CHAPTER 46: WE FINALLY MEET IN PERSON LILY'S POV:I steered in my sleep because it felt as if someone was looking at me. I slowly opened my eyes to see Nikolai was standing right in front of me.“Oh my God!”, I exclaimed and quickly sat up straight, the sleep disappeared from my eyes. Nikolai just stood there, looking at me with hands in his pocket.“Sit, I need to brief you on something”, He said and sat on the sofa. I moved closer to the edge of the bed and sat down properly.“It is already pass lunch so you can't meet the family till dinner time...”, I looked over to the wall clock beautifully placed on the wall and it was 12 minutes pass 3 pm and my eyes grew wide.‘Did I seriously sleep for so long?!’, I asked myself.“... Keep in mind that you are here as my girlfriend--”.“WHAT?!!”, I didn't let him finish before I blurted out my shock, he didn't react and looked at me like it was normal.“Why?”, He feigned ignorance.“Maybe, I don't know - tell them the truth? I'm not your fr
CHAPTER 47: NIKOLAI VERSUS ROMANNIKOLAI'S POV:I chuckled as I watched Galina pull Lily with her inside. It was better they were together, I need to deal with things and Galina is the only one I trust to keep Lily occupied.“I should get going Nikolai, mom and I will be around for dinner”, Ivan announced and I smiled faintly, I knew why he didn't want to be around the mansion for long but I didn't say anything.“Okay Ivan. Thank you for today by the way”, I said and shook him.“Don't mention brother”, He responded and left with his own family convoy.I sighed and looked at Lev who just had a normal expression. I walked inside in search of my mom but I was greeted by the family Mazhordom, the butler.Mazhordom Sergei has been with our family way before I was born, he is in his 60s and his forefathers has been serving The Vladimir for hundreds of decades.Mazhordom Sergei's silver hair and wispy mustache are testaments to his six decades of life. Despite his advanced age, Sergei's pier
CHAPTER 48: SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND LILY'S POV:‘Oh no, he's going to take his anger on me’, I said to myself, I need to decipher the situation, right now!“Nikolai, I--”.“Did Roman call and you answered back at my mansion?”, Nikolai started calmly, trying to suppress his anger.“I didn't kno--”, He wouldn't even explain.“Answer Yes or No Lily. Did he speak with you on the phone?”, Nikolai asked again and I was already getting scared, he hasn't even looked at me once.“Yes... but I didn't say anything much--”.“For fuck sake Lily, do not speak unless I ask you to!!”, He roared and finally looked at me and as I gazed at Nikolai, his face transformed into a mask of calculated fury, his eyes blazing with a cold, hard intensity. His jaw clenched, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his nostrils flared with restrained anger. He exuded an aura of menacing power, like a predator poised to strike.The air around him seemed to vibrate with tension, as if the very mention of his brother's nam
CHAPTER 49: ARE YOU TWO DECEIVING US?LILY'S POV“Girlfriend?!”.“Your girlfriend?!!”.Nikolai's mom, Mrs Ksenia Vladimir, and Galina exclaimed.“Yes”, Nikolai said with a fond look on his face and I smiled shyly. Was he really pretending, because he's playing the role of faking perfectly.“A yanki?”, I heard Anastasia murmured and scoffed, the stare Nikolai gave to her made her bow her head. I didn't understand what she said but from her expression, she was being dismissive.“Stop that Ana...”, Nikolai's aunty, Maria, warned her daughter.“Don't mind her dear... How are you, child?”, Mrs Vladimir asked me and I looked towards Nikolai for permission, he nodded lightly.“I'm doing fine Mrs Vladimir, thank you”, I replied her and she smiled back at me.“And how do you find Moscow? is it your first time here?”, She asked as the maids brought in the food and set it on the table.“Yes, it is my first time... and your mansion is really beautiful Mrs Vladimir”, I kept my reply short, I tried
CHAPTER 50: ALL FOR PRETEND LILY'S POV:“Go take a shower and get some sleep... it's late”, Nikolai said to me once we were inside his room, he was back to his cold self. It makes me wonder if he's bipolar, one minute he's sweet and kissing me deep, the next minute it's like I don't even exist.“Why did you lie about my parents job?”, I asked, the least he could do for me was to give me any form of explanation, I deserve that much.“I don't need to tell you why I do things”, He replied tiredly as he unbuttoned his shirt, he didn't look at me while he spoke.“Yes you do. You just lied about what my parents do for a living and now you're saying you won't tell me why?”, I asked again.He sighed and turned around to look at me, half his shirt button was undone, leaving his hard chest on display, I gulped and tried to focus on his face.“I don't want my family investigating your background, I know them too well... My mother, Anastasia and Roman will go digging deep into your background an
CHAPTER 1: ARE YOU CHECKING MY BOYFRIEND OUT?!LILY POV:I don't know why but I felt strange just being at parties like this and to make matters worse, my dad is calling me non-stop, asking me where I am.“Papa, can I call you back. I can't hear you ”, I said to my over protective father.“Princess, why is it too noisy there?!”, My dad asked.“I'm at Stephanie's birthday party, remember?”, I replied.I told him about this party since last week and he agreed for me to come, but he wasn't at home when I left.I tried calling him but he didn't pick up, I guess he was busy with work.My dad is a detective, he has been stuck in one particular case for months now, that's so unlike him.He's one of the top 5 best detective in the country but he keeps a low profile.Unlike other cases he solves in a week or highest 2 weeks, this one case has been on his shoulders for more months he could count. Something about some Russian mafias and human traffickers or something like that, I'm not intereste
CHAPTER 2: A BAD FEELING LILY'S POV:Someone hugged me very tight from behind, I flinched from the sudden hug and the intense smell of alcohol.“GIRLIEEE!”, I relaxed when I heard who it was, the girl of the hour, Stephanie.I turned around and hugged her, patting her back.“Hey! I haven't s...seen you or Ollie a-all night. Don't tell me y-you guys are just ar..riving?”, She was already drunk.“Of course not! I've been here for hours!”, I exaggerate a bit.“Where have you guys been then... and where is Olivia?”, Stephanie asked, looking around.“Oh come on, you know how she is. She's probably somewhere with the guys... partying”, I said, I don't want her to know about the little argument Olivia and I had.“By the way, happy birthday girl!! You look incredibly breathtaking tonight!”, I praised her.She was putting on a baby pink sequins dress that stopped her right below her crotch area,If she was to bend a little, her butt would definitely be on display. God it was too short! But kn
CHAPTER 3: I'M BREAKING UP WITH YOU!LILY'S POV:I gasped and my purse feel to the ground, that was exactly the description of my boyfriend, Troy.“Jesus Christ! You scared me!”, Kimberly yelled.“What is her deal”, Stacy whispered.I blocked out all the whispers that was going on around me and I started feeling dizzy.‘No, it can't be right? They probably saw wrong. It can't be Troy fucking some girl. He can't be cheating on me, right? Right?!!’, I was asking all this jumbled questions in my head. I needed answers but I couldn't ask the questions.I quickly took my purse from the floor and went to Kimberly and Stacy.“Describe the guy you said you saw”, I demanded.“Why do you eve--”, Stacy started and I interrupted her, moving closer to them.“Please! I need to know who you guys saw!”, The tears, the goddamn tears was right there, waiting for me to blink and it would come running out.“Uh- uhm, he was-- well I only saw his back so I couldn't get a clearer look of what his face looks
CHAPTER 50: ALL FOR PRETEND LILY'S POV:“Go take a shower and get some sleep... it's late”, Nikolai said to me once we were inside his room, he was back to his cold self. It makes me wonder if he's bipolar, one minute he's sweet and kissing me deep, the next minute it's like I don't even exist.“Why did you lie about my parents job?”, I asked, the least he could do for me was to give me any form of explanation, I deserve that much.“I don't need to tell you why I do things”, He replied tiredly as he unbuttoned his shirt, he didn't look at me while he spoke.“Yes you do. You just lied about what my parents do for a living and now you're saying you won't tell me why?”, I asked again.He sighed and turned around to look at me, half his shirt button was undone, leaving his hard chest on display, I gulped and tried to focus on his face.“I don't want my family investigating your background, I know them too well... My mother, Anastasia and Roman will go digging deep into your background an
CHAPTER 49: ARE YOU TWO DECEIVING US?LILY'S POV“Girlfriend?!”.“Your girlfriend?!!”.Nikolai's mom, Mrs Ksenia Vladimir, and Galina exclaimed.“Yes”, Nikolai said with a fond look on his face and I smiled shyly. Was he really pretending, because he's playing the role of faking perfectly.“A yanki?”, I heard Anastasia murmured and scoffed, the stare Nikolai gave to her made her bow her head. I didn't understand what she said but from her expression, she was being dismissive.“Stop that Ana...”, Nikolai's aunty, Maria, warned her daughter.“Don't mind her dear... How are you, child?”, Mrs Vladimir asked me and I looked towards Nikolai for permission, he nodded lightly.“I'm doing fine Mrs Vladimir, thank you”, I replied her and she smiled back at me.“And how do you find Moscow? is it your first time here?”, She asked as the maids brought in the food and set it on the table.“Yes, it is my first time... and your mansion is really beautiful Mrs Vladimir”, I kept my reply short, I tried
CHAPTER 48: SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND LILY'S POV:‘Oh no, he's going to take his anger on me’, I said to myself, I need to decipher the situation, right now!“Nikolai, I--”.“Did Roman call and you answered back at my mansion?”, Nikolai started calmly, trying to suppress his anger.“I didn't kno--”, He wouldn't even explain.“Answer Yes or No Lily. Did he speak with you on the phone?”, Nikolai asked again and I was already getting scared, he hasn't even looked at me once.“Yes... but I didn't say anything much--”.“For fuck sake Lily, do not speak unless I ask you to!!”, He roared and finally looked at me and as I gazed at Nikolai, his face transformed into a mask of calculated fury, his eyes blazing with a cold, hard intensity. His jaw clenched, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his nostrils flared with restrained anger. He exuded an aura of menacing power, like a predator poised to strike.The air around him seemed to vibrate with tension, as if the very mention of his brother's nam
CHAPTER 47: NIKOLAI VERSUS ROMANNIKOLAI'S POV:I chuckled as I watched Galina pull Lily with her inside. It was better they were together, I need to deal with things and Galina is the only one I trust to keep Lily occupied.“I should get going Nikolai, mom and I will be around for dinner”, Ivan announced and I smiled faintly, I knew why he didn't want to be around the mansion for long but I didn't say anything.“Okay Ivan. Thank you for today by the way”, I said and shook him.“Don't mention brother”, He responded and left with his own family convoy.I sighed and looked at Lev who just had a normal expression. I walked inside in search of my mom but I was greeted by the family Mazhordom, the butler.Mazhordom Sergei has been with our family way before I was born, he is in his 60s and his forefathers has been serving The Vladimir for hundreds of decades.Mazhordom Sergei's silver hair and wispy mustache are testaments to his six decades of life. Despite his advanced age, Sergei's pier
CHAPTER 46: WE FINALLY MEET IN PERSON LILY'S POV:I steered in my sleep because it felt as if someone was looking at me. I slowly opened my eyes to see Nikolai was standing right in front of me.“Oh my God!”, I exclaimed and quickly sat up straight, the sleep disappeared from my eyes. Nikolai just stood there, looking at me with hands in his pocket.“Sit, I need to brief you on something”, He said and sat on the sofa. I moved closer to the edge of the bed and sat down properly.“It is already pass lunch so you can't meet the family till dinner time...”, I looked over to the wall clock beautifully placed on the wall and it was 12 minutes pass 3 pm and my eyes grew wide.‘Did I seriously sleep for so long?!’, I asked myself.“... Keep in mind that you are here as my girlfriend--”.“WHAT?!!”, I didn't let him finish before I blurted out my shock, he didn't react and looked at me like it was normal.“Why?”, He feigned ignorance.“Maybe, I don't know - tell them the truth? I'm not your fr
CHAPTER 45: ON HIS BEDLILY'S POV:I wondered what it would be like inside and what Nikolai's family are like.Just then, Galina came out running and shouting in excitement.“Oh my goodnessss!”, She said, hugging me without any head ups, very tightly I couldn't breathe.“Oh I have missed you!”, Galina said once she broke from the hug and I smiled warmly at her. Even though I am angry at her brother, she didn't do anything wrong to me to be cold towards her.“Haha, hi Galina... been a while”, I managed to say and looked at the compound one more time, soaking in the beautiful sight.“Let's go inside, it's so cold here...”, Galina dragged me along with her, “...Oh hi Nikolai”, Galina waved at her brother as we passed by Nikolai, it was as if she didn't regard him. I saw how she completely ignored him when she came out from the house.As Galina dragged me into the huge mansion, I was blown away by how amazing it was inside. The ceilings were super high, and the chandeliers sparkled like d
CHAPTER 44: THE VLADIMIR'S F★CKING MANSION LILY'S POV:After the incident of Nikolai destroying my Christmas decorations and he belittling me, I locked myself up in my room and refused coming out the next day. A maid came to call me down for breakfast but I said I wasn't hungry.My stomach was rumbling and screaming for food but I was still very angry and hurt by Nikolai's attitude.“It's just a goddamn tree, why be upset about it?!!”, I asked myself. Or was he acting under the influence?I wrapped myself with a blanket and refused going out and I stayed that way.I heard a knock on the door again and I didn't respond, then I heard retreating footsteps.‘Must be Nikolai’, I thought, he came back and I heard jiggling a key into the keyhole and I should have known he would have a spare key.“Sit up. We need to talk”, He instructed and I did, avoiding all eye contact with him. I heard him sigh and offered himself a seat opposite where I sat.“Something came up so we will be going to Rus
CHAPTER 43: FINALLY BACK AT HOME NIKOLAI'S POV:Ivan, Lev and I talked for a while in the study room before they left. I sighed and went back to my room.The thought of me going back to Russia, back to where it all began felt like a nightmare. I knew I couldn't avoid my prodigal brother forever, I needed to see him face to face.I could never forget his face and his usual sneer, his little pranks and arrogant laugh. He was always proud and happy he was the first Vladimir son.Now I just need to tell Lily that we will be moving to Russia by tomorrow.‘It shouldn't be so hard... right?’, I said in my head. As if it wasn't enough what happened yesterday, she hasn't left her room since morning and I'm starting to worry about her. She hasn't eaten or drank anything, the maid I sent to get her came back saying Lily locked herself inside and I just dropped it.She needs to be by herself, I won't disturb her but the least I can do is inform her we will be leaving for Russia tomorrow and not
CHAPTER 42: GOING BACK TO RUSSIA NIKOLAI'S POV:It is that time of the year again where I shot people out, I mean I do that regularly but days like this are worse. I can't help but be reminded of my childhood trauma on this day.I was out drinking with Ivan and it was getting late, Lily might be worried about me but it would be better not to see her in this my present predicament.“What do you want man? More drinks or what... more ladies?”, Ivan asked as he partied even harder than I. We were at Madame Cho's club and in our private booth, getting private dances.Ivan had two girls by his side and he was enjoying himself, I know his heart was in the right place and he was trying to make me feel better, but it wasn't more drink or girls I needed, I just want to be alone.“No Ivan, I better get home now”, I announced and stood up but almost fell. I hardly get this wasted but today I had more than a lot.“Hell fucking nah man! You can't leave now”, He said and pushed the girls off of his