Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lilith
"Elena..." I laid it all out, every word clawing its way up from the deepest part of my chest, carrying all the weight I'd been burying for so long. When I finished, I couldn't even look at her face.
"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, I—"
I broke down. The room went silent. When I finally looked up, Elena's face was sheet-white.
Her hands were shaking.
She was in pain. She must have been thinking about what happened back then—if that mobster hadn't forced himself on her, my sister wouldn't have married her husband only to have him despise her for not being a virgin, wouldn't have suffered his abuse until she nearly died.
It was her lifelong wound. I knew she'd never get past it.
"Don't be scared." I wrapped my arms around Elena. "Once you're better, we'll leave. I... I don't love Andrei anymore. Really."
"I swear." My heart was bleeding, but I couldn't lose my sister.
"No."
After a long silence, Elena finally steadied herself. She pushed me away and shook her head.
"Lily, do you really not love Andrei anymore?"
"Yes." I nodded.
"You're lying!" Elena's voice rose. A moment later, she softened. "Lily, I don't need your happiness as a sacrifice for mine."
"What?"
"Yes, that incident is the wound I'll carry forever. But Lily, it's not yours." Elena's tears fell. "I hate the mob. I used to think all mobsters were scum who deserved to die."
"But maybe... maybe not all of them are bad."
"At least Andrei never hurt you. And he pulled me back from death's door."
Elena wiped her tears. "You know my condition—without Andrei, I wouldn't even be here talking to you. So I can't just lump him in with those disgusting mobsters."
"He gave me a second chance at life. Maybe fate arranged this so I could finally let go of the past."
She covered my hand with hers.
"You're married to him now. You made vows before God—so I won't let my experience trap you for life. If you can really be happy, I can't watch you lose that." Elena's voice caught. "You have to decide for yourself. Do you love him? Are you willing to trust him for love's sake?"
"Lilith, whatever you choose, I support you. And I'll always have your back. Once I'm better and we get our restaurant running, even if you want to leave Andrei, I can take care of you."
I lowered my head. Something lodged in my throat, sour and choking, stuck there.
I looked up. Tears pooled in my eyes but didn't fall.
"I understand. Let me think about it some more."
I helped Elena lie down to rest. Too much had happened today; her emotions had been all over the place. I didn't want to affect her recovery.
That weekend, while my sister slept in her hospital bed and I sat nearby thinking, someone knocked on the door.
I opened it to find Luca standing there in a crisp suit and tie, holding a beautifully wrapped fruit basket, the whole package polished and proper.
"Lilith," he cleared his throat. "I came to see Elena."
"She's resting. And she probably doesn't want to see you anyway, considering what you did to me. She knows everything."
Luca's face darkened.
I moved to close the door. In that instant, Luca grabbed the handle. Before I could react, he dropped to his knees.
"What are you doing?" I jumped. "Get up!"
Luca wouldn't budge. I frowned, then stepped out and carefully closed the door so his voice wouldn't wake Elena.
"What the hell do you want?"
"Lilith, I've been thinking a lot these past few days.
" Luca stayed on his knees. "I have so many regrets.
My immaturity hurt you. I used to think you'd always be there waiting for me.
But when I saw you in that wedding dress about to marry someone else, I realized what a bastard I'd been. I lost you."
"Lilith, I'm sorry. Will you give me a chance? I swear I've changed. I'll treat you right. I won't hold it against you that you married my father. And I'm different from him."
Luca looked at me earnestly, tears glistening in his eyes. "I won't inherit his mob business. I promise I'll never put you in danger. Please, just one chance?"
"No."
I shook my head. Luca's eyes dimmed. Unwilling to accept it, he tried to grab my hand. I stepped back.
I believed Luca had really changed—eyes don't lie. If he'd done this right after we broke up, I might have agreed. But now it was impossible.
"I'm sorry, Luca," I said softly. "I don't love you anymore. Maybe I never did."
Luca's face went white.
"You really fell for my father?"
"Yes. I love him."
Luca gasped, eyes red as he demanded, "But his world is dangerous. You still love him?"
"I love him." I couldn't lie to my own heart. These past few days, not a second passed that I didn't miss Andrei. "Even if he's a mobster, I love him."
"But he'll destroy you, Lilith!" Luca stood up, his hand clamping around my wrist. "Lilith, he'll kill you. Trust me, once he's bored, he'll definitely kill—"
"Luca." Before he could finish, a tall shadow appeared behind him. Andrei set a paper box on the seat beside me. Then he loosened his tie and looked Luca up and down. He smiled—a smile without any warmth.
"Still harassing your mother, Luca? That beating the other day wasn't enough?"
Luca flinched.
"Stop embarrassing yourself. Lilith already told you—she loves me. Luca, you don't actually think learning to wear a suit and tie will win Lilith over, do you?"
Andrei grabbed Luca by the collar and yanked him away from me.
"Get lost before I beat you to death."
Luca stumbled. The fruit basket crashed against the wall. The cellophane tore with a sharp rip. Strawberries rolled everywhere, crushed into red pulp under his shoes.
"Dad!" Luca's face flushed. "I've figured it out—I love Lilith! I can change anything for her!"
"Change?" Andrei laughed coldly. "Your changes are worthless."
"I—"
Andrei cut him off. "Luca, you're a useless waste. You've never earned a dime in your life. Even if Lilith chose you, what could you give her? Your ability to spend money but not make it? Or are you planning to have Lilith beg on the streets with you?"
"You're not a child anymore. You can't give Lilith a future."
Luca's mouth hung open, speechless. Andrei didn't give him a chance to defend himself. He grabbed his collar, lifted him bodily, and strode toward the end of the hallway. Luca's feet barely touched the ground. His tie strangled his neck, making him cough in broken gasps.
The elevator dinged open. Andrei threw him inside, then kicked the ruined fruit basket in after him. Luca collapsed in the corner, a complete mess. He looked up at Andrei with resentful, furious eyes but said nothing as the elevator doors slowly closed.
The hallway fell silent.
Andrei walked back to me, his posture awkward, almost careful as he looked at me—though I wasn't sure if I was imagining it.
"Lilith, what you said to Luca..."
"Just to make him leave." I knew what Andrei wanted to ask, but my head was still a mess.
"I'm sorry."
Andrei lowered his head slightly. A bitter smile touched his lips. "Lilith, I know you don't want to see me. I'll leave now." He turned to go. After two steps, he turned back. "Lilith, there's apple pie in the bag. The one you've been missing. Will you... try it?"
I froze.
Andrei gave another self-mocking smile. "Of course, if you don't want it, that's fine. I know you hate me. I'll try not to appear in front of you anymore."
With that, Andrei slowly turned and left. He walked so slowly, each step seeming to cause him pain.
Watching his careful manner, my heart clenched sharply. It hurt.
That night, I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. My nightstand was piled high with all the gifts Andrei had sent over the past two weeks. Except for food I didn't want to waste, everything else sat there untouched. They were like my longing for Andrei—growing higher and higher.
My head was full of Andrei. I thought about those gifts he personally left at the hospital room door every day. He'd done so much, yet I'd made him apologize just to see me.
His departing figure had looked so lonely and desolate. My heart couldn't stop aching.
I couldn't bear to see him suffer for me.
When I thought about how from now on we'd have to tiptoe around each other, or never see each other again... I thought I'd rather die.
I couldn't leave Andrei.
Those words spun wildly through my mind. In that instant, I finally understood the answer.
The next morning, just after dawn, the window still shrouded in thin mist.
Elena was still asleep. I checked her breathing as usual.
The heart monitor showed her steady heartbeat.
I exhaled in relief. I climbed out of bed quietly, changed into a light blue dress, and tied my hair up in front of the small bathroom mirror.
I didn't look great—there were faint blue circles under my eyes. I'd barely slept last night.
I had to go to work today.
I'd taken time off before the wedding, then more time after to care for Elena post-surgery. I'd burned through all my vacation days. If I didn't show up at the office, HR would probably frame my attendance record and hang it on the bulletin board as a cautionary tale.
At least Elena's body was recovering. Her color improved daily. The doctor said she could be discharged in a few weeks. That at least let me walk into the office building with some peace of mind.
I entered the company building, swiped through the turnstile, and greeted Cindy at the front desk. As the elevator climbed and I watched the floor numbers tick up, a strange, long-lost feeling washed over me—normal life.
Design files, conference rooms, revision notes, deadlines. These mundane, ordinary things felt like a safe house now. After the gunfire at the wedding and the endless waiting in hospital corridors, sitting at my desk adjusting pixel spacing felt like luxury.
Ever since Andrei acquired the company, I hadn't done any of that statistical PowerPoint busywork—he'd pulled me out of that mess and put me on projects that actually mattered.
My poster proposals were getting approved more and more.
Last week the director even praised my color choices in the department chat.
I'd always been good at this, but the chance for others to see me differently came from Andrei.
He did all this to make people notice me, but he never asked for credit.
Thinking about it made me miss him again.
The calm lasted until quitting time. I'd just stepped out of the office building when a hand suddenly grabbed my arm from behind.
The first thought that exploded in my head—the mob was coming for me. Adrenaline shot through my brain. My fingertips started tingling. I whipped around—
It was Luca's disgusting face.
This time he wasn't in a suit, and there was no polite preamble. He stood before me with a dark expression. "Lilith, I'm not giving up. I want one more chance."
I tried to calm my racing heart, frowning as I demanded, "What do you want now? Stop pestering me!"
I tried to leave, but Luca held me tight. "Lilith, come with me somewhere. If, after that, you still choose my bastard father, I won't bother you again."
"Trust me."
Before I could refuse, Luca pulled me into his car and drove me through a side entrance into Andrei's manor. There weren't many people around—he obviously knew the layout well.
Luca led me straight to a basement. The moment I walked in, I smelled thick blood. Inside was a heavy door left slightly ajar, light spilling out along with low voices.
We crept close to the crack. I saw what was inside.
Andrei stood there, his back to the door, facing someone bound to an iron chair.
The man's wrists were cut deep by wire, blood running down his arms and pooling dark red on the cement floor.
His fingers twisted at angles no living person should achieve.
Where his nails should be were just deep red holes still seeping blood.
Andrei set the red-hot brand back on the tray, then crouched before the man and forced his face up. I saw his eye sockets were just two charred hollows, crimson blood still streaming out.
"One more question you haven't answered." Andrei's voice sounded like a demon from hell.
The man's lips moved. His tongue seemed damaged. He could only make gurgling sounds.
"Looks like you can't answer—then that tongue is useless." Andrei released him, picked up pliers, and shoved them into the man's mouth. He made muffled, agonized sounds.
My legs gave out. I grabbed Luca's arm to keep from collapsing.
"See?" Luca whispered in my ear with cruel satisfaction. "That's the monster you fell in love with. That's the man you want to spend your life with."
I stared at the scene through the crack, chest heaving, terror surging up—but something else was rising too. I got a clear look at the bound man's face.
I recognized that face.
Years ago, my sister had shown it to me once, in a blurry old photo from a crime news story. She said that was the man who'd ruined her life—the mobster who'd raped her.
Andrei was helping us.
"Lilith, scared now? He's an animal, he doesn't deserve—"
"Shut up." I turned to Luca, forcing my trembling voice flat. "You shouldn't talk about your father that way."
Luca froze. "You're defending him?"
Luca's expression twisted like he'd been punched hard. He stepped back, staring at me. His voice started shaking. "If it were me behind that door today, if you saw me doing this, you'd turn and leave immediately and never look at me again. But Andrei—he gets forgiven? Why?"
"Luca—"
"Enough, I don't want to hear it!"
"Even after watching him torture someone, you still choose him..." His voice shot up, eyes full of uncontrolled red. "Then let me tell you—my birth mother, his ex-wife, he killed her with his own hands too. Do you still choose him?"
"What did you say?" I stared in disbelief.
Luca smiled triumphantly. "I told you—Andrei will kill you. Because that's how he killed my mother. You think you'll be the exception?"
"I remember Elena got her heart condition from her ex-husband beating her, right? Lilith, are you going to follow my mom's and Elena's path?"
My head buzzed. I couldn't hear anything. My legs gave out completely, and I slid down the wall to the floor.
The basement door was yanked open.
Andrei stood there, looking at us.