CHAPTER THREE

ANYA

It was 9am in the morning when I got out of bed. I did my morning activities and went downstairs. Everywhere was strangely quiet and I could not see any of the maids around.

I paused in front of Uncle’s office when I heard raised voices. His door was half opened and I inched closer to hear what they were saying. Now I knew why everywhere was quiet. I spotted Maksim, the Bratva’s boss sitting on Uncle’s chair. I was scared of Maksim. He was the one who tried to rape me some years back.

My heart raced as I listened to the heated conversation between Uncle Pietro and Maksim. Their words were muffled, but the tension in the room was palpable. I couldn't tear my gaze away from Maksim, his imposing figure emanating a chilling aura. Memories of that fateful night flooded my mind, the terror and helplessness resurfacing.

Uncle Pietro's involvement in the dangerous underworld of the mafia had always been a source of fear and dread for me. I had witnessed the darkness that lurked within those circles, and it was his association with Maksim and his cronies that had brought danger into my life before.

As I observed Uncle Pietro pacing, his troubled expression mirroring the turmoil in my own heart, I couldn't help but wonder what had led to this unexpected visit from Maksim. The uncertainty and unease hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the mansion that was once my prison.

“How could you be so stupid, Pietro? You very well know who he is.” Maksim yelled.

“I did not know.” Uncle said.

“Oh please. You very well know what you were getting yourself into. You messed with a whole Vincenzo Cassano. Even I don’t want to mess with him.” Maksim said.

Uncle Pietro took in a long breath and massaged the back of his neck.

“Chirkov, you know we have an unfinished business with him, so how could you add this to it?” Maksim was saying.

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Vincenzo Cassano's name. It sent shivers down my spine, and the realization hit me like a tidal wave. Uncle Pietro had unknowingly crossed paths with one of the most feared and notorious figures in the mafia world. Vincenzo Cassano was a name whispered in hushed tones, a man whose power and ruthlessness knew no bounds.

As Maksim continued to berate Uncle Pietro, I felt a mix of dread and curiosity welling up inside me. What connection did Uncle have with Vincenzo Cassano? What kind of unfinished business hung between them?

“So what do you suggest I do?” Uncle asked.

“You can always give him what he wants”. Maksim said.

“You want me to give him my daughter so he can destroy her? No way!” he ruffled his hair roughly.

“You have a second option.” Maksim smirked

“Which is?”

“Anya.” He simply said.

The blood drained from my face as the words left Maksim's lips. My own uncle, the man I had grown up knowing as family, was considering handing me over to Vincenzo Cassano. The very thought sent a surge of panic through my veins.

Uncle Pietro's proposal, no matter how desperate the circumstances, was unthinkable. To sacrifice me to a man known for his cruelty and merciless nature was beyond comprehension. I couldn't fathom how my uncle, flawed as he was, could even entertain such a notion.

The room spun around me as I struggled to process the magnitude of the situation. Was I merely a pawn in their dangerous game? A bargaining chip to be exchanged for their own survival? The realization hit me like a punch to the gut, and anger flared within me.

“Yeah. I could give him Anya.” He said

Maksim smiled, “So you don’t mind giving him Anya?”

“I don’t give a fuck what happens to that bitch.” Uncle said.

I stormed into the office, my heart pounding with a mix of fury and betrayal. Their conversation hung heavy in the air, and I couldn't believe what I had just heard from my own uncle's lips. The sight of them, sitting there as if they held power over my life, infuriated me beyond words.

Uncle Pietro's eyes widened with shock as he realized I had overheard their conversation. Maksim, on the other hand, wore a smug grin on his face, relishing in the chaos he had stirred up. My presence had disrupted their plans, and I was determined to make my voice heard.

"How dare you!" I seethed, my voice laced with anger and defiance. "You would sell me out? Betray your own family? Is this what I am to you, just a pawn to be sacrificed?"

“Anya, what are you doing here?” Uncle Pietro asked.

“You are not going to give me to Vincenzo, right?” I clenched my fists.

“How much did you hear?” Maksim asked.

I ignored him and turned to face Uncle Pietro. “Answer the damned question.”

“You are right about that. We are giving you to Vincenzo.” Uncle Pietro said like it was no big deal.

“Why should I be the one to pay for your mess?” I asked both of them.

“Because we say so.” Maksim said.

“Stay out of this, you scumbag.” I said to him, I know I was not supposed to say that to him but I was so pissed off to care.

I could feel the tension in the room rising as my anger reached its boiling point. The audacity of both Uncle Pietro and Maksim to treat me like a mere bargaining chip infuriated me beyond measure. I was no longer willing to play their games or bow down to their demands.

"Who do you think you are, deciding my fate as if I have no say in the matter?" I spat at Maksim, my voice laced with contempt. "You have no right to meddle in my life, let alone determine my future. I refuse to be a pawn in your twisted schemes."

Maksim's expression hardened, a dangerous glint in his eyes, but I stood my ground, refusing to back down. Turning my attention back to Uncle Pietro, I looked at him with a mixture of disappointment and defiance.

"I can't believe you would betray me like this, Uncle," I said, my voice trembling with a mix of hurt and anger. "I thought you were family that you cared about Erik and me. But all I see now is a heartless man who's willing to sacrifice his own niece for his own selfish gain."

“Anya, don’t talk to me like that.” Uncle warned me.

“Let her be. You are going to him no matter what.” Maksim said.

“And to Vincenzo of all people. Uncle, that guy is going to destroy me.” I cried.

“Take a look at me, Anya. Do I look like I care?” He asked nonchalantly.

I stood there, trembling with a mixture of fury, despair, and disbelief. How could Uncle Pietro, the man I once considered family, be so heartless? The realization that blood ties meant nothing to him cut through me like a knife.

Uncle Pietro's eyes glinted with a twisted satisfaction, as if revelling in my anguish. "If you refuse to comply, Erik will suffer the consequences. I hope you understand the gravity of your defiance."

"Why are you doing this to me?" I screamed, my voice filled with anguish. "I am your blood, your niece! How can you turn your back on me like this?"

Uncle Pietro's cold expression remained unchanged as he took a step closer, his presence suffocating. I could feel the weight of his indifference pressing down on my shoulders, threatening to crush me. “So? That doesn’t change a thing.”

His words echoed in my mind—"That doesn't change a thing." It was true. Blood or not, he had shown me his true colors, revealing a darkness I had never imagined.

“I wish it was both you and Aunt who died in mom and dad’s place, then I won’t have to take this your shitty behaviour.” 

Tears rolled down my eyes as Uncle Pietro struck my face, split my lips and bruised my eyes after hitting me some more. I spat out blood and turned to glare at him.

I gave a bitter laugh. “You won’t threaten me with Erik, not this time.”

Tears mingled with blood as they streamed down my bruised face. The pain radiated through every fibre of my being, but I refused to let it break me. Uncle Pietro's act of violence only fuelled my determination to defy him, to rise above the chains he sought to bind me with.

As I wiped away the blood from my split lips, a bitter laugh escaped my bruised mouth. The taste of copper lingered, a bitter reminder of the cruelty that ran in their veins

"You won't threaten me with Erik, not this time," I declared, my voice steady despite the pain coursing through my body. "I won't let you use him as a bargaining chip. I'll protect him, no matter the cost."

Maksim made his way to me and grabbed my hair in a death grip. “You are going to do as we say.” He thundered.

“Not this time.” I slapped his hands away and stormed away.

As I stormed out of the room, Maksim's grip on my hair released, leaving a stinging pain in its wake. I refused to let his intimidation consume me any longer. The burning desire for freedom propelled me forward, determined to break free from the chains of their control.

Aunt stood there, caught in the act of eavesdropping. Disgust twisted my features as I glared at her. She had played her part in this twisted game, willingly supporting Uncle Pietro's despicable actions. I couldn't bear the sight of her, knowing the role she had played in our suffering.

With a hiss of frustration, I walked past her, ignoring her presence. Her attempts to manipulate me, to keep me under their oppressive influence, would no longer hold power over me. It was time for me to reclaim my life, to forge my own path away from their toxic grip.

Enough was enough. I was sick and tired of being a pawn in their games, a victim of their cruelty. The realization struck me once more that I should have perished alongside my parents that fateful night. It would have spared me from enduring the torturous existence they had forced upon me.

I picked up the small phone I normally use to call Erik and put it in my pocket. As I carefully placed the phone in my pocket, its presence offered a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that surrounded me. The connection with Erik was my lifeline, the only source of solace in this chaotic existence. With each passing moment, my resolve grew stronger—I had to save him, to protect him from the clutches of those who sought to harm us both.

I retrieved the stash of money I had hidden away, my secret reserve for moments of desperation such as this. It was a small sum, but it would be enough to sustain us temporarily and provide a sense of security as we embarked on our journey to freedom.

I quickly slipped on a jacket, concealing any hint of vulnerability beneath its fabric. Every movement was calculated, each action deliberate, as I prepared to escape this prison disguised as a luxurious facade. There was no turning back now; I was determined to break free and create a haven where Erik and I could live without fear.