28. -27-
Nina
Islept exactly one hour and fifty-three minutes.
I knew because I had spent the rest of the night staring at Dorian’s pictures, counting the faint lines around his eyes, and replaying every encounter and message until they lost all meaning.
When I finally drifted off, it wasn’t rest. My brain simply gave up from exhaustion.
Dorian’s silence wouldn’t break me. I wasn’t fifteen anymore, suffering my first heartbreak.
It hurt, but instead of bringing me to my knees, it sharpened me, pushed me forward.
Also, it exposed the ugly truth I had spent all week avoiding: I couldn’t rely on his feelings or curiosity.
If I wanted his signature, and the freedom it promised, I would have to bend reality again.
But today, I had to survive dinner with my father and convince him I needed more time to prepare the lavish wedding every spoiled princess supposedly dreamed of.
The dress I picked for tonight waited for me like a quiet executioner.
Expensive black silk hugged my body in all the right places, feigning submission while whispering hidden power.
I dressed slowly, slipping into the role Grandpa had taught me to play.
My makeup and hair were flawless, my silver stilettos high, and my mission simple—to convince Dad I accepted the arrangement like a good daughter ready to become the perfect wife.
I looked at the wall, decorated with Dorian’s pictures, for the last time and forced my legs to carry me out of my apartment.
The quiet ride to my father’s estate gave me time to steady my pulse and prepare for another lecture about my responsibility toward the family. Grandpa had delivered plenty of those, but he never forgot to remind me that my life mattered, too. Dad treated me like a pawn in a game of survival.
The house glowed warm against the darkening sky as we crossed the tall metal gates, music drifting through the air and lights spilling from every window. Cars lined the driveway, and guests stood outside, talking and smoking.
My stomach dropped. This wasn’t the private dinner I had prepared for.
I glanced at my tall guard as he opened the car door for me, knowing the escape was impossible.
I forced myself out and entered the mansion.
Italian voices and effortless laughter filled the foyer, the air thick with perfume and cologne.
Familiar faces turned toward me, some smiling, others assessing, as if everyone already knew something I didn’t.
“Nina!” My father appeared before me and kissed my cheek. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” I forced a smile, but it faded when my eyes landed on the tall, muscular figure standing a couple of feet from me. My vision tunneled, and my heart missed a painful beat.
Zyon Zhumagulov, accompanied by his stunning wife, Valeria.
I gulped, feeling my knees tremble. If he was here, my time was running out quicker than I thought.
Exhaling through my nose, I secretly watched Zyon over my father’s shoulder, unable to look away.
He was the spitting image of Dorian, but the aura surrounding him gave me the creeps.
He stood near the center of the spacious dining room like gravity itself, dressed immaculately in a black three-piece suit, calm and lethal in a way that seemed bred into his bones.
And beside him stood Valeria, the embodiment of quiet grace.
Her red hair was swept back elegantly, her pale skin glowing beneath the lights, and sharp eyes watched the room from behind a relaxed smile.
She survived hell and walked out stronger, the kind of woman who stood beside a crime lord without ever looking owned.
I once overheard Grandpa and Chester Kellerman discussing her. Chester called Valeria a stupid doll face who fooled the mafia king and considered Zyon idiotic for falling for her. Yet here they stood, rich, powerful, in love, and most importantly, alive, while Grandpa and Chester ended up dead.
Who was the idiot now?
I forced myself to breathe through the painful memories of my grandpa’s early demise and joined the flow of guests.
I nodded, smiled, answered questions I barely heard, and engaged in conversations that didn’t interest me but kept my brain occupied until all my focus crumbled because the devil appeared at my side.
Sonny looked perfect in a tailored grey suit, wearing a charming smile. His warm hand clasped mine, pulling me closer, but every instinct in my body screamed to get free. To everyone else, he looked attentive and proud. To me, the touch was a violation that made my skin crawl.
“Smile,” he hissed, leaning closer. “People are watching.”
I did. Of course, I did. I wouldn’t dare make a scene under my father’s nose. But deep inside, behind that forced smile, I plotted my escape. They planned to execute my freedom with fanfares and fireworks; I would retaliate with bullets and bombs.
“Your father will announce our engagement tonight,” Sonny revealed, his hand on my wrist tensing when I tried to put some distance between us. “It won’t take long for the wedding to take place.”
“You can’t wait, can you?” I slipped my arm from his bruising hold, glaring at him.
“I can’t wait to teach your mouth some respect,” he replied, his light blue eyes shooting daggers at me. “Push me a little more, and I’ll do it tonight.”
“I’d love to see you try.”
Sonny’s expression darkened with anger, and he swiftly erased the distance between us. I stood my ground even when everything in me screamed that I was in danger. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me scared.
“You little…” he started, but he was unexpectedly interrupted by a firm female voice.
“Good evening.”
I whipped my head toward Valeria, surprise shooting through me when I noticed her cold look.
“You’re Nina, right?” Her chilly gaze jumped from Sonny to me, instantly warming up. “We haven’t been introduced yet. I’m Valeria Zhumagulov.” She said her last name like a curse aimed directly at Sonny, and he reacted immediately.
“What can we do for you, Mrs. Zhumagulov?” he asked sweetly, flashing her one of his best smiles that showed his straight white teeth.
“I don’t need anything from you.” She didn’t spare him another glance. “I came to talk to you.” She hooked her arm with mine. “Let’s walk.”
Valeria led me through the room, smiling at guests and avoiding their questions when they tried to stop us. My stomach tightened with nervousness. For a moment, it felt like an execution march, but when she stopped at the bar and genuinely smiled at me, the sensation vanished.
She was even more striking up close. Her red hair caught the light, her posture was relaxed, and her expression was warm.
“I know it’s not my place to ask.” She handed me a glass of champagne.
“But is everything okay between you and…” She glanced over at Sonny.
“That guy? Zyon told me he is your fiancé, but…” Her elegant brows furrowed above her beautiful eyes framed by long eyelashes. “He is almost violently possessive.”
I blinked in surprise. This certainly wasn’t the topic I expected.
“Zyon is possessive, too,” I reminded her lightly, swirling the golden liquid in my glass. There were stories about him killing a man because he upset her. The punishment he brought on Valeria’s husband was a public secret.
“Yes.” She looked to the side at her husband. “But he would never hurt me.” Her eyes snapped back to mine. “Can you say that about your fiancé?”
“My marriage is a business transaction, Mrs. Zhumagulov,” I said, keeping my voice steady.
Her words shook my defense. No one noticed, or better said, cared, that Sonny behaved like an asshole.
“Your husband made it perfectly clear that if we don’t bring Sonny Carlile and his family on board, there will be consequences. ”
“And you’re okay with being the sacrificial lamb?” She glanced at me like I was a wounded puppy she wished to save. But she forgot that it was her family who pushed me in this direction.
“That’s the price we pay for attacking the king.” I clicked my glass with hers, forcing my expression into a blank mask so she didn’t notice more than she already did. “Enjoy the evening.”
I left her at the bar, attempting to find my dad and excuse myself from this charade, but he refused to grant me freedom. The announcement hadn’t been made yet. At least, he agreed to make it sooner than he planned.
I stood beside Sonny before the gathered families, but my mind drifted to Dorian and the training grounds.
Those were the only two things that gave me peace.
Even as applause erupted and Dad announced the wedding would take place in six weeks, Dorian’s smile calmed me.
I accepted congratulations like a machine, thanked everyone who approached me, and prayed the spectacle would end.
“See,” Sonny woke me from my trance, guiding me away from the group of people surrounding us. “You can act like a good girl.”
“Hardly,” I muttered, staring at my tired expression in the mirror. “What more do you want?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “You got everything tonight.”
“I will get everything in six weeks, darling,” he pointed out with a broad smile that made me sick to my stomach. “Until then, stop ignoring my texts and calls.”
I turned to face him, looking into his empty eyes. How much they differed from Dorian’s warm hazel ones.
“I’ve been busy,” I sighed, exhaustion from pretending the entire evening taking its toll on me.
“Busy doing what?” Sonny still smiled, but I saw right through his act. It was just for the show.
“None of your business,” I replied with the same fake grin, intending to walk past him, but his fingers closed tightly around my elbow, stopping me in my tracks.
“Let go,” I hissed, searching the crowd. If my father saw this, maybe he would finally believe me.
“Careful,” Sonny warned, pain from his grip flaring under my skin. “You forget who you’re talking to.”
“I know exactly who I’m talking to,” I snarled, yanking my arm from his hold. Without thinking twice, I hurried to the entrance, pushing through the guests and servants. I couldn’t stand a second in Sonny’s presence, but he followed me outside like a shadow.
“I’m leaving,” I said to my driver, who stood outside with another guard. He nodded and went for the car while I impatiently bounced on my feet before the main entrance.
“If you think you can just leave,” Sonny grumbled behind me, but I didn’t let him finish the threat. I rushed to the guard, seeking refuge until my driver arrived. Sonny had no choice but to let me go. However, my dad’s men’s protection wouldn’t last long.
As I sat in the back seat of a black Mercedes, the weight of my reality crushed down on me with brutal clarity.
Time was ticking fast.