Chapter 1 Jolly mood

                "She wears strength and darkness equally well

                 the girl has always been half goddess, half hell"

The day was the same as usual in the mansion, quiet but no peace. She knew there are people chained in the basement. Some were begging, some crying or on the verge of death as being tortured. All had a bad fate as they were Dimitri Ivanov's captives, a name enough to make a person wish for death rather than meet him.

She got up and went out to her balcony and observed the sunrise before going for a run. She worked out in the gym for an hour and went on to meditate which was the sole reason for her perspicacity, making her one heck of a contriver. 

After she was done, she showered, dressed up, and went down the stairs. On her way, she heard her father talking over the phone in a cold voice.

" One mistake and I'll rip apart your limbs from your body and tear out your eyes."  

Then he cut the call and threw the phone on the sofa. Turning around he saw Natalie coming down the stairs.

"Morning dad, I see you're in a jolly mood today." She said sarcastically.

Dimitri rolled his eyes, a soft smile gracing his lips. He went to her and gently kissed her forehead.

"Good morning princess and yes you can say I'm in a jolly mood else there would be blood flowing down the street." Dimitri replied with a soft chuckle.

Natalie shook her head, knowing it was pretty much the truth.

"What do you want to eat today dad?" 

"You don't need to cook anything, the cooks have already made us breakfast."

Natalie rolled her eyes and replied

"Shouldn't you be happy that at least I can cook unlike you?".

Dimitri smiled at his daughter's mock with an adoring look in his eyes.

"I'm always proud of you Nat, always. You never give a chance to complain or disappoint."

He thought how she was his biggest strength. Kind of liked him in many ways except she had a heart. She was no coward and never complained about her divergent childhood with his mafia work or her mother not being around. 

Natalie was a result of his fling, his blessing as of now. Her mother was in love with his money, yet Dimitri was ready to marry her to provide his child with a good family and promised to provide her and his child the best he could. He was a loyal person by nature but not in love with her. But when she got to know he was in the mafia, she was scared and tried to cut all ties with him ....starting with the child. She didn't think twice to opt for an abortion but Dimitri stopped it in time.

She didn't want any connection with him and wanted to live a free life without any danger lurking at her to pursue her dreams. She asked him to take his baby away and leave her alone. Dimitri obliged her request and as soon as Nat was born she was never heard from again. Even though the thoughts of killing her chased his mind when she would complain and refer to his child as a mistake, a nuisance. But shook them away as she was still the mother after all and gave him the best gift one could ask for and left her alone.

Natalie smiled at her father and started serving them breakfast and sat by him at the table before starting eating. As they were finished she looked at her father, hesitating to speak. Dimitri felt her stare and looked up. He could sense her hesitation. 

"What is it now Nat? I swear if you pick up another stray animal this mansion would turn into a fucking animal shelter".

"Not this time, I couldn't find any."

Dimitri just raised an eyebrow at her, shook his head, and again went back to eating.

Natalie smiled sheepishly and continued.

"It's just that I have finished my bachelor's degree  and I want to do my masters as well"

Dimitri nodded.

"Of course, tell me which college and when do you want to start. Heck, I don't even have to threaten or bribe them to take you, they would be pleased to have a brilliant student like you."

"Thanks dad, but I already got my admission with a full scholarship and it starts next month ....in the US."  

She said the last part in a whisper but Dimitri heard her and stopped eating. He looked up at her with a cold face and said, 

"NO"

He said in such a cold voice that echoed in the room. Natalie sighed, she knew this would happen but it won't stop her. If she has decided to go she will at any cost.

Dimitri knew this as well, she was just as stubborn as him, his blood after all.

As he was looking at her with cold eyes, she stared right back with the same cold look. The father-daughter glared at one another. Dimitri knew that his cold eyes which would make anyone run for the hills won't work on his beloved daughter. He tried keeping his cold facade on and controlling the smile coming out seeing his daughter glaring right back at him with no fear. 

"You plan the scheme for the gang to deal with the police and other mobs, who would do that if you're not here".

"It's twenty-first-century dad, distance would not be a problem."

Damn technology he thought. 

Natalie smiled knowing her father must be using cursing in his head. 

He knew that there was no way he can possibly stop her from going. It was how he raised her up, to not back down and fight to get what you want. Sadly, he had lost this war to his daughter because of his own teaching but tried to redeem himself and answered.

"The only reason I am sending you is because you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself."

She had perfectly mastered how to escape the worst situation like abduction, fire, and attacks by other gangs as she was trained well by her father himself. He knew he had to make her not his weakness, but strength, to survive in this business. Yet he was always worried when it came to her even though she knew the best hand-to-hand combat moves, was skilled with guns and was great with knives as well. Just like her father a great fighter. She was his right-hand man after all.

Natalie chuckled slightly knowing this was his way to show as if it was his choice to send her and not her stubbornness that he had taught her himself. 

"Yeah right, that's the reason," she said sarcastically.

Dimitri narrowed his eyes at her and spoke,

"Come again"  he said in a tone telling her to shut up and let him accept defeat this way. She laughed before getting up and started walking toward her room.

"I'm done with breakfast. I'll go and take a look at the factory today."

"You get one scratch on yourself and I'll bring out all my guns to kill a few bastards." 

Natalie shook her head and replied,

"I'm pretty sure if miss one phone call of yours, you would track me down and  knock down my door to check on me the next moment"

"Damn right I will. I've got only one daughter after all"

Dimitri said proudly while Natalie smiled at her father's protectiveness. She knew she had to be careful, they had enemies and she was the only one left to her father after his sister Mila who he loved dearly, but died because of their only rival gang.

The Smirnov's 

She had never seen her father so sad and broken ever the day they got to know about it but he overcome that rough patch in his life because of Natalie. Even though she was just twelve at that time, she was always smart for her age and mature enough to understand the situation.

"She is always here daddy, not these stars though, cause she will always be our moon."  Those were the exact words she said to him and he smiled a little at her knowing Mila was like a mother to her yet she put her pain aside to help her dad get out of his pain, which made him realize that his sun is still with him and he still needs to be there for her, now even more.