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CHAPTER 22
Last Updated:
2025-04-03 20:50:18
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SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 23
The penthouse was quiet, save for the distant hum of the city below. I leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching as Stassie paced back and forth in front of me, her hands flailing dramatically."Alessia, I swear, if you don't at least *try* to enjoy yourself before this whole sham of a wedding, I might actually lose my mind," she huffed, stopping to glare at me.I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Stassie, do you hear yourself? You're asking me to celebrate the end of my freedom. An actual party for a wedding I don’t even want?"She groaned. "No, I'm asking you to have one fun night before you get shackled to a Bulgarian mobster for life. There *is* a difference."I snorted. "Not much of one."Stassie rolled her eyes. "Come on, Alessia. When’s the last time you let loose? Actually had fun? I’m talking dancing, drinking, making bad decisions—"I cut her off with a raised brow. "I make bad decisions daily. This wedding is a prime example."She scoffed. "Oh, ha-ha. I’m seriou
Last Updated : 2025-04-04SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 24
The sun had barely crested the Los Angeles skyline when I laced up my sneakers and grabbed my water bottle, the silence of the penthouse broken only by the rhythmic slap of my footsteps against the marble floor. The weight of the previous days sat heavy on my chest, and running felt like the only way to outrun my thoughts. I needed the sting of cool morning air, the burn in my calves, the ache that came with pushing myself harder than my doubts could follow.Wearing a fitted black sports bra and high-waisted leggings, I tied my hair into a tight ponytail and headed toward the elevator. Of course, fate—or rather, Nikolai—had other plans.He was leaning against the kitchen counter, coffee in hand, dressed in a pair of tailored pants and nothing else. The way his gaze moved from my sneakers to the hem of my leggings told me he wasn’t admiring my dedication to fitness."That’s what you’re wearing?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement and the slightest hint of disapproval.I rolled my
Last Updated : 2025-04-05SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 25
The air in the conference room was thick with tension, the kind that wrapped itself around your throat and didn’t let go. I sat at the head of the table, elbows resting on the dark wood, fingers steepled beneath my chin. Zayn lounged across from me with a deceptively casual posture, but even he wasn't immune to the shift in my mood. My most trusted men stood silently along the wall, posture rigid, eyes flicking between me and the silent screen where the security footage from the last few days played on a loop.No one dared speak first. That was smart.“I want to know,” I said finally, voice low but sharp, “how a fucking letter ended up on Alessia’s windshield under our watch.”One of the younger men, Emil, shifted uncomfortably. I didn’t look at him. I kept my eyes on the footage, pausing it at the moment the envelope appeared beneath the windshield wiper of her car.“You see this?” I pointed at the screen. “This right here is what failure looks like.”Zayn cleared his throat. “We’ve
Last Updated : 2025-04-06SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 26
The dress clung to my curves like a secret, black and glittering under the lights of the penthouse bedroom. Stassie let out a dramatic whistle from behind me, a drink in hand, as I adjusted the neckline in the mirror."You know Nikolai’s going to combust when he sees you," she said with a grin."Good," I muttered, smoothing the sides. "Let him stew. This is *my* night."She raised a brow. "You sure you don’t want to tone it down just a *little*?"I spun to face her, lips quirking with defiance. "I’m one week away from marrying a man I didn’t choose. If I’m going to have a bachelorette party, I’m going to do it right."She held up her hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. You look hot as hell, anyway. LA isn't ready for us tonight."We both laughed, the sound echoing off the high ceilings. There was something oddly comforting in her presence, in knowing that someone still existed who reminded me of who I was *before* Nikolai Volkov bulldozed into my life like a hurricane wrapped in ta
Last Updated : 2025-04-07SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 27
The car ride was suffocating.The silence between Nikolai and me wasn't peaceful or empty—it buzzed with unspoken words, with tension so sharp it could slice the air in two. I sat rigidly against the leather seat of his sleek black SUV, arms folded tightly across my chest as the city lights blurred past the window. He didn’t say a word. Typical. Always the silent brooding type when he knew he was in the wrong.Not that he'd ever admit it.My phone buzzed. A message from Stassie: *"Zayn is too much. This man is dangerous in all the worst ways. Wish me luck."*I smirked and quickly replied: *"If he kisses you, bite him."* Then I tucked the phone back into my clutch and stared straight ahead. My body was still humming from the adrenaline, from the nightclub confrontation, from *him* stepping in again like some overbearing shadow looming over my life.He turned the wheel with practiced ease, eyes fixed on the road, jaw clenched. The tension radiating from him was palpable, matching mine n
Last Updated : 2025-04-08SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 28
The penthouse was unusually quiet for a morning that promised chaos. Two days. Two days before Alessia and I were bound by a contract neither of us asked for—but both agreed to. A necessary alliance. Strategic. Ruthless. Like me.And yet, nothing about this wedding felt predictable. Especially not her.I stood in the open space of the living room, watching the sun slant through the large windows. My black dress shirt was rolled at the sleeves, a cup of Turkish coffee in one hand. I needed the caffeine if I was going to survive this morning. The wedding planner was set to arrive any minute, and Alessia—true to form—was still in her room, likely choosing the most dramatic outfit she could find just to irritate me.Footsteps echoed lightly from the hallway. Speak of the devil.She entered, dressed in an oversized black button-down shirt that looked suspiciously like mine. Her hair was twisted up messily, and she wore no makeup. Still, she looked like chaos incarnate—controlled, curated c
Last Updated : 2025-04-09SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 28
Nikolai VolkovThe meeting with the wedding planner had barely ended when I found myself pacing the hallway outside my office, jaw clenched and fingers twitching with anticipation. Alessia’s sarcasm still lingered in my mind like the remnants of an irritating perfume—sharp, invasive, and impossible to ignore. And yet, underneath all the aggravation, I could still see the glint in her eyes when she challenged me, the fire she tried so hard to conceal. It was a maddening dance we performed, this back-and-forth of cold barbs and reluctant magnetism.But there were more pressing matters than navigating the battlefield that was my relationship with my fiancée.Zayn leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his usual smirk absent from his face for once. He knew what today meant. This wasn’t about sending a message. It was about making a statement.“You sure you don’t want to send Roman or Sergei?” he asked, his voice calm but laced with caution. “You know they’d take care of it without bl
Last Updated : 2025-04-11SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 1
Alessia MorettiLos Angeles 5pmThe night air was thick with the scent of Los Angeles—gasoline, asphalt, and a hint of the ocean breeze that never quite reached our part of the city. My heels clicked against the cracked pavement as I made my way up the worn-out steps of our townhouse, exhaustion pressing heavily against my limbs. The weight of the day—a full schedule of classes, an endless group project, and a midterm looming over my head—made the sight of our familiar blue door almost comforting. Almost.A strange sense of unease curled in my gut as I reached for the handle. Something felt off. The porch light flickered ominously, and the house was eerily silent. Usually, my brother, Luca, would be sprawled on the couch, yelling at some basketball game on TV or complaining about his latest poker hand gone wrong.Tonight, there was nothing.A chill ran down my spine.I pushed open the door, and the scent hit me first—coppery, thick, unmistakable. Blood."Luca?" My voice wavered as I s
Last Updated : 2025-03-13
Latest chapter
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 28
Nikolai VolkovThe meeting with the wedding planner had barely ended when I found myself pacing the hallway outside my office, jaw clenched and fingers twitching with anticipation. Alessia’s sarcasm still lingered in my mind like the remnants of an irritating perfume—sharp, invasive, and impossible to ignore. And yet, underneath all the aggravation, I could still see the glint in her eyes when she challenged me, the fire she tried so hard to conceal. It was a maddening dance we performed, this back-and-forth of cold barbs and reluctant magnetism.But there were more pressing matters than navigating the battlefield that was my relationship with my fiancée.Zayn leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his usual smirk absent from his face for once. He knew what today meant. This wasn’t about sending a message. It was about making a statement.“You sure you don’t want to send Roman or Sergei?” he asked, his voice calm but laced with caution. “You know they’d take care of it without bl
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 28
The penthouse was unusually quiet for a morning that promised chaos. Two days. Two days before Alessia and I were bound by a contract neither of us asked for—but both agreed to. A necessary alliance. Strategic. Ruthless. Like me.And yet, nothing about this wedding felt predictable. Especially not her.I stood in the open space of the living room, watching the sun slant through the large windows. My black dress shirt was rolled at the sleeves, a cup of Turkish coffee in one hand. I needed the caffeine if I was going to survive this morning. The wedding planner was set to arrive any minute, and Alessia—true to form—was still in her room, likely choosing the most dramatic outfit she could find just to irritate me.Footsteps echoed lightly from the hallway. Speak of the devil.She entered, dressed in an oversized black button-down shirt that looked suspiciously like mine. Her hair was twisted up messily, and she wore no makeup. Still, she looked like chaos incarnate—controlled, curated c
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 27
The car ride was suffocating.The silence between Nikolai and me wasn't peaceful or empty—it buzzed with unspoken words, with tension so sharp it could slice the air in two. I sat rigidly against the leather seat of his sleek black SUV, arms folded tightly across my chest as the city lights blurred past the window. He didn’t say a word. Typical. Always the silent brooding type when he knew he was in the wrong.Not that he'd ever admit it.My phone buzzed. A message from Stassie: *"Zayn is too much. This man is dangerous in all the worst ways. Wish me luck."*I smirked and quickly replied: *"If he kisses you, bite him."* Then I tucked the phone back into my clutch and stared straight ahead. My body was still humming from the adrenaline, from the nightclub confrontation, from *him* stepping in again like some overbearing shadow looming over my life.He turned the wheel with practiced ease, eyes fixed on the road, jaw clenched. The tension radiating from him was palpable, matching mine n
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 26
The dress clung to my curves like a secret, black and glittering under the lights of the penthouse bedroom. Stassie let out a dramatic whistle from behind me, a drink in hand, as I adjusted the neckline in the mirror."You know Nikolai’s going to combust when he sees you," she said with a grin."Good," I muttered, smoothing the sides. "Let him stew. This is *my* night."She raised a brow. "You sure you don’t want to tone it down just a *little*?"I spun to face her, lips quirking with defiance. "I’m one week away from marrying a man I didn’t choose. If I’m going to have a bachelorette party, I’m going to do it right."She held up her hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. You look hot as hell, anyway. LA isn't ready for us tonight."We both laughed, the sound echoing off the high ceilings. There was something oddly comforting in her presence, in knowing that someone still existed who reminded me of who I was *before* Nikolai Volkov bulldozed into my life like a hurricane wrapped in ta
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 25
The air in the conference room was thick with tension, the kind that wrapped itself around your throat and didn’t let go. I sat at the head of the table, elbows resting on the dark wood, fingers steepled beneath my chin. Zayn lounged across from me with a deceptively casual posture, but even he wasn't immune to the shift in my mood. My most trusted men stood silently along the wall, posture rigid, eyes flicking between me and the silent screen where the security footage from the last few days played on a loop.No one dared speak first. That was smart.“I want to know,” I said finally, voice low but sharp, “how a fucking letter ended up on Alessia’s windshield under our watch.”One of the younger men, Emil, shifted uncomfortably. I didn’t look at him. I kept my eyes on the footage, pausing it at the moment the envelope appeared beneath the windshield wiper of her car.“You see this?” I pointed at the screen. “This right here is what failure looks like.”Zayn cleared his throat. “We’ve
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 24
The sun had barely crested the Los Angeles skyline when I laced up my sneakers and grabbed my water bottle, the silence of the penthouse broken only by the rhythmic slap of my footsteps against the marble floor. The weight of the previous days sat heavy on my chest, and running felt like the only way to outrun my thoughts. I needed the sting of cool morning air, the burn in my calves, the ache that came with pushing myself harder than my doubts could follow.Wearing a fitted black sports bra and high-waisted leggings, I tied my hair into a tight ponytail and headed toward the elevator. Of course, fate—or rather, Nikolai—had other plans.He was leaning against the kitchen counter, coffee in hand, dressed in a pair of tailored pants and nothing else. The way his gaze moved from my sneakers to the hem of my leggings told me he wasn’t admiring my dedication to fitness."That’s what you’re wearing?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement and the slightest hint of disapproval.I rolled my
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 23
The penthouse was quiet, save for the distant hum of the city below. I leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching as Stassie paced back and forth in front of me, her hands flailing dramatically."Alessia, I swear, if you don't at least *try* to enjoy yourself before this whole sham of a wedding, I might actually lose my mind," she huffed, stopping to glare at me.I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Stassie, do you hear yourself? You're asking me to celebrate the end of my freedom. An actual party for a wedding I don’t even want?"She groaned. "No, I'm asking you to have one fun night before you get shackled to a Bulgarian mobster for life. There *is* a difference."I snorted. "Not much of one."Stassie rolled her eyes. "Come on, Alessia. When’s the last time you let loose? Actually had fun? I’m talking dancing, drinking, making bad decisions—"I cut her off with a raised brow. "I make bad decisions daily. This wedding is a prime example."She scoffed. "Oh, ha-ha. I’m seriou
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 22
The heavy scent of whiskey and cigar smoke lingered in the air of my office, mixing with the faint aroma of leather and old books. I leaned back in my chair, fingers drumming against the polished mahogany desk as I stared at the man sprawled lazily across from me.Zayn smirked, twirling the glass of whiskey in his hand. "You called me in here like it was urgent, but all I see is you brooding over Dante Moretti like an ex-lover. What’s the deal?"I shot him a flat look. "Dante is becoming a problem. A problem that needs to be handled before he starts thinking he has an upper hand."Zayn raised an eyebrow. "Handled how? Because if you’re suggesting something permanent, you know that’s a hell of a move. He’s still one of the most powerful men in the Italian syndicate. Killing him outright would cause more chaos than it’s worth."I exhaled sharply, swirling the ice in my own drink. "I don’t need to kill him. I need to send a message. A clear one."Zayn leaned forward, his usual playfulnes
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 21
The gala continued in full swing, a grand display of power, wealth, and deception. The air smelled of expensive cigars, aged whiskey, and the underlying tension of unspoken rivalries. As I moved through the crowd, my arm looped through Nikolai’s out of sheer necessity, I felt suffocated by the weight of expectations pressing down on me.He had insisted we make the rounds together, greeting the most powerful figures in the underworld, exchanging pleasantries with people who would kill us if given the chance. My smile was a well-rehearsed lie, my posture an act of defiance against a fate I had never chosen.Nikolai, on the other hand, thrived in this environment. He was the epitome of confidence, every smirk, every calculated glance, designed to assert his dominance. His hand rested possessively on my waist, a silent warning to anyone foolish enough to think I was anything less than his."You look like you’re contemplating murder," he murmured near my ear, his lips barely brushing my sk
