Discoveries
Chapter 36
Discoveries
Isabella
Aslanov’s absence leaves the house shrouded in an eerie silence, broken only by the faint echo of my footsteps as I cautiously explore the unfamiliar surroundings. With each step, I feel a sense of trepidation gnawing at my insides, but a curious impulse drives me forward, urging me to unravel the mysteries that lie hidden within the walls of this imposing mansion.
As I wander through the dimly lit corridors, the grandeur of the house overwhelms me, its opulent furnishings and ornate decorations a sobering contrast to the starkness of my own surroundings. Every room holds a sense of secrets waiting to be discovered, a tantalizing invitation to delve deeper into the mysteries that surround me.
My curiosity leads me to a grand staircase, its marble steps polished to a gleaming shine. With hesitant steps, I go down the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest as I anticipate what lies beyond. At the bottom of the staircase, I find myself standing before a series of closed doors, each one holding the promise of untold secrets.
Without hesitation, I push open the nearest door and step into the room beyond. As my eyes adjust to the light, I find myself in a beautiful kitchen, its elegant furnishings bathed in a soft golden glow. But what catches my attention is the figure standing by the window, her silhouette framed against the fading light.
For a moment, neither of us speaks, the silence stretching between us like a taut wire. But then, the woman turns to face me, her features softened by the gentle light filtering through the window. There’s a warmth in her eyes, a kindness that sets me at ease despite the uncertainty that still lingers within me. After a while she greets me, and I greet her.
Her English is not the best, but we can understand each other fine. I came to find out her name is Sasha. She is a very soft and sweet woman, making me wonder how she survives in a world like this.
The house is huge and made of wood and stone, it has a private gym and multiple rooms, three floors in total, and a basement. There is a huge hallway leading towards a black door, it’s locked with multiple locks. His office is connected to the bedroom, it’s open and if I wanted to I could roam around in it. But I don’t, I don’t want any more trouble. I make my way downstairs again after a while meeting the smell of food in the kitchen.
Sasha turns around and smiles at me, beckoning me to sit down. She fills up my plate and pours me a cup of tea. My stomach growls at the thought of food. I must admit the jetlag is already catching up on me. I smile at her and thank her as she takes her plate, wanting to go eat somewhere else. I stop her, “Wait, where are you going?” She turns around meeting me with a confused look, her Russian accent meets the air.
“Eat at my place, miss.”
“You can eat with me?”
She looks hesitant, “I don’t normally eat where he eats.”
I squint my eyes, weird. “But I’m not him. I could use the company.” I offer her a smile and after a little doubt, she comes to sit with me on the kitchen table.
After about 15 minutes Sasha isn’t timid anymore and she warms up to me. I take the advantage of asking her some questions. I get to know her and some history about her life, finally, the conversation slowly drifts off to him.
“He isn’t open about what he does, especially not to me,” she states as I sip on the cup of tea she offered me. I am still a little shaky after what happened and have a lot of anxiety in me for the moment he returns. I nod at her. She meets me with a confused look. “How did you meet him?”
I stare at her; it’s a complicated story—very complicated. “Long story short, I worked as a nurse in a high-security jail; I met him there.” I guess she gets permitted from the truth a lot so I will grant her mine, “he escaped and set the place on fire.”
Her mouth opens as she nearly drops her cup of tea, and so do I when I relive the situation in my head again. He set the place on fire, and after that, the newspaper was headlined with it. Most people were killed, some jumped out the windows and escaped.
“He took me out of the building and took me with him.” She keeps her gaze on mine as if I am telling her the most important story she has ever heard, “I honestly thought he was going to kill me, and-” I shut my eyes, reliving that moment. The amount of anxiety I felt. Meeting him for the first time wasn’t like the second time at all. The way he hung me in the air suspended, ready to throw me in a body bag. But he didn’t. “He almost did, but then something happened and he let me run.”
She puts the teacup down on the counter and scoots closer. Her gaze is soft, she’s a soft woman. I can feel her stare at my bruises, but she doesn’t ask and somehow that makes me feel good. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to ever talk about it anymore.
“So, you were the loose end for months? Before you met again.”
I nod. “I was, but my curiosity got the best of me and so I started peeking around into him and his business. He found out and now—now we are here.” I spare her the details of what happened in between. The reminders send waves of heat to my stomach.
“He has never brought a woman into his home, let alone let any man or woman walk away.” Her statement makes me feel something, and it shouldn’t, but it does. After a while, the conversation sets into a different tone. I think we have been talking for at least an hour and she has given me more information than any file could give me, at least about him. She has known him by heart since he was just a boy. I can feel that she is holding back some information, but she has already given me so much. I want to be careful and not scare her off. So slowly I ask my next question.
“He had a sister, right?”
She nods. “Yes.”
Pain fills her eyes and I know something very bad happened to her. I know she passed but not exactly what happened. She walks away from the kitchen counter and returns after a few minutes with a picture, it’s her. I glide my fingers over the picture. She is gorgeous. Her bright smile and white skin are dreamy. She looks very happy. Next to her in the picture, there is a slim tall woman, with blonde hair and piercing green eyes; exactly like his. Her face has sharp features, and she has thick eyelashes.
“When they died a part of him died.” Her voice shakes me out of my thoughts, making me look at her while she stares at the picture in my hand. “He became bitter,” she sighs heavily, “heartless by heartbreak.”
I resonate with the pain of feeling lonely and lost. Taken away from people you love. “He never was the same. They took away what mattered most to him so he chose to never let anybody in anymore. This has been more than 15 years ago.” I then remember our age gap. “One of the reasons he doesn’t speak much.”
I offer her a sad smile. It must have been hard for her too. Losing her sister and niece, but also him since he was never the same again. I wonder if she has a husband, but I don’t want to push her. She has opened up to me more than I expected anyone to do here. “I wonder if he feels something for you,” she says abruptly.
I stare at her while giving her an awkward laugh. “I’m positive he does not .”
I swallow down my pride when she speaks again, “The past month he had been different. He seems out of place, not in control . That is nothing for Aslanov.” The way she speaks of his name sends shivers down my spine, her Russian accent engulfing it. She turns to me again, “It’s a dangerous world here—don’t be fooled by your special treatment—he is a very dangerous man.” I swallow at her statement, her eyes hinting at danger. She knows what she is talking about and is warning me: “Even if he’d care just the tiniest bit about you, in his world that equals nothing. Just do as you’re told,” she murmurs while cleaning the dishes, “and especially when he orders it.”
She takes the empty cup from me and my empty plate. “He doesn’t order it without reason.” With that, she turns away, in a hurry. As if she can sense something. And apparently, she can because not a minute later headlights appear on the porch. But as I gently pull the curtain back to look through the window, I notice an unfamiliar car. Soon a tall silhouette exits, it’s Dominik.
Dominik steps into the house, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion as he spots me in the kitchen. He approaches cautiously, his gaze shifting between me and his phone. He furrows his brows before typing something.
I didn’t expect to see you here.
I give him a weak smile, “It’s a bit complicated I guess.”
About half an hour later we got to know each other, and I concluded that he’s for sure a soft guy. He turns his phone around again.
Well, since Aslanov won’t be back for hours, how about we make the most of it?
He suggests a mischievous glint in his eyes.
I know a casino nearby. Do you want to join me for some games?
“I’m not sure that’s,” I wait hesitantly before adding, “allowed.”
Dominik shakes his head before typing away again, I stare at his ink-black hair while he types. He looks nothing like Aslanov, his features are way darker, and he’s not nearly as tall.
You’ll be safe with me. Don’t worry about it.
“You sure? He told me not to leave.”
Dominik reassures me again that it would not cause any trouble and that he would communicate with him, so eventually I decide to go. Maybe making friends here will help me.
Despite his words, I can’t shake the feeling that disobeying Aslanov’s orders might lead to trouble as we enter Dominik’s car. He offers me candy and turns on some music. Dominik glances at me, catching my eye with a playful grin. He puts his thumb up asking me if the song is good, as he nods to the music playing through the speakers. I nod enthusiastically, feeling a rush of warmth as the melody washes over me.
“Yeah, it’s great,” I reply, unable to suppress a smile.
The car ride is relaxed and fun, and for those ten minutes, it seems that life is relatively normal. But as the car comes to a stop and I step out onto the bustling streets, the sense of overstimulation hits me like a tidal wave. The noise, the crowds, the flashing lights—it’s all too much. I glance around frantically, searching for Dominik’s familiar figure in the sea of people, but he’s nowhere to be seen. Did he just disappear? I walk inside the building hoping he is waiting at the entrance, but I cannot find him anywhere. Something feels off. Panic sets in, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggle to catch my breath. The building is large and filled with wealthy people. It’s so crowded, that an all-too-familiar panic settles in.
When I turn around to find Dominik a man glances my way, and I immediately know that his intentions are wrong.
“Hey there, sweetheart,” the man says, his voice oozing with false charm as he leans in closer, invading my personal space. “You look lost. Need some help?” His very thick Russian accent fills the space, and he can see I’m not a Russian, hence the English. I look like a deer lost in the forest. I swallow my mind races with fear and uncertainty, every instinct screaming at me to get away from him.
“I’m okay, I’m just waiting for someone.”
An eerie smirk plays on his lips. I swallow. I need to find Dominik and get the hell away here. The man doesn’t leave me alone and comes closer. I back away while the toilet catches my eye. I make a sprint for it before he can move any closer. As my panic escalates, my surroundings seem to blur into a dizzying whirlwind of noise and movement. Every breath feels like a struggle, my chest tightening with each gasp for air. I lock the door and try to catch my breath. I’m in an unfamiliar country and I just lost where I am, and the person I’m here with.
My shaking hands get out my phone with just one contact number in it: Aslanov. “Fuck… fuck! ” I curse to myself as more panic settles in. With a shaky finger, I press the dial and close my eyes, he is going to kill me.
Suddenly he answers, his voice a whisper from the other side of the line.
“Isabella?” he asks, his tone commanding and authoritative. My breath is caught in my throat as I panicky start to explain what happened. His answers are silent as I try to speak up and tell him that I thought Dominik would tell him. About the man, and that I do not feel safe at all. I tell him I lost Dominik and now locked myself in a toilet. All this time he doesn’t say a single word.
“Can you please come?” He doesn’t answer. More panic settles in, I should have never left the house, not even with Dominik. “I’m very sorry, please come.” I whimper as I can’t catch my breath.
“Isabella, listen to me,” Aslanov’s voice cuts the silence with a slight anger, yet filled with an undercurrent of concern. “I need you to focus on your breathing. Inhale deeply through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth. You’re having a panic attack.” His words are a balm to my frayed nerves, guiding me through the storm of my anxiety with practiced ease.
Slowly I ease as I focus on the rhythm of my breath. But even as I struggle to calm my racing heart, I can’t shake the sense of guilt that gnawed at my conscience. I have disobeyed Aslanov’s orders, putting myself in harm’s way, and now I fear the consequences of my actions. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. “I know I shouldn’t have left the house. I just... thought you were okay with it because Dominik told me so.”
There’s a pause on the other end of the line before Aslanov speaks again, his tone slightly less irritated and with a hint of understanding. “I understand that.” As my panic intensifies, my apologies become a desperate refrain, tumbling from my lips in a rush of fear and guilt. He is not telling me he is coming.
“I’m so sorry, Aslanov,” I whisper. My words hang heavy in the air, a stark reminder of my yet again disobedience and the consequences that await me. With each passing second of him being silent, the weight of my actions pressed down on my shoulders, threatening to crush me beneath the weight of my own guilt.
“I’ll come get you.” His only response.
A sigh of relief washes over me but as he continues it soon is replaced with regret and fear.
“But I’m sure wherever you are right now with whoever’s there is, is much better than me having to come get you. You’re in deep trouble solnyshko.”
I can feel my entire chest filling with fear. I already knew I fucked up before, and now I’ll be shipped back to America in a body bag. There was a pause before Aslanov spoke again, his tone softer, more reassuring. “We’ll discuss this issue later, Isabella. For now, come to the entrance and avoid any more contact. Two minutes.” Relief floods through me at his words, but it is tinged with a sense of unease. I fear the consequences.
I make my way to the entrance while still breathing heavily and flinching at every sound the crowded room makes. Still no sight of Dominik. As I see Aslanov approaching, a wave of fear washes over me, but it’s nothing compared to the palpable tension that grips the entire casino. He steps inside, the room opens and with him an evil aura enters. People stop dead in their tracks, conversations dying down to whispers as they avoid making eye contact with him. I watch the scene unfold with a heavy heart. Aslanov’s presence commands respect, but it’s laced with an undercurrent of fear that hangs heavy in the air.
I hesitate for a moment, unsure whether to approach him or not, but before I can decide, he locks eyes with me, his gaze piercing and intense. With a silent gesture, he beckons me towards him, his expression unreadable. His fingers curl and I know I better make sure to stand next to him within three seconds, because his patience doesn’t look any longer than that. As I step closer, the crowd parts like the Red Sea, giving us a wide berth as I walk over to him. Whispers follow in my wake, fueled by a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.
I don’t quite dare to reach his eyesight, and as I come within arm’s length, he grabs my arm and pushes me behind him, covering me like a shield from all the stares. I hide myself behind him while holding onto his upper arm. My eyes scan the room and the sight is weird. It feels strange. I see what he sees now. Nobody is looking directly at us, yet everyone is looking towards us.
The man who had approached me earlier shrinks back as Aslanov draws near, his bravado crumbling under the weight of Aslanov’s intimidating presence. Without a word, Aslanov delivers a chilling warning, his tone icy and devoid of emotion.
“Touch her again,” he says, his voice low and dangerous, “and you won’t live to regret it.” The man nods frantically, his eyes wide with fear as he stammers out an apology. Aslanov gives him a dismissive glance before turning his attention back to me, his demeanor shifting subtly as he leads me toward the exit without another word. Not until we exit the casino springs back to life. I’m in such deep trouble.
Aslanov
As I park my car, I brace myself for the anger I feel. I cannot lose control. I had to leave my meeting earlier because of this shit. When I enter the place, I immediately spot her, frightened in the corner. My patience has run low and as she approaches me, I need to give it my all to not snap at her right there and here.
I should try to budge her off, I should feel the need to deny as everyone stares. But I don’t, I rest my hand on the back of her head, before pushing her behind me. Instead, another emotion fills me: protectiveness. The room falls silent, a normal response to my presence. Nobody questions me about anything. I can sense their interest in her, yet nobody dares to ask.
Expectedly, it captures their attention. I have not brought anyone with me in ten years. I always work alone, wandering the shadows alone. But it has not always been like this.
Fourteen years ago, I met a woman named Natalia. She was one of the closest friends of Dominik and knew who I was. She had been growing up in an unstable home, not a day would go by that she wasn’t on the streets running away from her family and mind. That is the first reason Isabella immediately hit one of my tender strings, she represents her chaos.
Dominik wanted to take Natalia in, and he wanted my approval. I couldn’t deny him this, especially not after the car crash, so I granted him my approval. She would get her own room in our old family home and stay out of our business. That was the one condition. She was still in school at the time, and I wanted her to focus on that. I wanted her to become a good person, I wanted her to have a rightful life.
After a couple of weeks, she slowly became closer to me. We would spend nights together and she would air her heart. She wasn’t much younger than me and I resonated with her family issues. Time passed and I started to feel empathy for her. She was a very soft woman, but inside of her mind, it was way darker than she ever led on. We started seeing each other and kept it casual. She already lived with me, so it felt natural. Besides, I still thought I needed a wife for my empire.
A couple of years passed and we developed a strong bond. She would bring me ease and I would help her with her issues. She wanted to study longer, and I never stopped her. She would mostly stay out of my business and try to ignore it. When shit got bad she drifted further away from me. We started to fight more often, and she often liked to provoke and disobey me.
I knew a lot about her and her past, but I didn’t know she had such dark demons in her mind. She had been stressed and struggling more than normal, but I was ignorant. I was busy with other things. I was a fool. I had failed her.
One night when I came home after a fight I searched the house for her. I searched for her everywhere, every fucking room and every fucking place. I couldn’t find her. Days went by and I started an investigation with my men. I couldn’t sleep, eat or drink. I couldn’t control my anger; I hadn’t felt so worried since my mother and sister went missing.
It felt like the whole situation all over again, only now with the first woman I cared for. After four horrible days, I was the one who found her. At our spot, the lake house. Which was miles and miles away from our house. She had walked over there, alone. She committed suicide . She took too many pills and ended her life. When I found her, I screamed and yelled for hours. The whole thing was unbearable. It killed me from the inside out, at least what was left of me.
She helped me get over my youth and the troubled things I went through, but I couldn’t be there for her. I wasn’t there with her while she took her last breath. I wasn’t there to stop her and the last time I saw her we argued.
I cried so much that day I felt like I lost my soul. I lost every little empathy and love possession I still had that day. I wiped the earth clean of everything and everyone the days after. I completely lost myself and let myself go. Dominik had to stop me, otherwise I’d probably have killed myself. It’s been ten years since I have shed a single tear. It’s been fifteen since I had a feeling in my chest other than hate and vengeance.
Until there was her, Isabella .
When I look at her, I feel my bones ignite. I feel. Isabella’s presence in my home is like a flickering flame in the darkness, illuminating corners of my heart that have long been shrouded in shadow. Despite my best efforts to remain aloof, her mere existence stirs something within me, a long-buried yearning.
The first time I saw her when in prison it was already there, but not like now. It’s worse now, especially after the night I spent with her. It makes me primal for her, a hunger I can’t still. And when I found out she had been sniffling in my businesses it was the perfect opportunity to fill the hunger that has plagued me. Every time I saw her; every time I saw her bruises and cuts I wanted to carve her all over my black heart and make her feel less alone in her ongoing tragedy.
I tried my best to keep it at primal hunger, but the feelings resolved deeper. I care somewhat for the tiny girl. Despite my resolve to keep her at arm’s length, I find myself drawn to her in ways I cannot fully comprehend. I would never leave a meeting, but when she called me, I got in my car faster than I knew was possible. When I saw her bruised face I had to control myself, but not for long. I’ll fucking end the person. I’ll find out. She’s an open book for me. But all these feelings are invalid, they can’t be here. Whether they are real or not. I need her to see me for who I truly am. After that, she won’t be so drawn to me anymore. I’ll sniff her out. Showing her my darkest side. I might play a little with her alongside. I’ll break her and mold her into my own. Mine .
Slamming the car door shut I text Dominik, I know where he is. I ordered him to disappear once Isabella took the bait of going with him. I didn’t set the trap because Dominik truthfully asked her himself, but once I came to find out she took the opportunity and went against my orders, I ordered Dominik to leave her at her mercy. Eventually, she had to come clean and call me, a dirty plan. I start the engine, and a ride back home. And a pity for my girl because it’s a short drive.