Lenka"Are you going to keep watching those ducks, Felix?"We sat under a tree, with a large lake in front of us and a line of ducks swimming. The sight was calming without us even realizing it.We had been watching them for a long time, and I didn’t think of it as an issue at all. It’s just that maybe Felix wanted to do something else. He had brought a book to read peacefully, and there were many guards around us.Michael seemed to be talking to Diego, while on the left, preparations were being made for something we could enjoy later."They’re doing the things they like. It must be fun for them, floating on the water." Felix spoke without shifting his focus. His hands remained on the book."Do you want to go on a boat?" I asked him.We could do that, and Michael would definitely go with us. Going on a boat together sounded fun; we hadn’t done it together before.Felix looked at me and gently shook his head. "No, Mom. I’m hungry."His attitude was so innocent and endearing. Just then,
LenkaIt’s been a long time since I’ve been here. In fact, I’ve only been here once before. I experienced so much fear, a deep trauma. And when I arrived at my father’s grave, I remembered that brutal murder.Jonas was the one who did it, if only I had realized it back then. He wore a mask and quickly stabbed my father, stepping on him, and everything I remember could make my head spin and make me want to vomit. Now, it’s a bit better; I haven’t felt that way in a while. In reality, it may be because Jonas is dead—my vengeance was fulfilled.But maybe this isn’t just about vengeance. The fate that tangled between us was truly unpleasant and intriguing, causing terrifying things to happen.I took a deep breath. I felt relieved because now I could be in front of my father’s grave, holding the gravestone, as if I was speaking directly to him.“Dad, forgive me for only coming here now.” I paused for a moment. I felt that Dad would definitely understand my actions. “Dad, this is my son, yo
Chapter 1Lenka“Why are you crying? You’re incapable of saying anything from that mouth of yours?” He said as he looked at me coldly.Michael and I had been married for two years, but he had always been a nightmare to me with his attitude. The love I used to feel that made me live in heaven slowly disappeared after my vows with this man.Now, he was acting as usual. As I tried to figure out what my husband was really thinking.“How pitiful, Lenka.” Michael grabbed my chin, rough and painful.Another pain made me sob. The sting of his cold, piercing demeanor, he never cares about that.“Speak!”Another wave made me unable to breathe correctly, but I wasn’t a puppet he could always control. Tears continued to flow and made my eyes red.I forced myself to reply to the words of this dangerous man, Michael Vonhof, the leader of the Dragontooth mafia. When I first met him, he was sweet and gentle. He only asked if he was an ordinary, responsible worker. This was the opposite of
Lenka Throughout the night, I could hear the sounds of party music being performed. As he said, it was a party introducing Ava as his woman. Getting this treatment left me uninspired, and my mind was a mess. Now, I was sitting by the window, looking at the sky that had turned brighter. I was following orders from Michael not to leave the room. If I disobeyed, I would see the people's cold stares here and Michael's deep breath. I already planned to start something to have fun with, not just him. The sound of the door opening didn't even catch my attention. But slowly making my eyes move, scanning this room, a man in a neat suit. He always looks prepared. I stared at him. He never cares about my feelings. That selfishness is in him. With his arms folded in front of his chest, he observed me, the woman who couldn't speak. "You look messy." The first thing he said was to insult me. Yeah, his looks were always attractive, which made him even more inappropriate for me. The judgmenta
The following day, I woke up in shock. The pain hit me immediately, and without pause, tears streamed down my face.I attracted the servants' attention in this room but was ignored.I fainted, and now I'm awake, which means I'm still alive.[No!]I screamed inwardly, wishing more than anything that I wasn't conscious at all.Unfortunately, I don't have that peace of mind. By leaving this world, I will have peace of mind.Michael would be happy about that. I felt a deep sense of loneliness.They ignored the sound of crying, which sounded like moaning. The servants were cold; I guess they hoped I would wake up.After I saw the IV in my hand, I pulled it out roughly. I didn't need to be saved. He had given the order not to provide me with food and water, meaning he got tired and wanted me to die.Still not satisfied, I threw the pillow. The servants watched me with judging and condescending eyes. Some began to chuckle that I had made their work more difficult."She's gone mad."I heard t
LenkaEven after I resisted them, the maids still treated me coldly. I knew I was not a suitable madam for them. I had many flaws.A dump woman and possessed of tremendous lousy luck.I was at peace in these few days without meeting Michael, who would go crazy and then speak poison from his mouth. I wasn't waiting for him, hoping he wouldn't return here until I had left to taunt him.No matter how hard I tried, it was hard to break this tight situation. I remembered my father's words, calm down, be quiet, and I'll find the answer.Dad, I'm not sure about that.Powerlessness is so debilitating, and the anger inside me has erased the love for the past two years. I noticed that this place became quiet. I grabbed the scarf and put it on quickly, making the door open to be unlocked.I was surprised but wary of the following situation I received; I went out and, while walking, met a guard. I'm sure he saw me but ignored me. The rules may have come back out of Michael's mouth so I could wal
Lenka's POVWhen that woman came, I didn't think of her as a guest I wanted to welcome, but I couldn't do anything to get rid of her.She was present before me like a compulsion, which she did on purpose. Ava sat with eyes that looked confident. She was created with near-perfect beauty, so it's only natural for her to be overconfident. I felt tired just looking at her, especially considering what had happened recently.Ava's eyes are so clear. She grew up full of love and had a strength that made her life comfortable. "You must feel surprised by my arrival." Something felt strange. Surprised and pressured, she showed me who really ruled this house. I was getting frustrated. After my fingers bent the book, I held it more firmly, and I managed to move my hand to write something down. [What brings Miss Ava here? Michael might not like her.] "Of course. Because he doesn't like me spending time with a troublesome woman like you." Her words were so piercing that I silently watched the
Lenka's POV I stared at the woman. She looked confident, waiting for me to answer positively, but I had other interests. She did manage to guess my wishes. She was not blind in this situation. I exhaled as I stood and walked to get a pen and a torn-looking book. I patted the book. The paper was already wrinkled, and one side was almost split. What I was doing seemed to annoy Ava, especially because I seemed to be ignoring her words. I could hear her chattering but didn't look at her, choosing to write first. [Why do you want to help me, Ms. Ava? It's so sudden.] I realized that we had never been close to each other. In fact, the woman's attitude was closer to hating me than liking me. I wasn't much different, either. Michael was always by her side. Their mafia family was supportive and would become even more significant. She was considered perfect, while I was just an incomplete woman. I felt uncomfortable and sick. Her shoe marks were still visible on my scarf, as was the
LenkaIt’s been a long time since I’ve been here. In fact, I’ve only been here once before. I experienced so much fear, a deep trauma. And when I arrived at my father’s grave, I remembered that brutal murder.Jonas was the one who did it, if only I had realized it back then. He wore a mask and quickly stabbed my father, stepping on him, and everything I remember could make my head spin and make me want to vomit. Now, it’s a bit better; I haven’t felt that way in a while. In reality, it may be because Jonas is dead—my vengeance was fulfilled.But maybe this isn’t just about vengeance. The fate that tangled between us was truly unpleasant and intriguing, causing terrifying things to happen.I took a deep breath. I felt relieved because now I could be in front of my father’s grave, holding the gravestone, as if I was speaking directly to him.“Dad, forgive me for only coming here now.” I paused for a moment. I felt that Dad would definitely understand my actions. “Dad, this is my son, yo
Lenka"Are you going to keep watching those ducks, Felix?"We sat under a tree, with a large lake in front of us and a line of ducks swimming. The sight was calming without us even realizing it.We had been watching them for a long time, and I didn’t think of it as an issue at all. It’s just that maybe Felix wanted to do something else. He had brought a book to read peacefully, and there were many guards around us.Michael seemed to be talking to Diego, while on the left, preparations were being made for something we could enjoy later."They’re doing the things they like. It must be fun for them, floating on the water." Felix spoke without shifting his focus. His hands remained on the book."Do you want to go on a boat?" I asked him.We could do that, and Michael would definitely go with us. Going on a boat together sounded fun; we hadn’t done it together before.Felix looked at me and gently shook his head. "No, Mom. I’m hungry."His attitude was so innocent and endearing. Just then,
LenkaIt was a heavy burden, knowing that he had gone through so much pain. The truth was, Felix was still just a child — he should never have had to experience anything like this.The calmness he showed wasn't something to be happy about. He didn’t want to do anything.The specialists said he was dealing with trauma.On that bloody day, he had learned too much — far too much for someone so young to bear. He found out that his father was a mafia boss, and that the man he trusted was a killer. He had witnessed death itself.Terrifying things had taken root inside his mind, growing into a constant terror."What should we do?" Michael’s soft voice was full of concern as he wrapped his arm around me.Both of us turned to the doctor standing before us."Young Master Felix needs support from the people around him," the doctor said. "This healing process could take a long time, and your support is crucial."I already knew that... But every time I saw Felix's empty, lifeless expression, it to
LenkaI had forgotten about her; I was too focused on the visible enemy, thinking the most dangerous one I was facing right now was Jonas.But the figure that had just whispered near my ear was this woman. It had been such a long time since I last saw her, and it froze me for a few seconds. She was another nightmare.She was Ava.She smiled at me, and that’s when she immediately grabbed my hand, pulling me into her reach. With the knife at my throat, I could feel the coldness of it, and it was terrifying.“Ava! You slut, what are you doing!?”Jonas shouted.“Let her go, Ava!” Michael commanded.This time, both of them were not focused on their fight but on me. It was so annoying to see Jonas pretend to care about me when he was the one who wanted me dead earlier.“Because this woman destroyed my life, I think it’s better if she dies too, don’t you think?” She glanced at Michael and Jonas alternately.“I should have killed you a long time ago.” Jonas spoke. He stepped forward, but with
LenkaI always prayed and believed in Michael, trusting that he would keep his promise to me. Looking at myself in the mirror, even though my face was covered in makeup, it didn’t make me happy at all.My heart was pounding painfully. Felix entered the room and hugged me."Mom, is he a bad man?"Hearing his question, I actually didn’t want him to know about this at all. That’s why it took me a while to respond.Felix, looking at me gently, held onto my wedding dress. "Mom, you’re going to marry him.""Yes," I gently stroked his head, kissing his forehead. "Felix, stay calm and listen to them."Felix, who was silent, seemed to understand my meaning. I was sure of it because he was an insightful child. Then, before we left the room, he nodded. I became more at ease.My hope in Michael continued to grow; I wanted him to one day save me and Felix.Or, I wouldn’t hesitate to kill that man with my own hands once I made sure everything was in place. I didn’t want to lose anyone else besides
MichaelHis obsession made him incredibly captivating—I’d call it clever, or maybe just plain insane.Tini was a long journey, dealing with permits due to it being a different country. With so many people involved, he tried to make me question what actions I should take. Bringing in a large force would only make it easier for us to be attacked from another front.Have I ever mentioned the man who has the same face as Diego?I haven’t, not even Lenka knows about it—because he acted as the “cattle warden.” Living on a farm, it seemed like an incredibly peaceful life. But beneath the large barn filled with milk-producing cows, there was a hidden laboratory—for drugs and weapons.He was a warden, yes, but a cruel one.With the passage of time and the actions I took, that warden eventually left his cozy little spot and moved into the center of The Noctis' power. He became someone highly trusted today.Dalton—he was staring at me from the phone screen.“I’ll guard it well, boss.”He looked
MichaelAnother explosion and the attack were just a diversion.I’ve confirmed that it was a very well-organized distraction, and what makes me so furious with myself is that I only now realized this house has a basement or an escape route.Bastard.I told myself how stupid I was, how everything turned into a mess because this was completely unexpected. When I found out there was another way out, I punched the wall over and over again.“Damn it, how could I not know this?”This house has stood for hundreds of years. I once heard from my father that my great-great-grandfather bought it when all his businesses were flourishing. But I’ve never heard anything about an underground escape route.I followed the path and ended up in a different part of the property. My men wouldn’t even be able to spot this from where they were.“Jonas… where did he get the blueprint for this house?” My voice trembled as I spoke, clenching my fists.I’m absolutely certain that not even my family knows about t
Lenka"What nonsense are you saying?"Immediately, my body froze upon hearing his words. I looked into his eyes, which were still filled with excitement. Something bad was starting to surface, and I wanted to know it now."Lenka, I already know we are destined to be together." He lowered his gaze, but I could tell he was still smiling widely. "You and I cannot be separated, and in two days, we will be married."Chills ran down my spine, my whole body shivered hearing his words."No... I don't want to marry you, Jonas. I don't want to because you're a bastard!"He remained calm, shook his head slightly, then hugged me and quickly released me."Lenka, it's useless for you to reject this because we will be married soon." He smiled."Get out!"I pointed at the door, my chest aching so much. With sharp eyes and a face red with anger, he responded with calmness."Alright, I'll leave now. I want you to prepare yourself because you will be shocked by our marriage."The more angry I became, th
Lenka"You're completely insane, Jonas. You made yourself look like a hero, but it turns out you're the villain!"My eyes stayed locked on him—I couldn’t look away from what he’d done."You threatened me by using Felix…"My hands trembled. Two of his men moved closer and grabbed my arms. Instinctively, I shoved them off."Jonas! You truly—"My scream stopped short as I watched him put Felix to sleep using a handkerchief, covering the boy's nose with it."What are you doing!?"This time I lunged forward, grabbing his hand to take Felix from him. But Jonas held onto me tightly, restraining me with a strength I couldn’t fight. His men held me down."Lenka, this is what's best for him. Or would you rather he knows everything?"He touched my cheek with his index finger, wearing a small smile that felt like a thousand needles. Before I could curse him again, they started dragging me away."We have to leave now, my dear Lenka."We exited the room. I hoped someone would come to save us, that