Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ivan & Anna
Ivan
Anna promised she wouldn't leave.
I knew it. My kitten always understood.
Even when she had questions, she wouldn't put me in a difficult position. So the moment I showed vulnerability, she surrendered.
Foolish kitten. Too easy to read, too soft-hearted.
That's exactly why I couldn't tell her who I really was. I was terrified she'd be scared. Terrified she'd run.
After all, the underworld and the legitimate world exist on opposite sides of the line.
Her world had always been clean. The only darkness was that bastard of a father. So I'd do everything in my power to keep her safe.
All that filth—I'd carry it alone.
"I'm going to pick up Alex."
I got up and went to the closet, pulled out a few outfits, and held them up to the mirror. "Which one looks better?"
She tilted her head, confused. "You've already met. Does it need to be so formal?"
Of course it did.
Anna didn't know—I was planning to tell Alex the truth. I'd waited too long to hear that word. "Dad."
"You don't understand."
Anna huffed, but still picked out the one she liked best.
I changed into her choice, walked over and pinched the soft flesh at her waist.
"Wait for me."
I parked across from Alex's school.
Engine running, I lit a cigarette and leaned back, eyes fixed on the exit. Smoke drifted up slowly, blurring the windshield.
Ten minutes until dismissal. I wasn't in a rush. I'd been waiting for this moment for five years.
But soon my attention got pulled to a suspicious figure lurking by the gate.
The man was hunched over, wearing that passable suit, cloudy eyes constantly darting toward the entrance. Like an old fox waiting for prey.
I narrowed my eyes. Recognized him.
Gary Bennett.
What the hell was he doing here again?
Last time he showed up at my place, I had Dmitri investigate him. Had someone teach him a lesson too. But oddly, the report came back clean.
Still, I knew better. Scum like him never appeared without a reason.
He had an agenda.
I watched his sleazy movements, only feeling regret. I should've dealt with this rabid dog sooner.
The bell rang right on time. Kids poured out in clusters, chattering like little sparrows.
I spotted Alex quickly.
Small backpack, bouncing along, waving goodbye to his classmates. Sunshine all over his little face.
This kid—just like his mother. Beautiful as an angel.
Gary perked up immediately. Straightened his clothes, plastered on a smile, and moved in.
I raised an eyebrow but didn't rush over. I wanted to see what game the old bastard was playing.
"You're... Alex, right?"
Even across the street, I could read his lips.
"I'm Gary. I'm your grandfather. Your mother's father."
Alex was smart. He didn't let the family connection make him drop his guard. Instead, he asked carefully, "Grandfather? Mom's never mentioned you."
I smiled.
Smart kid. Just like his mother.
Gary hadn't expected that response. He quickly forced another smile. "Your mom's just been busy, forgot to mention me. I've been working away all these years, just got back today. Come on, let Grandpa take you for ice cream. Buy you new toys."
He reached out to grab Alex's wrist, those rough fingers about to touch my son.
I crushed out my cigarette and got out of the car.
"Gary."
I called his name once.
Gary froze like he'd been struck by lightning. His whole body trembled as he turned to look at me.
"You..."
His face went white instantly, lips quivering.
Yeah. He was scared.
He tried to play it cool, but the fear showed in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"
I didn't answer. Just looked at him like I was looking at a dead man.
After all my years in this world, I'd seen every kind of thug. My stare was enough to make this old bastard piss himself.
"Mr. Volkov, I didn't mean anything, I was just checking—"
He backed up while talking. "I'm leaving, I'm leaving right now!"
He turned and ran.
I looked down at Alex beside me.
The little guy was staring up at me, eyes full of curiosity.
"Ivan, isn't he my grandfather? He seemed really scared of you."
I crouched down to his level, reached out, and ruffled his soft brown hair. "We'll ask your mom about that when we get back, okay?"
This was Anna's family business. Whether to tell Alex was her choice.
Alex was obedient, didn't push it. "Okay. So where are we going now? Where's Mom? She usually picks me up."
"Your mom's at my place. She's staying at my house for a few days."
"Staying at your house?" Alex's eyes lit up. "Ivan, do you like my mom?"
I froze.
Like? No. I loved her.
I loved Anna. It took me five years to see that answer clearly.
Looking at Alex's earnest expression, I nodded. "Yes. I love your mother. Very much."
I took a deep breath, throat tightening. "So, Alex, would you want to be my son? I'll take good care of your mother. And you too."
Alex was my child.
But he had the right to choose. Because I'd missed most of his life.
I held my breath, waiting for his answer. I could hear my own heartbeat. Pounding against my ribs.
Then I saw Alex smile.
He grinned wide, showing two little canines, and nodded hard.
"Yes! I'd love to!"
He leaned closer. "Actually, I figured it out a while ago. Ever since you showed up, Mom's been smiling so much more. I haven't seen her this happy in forever."
"She's been happy?"
I'd always thought Anna only felt disgust toward me.
"Of course."
He continued, "That picture I drew—Mom takes it out to look at all the time. Ivan, you and Mom knew each other a long time ago, didn't you?"
In that moment, I felt something hot surge up, making my eyes sting.
Alex's words hit me right in the chest.
I crouched down and pulled him into my arms. "Yes. We knew each other a long time ago. It's Dad's fault. I missed every day of watching you grow up."
Alex looked up, his small hands clumsily wiping at my tears.
"It's okay. We still have the future. You have to stay with me and Mom forever now."
I nodded hard, held him tighter.
"Yes. Yes. We'll always be together."
I let go and stood up, eyes still burning.
I was grateful to God after all.
He gave me back my kitten. And my son.
I took Alex's little backpack.
"Come on. Let's go home."
Alex smiled sweetly. "Yeah! Home!"
He slipped his small hand naturally into mine. His hand was tiny, soft, gripping my fingers tight.
That was trust like nothing else. A son's hottest recognition of his father.
I held his little hand, walking step by step toward the car.
Sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows on us. For the first time, I felt like a man who truly had a home.
Anna
I stayed.
We seemed to have actually formed a family.
Even though Ivan restricted where I could go, he took care of Alex with meticulous attention.
He made us warm breakfasts, told Nadia and Alex half-true stories before bed.
Every day I sat by the window in the sun, watching the three of them chase and play in the living room.
I felt happiness. Real happiness.
Ivan tried many ways to win me over. He baked my favorite croissants—golden, crispy crusts dusted with powdered sugar. They tasted amazing.
But to punish him just a little for keeping me captive, I finished them, washed the plate, and gave him zero warmth.
Nadia watched from the side, looking at him sympathetically. "Dad, your way of making up with girls is so old-school."
I laughed.
Old-school? Maybe.
But Ivan's charm never needed tactics to prove itself.
Stung by Nadia's comment, Ivan launched his second offensive.
That afternoon, I was reading storybooks with Nadia. The two of us squeezed onto the couch, sunlight slanting in through the window, catching in her hair with a sun-warmed softness.
Ivan snuck up behind me and covered my eyes.
In that instant, my body tensed, ears burning hot.
Too long without his touch. My body was more honest than my heart. It missed him.
"Anna." He said my name low.
"Sorry, Ivan."
I cut him off.
Not in front of the kids. Have some boundaries.
I pulled his hands away, said I needed to cut fruit for Nadia.
Really, I was running.
Nadia made a noise behind me. "We don't have fruit upstairs. Dad, you failed again."
I hid around the staircase corner, smiling to myself.
Nadia didn't know—Ivan hadn't failed. I'd retreated first.
Ivan let out a long sigh. "Sweetheart, you're right. I should've just carried her off without a second thought."
Don't say things like that in front of the kids.
But if Ivan did carry me off, I didn't think I could resist. I'd cling to him, and even my refusals would sound like flirting.
Alex had adapted to this new life.
He adored Ivan.
Watching him orbit Ivan so eagerly every day, I only felt immense regret.
I'd let him lose his father's presence at such a young age. Even though Alex was understanding, even though he appreciated my struggles, the missing paternal love was something I could never make up for.
I knew what it was like to lack family.
Here, he not only had Ivan but also a half-sister.
Nadia really liked this little brother.
No—actually, Alex had become Nadia's sidekick. The two kids got along wonderfully. Nadia shared all her drawings from over the years with Alex. Alex invited her to play soccer.
Though...
Soccer didn't seem like a ladylike sport, but when Nadia went wild playing, she actually looked pretty good. Maybe she'd be a great soccer player someday.
At night, Ivan climbed into my bed again.
I was about to call him shameless when he kissed me first.
"You heard, didn't you?" he asked.
I frowned. Heard what?
"My conversation with Nadia."
He had me there.
For a moment, I didn't know how to answer.
"What did you say?"
I decided to play dumb.
Ivan smiled. He lowered his head to kiss my lips, trailing from my mouth to behind my ear, then bit down. "I said I should've just carried you off without a second thought. It would make things between us so much simpler."
I glared at him. "Nonsense."
Ivan's smile deepened, his chest vibrating. "Not nonsense at all, kitten. Communicating with you is too much trouble. So I thought of a better method—pin you to the bed. You're so much more honest in bed. So much more obedient."
His words drilled into my ears.
My face flushed instantly. I raised my hand to push him away, but then remembered his arm injury and stopped mid-motion.
"Ivan."
"Yeah?"
"Is your wound better?"
He offered me his arm, gesturing for me to see for myself.
I rolled up his shirtsleeve. The wound had scabbed over, healing better than I'd expected. Pink new skin edged the sides.
"Not bad," I said. "A few more days and it should be completely healed."
I found ointment in the nightstand, dabbed some on, and applied it.
Ivan stayed quiet, enjoying my care.
His chin rested against my shoulder, warm breath slipping down my collar, making my skin tingle.
He kissed my cheek. "With you taking care of me, of course it's healing well."
His hand squeezed my waist, slid downward, stopped at the top of my thigh.
These past few days living here, almost every night was like this. The atmosphere naturally turned intimate. Bodies were more honest than words—one touch could ignite the fire.
I let him hold me. The cool scent of ointment mixed with his familiar cedarwood.
"Ivan," I stopped his movements, met his eyes, "who are you really?"
Ivan's arms tightened around me. He didn't answer.
Silence spread like a net, slowly unfurling, draping between us. The little warmth that had just budded in my chest cooled bit by bit.
He was still like this. Refused to trust me.
Even now, with our relationship so intimate, he still wouldn't be honest with me.
I only knew he was wealthy. But what else? Did he have other identities? He was like an iceberg—always hiding half. I could only see the tip of tenderness floating above water. How massive, how cold it was underneath—I had no idea.
I pulled away from him, screwed the ointment cap back on, set it on the nightstand.
"You still won't tell me, will you?" My voice was calm, so calm it surprised even me. "What am I to you, really?"
"Anna," Ivan sounded a bit helpless, "it's not the right time yet. When this is all over..."
"What if it never ends?"
I cut him off. "You're never planning to tell me anything about yourself, are you?"
His eyes darkened, his relaxed brow furrowing tight.
The room held only the ticking of the wall clock, each sound striking my taut heart.
He reached out to touch my shoulder, but his hand froze mid-air.
His Adam's apple bobbed. He spoke quietly. "Anna, I'm not doing this on purpose. When the time comes, I'll tell you."
Again. The timing was always wrong. He just wouldn't trust me.
Ivan left my bedroom. First time he'd walked away after getting worked up. Looking at the empty edge of the bed, I could still feel the warmth of his palm on my skin.
I pulled the covers over my head. My nose stung.
Maybe I really was just a bird Ivan kept in a cage. Play with me when he's happy, lock me up when he's not.
So many years had passed. Round and round, we seemed to have returned to square one.
Five years ago, he bought me for six hundred grand. He was my patron. Five years later, I worked hard, only to stumble into him again. And this time he became my employer.
He was still so good to me. Impeccably good. But that goodness always came with his forceful control, always with a layer of unbreakable glass between us.
He had his world. I couldn't enter it. And he never planned to let me in.
I wanted equality. Respect. Two people together, always honest with each other. But he couldn't do that. The beam lying between us had never disappeared.