Chapter 3 #3
Her trembling hands as she offered me that scalpel. Despite the fear in her eyes, and the bruises I’d given her, she still helped me. She’d believed in me enough to hand me a way to get my freedom back. She’d gone out of her way, risked her own safety, just for me.
She’d had faith in me. She thought I was the one who might survive this and gave me a damn fighting chance.
My hand flexes around the receiver.
Even if I can’t use the scalpel, it still symbolizes something—a tiny splinter of hope glimmering amid the depressing darkness that is still threatening to consume me at every turn.
It represents so much more than the sleepless nights I’ve spent wondering what will happen to me and my son, the desperation I’ve felt to get out of here.
It’s choice. The first one I’ve been offered since this all began.
Back before Maksim.
Before Mikhail.
Before I ever found that godforsaken flyer hanging off that telephone pole with the promise of a life-changing opportunity.
It’d come from someone like me. Someone trapped and afraid. Someone who knows what it feels like to be powerless under someone else’s boot and still chooses to do something about it.
The scalpel says I still have a say in what happens to me. That I’m not finished yet. It reminds me who I am—a woman who once walked away from all of it and still lived to tell the tale.
And even if I never lift that scalpel once, just having it means I’m not as broken as they think I am. That I think I am.
“If I convince him to give over the Bratva to you,” I say slowly, testing the words, “will you give me back my son? Let us go and never bother us again?”
Mikhail’s deafening silence is almost overwhelming.
The static hum of the receiver fills the space between us, every second ticking by like a countdown to a verdict I can’t bear to hear. My heart is pounding so violently, I swear he can hear it through the line.
“You are a clever one, Ivy. Though some might wager you’re also very foolish.”
I ignore the chill his tone puts down my spine. “Answer my question.”
There’s no falter in my voice now. No tremor to betray how on edge I feel negotiating like this. I’m certain I’ve piqued his interest. Not only because he didn’t automatically say no, but also because he hasn’t disconnected the call entirely for my proposing such an outlandish idea.
“If I can convince Maksim to give over the Bratva to you, will you give me my son back? Alive and unharmed, and leave us alone for good? No more using us as bait for whatever games you want to play. No more keeping us as pawns to use against anyone.”
There’s another long beat, and then his tone changes, still calm and cold as before, but it’s dipped into something darker now.
“What makes you so sure you can convince him to do something like that? You were merely sleeping with him. You held no high position within his ranks. You were only there to warm his bed and birth his heir.”
“Is he, or is he not, tearing apart the city right now looking for me?” I counter, forcing my tone to remain even.
There’s a pause, followed by a soft chuckle. “Fair point.”
I lean forward, voice tightening. “Then answer my question, Mikhail. If I get him to agree, do I get my son back? Yes or no.”
On the other end of the line, I hear him exhale a long, exaggerated sigh.
Something taps in the background, slow and rhythmic.
Fingers against a desk, maybe. Or the butt of a knife, drumming in thought.
“I’m willing to think about it. I must say, Ivy, I didn’t expect this from you.
You’ve certainly… proposed an interesting idea. ”
“You have one day to think about it. Then the offer comes off the table,” I say flatly.
There’s a moment of stunned silence before a surprised laugh rumbles through the receiver. “Bold of you to threaten me, Ivy. Do you not recall who I have in my custody? One word from me, and he will be dead before you finish that sentence.”
“Then you lose half your leverage,” I snap.
“You think Maksim will hand over his empire for me alone? You know better. You’re keeping Leo alive because he’s the one who matters.
He is Maksim’s son, his legacy. You kill him, Maksim will never kneel.
He’ll burn every city you set foot in, scorch every alliance he’s built for that Bratva before you can get your hands on it first. Even if you somehow manage to take over, he’ll raze every inch of Russia you think you own.
You’ll be left with nothing, and then what would be the point in becoming the Antonovs’ Pakhan?
You know it. That’s why you haven’t touched my son. ”
He lets out a quiet, almost amused hum. “Another fair point. You’ve done your homework. I can see now why Maksim took such an interest in you. You are quite… persuasive.”
I know better than to take a compliment from a man like him. It’s a trap disguised as flattery. It means he sees you as useful, and the moment you stop being useful, you stop being anything at all to him.
Even human.
“One day, Mikhail,” I tell him. “That’s all I’m giving you.
I’m willing to betray the man I love for my son’s safety.
That’s not something that should be taken lightly.
You can mock me all you want, but you know I’m right.
You know I’m the only one who stands a chance at making Maksim even consider a negotiation like this. ”
I pause for a second to catch my breath, feeling myself steady again.
“Without me, you’ll be clawing your way to Pakhan for the rest of your life.
Hiding in the shadows, licking your wounds after every failed attempt, because he’ll never stop.
Maksim will never let you know peace. You stole his heir.
You dragged me into this war. You think that ends with a crown on your head?
It won’t, and you’d be a fool to think otherwise. ”
Silence once again.
“Meet me in person when you give me your decision,” I say before pulling the phone away from my ear and turning to the guard closest to me.
They’re both staring, stunned. Like they can’t quite believe what they just witnessed. They expected me to beg and grovel, to fold in on myself like the broken thing I’ve pretended to be. But instead, I stood up with nothing but a mother’s desperation and conviction forged in fire and steel.
Neither they, nor Mikhail, know what to do with that.
I lift my chin.
I don’t care if they think I’m dangerous now.
I refuse to be an unwilling pawn in this game any longer.