Page 104

Twelve Hours Earlier…

I followed Velma into the kitchen, leaving Elif and Maria on the terrace. Sena was peeling vegetables at the sink. “Here, I found your knife,” she said without turning, then casually threw a knife in our direction—threw a knife !

I gasped and ducked to avoid it, but Velma caught it midair—midair !

“Oh my God, Miss Selina ! I didn’t see you there ! I’m so sorry !” Sena exclaimed, rushing over to help me up while I stared at both women, mouth slightly open.

“How…?”

“Mama !” Rafael suddenly called, bursting into the kitchen. “We have to help Roman !” he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the room, though I couldn’t stop glancing back at the two women now deliberately avoiding my gaze.

“What’s going on, Rafael ?” I asked as he practically dragged me into our bedroom and shut the door behind us.

“Mama, we have to help Nikolai find Roman,” he said, climbing onto the bed to be at my eye level.

Since we had moved in with the Ivanovs and he had started spending time with the twins, Mikhail, and Grigori and Elif’s sons, he had gained a confidence I never thought possible. I was so happy and proud of him.

“Rafael…”

“It’s the monster who took him, Mama, and the monster wants you ! We’ll lie to him ! We’ll say you’re coming, so he’ll give Roman back !” he said, bouncing excitedly on the bed as I stared at him.

His idea was childish, but the truth underneath it was undeniable. Antonio was obsessed—an obsession we could use to our advantage.

But how could I manipulate him ? How could I convince him to release Roman before I actually showed up?

“I’ll go to the monster, Mama ! Since you love me, he’ll think you’ll come for me. But Niko will come save me !”

I froze.

“What…? No ! What are you saying, Rafael ? I would never hand you over to that monster !” I said, gripping his shoulders, my brows furrowed. “How could you even think such a thing,Angelomio?”

“I know you wouldn’t give me to the monster, Mama, but this is to save Roman ! I’m a big boy ! I’ll wait for Niko to come save me !” he said, shaking his head while I stared at him, mouth agape.

How could my little boy come up with such an idea—so ingenious yet so dangerous ?

“Rafael…”

“I don’t want Roman to die, Mama ! We can help him !”

And again, I froze.

I remembered Roman’s warm smile, the way he had welcomed us, the way he had protected us.

“Everything will be okay, Mama. We’re not alone anymore,” Rafael said, hugging me as my lips trembled. We’re not alone anymore…

And that was how we ended up in my room again, this time with Elif and Grigori, as my eight-year-old son explained his plan to the head of the Bratva.

“Selina, we are not going through with this plan, as ingenious as it is,” Elif said, sitting beside me on the bed while Grigori questioned my son. “I will never allow anyone to put Rafael’s life in danger,” she added, taking my hand.

I pressed my lips together, staring at my son, remembering Nikolai’s exhaustion since Roman had been taken, and Elif’s tears on the terrace.

“But what if we can make this plan work ?” I asked softly, and Elif stiffened beside me, tightening her grip on my hand.

“Selina…” I turned to her, grasping both of her hands.

“Roman is your son, Elif. We can’t sit around and wait for him to be killed. Because that’s exactly what will happen—Antonio will kill him, Elif. I know him. He will kill him.”

Elif closed her eyes and sighed deeply, “I won’t use an eight-year-old boy to save him, Selina. Roman wouldn’t want that…”