowed should be returned" Kamilla, undeterred to prove her point, met Samuel Petrov's unnerving stare as she grits her anger. For a while, Samuel stares at her, seemingly gauging her words. Though she was intimidated, she met his eyes with equal intensity. "Thirty grand for a slap" His eyes averted at the side of her cheek that still shows the imprint of Desiree's palm. "It's my money and I want it returned" She defended herself while she glared at the man everyone feared. "You don't need to resort to such wickedness, Kamilla. If you desperately need money, I will give you fifty grand. Consider it as a donation for your father's demise. He hasn't raised you well and left you with nothing with his death but I understand your life won't be easy without him. Money is difficult to earn for a young one like you" Anthony Baranov interrupted with his surety. Kamilla stiffened at the mention of her father. Samuel felt it too. Thus, his scrutinizing eyes narrowed on her. "I don't need alms from anyone, especially from the Baranov family. Ivan Baranov borrowed my money and I want it returned" Ignoring her tribulation, she faces Anthony Baranov with evident anger. "If you can't pay me my money, please tell your parents to stop lambasting my dignity, Ivan. And keep my father out of this. His good name is all I have" With a clenched jaw, she turns to Ivan with her warning. "I don't know what you're saying, Ella. Just please stop lying. Especially in front of Mr. Samuel Petrov" Nervously glancing at Samuel Petrov, Ivan denied her. Aghast by the Baranov's continued charade, Kamilla roughly took her breath to collect herself. She can't believe Ivan and his family could be cruel. Despite the tension filling the room, Samuel seemed to be enjoying the scene as he folded his arms and watched with an amused expression. "Is thirty grand worth this exchange?" After a while of silence, Samuel turned to Kamilla. For a moment, she locked gazes with the man. As she let herself be drowned in his soulful orbs again, everything that happened earlier flashed in her mind. Is thirty grand worth the slap she got from the Baranov? Can she let herself be subjected to it again? After some contemplation, she closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. "Nevermind" shaking her head, she dejectedly murmured. She comes to realize how pointless the argument is. Knowing the Baranovs, getting back her money is impossible without them, ruining her credibility. "Great" After her quick agreement, Samuel exclaimed as he straightened on his feet. A simple gesture but made everyone tense. "Everyone, leave" he added as he fixed his gaze on the Baranov family before it slowly scanned the crowd. Recognizing the calm yet stern command, everyone scurried to the door. Even the staff of the restaurant dashed to leave in fear of the Petrov security who took a step forward to show their rule. The place is almost empty when Kamilla has the chance to stand and follow the rest. "Except you, Kamilla Laskin" Samuel declared as he firmly gripped her arm to her surprise. Startled, she froze on her feet as she gape at him. She wasn't aware he knew who she was. "Of course, I know who you are, Kamilla" Seeming to have read her mind, Samuel muttered as he led her to the chair she previously occupied. Confused, she let him help her. Her mind is full of questions about why a Petrov is here. Has he come to meet with her? But why? After the news of her father's death, she heard nothing from them. Even his body is yet to be delivered for her to bury. "Where's my father?" She dazedly whispered as she blankly stared at nowhere. "He was being prepared. The reason I'm here" he took a seat across from her and what he said caught her full attention. "The Petrovs never abandon their people" he added while meeting her questioning eyes. "It's been weeks" She bitterly whispered. "I know. But I'm here now, Kamilla" For the first time since he arrived, he sounded sympathetic. Weird, she could almost hint assurance with the way he said her name. The gentleness in his voice surprised her. Petrov men are known for their rough demeanor. They could only be seen as agreeable whenever they were with their women. But most of the Petrov cousins, though all are women magnets, remained bachelors. Every female population in the country could only fantasize about earning even the slightest attention from one of them. However, at present, no one has succeeded. "You will not worry about anything from now on. Especially with money" he added with the same gentleness despite it being firm. "I will only demand what my father deserves, Mr. Petrov" she seriously blurted out. "Well, then it's everything, Kamilla. You deserve everything" He persisted with a dismissing tone. But the way he looked at her made her wonder, more than his words that thoroughly confused her. "I'm not expecting such benevolence from the Petrovs. My father is a mere employee" Despite her intimidation, she dared challenge his words. "You don't know anything about the Petrovs, Kamilla. But I won't blame you. People believe what we want them to believe" With an ominous smirk, he stands up while rummaging through his chest pocket. "Here" Kamilla stared at his hand, stretched towards her while holding a black card. "What is that?" Her brows furrowed with confusion. "My card" he casually responded while urging her to accept it. But she did nothing, instead, she just stared at it before her eyes averted at him with a raised brow. "Spend as much as you can. Starting today, keep away from the Baranovs. There's way more than thirty grand in this card" he added after getting no response from her. "I'm fine, Mr. Petrov. I have a job and with my father's death benefit, surely I could live a decent life" She shook her head as she refused his offer. With Petrov's money, she won't be surprised if the card contains millions or even billions of dollars. But she is not interested in their money. She could see his displeasure but she met his indifference with bold defiance as silence rules between them. "Well, I forgot to tell you, Kamilla" he muttered with an ominous glint reflecting his orbs upon earning her interest. "Your life is Petrov's vital concern. So bear in mind that as of today, Kamilla Laskin belongs to the Petrovs" Samuel smirked while she gaped in sheer perplexity. ***tbc***Whatever was going through his mind when he declared his possession of Laskin's daughter, he refused to think about it deeply at the moment. It was not part of his plans and even he was surprised. However, a punny girl like Kamilla Laskin should not be left alone in the world. She will be an easy prey for predators. "I do not want to burden you any further, Mr. Petrov. "I know the way to my apartment." After a long silence, Kamilla's voice drew him away from his deep thoughts. After they left the restaurant, she has been insisting on leaving. She refused to enter the vehicle, but his cold stare rendered all of her efforts futile. "Believe me, Kamilla, you will never be a burden" Across from him, he met her panicked gaze and watched her restlessness. Despite his efforts not to intimidate her, he could sense her discomfort. She has been relentlessly watching the road, seemingly waiting to be rescued. "Don't you dare fear me, Kamilla" with clenched words, he warns. It irritates
Beca's words remained in Kamilla's mind for the entire week following their conversation. The two women's assumption about Samuel Petrov's motive in helping her is quite absurd. Mr. Samuel Petrov is one of the heirs to the world's most powerful conglomerate. A man of high caliber and far from being ordinary to notice someone like her. Furthermore, he is too old to care about trivial matters. With these thoughts in mind, she was convinced that he had a logical reason for bringing her to his home rather than simply providing her with the benefits of her father's death. She will know once she asks him. For various reasons, she also hasn't left his place since she arrived. She is afraid to go outside without knowing what awaits her. Somehow, the emptiness of the place became her sanctuary. It gave her time to mourn her loss and heal her broken heart. Also, to gather her shattered pride. Furthermore, she discovered that Cel and Beca are only there during the day to do chores and wil
She gaped at him, looking lost and silly. She is not innocent, but since she began living in Petrov territory, she has realized that a Petrov word must be taken seriously or suffer the consequences. However, Samuel Petrov's words put her in an awkward situation. Will she simply take it as a joke? "See?" Seeing her confusion, he drew her closer by the waist and watched her eyes widen in disbelief. It was then that she realized what he meant. Heat turns her cheeks red, and she gulps hard at the lump that has miraculously appeared in her throat. Nestled between them is a hard thing she is completely aware of what it was. Taunting her further, a forbidden image entered her mind. She inhaled sharply, mortified by her own thoughts. She mentally chastises herself, but it is insufficient to clear her indecent thoughts. The deeper she got into her predicament, the more her face flushed bright red. Her body's bizarre reaction to being plastered against Samuel Petrov's rock har
Despite their awkward interaction the night before, the following morning appeared to be peaceful. She was even surprised to be summoned to join him for breakfast. Looking at the man across from her, she still can not believe she will have this opportunity. Everyone's dream is to eat together at one table with any of the Petrov. Fortunately, hers came true.She was nervous at first, but Samuel Petrov's relaxed demeanor reassured her. For the first time in her life, she shared a meal with a Petrov. Even when her father was serving the famous family, he never brought her to work, which she understands is extremely dangerous. While enjoying the delectable meal on her plate, she can not help but smile as she mentally rejoices. The thought of beating Celine Donlov in her dream of being in the same place as the Petrov made the food taste better. She was well aware of Celine's desperate desire to be noticed by any of the Petrov cousins. The reason she always goes to her parents' office i
"Stay still, Kamilla" he firmly hold one of her feet after she attempted to stand up. "Ahm... I can do it, Mr. Petrov" despite her efforts to move her feet away, it was futile against his firm grip. "Do not move, Kamilla. You are wasting our time," the sternness in his voice caused her to stop struggling. She was in disbelief and embarrassed as she watched Samuel Petrov expertly put on her socks and tie the shoelaces of her sneakers. Even Beca and Cel, along with the others, could not conceal their disbelief as they watched with wide eyes. There was a tense silence because he was so focused on his task until he was finished. "Let's go Kamilla" as if he did nothing bizzare from his usual, he walked to the door with his hands inside his pockets. He left everyone stunned. When she saw him walk towards the door, she scrambled to follow. She has no idea where they are going, but she is too nervous to inquire. After a quiet car ride, they arrived in a place she had never been before
"What are you saying, Doctor Lia?" The patriarch's inquisitive gaze fell on Lia. The rest of the family did the same but she remained placid. "Lia..." Vasili gently took hold of her hand while waiting for her explanation. Lia turned to face her husband. She gave him a soft smile before trailing her gaze across the room. She met everyone's questioning eyes until it settled on Kamilla. "Petrov Pharmaceuticals conducted extensive written and performance examinations two months ago. Only five candidates advanced to the final stage after passing several qualifying exams," Lia explains calmly, not taking her gaze away from Kamilla. "I need this country's top chemists to be trained, and I want new ones. Fresh knowledge and youthful vigour" she added while glancing at the patriarch. Since she took over Petrov Pharmaceuticals, she has aggressively scouted candidates for training. Not just for the company, but especially for the underground Petrov facility. Her sister-in-law, Abigai
Following the outburst of the two men, the family resolved to send Damian to his final resting place.It was a solemn ceremony, and Kamilla realized how important her father was to the Petrovs. She watches Samael Petrov cry while holding her father's cold hand. Everyone shared in his grief, and even the Patriarch was not ashamed of the tears that streamed from his eyes. At that point, she realized she was not alone in her grief. People she thought were powerful enough to be immune to grief are now crying for her father's death. This is the Petrovs' other side, which the world is unaware of. She was glad she had the opportunity to witness it. "Let your soul rest, brother. I have avenged your death. They have already paid for the lives we lost that day, particularly yours. Now, I can bring you to your final rest without any shame." Samael clenched his teeth with each word, creating a peculiar grimness in the air. After hearing Samael Petrov's forbidding words, a chill ran down her s
"Ella, let us have lunch," says one of her colleagues, Michael, who stands beside her working table and quietly observes her intricate way of mixing formulas.It has been weeks since she began working, and she is gradually making friends. She was warmly welcomed and eventually joined an excellent team. Despite her close association with the Petrovs, no one was aware of it. Hence, her interaction with Doctor Lia remained professional, and she was treated in the same manner as the other employees. "I will catch up," she whispered, still focused on what she was doing. "We will wait for you at the locker," Michael offered before turning away. Despite being the last person to take a break, her team is constantly waiting for her. "I hate it when someone is waiting for me," she cussed, unsure whether Michael heard her. "We will be waiting for you. You will forget to eat again if we leave you," Michael argued, not turning around to face her. Her new friends would always insist on waiti