While a glum Andrei sat with his lieutenants in one of the highly sought-after boxes at the Mirage, pondering his father's offer, on stage, under the dazzling spotlight, Holly Marie Anderson had none of his ninety-nine problems.
In fact, life was going swimmingly for her. And why wouldn't it? After all, she was the star of the show, and the only reason the theatre was packed to capacity for the second night in a row. Drunk on the awe and adoration of her fans, Holly had one job and one job only: to deliver yet another jaw-dropping, heart-thumping performance. And that's precisely what she did. To say she was on fire was an understatement. Hell, she'd spent a tough three months preparing for the show and survived countless hours of gruelling practice sessions and dress fittings before embarking on a whirlwind press tour. In the twelve weeks leading up to this moment, Holly had lived and breathed Juliet, so much so that sometimes she was terrified she'd have a hard time letting go of her when the season wrapped up. For the audience, though, not a sliver of her anxiety showed. From the iconic balcony kiss scene in Act I, set to one of the most intensely romantic scores in ballet history, to the violence erupting in the streets of Verona in Act II, and finally to the lovers' tragic misunderstanding in Act III, the crowd was utterly spellbound by her magic, captivated by her graceful movements. Every leap she took, every twirl she made, brought them to the brink of euphoric tears. Everything was coming up roses for Holly. Until it wasn't. Until the scene just before the final intermission, when a popping sound, as deafening as a gunshot, echoed through the theatre just as she took off on her feet and soared in the air in what would have been a flawless grand jeté if Lola Thornton hadn't stepped on the hem of her dress. Convinced the floorboards beneath her had given way, Holly felt her soul separate from her body. For a frightening moment she could only describe as an out-of-body experience, she could see herself, pure horror and confusion contorting her face as she flailed her arms, trying to grasp at anything just to break her fall. But the pain...the sharp, blinding pain shooting straight from her knee to every part of her battered body was all she could focus on as the force of gravity sucked her down, and she landed on the floor in a lacklustre move amidst the stunned gasps from the audience. Holly didn't have to be a surgeon to know she was screwed and couldn't possibly continue with the show. Not when her knee was a mangled mess. But she'd never been in the habit of quitting before curtain call. So, despite the mind-numbing pain, she danced on, praying she wasn't dragging Cooper down with her sluggishness. But, her dance partner—and occasional lover—covered up for her beautifully with his magnetic movements as he followed her lead in an improvised routine. It was chaos the minute the curtains slid in place for the intermission, obscuring the cast from the audience. Russel, the choreographer, lost his shit all over Lola as soon as they were in one of the dressing rooms backstage, screaming at her for her rookie mistake, while Cooper and a few members of the corps de ballet tended to Holly's injury. "It was an honest mistake. Do you think I wanted to step on her gown?" Lola screamed right back at Russel. "I don't know? Did you?" Russel fired back. "Are you suggesting I did this shit on purpose?" Lola demanded, getting up in Russel's face. "Guys," Holly quickly stepped in before things could get ugly. "It's okay, I'm fine. I'm sure it was an honest mistake, Russ." Russel glared at Lola for the longest time before spinning on his heel and exiting the room. Just then, Naomi Saunders, the show's technical director, rushed in, her narrow face taut with worry as she fired fifty million questions at Holly. Holly calmly answered them all, assuring her she'd finish the show, and her pain level was a three when, in actual fact, it was an eight. "Are you sure you can do this?" Naomi asked over and over. "I think we should get Dr Baker to check you out." "I'm fine, really. Stop stressing; you're making me anxious!" Holly insisted, breathing a sigh of relief when the costume and makeup guys stepped into the room to help her prepare for the final act. While everyone hovered around her, touching up her makeup and smoothing down her gown, her mind drifted back to the mishap on stage. Mistakes were not unheard of during performances. But Lola was a seasoned soloist, and there was absolutely no reason why she should have been in such close proximity to her...Unless...Unless... "No," Holly shook the notion out of her head, refusing to even entertain such a thought. "She wouldn't do it," she told herself over and over as Russel rounded everyone up for the final act. A short while later, Holly was back under the dazzling lights, moving the audience to tears with her final pas de deux with Cooper. The closing scene was the most gruelling mentally and physically for her. But fuelled by her crippling fear of failure, she powered through, and the moment the curtains slid in place for the last time, amidst the thunderous applause from the audience, she finally crumpled to the floor, wailing like a wounded animal as she clutched her knee while Cooper and the rest of the cast and crew fussed over her. "You are such an idiot," said Cooper, rocking her in his arms. "Why didn't you say you were in so much pain?" "So I can miss the chance to finish the show and let you hog the spotlight?" Holly teased, clenching her teeth when another wave of pain shot up her knee. "You know very well that I hate leaving stuff unfinished." "Well, you are still an idiot," he replied, brushing her hair away from her face. "Hang in there, okay? The paramedics are on the way. You'll be alright." "You are such a shitty liar, Coop," she smiled shakily. She wasn't going to be okay. And everyone knew it. Before Cooper could pacify her with more comforting words she didn't want or need, the paramedics rushed in through the back exit door, and everything after that was a blur for Holly as they loaded her on the stretcher and rushed her to the Mediclinic in Glen Eagles.What everyone had imagined would be a quick visit to the ER ended up being a week-long bed rest in the orthopaedic wing of the Mediclinic in Glen Eagles for Holly.When she wasn't consulting with some specialist or other, she found herself entertaining an endless stream of visitors—from family to colleagues to the management team at the Royal Dance Institute. Cooper was pretty much a permanent fixture in her private ward, and her only source of updates about work. When he casually announced the show was on a break following her injury and faced a possible cancellation, Holly naturally felt terrible for everyone, especially him. He'd wanted the show as much as she did, and had worked just as hard. To see all their hard work go to waste was gut-wrenching. So, she tried to steer their chats away from work. But somehow, they always circled back to the show and, of course, Lola.Rumours had begun to swirl at the Institute. Half the corps was convinced she had maliciously stepped on Holly'
Devastated, Holly turned to her parents, silently pleading with them to pull her out of her never-ending nightmare. But, like her, they had no idea how to fix her. So she grabbed her mini crossbody bag, dazedly left the room, and wandered down the sterile corridors and out of the building, leaving her parents to discuss her upcoming surgery, physiotherapy, and all the other treatment plans Dr Evans thought were necessary but would never help her return to the stage.The crisp winter breeze was a shock to her system as she hobbled to one of the benches facing the hospital's entrance. She pulled her long cashmere cardigan closer and wound the heavy woollen scarf around her neck. She was so grateful that despite the short notice, her mom still had the foresight to stop at her townhouse in Morningside Mews and get her some warm clothing. Holly dug out her phone from her bag and fiddled with her knee brace as she scrolled through the less than thirty contacts. Half were family, including
Back at her childhood home in the heart of Glen Eagles, Holly headed to her room. She hadn't slept there in years and hadn't stepped inside in just as long. Confronted by old smells and the lingering ghosts of her younger self, she didn't know how to feel about being back here. So she simply stood there, unsure what to do, until she felt her mom's arm encircle her shoulders."Everything is still the same, exactly how you left it," Lois said as she propped the crutches against the wall just inside the door. Her mom meant well, and her words were supposed to comfort and reassure her. But it was that exact 'sameness' that filled Holly with dread and helplessness. The room was the same, but she wasn't. She'd changed, and all in a single afternoon, her dreams destroyed by Dr Evans' announcement—'But you can't dance anymore.'"Go on," Lois gently pushed her inside the room.The smell of ambitious hope her fifteen-year-old self had held onto all those years ago hit Holly with the same inten
Trigger warning: self harm, illicit substance useWithin minutes, Holly was at Crush, a high-end nightclub in downtown Rock Castle and one of Andrei Ivanov's favourite haunts. She headed straight to the bar, demanding to know which VIP room the Russian was in. Tony, the bartender—a new guy Austin Hawthorne had hired soon after he took over the club—nicely told her Andrei wasn't around. "He hasn't been here in a while," said the bartender, showing off his skills as he tossed the cocktail shaker into the air in a fancy move and swiftly caught it on his forearm."What about your boss? Is he around?"Tony shook his dreadlocked head and pointed at the back office door, "The manager's here, though."Holly had no need for a manager. Her business was with Andrei and possibly Austin since they were thick as thieves. Disappointed her trip was in vain, she perched herself on the barstool and ordered three tequila shots, downing them in quick succession to the cheer and applause of the small c
If anyone said they didn't know Aero Towers, they'd be lying.Surrounded by the headquarters of the big five banks, a smattering of investment companies and high-profile law firms, the high-tech, eco-friendly, forty-story all-glass structure stood tall and proud in the centre of Rock Castle.Fuelled by old and new money, this side of town was the country's economic hub, the powerhouse of all financial dreams, and Aero Shipping was right at its centre.From the vantage point of his top-floor office with panoramic views of the city, Andrei could see Anderson Logistics on one side and Van Holt Industries on the other. Every day, he took a moment or two to stare at his frenemies' headquarters. Fuck, that wasn't a word he would ever say out loud, but it was the only one that summed up his complicated relationship with Liam Anderson and Levi Van Holt. But yes, every day he made damn sure to take a moment and gaze at their nice-but-not-so-memorable buildings, and he'd smile smugly because wh
"Ivan, Igor, where's my wife? Found her yet?" Andrei asked from the back seat as he threw his phone at Ivan so he could log in to the Hot Connexions app. They'd picked him up half an hour ago from Aero's headquarters. Now, they were on a lonely stretch of road, racing to the rendezvous spot, an old airport—well, not exactly old since it was still in use. But only by a few select government officials and well-connected people. One phone call to the right person had made it possible for Andrei to use it tonight. He could have used his private airstrip in Linksfield, but the Hawks were on his back after the shit with Dreams and Leks' string of bad deals. They were much harder to buy off than the po-pos. Tonight's venue had cost him an arm and a leg, but it was a small price to pay for the privacy and anonymity it guaranteed. "Guys, why am I talking to myself?" he asked when his lieutenants showed no signs of life. "Well, very few women have a death wish—" Ivan began, but paused, his ey
"They're here!" Ivan announced as if Andrei and Igor didn't have eyes and couldn't see the Cessna C421C Golden Eagle touch down on the tarmac and glide towards them. Their guards were instantly on the alert as the plane stopped a few meters away. Several minutes passed before the plane doors opened, and out came Juan Pérez, dressed in an all-white suit, his long black hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. A pretty little thing with dusky skin and a mass of black twirly hair cascading around her bare shoulders hung onto the man's arm. Her tight metallic dress left little to the imagination, showing off her voluptuous body in all its glory. The sparkly shoes on her feet did wonders for her toned legs. Toned legs were one of Andrei's very few weaknesses. The things he could do with those legs— "I see he brought company," Ivan muttered beside him, gatecrashing Andrei's drool fest. "Did you expect anything less?" he drawled, irritation quickly replacing his anxiety as he scoped out
Igor and Ivan offered to come up to the penthouse with Andrei—like he couldn't handle a tiny ballerina on his own—but he declined their offer, reminding them they still had Juan's shipment to take care of."Set up a meeting for tomorrow at noon. Everyone must attend. It's about the Mexican deal," he instructed his second in command."Sure, Boss," Igor nodded."While you're at it, get a team to stay on Juan and make sure he gets to his damn safari without incident. I want to know all his movements. That loose cannon can't so much as scratch himself without me knowing about it!""On it," Ivan assured him.They spent a few more minutes discussing operational matters before calling it a night.Andrei headed inside the twelve-story building, not bothering to make small talk with the doorman like he always did. The ride to the top floor was unusually long, his mood souring the higher the elevator crept up. He couldn't bolt out of there fast enough when it finally stopped on his floor.He s
If anyone had asked Andrei how he felt at that moment, with Holly in his arms and his mom's ring on her finger, he would have told them he was delirious with joy. But honestly, that, too, didn't even come close to describing the happiness swelling in his heart. In fact, he was so ecstatic he wondered how it wasn't a crime for anyone to be as happy as he was."You've made me so happy, Milaya," Andrei whispered, kissing Holly's forehead. All his life, he had always believed love was meant for other people—good, deserving people like Liam and Levi. And until a few weeks ago, marriage was the furthest thing from his mind. But now, with just a simple 'yes' to his proposal, Holly had opened the door to a world of possibility."You have no idea how happy I am right now," he murmured in her hair. "I could die this moment, and I'll be okay with it—"Holly playfully slapped him on his arm, chastising him, "Hey, don't joke about dying, especially after today.""It was just a figure of speech,"
Eventually, Holly got over her stunned shock and spluttered out her confusion, her eyes roaming wildly over Andrei's face in search of answers. "But Naomi said it's from Mexico!" "Naomi's right. That vial is from Mexico. There are only ninety-nine others in the country. Or at least there were.""What do you mean?""Like I said, Jonah or whoever he's working for stole the drugs from me, and it would be remiss of me to let them get away with it," Andrei replied and swiftly changed the subject, asking her how long the doctors planned to keep her at the hospital, even though she'd already told him it was only for tonight."I should be discharged tomorrow.""I'll pick you up," he offered, but Holly shot him down, reminding him there were four men outside her door, watching her every move under the guise of keeping her safe. If it hadn't been for her phone call to Eric, he wouldn't have been allowed to see her."So what are you saying?" Andrei asked as he touched the ring in his pocket for
With seven minutes to go, Andrei charmed the nurses into letting him see Holly early, sweet-talking his way to her private ward. His luck ran out when he found four of Liam's guys, including Eric, Holly's driver, standing guard outside her door."You shouldn't be here," said Eric as he got up in Andrei's face. "Miss Anderson almost died because of you."Ignoring him, Andrei pulled out his phone and called Holly. "Milaya," he said when she picked up. "Where are you? You sound so close.""I'm outside your room, but your guard dogs won't let me in.""Let me talk to them," she said and hung up. A moment later, Eric's phone rang. He picked up Holly's call and let Andrei through without saying a word.Holly's face lit up like a Christmas tree when Andrei stepped inside. She shoved her bed covers aside and sprung to her feet. But the pain in her knee sent her crashing back on the bed, and she howled in agony.Andrei was at her side in a heartbeat, asking as he cradled her in his arms, "Wha
Andrei was in Forrest Creek just as the sun dipped in the horizon, catching Helga as she was about to knock off. "Your dinner's in the microwave," she told him as she gathered her stuff. "And don't forget I'm not in for the rest of the week. My daughter—" "Thanks, Helga." Andrei smiled at her and saw her off, telling her to enjoy her time off with her new grandkid. With just under an hour before visiting hours, Andrei dashed upstairs to freshen up, scoffing down his dinner while getting dressed. When he was done, he called Monique to confirm the chopper was ready to pick up his twin from Poolsmoor prison bright and early tomorrow. "I thought prisons had strict rules about this sort of thing," said Monique, sounding as exhausted as Andrei felt. "And I thought I paid you enough to know when something is not your business, Monique!" Andrei retorted and promptly hung up on her. She was right, though. Prisons had strict protocols in place when it came to prisoner transfers. But Andrei
"What is this about now, Papa?" Andrei asked. "Sit!" Nikolai pointed at the armchair while he made himself comfortable behind his desk. "I'll get Pavel to bring in some refreshments, and since you're here, maybe you can stay for supper?" "No thanks," Andrei declined the seat, drink and meal, explaining he had to take Ivan to the airport. "Where's he flying to?" asked Nikolai, resting his hands on the surface of his desk. "Botswana," Andrei replied, but didn't offer any more information, and he was glad when his father didn't press for details. "Your brother's transfer is happening tomorrow?" Nikolai's statement sounded more like an accusation than a question, and Andrei wasn't sure how to respond. Nikolai took the decision out of his hands when he went for the offensive, accusing Andrei of keeping him in the dark. "Why did I have to hear from your assistant that your twin is coming home?" "Maybe if you had answered Leks' calls, you wouldn't have had to hear it from Monique.
"Give me five minutes," Andrei said when they pulled into the horseshoe driveway and parked close to the front door a little while later. "You'd better hurry up. I have a flight to catch," Ivan retorted, reminding him about his trip to Botswana. The team of four guys he'd assembled to bring Sienna in were already on their way to the airport. "Yes, sir!" Andrei called over his shoulder, giving his lieutenant a mock salute as he ran up the front steps. The housekeeping staff were taken aback when he stepped into the lavish foyer and found them polishing the bannisters of the grand double staircase. "Mr Ivanov, we weren't expecting you." "I know!" Andrei replied. He never made unplanned stops. And if it weren't for his father's insistence to have a home-cooked meal with him at least once a week, he wouldn't even bother coming by. The place had stopped feeling like a home long before his mom died. "What can we do for you, sir?" The two ladies asked, ready to be of service, as they
"First time?" asked Thabo, Lev's mortuary technician friend. His brilliantly white teeth, as he smiled at Andrei, were a stark contrast to his smooth mahogany skin. "Hardly," Andrei replied and quickly shut his mouth, afraid if he didn't, the unbearably warm stench would creep into him and taint every inch of his soul. They passed several closed doors as Thabo led them down an endless corridor. He candidly explained that the air-conditioning system was out of order, hence the humidity and smell. "We logged it two days ago, but they have yet to send the technicians to fix it. I guess no one cares about the material comforts of the dead," he said, taking them deeper into the bowels of the morgue. Just when Andrei began to think the man had no idea where they were going, Thabo abruptly stopped in front of a cavernous room whose metal doors were wide open, like a gaping mouth. "There they are," he said, pointing at several bodies lying on cadaver carriers. "Why are they out in the o
"I was surprised you went with orchids," said Diane, the beaded strands tinkling softly as she pushed the curtain back in place and returned to her workstation."Aesthetically wise, I would have gone with roses," she added, setting the potted plant on the table. "Anything but roses!" Andrei murmured, running his fingers on the tips of pink tulips peeking out from an elaborate arrangement on the counter beside the cash register."But I like the symbolism behind orchids," she continued, as if Andrei hadn't spoken. Her hands moved deftly as she got down to work and performed magic with the Spanish moss, curly willow vines and some clippers. "Did you know that orchids were associated with virility in ancient Greece? In fact, Greek women believed that if the father of their unborn child consumed large, new orchid tubers, the baby would be a boy. If the mother ate small orchid tubers, she would give birth to a girl."Andrei didn't know this, of course. He'd chosen orchids for their enduran
A fleshy bud of dark, wilting petals peeked at Andrei amidst the jagged pieces of broken glass. He picked it up, twirling the thin, broken stem between his thumb and forefinger as he scanned the street for a nearby florist shop. When he found none, the coldness in his veins steadily turned to ice. Troubled, he carefully wrapped the withered bulb with his silk handkerchief and stuffed it in the inner breast pocket of his tailored cashmere coat before returning to the car, unable to shake off the unsettling feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. "Lev called," Ivan announced as he watched Andrei buckle up. "He wants us to meet him at the morgue." Andrei glanced at his Cartier and nodded. The next slot for visiting hours at Glen Eagles Mediclinic, where Holly was being kept overnight for observation, was at 7:00 PM. There was still plenty of time before then. "Let's do it," he said, texting Austin, urging him to meet him at Crush around 10:00 PM. After a flurry of back-a