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CXIV : Not a Step Closer, Romanov
Last Updated:
2025-03-08 23:18:49
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His Son, Her Secret CXV : Laughter & Looming Danger
I woke up to the morning light streaming in through my window blinds.The air in San Francisco felt much different from Zürich. warmer, more humid, with the sound of the waves clearly audible.I let out a long breath, rubbing my face before stretching. I thought there would be silence this morning, but there wasn't.From outside my bedroom, Max's laughter could be heard, mixed with the all-too-familiar heavy grumbling.I blinked, frowning.Pascha.I snorted softly, pulling my blanket higher before finally remembering that Pascha really seemed to be living in this house now.Without an invitation.Without permission.Without realizing that this house is mine, not his.I let out a long sigh, finally giving up on staying in bed and getting up.When I opened the door and walked out, the smell of something burnt immediately greeted me.I refrained from groaning.I walked into the kitchen and immediately saw a sight that no longer surprised me.Max was standing on a small stool with an over
Last Updated : 2025-03-09His Son, Her Secret CXVI : A Pulse of Panic
A sharp buzz pierced my ears.It was like the sound of the explosion had left residual echoes inside my head, spinning, spinning, until I felt nauseous.Everything was a blur.Chaos erupted around me. people dashing frantically, their voices crashing together in a deafening roar. The noise swelled into an overwhelming cacophony, blurring the line between reality and the storm inside my mind.My ears rang with a sharp, relentless intensity, each piercing note drilling into my bones, sending shockwaves through my skull. The pain throbbed, deep and merciless, unraveling my thoughts in the relentless tide of sound.I wanted to vomit.My hands trembled as I tried to steady myself on the floor, but my body felt too weak.I nearly slipped off the table if Kyara hadn’t pulled me back just in time.Her hands gripped my arms tightly, tighter than usual, her breathing ragged, her eyes huge with fear. I can't remember the last time I saw Kyara like this.I hugged her. Holding her body that was as
Last Updated : 2025-03-11His Son, Her Secret CXVII - A Gentle Touch
I had just prepared to leave when the sound of footsteps filled the emergency room. I looked up, and Pascha stood in the doorway. His jaw hardened, and his dark gray eyes locked on me.I shoved my phone into my bag. I frowned. “Pascha?”“Move to another room. I will prepare everything for you to get better.” He said.I let out a breath, trying to stop myself from rolling my eyes. “I'm not sick. I'm fine. I'm just in a bit of shock, and I don't need hospitalization.”Pascha hardened his jaw. “At least for one night,” his voice was softer now but still insistent. "You need to undergo intensive treatment, just in case.”“The doctor already said that I'm fine.” I shook my head. “So, I'm going home. Max know about this?”Pascha shook his head. “No. I made sure he doesn't know anything.”I breathed a sigh of relief. But that meant I had to get home quickly. Max would be looking for me if I stayed here too long.I walk to the other side of the ER. Kyara was lying on the far bed, her face st
Last Updated : 2025-03-13His Son, Her Secret CXVIII: His Heat
The warm water continued to flow, soaking my skin and wrapping my body in warmth that should make me more at ease.But with Pascha still standing behind me, touching me too carefully and slowly, relaxing was the last thing I could think of.His hands were still there, washing my body with movements that took longer than he should have.I bit my lip, holding myself back, but every time his fingers brushed my skin, I could feel a burn sensation creeping up slowly."Pascha," I whispered warningly.He ignored me.Or rather, he enjoys watching me try to restrain myself too much.His hands moved slowly, too slowly, brushing over my skin as if he had all the time in the world to do so. I groaned in annoyance, almost losing control, then pushed his arm away."Get out."He didn't budge.I turned my head, glaring at him sharply, but he grinned instead, his expression full of the arrogance I desperately wanted to destroy."Why?" he murmured, his tone low and seductive."Because I told you to get
Last Updated : 2025-03-14His Son, Her Secret CXIX : Mommy Always Wins—Or Does She?
This morning should feel normal.At least, that's what I whisper to myself as I stand in the kitchen, pouring pancake batter onto a hot griddle.The smell of melting butter and vanilla filled the air, giving a false sense of peace because, inside my head, the remnants of yesterday's events still echoed.But I can't let it show.Max must not see it.So I forced myself to focus, preparing his favourite breakfast with slightly trembling hands, even though I tried to ignore it. Outside, the sound of rubber tyres sliding on asphalt and Max's triumphant shout echoed in the morning air.I turned my head toward the yard, and Max was speeding away in his mini Porsche. His face was full of excitement and a small arrogance clearly inherited from Pascha.Meanwhile, Pascha stood by the fence, arms crossed, observing this 'racing match' with a flat expression."Daddy! I'm going to be the best F1 driver in the world!" Max exclaimed, breaking dramatically before turning his head with his chin raised
Last Updated : 2025-03-15His Son, Her Secret CXX : You Lock the Doors, I Steal the Key
Pascha doesn't like to lose.I know that.He's used to controlling things, shaping the world to his liking. But this time, I wasn't something he could organize at his will.And he hated that."Listen to me."I sighed sharply, crossing my arms over my chest and giving him a flat look."Pascha, I'm fine. I'm not going to sit at home just because you say so."He pursed his lips, his expression full of disapproval. "It's not just about sitting idle—""Then what is it about? Do you think I can't handle myself?" I interrupted quickly, looking at him more sharply.He rubbed his face with one hand like it were the most difficult problem he had to solve today.I picked up my bag, preparing to leave. "Pascha, I'm going to see Kyara, then to the office. That's not something you can forbid."Pascha looked at me for a long time, then finally sighed, a sign of his defeat.But that expression was not one of complete surrender.There was something in his eyes. Something that felt like a warning.I di
Last Updated : 2025-03-16His Son, Her Secret CXXI: If I Knew Then What I Know Now
"It's Mikaela," Aurora said quickly.I'm still staring at Kyara's phone. The words on the message seem stuck behind my eyelids, flickering every time I blink.To Belva Moguel. The cold in my fingers creeps up to my wrists.Kyara sighed, sitting straighter on the bed, her still pale cheeks looking even paler. "Ara..." she murmured in warning. "That's ridiculous."Aurora looked up quickly, her eyebrows already raised. "Ridiculous?" she repeated, her tone rising a fraction of an octave. "She’s our ex-best friend. And she's crazy enough to sleep with her best friend's fiancée." Her eyes narrowed sharply. "Blowing up a restaurant isn't the most extreme thing she might do."Kyara shook her head. "That's... just about Pascha," her tone tired. "She’s not a criminal, Ara. She’s—" She rubbed her face, her fingers trembling despite trying to hide it. "You think she'd blow up a restaurant... just because of Pascha?"Aurora chuckled. Silence for a few seconds, then said, "Crazy people do crazy th
Last Updated : 2025-03-18His Son, Her Secret CXXII : Potatoes, Pride & Pascha Romanov
When I parked the car in front of the house, the sky was beginning to burn orange. The colors of twilight swept across the window pane, reflecting off the surface of the calm sea in the distance. Salty air sneaked into my lungs as I opened the car door, my steps heavy, my heels clicking softly on the wooden floor of the porch.I take off my shoes at the entrance, leaving them lying there, then walk slowly to the balcony, my briefcase hanging loosely over my shoulder.Clara sat in a wicker chair, her bare legs folded comfortably over the seat. A half-empty glass of lemon tea perched in her left hand. She wore a loose, oversized white T-shirt, her hair in an original braid and hanging to one side.She turned her head when she heard my footsteps approaching, her smile slow and relaxed, as if the afternoon were hers alone."You're home," she said.I pulled out a chair from a nearby round table and sat down slowly. My shoulders were still stiff from too much weight bearing, and the chair w
Last Updated : 2025-03-19
Latest chapter
His Son, Her Secret CLXXII : Heir of the House, Heart of the Chaos
“Mommy!” Max appeared, hugging Megatron. The new robot Pascha sent this morning. The toy was as tall as Max’s knees.His face lit up when he saw me. But then his eyes shifted to Javier standing next to me, and his expression changed to something… suspicious.He tilted his head. Scanned Javier from head to toe. “Who are you?” Javier, who had been laughing in the car earlier over baby Max stories, froze for a second, then glanced at me. “Max?”I nodded slowly. “Yeah. This is Max.”Javier stared at Max for a moment longer, “Dios mío. He’s... he’s a carbon copy of Pascha. God, Bell, even the way he stands with that sideways lean... that’s so Pascha.”“I know.”“He even has the signature Romanov eyebrow lift,” he muttered.Meanwhile, Max hugged Megatron tighter, then stepped forward. “Are you... Mommy’s new husband?”I choked on my breath. “Maximus Prime!” I gave him a sharp look. “Don’t say stuff like that!”Max just shrugged. “I’m analyzing. Not saying stuff.”Javier burst out laughing.
His Son, Her Secret CLXXI : I’m Fine, Just Ask My Mouse and My Mantra
The restaurant stood grandly by the beach, with huge windows facing the ocean. Honestly, this wasn’t what I pictured when Max shouted “pizza!” in front of the house.I glanced at Jullian as we stepped in and were greeted by a hostess with a professional smile. “This place... is not your average pizza joint,” Jullian smiled. “It’s pizza... with a five-star rating.”“And a price tag that could pay two months of electricity,” I muttered.“Minor detail,” he said casually.Max didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by the fancy interior or the gleaming ceramic plates. “Jullian,” he said seriously, “if pizza is round, why is the box square?” “Because triangles are too suspicious for a global conspiracy.” Jullian answered without hesitation.“And... why does the cheese melt but not run away?” Max continued, eyes wide.“Because cheese knows it’s being watched.”Clara was filming them on her phone, laughing softly behind the screen.Max pointed at Jullian’s face. “He’s totally a secret agent
His Son, Her Secret CLXX : november came again
I swallowed hard, as if somehow that would drown the sudden wave of emotion crashing in without warning. Stay calm, Belva. Breathe. You're an adult. You know where you stand. I kept telling myself that. In my head, I even pictured slapping myself—hard—just to snap out of it. Hey. You two aren’t anything anymore. You haven’t been for a long time. Not since that night five years ago, when I sat in the mansion across from St. Sophia’s Church, wearing a white hand-embroidered dress and a heart already halfway shattered. And then I left. So today, five years later, when Kyara read that message from Kiano saying Pascha was discharged from the hospital with Mikaela, who’s pregnant... I was supposed to feel nothing. That’s what I told myself. What I’d repeated like a silent prayer over and over. Pascha is Max’s father. That’s it. We’re just two adults who once loved each other until it bled, and now we’re just... responsible. So why are my hands shaking? Kyara looked at me whil
His Son, Her Secret CLXIX : she grew where my goodbye bled
Two days after Pascha went back to Russia too, my house was quiet again.Or... almost quiet.I was sitting at the kitchen table, still in pajamas, my hair pulled back in a lazy ponytail, a half-finished cup of coffee in my hand. Morning sunlight streamed through the big windows, warming the wooden table with a slow, sleepy glow. Max sat with one leg crossed over the other, one hand holding a spoonful of cereal, the other clutching my phone.Pascha’s face filled the screen.“I told you not too much milk in the cereal,” he commented through the video call, his voice faint through the speaker.Max raised an eyebrow. “But I like it when the cereal sinks. The milk’s like a battlefield.”I sipped my coffee, trying not to laugh.“Where’s Mischa?” Max asked, popping a spoonful into his mouth while staring at the screen.“She’s at her house. My house and her house are in different cities, Maximus Prime,” Pascha answered.“Hmm,” Max mumbled, chewing while glancing sideways. “So... that means yo
His Son, Her Secret CLXVIII : we were just tired, weren’t we?
Morning slipped in through the thin curtains in Max’s room, carrying the scent of the sea and a cool breeze that brushed against my skin like the fading touch of a dream. I opened my eyes slowly, my breathing calm… too calm. Comfortable. Warm.And just as I moved to run my hand through Max’s hairl, who usually curled up in my arms every morning, I didn’t find the soft curls of a four-year-old.I felt a chest. Warm. Strong. Rising and falling gently behind me.And then it hit me.I wasn’t hugging Max. I was the one being hugged.My whole body stiffened.I swear, in that second, every nerve ending in my body went off like fireworks beneath my skin. A large hand rested across my waist, one leg draped casually over mine, and the calm breath against the back of my neck was too familiar to mistake.Pascha.Romanov.I held my breath, trying to piece together last night. All I remembered was: after snorkeling, Max wouldn’t let go of me, not even during dinner. Then we went up to his room beca
His Son, Her Secret CLXVII : Salt on My Skin
Max’s floatie was a little too tight, which I’d done on purpose because I knew my son. Give him space and he’d swim as far as possible until someone thought a new dolphin species had been discovered. But now that we were getting ready to snorkel, the floatie had to come off. “I still think this is a bad idea,” I muttered while fiddling with the clips on the side of Max’s floatie. “But it’s fun!” Max shouted as he squirmed, just trying to break free so he could dive in like some kind of sea ninja. “Hold still, Maximus Prime. You don’t want to snorkel with a floatie this tight. Trust me, it’ll make you look like a failed floating donut.” Mischa stood next to us, already geared up with her snorkel mask and little fins on her feet. She looked calm and efficient, like a tiny professional swimmer. Even her curly hair had been neatly tied back with a blue ribbon by Igor. “I took off my floatie a while ago,” she said flatly. “My mom’s not that protective.” I glanced at her and raised an
His Son, Her Secret CLXVI : Cruel Summer, Salty Shoulder
Pascha finally pulled over. Water sprayed out on both sides as his jet ski hit the last wave before reaching the shore. In one smooth motion, he turned off the engine, jumped off onto the sand without losing his balance, and walked toward us.I had just picked up a glass of cold coconut water from the little table beside my lounge chair when he arrived. And without saying a word, he took it.He sipped it like it was the most satisfying drink in the world.“Thanks,” he said shortly, not even looking at me as he drained what was very clearly my coconut water.“Pascha,” Natalia scolded softly from beside me, “get your own drink. That one’s Belva’s.”Pascha shrugged, then winked at his mom. “She likes to share.”“I like sharing permission, not drinks,” I shot back, pulling my towel tighter around my legs, trying to ignore the way his face still dripped with saltwater and sins from the past.He just gave a short laugh, then dropped onto the sand next to my chair. “Let’s go. Ride the jet sk
His Son, Her Secret CLXV : a boy, a boat, a bloodline
"Pass the pilaf, please!" Trisha was already shouting before she even sat down, grabbing the plate and then plopping into her seat.Igor sat at the head of the table with two small creatures flanking him. Max on the right, Mischa on the left. Both with eyes shining and hands ready to pounce. I sat in the middle, with Pascha—mysteriously—choosing to sit right beside me, even though plenty of other chairs were still empty.He sat too close. His left arm draped behind my chair, and his knee… well, his knee kept brushing against mine far more often than lunch table etiquette would allow. Every time I shifted, he shifted with me.And of course, his fingers occasionally played with the ends of my hair that fell over my shoulder.I refused to react. That would mean he won. So I focused all my attention on the plate of pilaf and the roast chicken coated in fragrant Middle Eastern spices made by Natalia herself."Uncle!" Max spoke through a mouthful. "Did you ever throw Daddy into the sea?"Ig
His Son, Her Secret CLXIV : small missiles and bigger hearts
We arrived at the Romanov villa gates nearly two hours after leaving San Francisco. With one emergency stop I’d rather not talk about, and a series of events that could only be explained as Pascha being Pascha.It started with me just needing to pee. A quick stop at a small, empty-looking rest area. But of course, Pascha decided to turn on the hazard lights and call out from the car window, “Don’t get lost, Miss Moguel. The woods can be cruel!”I shot him a glare.Naturally, he didn’t stop there. When I came back and reached for the car door, he locked it automatically and smiled at me through the window like he’d just won some twisted Olympic event.“Pascha Romanov, I swear to God, I will—”Click.The door unlocked. He laughed for the next ten minutes straight while I sat in silence, breathing slowly, seriously considering whether throwing my sandal at him would be too dramatic or way too soft.The moment we arrived at the villa, I understood why Max loved it here. The Romanov villa
