F O U R T E E N

~ ANASTASIA ~

“Anastasia Zhukov?”

The unfamiliar man asks and I shrug casually but warily. I turn fully to him, leaning against the edge.

“Yes. That's me? Do I know you?”

He steps away from where I believe he was hiding and I assess him.

Black shirt. Black pants. Loafers. Bald. Big. Scary. I can't get his eyes colour but he looks… bland at most.

And almost scary.

Probably one of the Casa Vicenzo member. But for him to be here at this time, he must be a core one.

He chuckles as if sensing me assessing him and he steps forward until he's standing just a few feet away from me.

“Such an interesting little thing.” He says with a chuckle.

I said nothing, the gears in my head turning while I try to think. I can smell trouble.

“Do you perhaps know me?” He finally asks after a long wave of silence that feels like eternity.

I stylishly move away from him, watching as he leans against the low wall of the rooftop which reached just a little above his waist.

“No I don't. You don't have a type of face that sticks to the brain.” I say slowly.

He shoots me a glance, his hands holding the edge tightening but he smiles. “Well, you don't know me but your father did.”

I said it! Trouble.

That old dead piece of shit attracts nothing but trouble even after his death, he still haunts me.

I slowly shift away, barely so he won't notice easily. “And what has that got to do with me?”

“Ohh, nothing. Just that you don't deserve to be our Donna.” He turns to me fully and starts taking slow steps towards me.

My breath catches in my throat as I take a step back, still facing him, wondering how to take him down. Not that I can't, but the rooftop makes it deadlier and he's bulkier and looks skilled too.

I don't really stand a chance.

I will just try my best and stall it as soon as possible.

“Excuse you?” I ask, squinting my eyes due to the wind blowing.

“You don't deserve the position of our Donna Zhukov. We the capos are against you.”

“You should say that to your boss. The marriage was a forced one.”

I take another step back.

He takes two.

“Should we?” He tilts his head to the side just as my back hit the wall until I'm conered. He stands a feet away from me, staring down at me with his hands in his pocket.

“Any feud between the Casa Vicenzo and the Zhukova bratva had stopped with their generation, not ours. We are United now.” I say, trying to make him see a reason.

“Really? What about the people that lost their lives to the feud? Or the fathers of the people?” He takes another step forward. “It doesn't end with us Zhukov. You will pay for the sin of your father. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”

“I know you are probably pained but you shouldn't…”

Then, I throw out a fist and my eyes widen when he easily catches it. His lips stretches into a grin as he tightens his grip on my hand that was still clenched in a fist and I fear he might break it.

“Let me go.” I grit out.

His eyes glints with sadistic malice and his grip on my hand tightens. Then, he uses his second hand to grab my head, pulling my bun. He drags me closer to the edge and pushes my head.

My eyes widen, my heart beating loudly in my chest as he presses into my back, forcefully bending my head until I fear I might fall to my death.

Or no.

I would.

No one is coming to save me.

Is this the end?

“Niko died with a bullet through his heart. You'll die with your brain smashed after falling from a great height.” He whispers, his voice dangerously close to my ear.

I mentally curse Alex and my luck.

And Damien.

“Did you think Niko would be happy if you kill another person because of him?” I ask, my voice coming out cracked and distorted. I can feel the edge pressing into my stomach, squeezing my insides and I feel like I might puke my intestines.

My hair was clenched too tight and my face drips with sweat while I feel cold. I close my eyes tightly, not daring to check the distance. It's high. I won't be able to come out alive if I was pushed from this place.

And today. I'm scared of height for the first time in my life.

Fuck me. Sideways.

“Ohh, he will be glad.”

“Damien will kill you.” I grit out, afraid to scream as I feel more blood rushing to my head.

He chuckles, the sound dark and ominous as he tilts me deeper, until I'm almost teetering to the edge. “He won't, my dear. Did you think he loves you? Your father killed his uncle, the only fatherly figure in his life. He has always hated you. You are just… a means to an end. A future baby machine. You should be glad I will be killing you now though. I'm saving you.”

“Fuck you!” I scream, now scared for my life as I struggle in his hold.

He laughs loudly and I can imagine him throwing his head back. “Shhh Donna. You will see your siblings soon so you won't be lonely after death. And oh, greet Niko for me.”

I feel his hold on me slowly loosens while I continue to shake wildly in his grip and he continues to laugh maniacally as he slowly releases me.

If someone told me I will die by falling to my death, I would deny. I was never one to have suicidal thoughts despite my fucked up life. What's a suicidal thought that a shopping spree and a bowl of ice-cream can't cure?

But now, I'm not so sure anymore.

Just… fuck Alexander and Damien to the depth of hell. I'm going to hunt them after death but before that,

I grow lax in defeat and he stops.

If I die today, I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me struggle before my death. He should get it over with.

No regrets or hard feelings. I've already tried everything in high school… except Damien's cock sadly.

“Why?” He asks, his voice hard.

“Ohh, so you want me to continue struggling? You are mad.”

“You can still run your mouth huh?”

“I can. You should try it one—”

Suddenly, the sound of a gun being fired fills the air and I feel his hold loosen. My grip on the edge tightens, wondering if I was shot too and the adrenaline made me feel nothing until I was forcefully pulled down by my gown as I try to hold myself back from teetering over the edge and falling to my death.

My butt meets the ground followed by a thud. And I sit on the ground, numb. The only sound I can hear is my heart beating loudly in my chest as I turn my head slowly to the man who was about to push me to my death earlier, courtesy of Damien and Alexander.

“Are you okay?” A tiny voice pierces the haze surrounding my senses.

With eyes still fixed on the man and my heart beating loudly in my chest, I nod.

“Of course I'm good. Very.” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I was almost pushed to my death so yes, I'm very very good.

A hand touches my shoulder and I lift my head to meet a pair of big blue ones. “You are not.”

Then, she pulls me up until I'm standing on wobbly feet. My head filled with only one thought,

I almost lost my life.

“Umm, thank you I guess.”

She shrugs as she walks to the man's limp body and kicks him in the face with her heels.

“You don't need to thank me. You are that fucker’s wife and now he owes me a favour for saving his wife's life.” She says the last part while flashing me a grin.

Finally. Someone that agrees with me on something.

Gaining my composure, I pat my hair as I walk towards the almost motionless man. I place the sole of my heels above his eyes and dig it into eyes. He's not dead yet but he will soon so he should feel pain.

Have a little taste of your medicine douchebag.

“Who are you?” I ask the lady who's still kicking the man.

“Me? Dimitra. Dimitra Vicenzo.”

“Vicenzo?”

“Yup, your husband's cousin.”

“Common. Don't call that fucker my husband. I almost lost my life because of him.” I grunt, pulling out my bloodied sole from his crushed eyeball.

She chuckles as she walks towards the direction of the elevator that brought me to my room. My eyes darted between her back and his body before deciding to rush after her.

“Wait.”

“No, I need to report. I don't know how Enzo got out of the dungeon.”

“Enzo?”

“Yes.” She says, stepping into the elevator and I follow.

The elevator dings and we step out. I fall a few feet behind her, willing my mind not to think too much of the earlier scene. This wasn't my first near death experience. But… this was the most surreal one. I regret not bringing my gun or a knife.

As we round a corner - Dimitra rounds it before me - I hear an unmistakable voice and stops.

“Did you see Ana?” He asks and my anger only increases.

Dimitra leans back, shooting me a wink and I walk closer until I'm standing behind her.

“Ghost in the calling, how many I help you?”

Dimitra bursts into laughter and for real, I didn't even take it as something funny.

Damien only asseses me with raised brows before sighing. He steps closer to me and his hand latches to my wrist. “Where have you been? I wanted you to meet Noninna.”

“It's someone that's alive that can meet your Noninna, Damien.” I say, yanking my hand away in anger.

I didn't even know why I'm angry. Maybe because I'd thought about him when I was almost pushed to my death, hoping he would appear like a dark knight and save me.

Dimitra bursts into laughter. “She's right cuz. Enzo almost pushed her to her death.”

“Because of you and Alexander.” I add with a sarcastic smile that doesn't reach my eyes.