Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 93506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
I think I’m dreaming.
This has to be a nightmare, right?
But then Kirill smiles charmingly and lifts her hand, showcasing a huge diamond ring on her finger.
She has Kirill’s ring on her finger.
The man to whom I confessed my love for after he fucked me into oblivion not two hours ago is engaged to another woman.
A beautiful, elegant, and absolutely stunning woman.
And everyone is here to celebrate it.
“Sasha?”
I blink the blurriness in my eyes away and robotically focus on Rai. She’s touching my arm and dragging me away from everyone.
“You’re crying,” she whispers. “I assume you don’t want anyone to see that, right?”
I don’t reply. I can’t.
I’ve lost my voice and…every part of me that made any sense.
Once we’re in a hall that’s hidden from all the attention, she grabs me by the shoulder. “Are you okay?”
I stare at her numbly. “Please tell me what we just heard was a joke or a play of my imagination or…or simply not true.”
She winces. “I’m afraid it’s real, Sasha. Granduncle just announced Kirill’s engagement to Kristina. Honestly, I don’t even know how he accepted her when she was Adrian’s fiancée six years ago. I guess Igor is ready to sacrifice that poor girl for whoever he sees fit of his support…oh, God. Why are you crying? Don’t tell me…oh no, do you actually like that cunning fox?”
“I…I need to go. I have to…to…”
“Sasha…” She softens her voice. “He’s no good for you. Or anyone, for that matter. He’s an opportunist, and if you have feelings for him, he’ll just use them to reach his end goal. It’s not too late to remove yourself from his side.”
It is too late.
So, so late.
“I need to go.” I forcibly remove her hand and run outside.
She calls my name, but I’m not hearing her.
The cold air hits my face, and then the rain. It’s raining hard and heavily, but I don’t stop as I run and run.
I get soaked in seconds, but I’m thankful that the rain camouflages my tears.
But nothing can mend my heart that’s currently shattering to pieces.
22
KIRILL
This night is going worse than I predicted.
Yes, I knew Sasha wouldn’t like the news of my engagement, but I didn’t think she’d cry in public.
If Rai hadn’t dragged her away, I have no fucking clue what she would’ve done.
Would she have done anything? Or would she have stood there crying and then I would’ve been the one who drew unwanted attention?
I’m overthinking at this point with no concrete plan or course of action.
Fucking liar.
I welcomed the deal both Igor and the Pakhan offered me a few days ago.
If it were just Igor wanting me to marry his daughter for some sort of families’ union, I would’ve comfortably said no.
I’m not Adrian. Where he was previously engaged to Kristina for the mere purpose of an alliance with the secretly most powerful family in the brotherhood, I’m doing it for higher purposes.
That’s why I only accepted this deal once the Pakhan gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
Kristina gives me a reserved smile as we stand side by side to accept everyone’s congratulations. She’s a woman made for this role. She has no character, no opinion, and no purpose other than being her father’s trump card.
She’s as beautiful…as a lifeless doll. Expressionless in private and an actress in public.
Yulia and Stella, Igor’s wife, are on either side of us. Now, this whole thing is a pain in the ass, except for one part. The look on Yulia’s face when she realized that I’m playing the long game and that whatever she has planned will fail miserably once I’m in my future position.
She does have to put on a show in front of the world, though, so as not to embarrass herself.
I’m going to make this woman watch every moment as I stomp on each and every one of her grandiose dreams. I’ll crush her hopes and plans, so she’ll really wish she’d killed me when I didn’t have the strength to fight back.
Konstantin, however, fucked off to God knows where as soon as the engagement was announced. If I wasn’t imagining things, I’d think Kristina stiffened, too, but she didn’t look at anyone but me and her father tonight.
My eyes keep filtering back to where Sasha disappeared with Rai earlier. A few minutes later, the Pakhan’s grandniece came back alone.
I pull out my phone and type a text.
Kirill: Where’s Lipovsky?
Viktor meets my gaze from the other end of the room before his reply comes.
Viktor: Seriously? You think I have the time or energy to focus on that little fuck?
I’m going to fucking kill Viktor. For a very irrational reason. Of course, he’s in no frame of mind to focus on her when his top priority is to ensure my safety, but that doesn’t seem as important right now.
Kirill: Find him. It’s urgent.