Page 28

The morning lights filtered in through the windows, bright and warm against my skin.

A slight groan escaped my lips, my eyes blinking away the remnant of sleep still lingering.

With a blurry vision, I saw the curtains swirling in the gentle breeze as the sound of hummingbirds wafted through the air.

My body ached, and I felt like I’d been run over by a truck.

The pang at the back of my head prompted a wince from my mouth, my face contorted in pain.

I lifted my hand to my forehead, groaning subtly.

It was still hazy in my mind, and I’d yet to recall all the madness, chaos, and violence that had happened earlier.

And then, everything hit me at once. The kidnapping, the cold room, Lucas and his devil eyes, my failed attempt at an escape, and the most horrible incident that nearly happened to me.

My breath hitched in my chest, my eyes wide with the fear of what would’ve become of me if the two most important men in my life hadn’t shown up when they did.

Their timing was impeccable, and I owed them more than a huge thank you; I owed them my life. Lucas was already recording his men, urging them to take me by force and do it roughly.

“No mercy. I want her to suffer. Treat her like the whore that she is,” Lucas had said, his voice echoing in my head.

Even right now, in bed, my body was trembling in fear, shocked by the man’s heartlessness.

I’d thought Sergei was evil, but Lucas was on a whole different level.

His cruelty knew no bounds, and he had no dignity, no honor.

The man didn’t know where to draw the line; he was wicked, stupid, and impulsive.

Despite all my pleas, my struggles, and my tears, he still insisted on having his men rape me while he got it on video. He boasted about being untouchable, about how he would successfully ruin my life and tarnish my family’s image. I’d never met someone so evil, and it gave me the creeps.

He might be gone now, but this trauma would likely last longer than I thought. The fear he instilled in me was enough to endure a lifetime. However, my solace was Sergei’s promise to never let this happen to me again.

Sergei.

The thought of him was so comforting that I felt a wind of relief blow across my face.

All my fear and anxiety dissipated into thin air at the mere thought of his name.

The man I’d thought was the devil turned out to be my savior, my protector, and defender.

Sergei was a man misunderstood by many, and because of the nature of his work, cruelty became a part of his identity.

However, despite being the devil himself, he was more human than Lucas ever was.

Maybe that’s why I chose him over returning to my father’s mansion.

Interesting how a single event could alter the course of one’s life.

Who would have thought that something good would come out of this horrible situation?

Lucas’s plan was to ruin my life, but the man ended up fixing all of my troubles in one day.

It was heart-melting knowing that my father and the man he used to hate the most—his worst enemy—set their differences aside and worked together to find me.

You don’t see that every day.

I thought Dad hated me and had maybe even disowned me for causing so much shame to the family. I had no idea that he still considered me a daughter, one who was worth collaborating with the enemy. This was a huge deal for me—my father’s acceptance.

In his eyes, I saw genuine love and passion when he pleaded with me to return home with him. He said Mom missed me and that he did too.

And just like that, I found myself replaying that incident in my head.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Dad asked, taking off his coat, his voice laced with desperation.

I nodded, my eyes fixed on Sergei as he menacingly walked over to Lucas, fury etched in his gaze.

“Can you stand?” Dad asked me.

I took my gaze off what seemed to be an interesting fight to watch. Well, if I were being honest, it wasn’t going to be a fight at all, just Lucas taking a beating, considering the fear in his eyes.

“Can you stand?” Dad repeated, his eyes locked on mine as he wrapped his coat around me.

“My ankle, it’s sprained,” I answered, slipping into it, the fabric offering warmth and comfort.

Dad scooped me up in his arms like a baby and rushed out of the room. From the hallway, I could hear the sound of Lucas’s painful screams, and a sense of satisfaction washed over me.

Dad didn’t put me down until we were out of the building, surrounded by the Russians and our people, all armed to the teeth. It was like a military camp out here, and the fact that all these men showed up because of me melted my heart.

Tears stung my eyes as Dad set me down gently behind a vehicle, my hand resting on the trunk for support. I limped on one foot, trying to gain balance as I faced him, blinking back my tears. “Dad…I am so sorry….”

I was still talking when he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me, his palm smoothing down my tangled hair. “Don’t be, sweetheart. None of this was your fault,” he said softly.

“No, it’s all my fault,” I said, pulling out a bit, enough to look into his eyes. “The wedding, the humiliation—”

“None of which would have happened if I’d just listened to you,” he cut me off. “I was so focused on sealing this deal with the Italians that I lost sight of how my decision affected you. I thought the marriage would be like your sister’s. I should’ve paid more attention to what you truly wanted.”

I sniffled, drying my tears with the back of my hand. This felt like a dream, and if it was, I would rather not wake up. His words touched my heart and soul, and I couldn’t hold back the river of tears flowing uncontrollably.

“We can still fix this, Ayla. It’s not too late to start over—it’s not too late for me to be a better father.” He paused, a glint of suspicion in his eyes. “Or is it?”

An abrupt chuckle fell from my lips, and I shook my head, my heart overflowing with delight.

He extended his hands and held mine, his fingers squeezing lightly. “Come home with me, Alya. The house hasn’t been the same without you.” He let his words sink in for a moment before adding. “Your mother misses you…. I miss you.”

My throat wobbled as I swallowed hard. And just as my lips parted to respond, the loud noise of a shattering glass window caught everyone’s attention. I flinched at the sudden interruption, my body stiffening for a moment, my breath lodged in my throat.

Something fell from the second floor and crashed onto a vehicle parked beneath it. Heads turned in that direction at once, men aiming their weapons at the crash site, ever ready to engage.

A dead body lay sprawled over the roof of the car, curved inward from the impact of the fall. Although it was dark out here, the moon’s ethereal glow was bright enough to reveal the identity of the fallen man.

Lucas.

I raised my head, and there he was, standing over the edge of the window, looking down at the horrendous sight below.

Sergei.

My lips curled into a smile, my heart racing rapidly in my chest. It was clear to me in that moment that this man, as ruthless as he was, was the one who completed me. There was an overwhelming darkness in him, true. But that was the exact thing that pulled me to him.

Sergei cared a lot about me. Why else would he go through all this trouble to save me?

If he were as terrible as I thought he was, he wouldn’t have bothered looking for me, let alone teamed up with my father.

He’d already claimed me, and he’d dismantled my father’s empire; what else did he need me for?

He could have so easily left me to my fate. But he didn’t. He came for me.

“You don’t have to be with him, you know,” Dad’s voice snapped me back to reality.

I shifted my gaze to him, a warm smile playing on my lips. “That’s the thing, Dad. I don’t have to.” I looked into his eyes, my tone soft and tender. “I want to.”

“Ayla, are you okay?” Sergei’s voice, thick and husky, echoed in my head, his hands gentle on my skin.

Back in the present, I blinked rapidly, my gaze fixed on him as he sat on the edge of the bed.

His hair was slightly tousled, and his white shirt was stained with traces of dried blood and dirt.

Beneath the scent of his cologne lingered a faint odor of sweat.

He appeared to be completely sleep-deprived—bags under his eyes with a mask of exhaustion etched on his face.

“Hi,” I greeted, a radiant smile spreading slowly across my face. “I’m fine. All thanks to you.” I rolled my eyes, chuckling for no reason. “And my father, of course.”

His lips parted into a small smile, and he squeezed gently against my fingers.

He looked at me so passionately, like I was something to be adored, something delicate and fragile that he was afraid to lose.

His expression was unreadable as always, but this time, his eyes held a number of emotions, soft and gentle.

“You look tired,” I said, my voice laced with concern. “Did you even get any sleep at all? Or have you just been watching over me the entire night?”

He was quiet for a moment, a glimpse of guilt flashing in his eyes. “Lucas had his hands on you the one time I left you alone all night. No more.”

I smiled at the calmness in his tone and the determination to keep me safe. “Thank you,” I murmured, my words filled with genuine gratitude.

Then I felt it when I tried to move, the throbbing pain in my leg. “Argh,” I groaned, a hand clutching my ribcage, both parts of my body aching like hell.

“Lemme see that,” he said, his eyes on my side and his hand hanging mid-air, as if waiting for my permission.

I nodded and drew a deep breath when his fingers rested in my ribcage, massaging with a soothing gesture.

“It appears you fractured a rib,” he said, his expression darkening as his face contorted into a frown. “I should’ve killed that bastard slowly.”