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The Park

Penulis: Ethel
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-01 12:32:30

Ava

Parks, they say, are the one place on earth where even the most caged souls can taste a little bit of freedom.

Granted, I have no idea who they are, but surely they must be right because the look I see on Kira's face as she runs through the park—one of the less crowded, more private ones, of course—is one filled with pure excitement.

Black curls bounce with the wind as she waves at me, her lips stretched thin and smile wide as she spins around right there in the middle of it all.

I wave back at her, my heart full.

Getting Nikolai's approval was surprisingly easy.

Too easy.

I'd expected resistance or, at the very least, his disapproval. But he'd been, surprisingly, willing.

I watch Kira chase a butterfly, her giggles mixing with the sound of the other kids in the park and I can't help the warmth that spreads through me at the sight.

She looks so happy. Free. The complete opposite of the girl who'd wandered into my studio yesterday.

Settling onto the bench, I pull my coat tighter ar
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  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    The Past (4) Part One

    Marcus Blackwood stood in front of the Volkov estate for what might’ve been the third time this week. Fourth, if he counted the time, he barely made it halfway to the gate before turning back.He had stood in front of this gate countless times before, all for business, but now he had come to beg for his life and that of his daughters.The guard at the watch post was the first to notice his presence. This one differed from the last, Marcus noted to himself. While the other guard who’d been here, the last time he mustered up the courage to stand in front of the gate, was tall, this one was short and scruffy. A real rough around the edges sort of guy.“State your name and business.”Marcus cleared his throat. “Blackwood. Marcus Blackwood. I… uh, I’m here to see the boss”The guard narrowed his eyes as if the name left a bitter taste on his tongue, and he was sure it had. In this line of work, nothing was as important as a name. A name commanded respect. It caused uproar and goosebumps in

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02
  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Chapter One: The wedding.

    AvaFinding out my father sold me off to a sadistic Mafia Don to save himself was not how I expected my twenty-first birthday to go.But alas. Here, I am. “Are you okay?” My father asks, his voice layered with concern. I turn to observe him, my eyes roaming up and down his slouched shoulders. He was dressed in a black tuxedo one of the men who had brought us in had given him shortly after we arrived at the church. His hair was pushed back, the result of countless hand motions through the balding strands in order to appear much younger than he actually was.It doesn't work.“Ava… Please talk to me”I let out a breath, then pressed my lips together forming a thin line. How exactly did he expect me to answer that?Oh, of course, Dad, I’m fine; it’s great that you sold me to a literal mafia boss to save your life; I totally understand and forgive you.My lips twist downward at the thought.My father had sold me to one of the most ruthless men in all of Chicago in order to save his neck a

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-17
  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Chapter Two: The Intruder

    AVA I believe you have something that belongs to me. His words linger in the air for only a second before gasps erupt from the audience. My heart hammered against my ribs, and I blinked at the intruder in disbelief. His? What was he talking about? My gaze finds my father. He stands frozen, his lips slightly parted and eyes wide with shock as he looks at the man who called himself Nikolai. “What is going on Marcus!” Alessandro roared, his rage-filled gaze fixed on my father. His face filled with rage. A smile peaked at the corner of the intruder’s lips as he shoved his hands into his pocket. “It’s quite simple, Alessandro. You’ve been played.” Played? As if snapped from a trance My father looked up, his gaze finding mine amid the chaos. Remorse clouded his features. “Forgive me, Ava.” my father says, giving me an apologetic look. My brows knitted together as a slow wave of dread settled at the pit of my stomach, “What have you done?” “It was a long time ago.”

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-17
  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Chapter Three: My husband's daughter

    Ava I was married. Married. I still couldn't believe it. I was married to a man who crashed my wedding ceremony, declaring that my father had sold me to him when I was only seven. That couldn't have been legal. Oh, and that’s not even the crazy part. Far from it actually. Not only was I married to this crazy person, but apparently, this man was the long-lost heir of the Russian Mafia who was supposed to be dead. And they say weddings aren't fun. I drag my gaze towards the man seated in the driver's seat just a few inches away from me. He sits there composed and unruffled, an effortless control radiating off him like he hadn't just hurled me on his shoulder and out of the church like a caveman seconds ago. There was no denying the fact that the man beside me was the most painstakingly gorgeous man I had ever seen. His chiselled jaw, sharp cheekbones and tousled dark hair framed a face that belonged on the statue of a Greek god. But that still didn't give him the r

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-17
  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Chapter four: The wedding night

    Nikolai Volkov “Papa” Kira's excited squeal hits me before I see her. She runs up to me, wrapping her tiny arms around my leg like a vine. It's a habit she's developed recently and one I planned on breaking - eventually. Her small, chubby face beams up at me, and her eyes sparkle with the kind of joy that I've become immune to. I let out a breath, resting my head on her curls. “What are you doing here Kira? You're supposed to be with Lydia” Kira giggles, clearly missing the annoyance in my tone. She's made a habit of escaping her nanny at every little opportunity since we got back from Russia. It was a habit that was becoming increasingly worrisome, considering she was a five-year-old child who thought that every opportunity should be seized to play hide and seek. Shaking her head, she grins up at me, revealing a missing tooth that was still intact when I left this morning. I make a mental note to put a hundred-dollar bill under her pillow tonight because the last thi

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-18
  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Chapter Five: First day in Hell.

    Ava I hardly get any sleep throughout the night. Each time my eyes fluttered shut, Nikolai’s face would emerge from the darkness, just inches from mine, the words he said yesterday lingering in the space between our barely touching lips. I had spent the majority of the night reminiscing about the events of my botched birthday turned wedding day trying to make sense of my current situation. Letting out a disgruntled groan, I turn away from the harsh rays of sunlight streaming in from my windows. Everything was so confusing. My entire life had changed. Everything I knew had been ripped out from under my feet and without an anchor, I had come crashing down into a pile of confusion and uncertainty. Nothing about my life felt real anymore. In the last twenty-four hours, I had gone from birthday girl to wife-to-be, and now I was married to a man whom I barely knew anything about and trapped in his house. Could my life get any worse? The low rumble of my stomach forces me out o

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-25
  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Chapter Six: Helping a Murderer

    Ava The walls of Nikolai's office are cloaked in a deep charcoal that blends seamlessly into the dark wood design, creating an intense atmosphere. The shelves are filled with all kinds of books, new and old, all turned to the spine. The books are arranged in such precise colour coordination that they look a bit too perfect. The space is much bigger than I expected it to be and I'm almost consumed by its vastness. A large mahogany desk stands at the centre of it all, polished to a gleam with neatly stacked papers arranged on each side, and not a single paper document out of place. A sleek black leather chair stands just behind the desk, its high back giving off an air of authority against the soft glow of the crystal chandelier above the room. Nikolai occupies the chair, matte-framed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as his pen moves frantically over a document, his brows furrowing in concentration. In the last twenty minutes I've been seated opposite this man

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-28
  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Chapter seven: Monster.

    Ava "No" The word tumbles out of my mouth in a rapid fit. I shoot out from my chair, instinctively stepping away from him. A wave of disgust trickles up my spine before sinking its claws around my throat. "No?" Nikolai’s voice is deceptively soft, but his eyes flash with a dangerous intensity as he leans back against his desk. You would think he had never heard the word before with the way he was looking at me. "No" I repeat, firmer this time. "I will not help you kill my father. My God, what is wrong with you? I mean, I knew you were insane, but this? This is a whole new level, even for the likes of you." He leans back against his desk, watching me. He remains annoyingly calm, unfazed by my reaction. "Your father isn't the man you think he is.", My brows furrow as I try to read his expression"What's that supposed to mean?" He steps closer and runs a hand along his jaw, "Your father has blood on his hands, Solnishko, Russian blood to be exact." My shoulders stiffen,

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-10-29

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  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    The Past (4) Part One

    Marcus Blackwood stood in front of the Volkov estate for what might’ve been the third time this week. Fourth, if he counted the time, he barely made it halfway to the gate before turning back.He had stood in front of this gate countless times before, all for business, but now he had come to beg for his life and that of his daughters.The guard at the watch post was the first to notice his presence. This one differed from the last, Marcus noted to himself. While the other guard who’d been here, the last time he mustered up the courage to stand in front of the gate, was tall, this one was short and scruffy. A real rough around the edges sort of guy.“State your name and business.”Marcus cleared his throat. “Blackwood. Marcus Blackwood. I… uh, I’m here to see the boss”The guard narrowed his eyes as if the name left a bitter taste on his tongue, and he was sure it had. In this line of work, nothing was as important as a name. A name commanded respect. It caused uproar and goosebumps in

  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    The Park

    AvaParks, they say, are the one place on earth where even the most caged souls can taste a little bit of freedom.Granted, I have no idea who they are, but surely they must be right because the look I see on Kira's face as she runs through the park—one of the less crowded, more private ones, of course—is one filled with pure excitement.Black curls bounce with the wind as she waves at me, her lips stretched thin and smile wide as she spins around right there in the middle of it all.I wave back at her, my heart full.Getting Nikolai's approval was surprisingly easy.Too easy.I'd expected resistance or, at the very least, his disapproval. But he'd been, surprisingly, willing.I watch Kira chase a butterfly, her giggles mixing with the sound of the other kids in the park and I can't help the warmth that spreads through me at the sight.She looks so happy. Free. The complete opposite of the girl who'd wandered into my studio yesterday.Settling onto the bench, I pull my coat tighter ar

  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Paintings And Run Away Step Daughters

    Ava"You need to move around a little," the doctor says, adjusting his glasses as he scribbles something on his notepad. "Your body is healing well, but staying in bed too long will only make you weaker."I nod, relieved to hear that I no longer have to spend my days confined in this space. The last few days have been nothing but a blur of rest, food I barely tasted and a hovering husband who's spent every waking moment stitched to my side.Not that I was complaining. It was nice having someone fret over me, but I sometimes wished that said someone wasn't a six-foot-four, green-eyed, Russian mafia boss."So, does this mean I can finally go outside?" I ask, failing miserably at hiding my eagerness for my soon-to-be freedom. Who am I kidding? I sounded so damn eager even the doctor noticed. "Yes, Mrs. Volkov, that means you can finally go outside." The doctor says, glancing up from his notepad, lips twitching in amusement.I don’t even try to hide my relief. “Thank God,” I say, pushin

  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Bathroom breaks

    AvaI need to pee.Nikolai's sound asleep by my side, his heavy arm draped over my waist pinning me to the mattress. If I weren't so fully cautious of the warmth of his body against mine, I'd think I was trapped in a cage or better yet, that I still had a fever.But my fever broke a while ago, leaving my husband as the only cause of the inexplicable burning sensation shimmering just beneath the surface of my skin.I try sitting up, but my bones feel like they've been crushed by a bag of cement, and my muscles are fatigued. Nikolai's weight wasn't making it any easier for me to wiggle into a sitting position.Ugh, why is he so heavy?He's solid, unmoving, like a big boulder in the middle of the wilderness, completely unaware of my predicament.The room was still dark but the curtains had been drawn sometime earlier, so I guess it didn't count. I wonder what time it is.I try to move out of his grasp again, but every time I think I might've made some level of progress, Nikolai manages

  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    In Which She Does Not Deserve.

    AvaWhen I was a little girl, Aaron and I were playing in my mother's garden and he accidentally knocked over one of her paintings. It wasn't just any painting, it was her favourite piece. She'd spent weeks creating it and propped it up against an easel near the rose bushes, where she left it to dry.I still remember the exact moment it happened. We had spent the entire afternoon chasing each other, laughing our little hearts out at a game our mother had warned us to be careful while playing. Aaron had tripped, and while he tried to stop himself from crashing into the grass, he swung his arms out for balance, which unfortunately caused him to knock over our mother's paintings.Time seemed to stop as we both lifted the painting out of the rose bush and even as we straightened it, we both knew that the damage had already been done.“She’s going to kill me,” Aaron muttered when we took in the smeared painting. I'd never seen him look as scared as he did at that moment.He begged me to ke

  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    For Better Or For Worse

    Nikolai. "Fuck" I curse when the pan slips from my fingers, landing on the tiles with a loud clang. My daughter's head snaps towards me instantly, fixing me with a look I know all too well. "You said a bad word" I sigh, running my fingers through my hair as I bend over to retrieve the now dented frying pan. When I straighten, her tiny arms are crossed over her chest, her bottom lip jutted out and she's pinning me with a stern look. "That's three swear words today", she announces, looking every bit excited at my slip-ups. I always try my best to avoid using 'bad words' as my daughter likes to call them around her, but making breakfast at the ass crack of dawn isn't exactly something I'm built for, and it shows. "Are you keeping count now printsessa?" She nods, grinning ear to ear, "Mhm. And you owe the swear jar three dollars." Ah yes, how could I possibly have forgotten about the swear jar? No wonder she looked so excited. Kat introduced the swear jar shortly after I beca

  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Unraveling

    AvaBy the time we reach the mansion, I'm shaking through my skin and can barely keep the trembling in my bones at bay.He's back.My father, the man who'd sold me not once but twice and ran away, was back. And he’d been at the hospital, watching me.A violent shudder rocked through me, nausea churning in the pit of my stomach.Did he know I was going to be there? How long has he been back? How long has he been following me? And why hadn’t I noticed until now? How long..."Your hands are shaking" The words drag me from my spiralling thoughts, and I blink, realizing the car is no longer moving."Huh?""Your hands," She nods towards the fist still clenched around my sweater in a death vice, "They're shaking"Her brows pinch together, "Are you cold?"Cold? No. Shocked? Definitely. But with everything that's going on with Kat, I can't tell her what's really happening. At least not until I'm sure myself. So I lie."Yes," I nod, then tug the sleeve of my sweater down to add to my dramatics,

  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    The Past (3)

    AvaThere were three things Ava was slowly beginning to learn about her new 'friend' Bear.The first being that he was not just grumpy like she originally thought but actually extremely grumpy and it wasn't because he hadn't warmed up to her but because that's just who he is. She was pretty sure that she had never heard him smile like ever. Not even once.The second thing was that as much as he tried to deny it he enjoyed it whenever he heard her knock on the wall. In fact, she was again pretty sure those were the only times she ever heard him almost smile.The third and most recent thing was that he enjoyed silence. He had been quiet all day, and no matter how much she knocked, he hadn't made a single sound, and yet still, she knocked again.Silence."Bear?"More silence.Her curiosity was now slowly starting to turn into something else. Something she didn't like.Worry? Fear?She shook her head.Bear was Bear. He was strong and Ava was fairly certain that nothing could hurt him. Wel

  • Married To The Russian Mafia Boss    Unexpected Surprises

    AvaDownstairs, Kat is already dressed and waiting for me in the car.I slip into the backseat beside her, letting out a small sigh as I settle in.The ride to the hospital is mostly filled with silence as we roll into the streets of Chicago. I peek at Kat, worrying when I see her picking at the edge of her thumb with her fingernails.She seems tense for some reason and as much as I want to, I decide that it's best not to pry.Whatever is bothering her I'm sure she'll tell me when she's ready. We arrive at the hospital twenty minutes later and Kat is out of the car before the driver even comes to a full stop in the parking lot. I follow after her, struggling to keep up with her pace.Inside the hospital smells of antiseptic, the stench hitting me the moment I step in along with the smell of iodine and latex, making my stomach churn. We make our way to the receptionist's desk, where a blonde woman in light blue scrubs, probably in her late twenties or early thirties, greets us with a

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