ZARYA ROGOV
I stared at the paper in my hand in confusion.
Huh?
What was this supposed to mean?
I looked down at Lev and then towards the door.
Just as I was about to walk out to stop her, a huge figure stepped into the room.
A shiver ran down my spine when I saw Sergei standing in front of me.
He was dressed in a suit, with a long black coat hanging on his broad shoulders; he looked ready to head out.
His eyes twitched when he found me standing in his son’s room.
He was clearly not expecting me here.
I immediately crumbled the paper in my palm, my heart beating faster in his presence.
He looked at me from head to toe and slowly stepped closer.
I gulped and took a step back.
“What are you doing here?” He asked, his voice firm.
“Uh…d-didn’t you say it was m-my responsibility to look after him.” I stuttered, but was proud of the excuse I just made.
He looked like he was buying it.
He raised his brows at me.
“Since when did you start listening to me?” He asked, and I pursed my lips in a thin line.
I liked the fact that he thought of me as someone disobedient, but I’ve also endured enough of his bullshit to be called disobedient.
I looked up and found him looking down at my lips before his gaze flickered up to meet my eyes.
I cleared my throat and was about to walk past him, but he blocked my way, towering over me.
His scent spread through my senses, making my stomach twist in a nauseating sensation.
I swallowed and hesitantly looked up at him.
“Tonight…get ready.”
“F-For what?” I asked.
He raised his hand and pushed my hair back from my shoulder.
At this point, my heart was beating right in my ears.
“We are going to a party and I’ll introduce you as my wife for the first time.”
Here it was.
The thing I feared the most.
Standing beside him at an event where I would have to act like a perfect wife.
Like a perfect couple.
“Wear something nice.”
He took another step, and I could no longer move back.
Right behind me was Lev’s bed.
I flinched when he snaked his huge hand around my waist.
“Remember…you are my wife now and you must act like one.” He whispered under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear.
I gasped when he pulled me closer to himself.
My chest pressed against his, my hands resting on his chest.
This looked like that perfect novel scene, but the only difference was that he was a monster and I was his captive.
The emotion that should have been love was laced with an animosity so unknown yet so known that it burned deep within us.
It consumed one and tortured the other…every single day.
“You have my name with yours.
I don’t want you doing anything that would ruin it.”
“Don’t teach me h-how to act.
I act a thousand times be-better than a monster like you.” I finally managed to form words meaningful enough to have him silenced. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
“True.” He agreed just like that.
His eyes were not moving away from my face.
It was like he was carving me in his mind, in his memories.
As if…I was something he truly valued.
“A-And I can’t walk properly yet,” I said, pointing towards my sprained ankle.
“You have to.” His voice was firm, not a hint of emotion in his tone.
“Sure, I’d limp my way t-through that party and e-everyone would know what kind of a devil you are,” I said, looking right in his eyes.
His grip tightened on my waist, and the side of his lips curved up.
“They already do…this world fears me, Zarya, and you too would learn to.” His voice held a promise.
My lips trembled, and I immediately lowered my face.
He let go of me and stepped away.
“At 8, be ready.” He commanded and turned towards his son.
I took a deep breath and limped out of the room in a hurry.
As soon as I reached my room, I closed the door behind me and finally took a deep, shaky breath.
Tears streamed down my face.
He terrifyingly overwhelms me.
******
After looking for the most revealing dresses in my closet, I realized there were none.
I wasn’t the type to wear something revealing, but just to get on his nerves, I wanted to wear something like that, but my closet was filled with modest and old-money-type of dresses and clothes.
It seemed like he knew what kind of clothes I preferred.
How?
It’s not like we have met before marriage.
Or have we?
Because I have a huge chunk of my memories gone nowhere and something deep down in me believes that chunk has something to do with him.
The trauma was so severe, I forgot it all.
I never wanted to remember it either, knowing I forgot it for my own betterment.
I huffed and stared down at the dark brown colored silk long dress.
Hmm!
I rubbed my chin.
What should I do to get on his nerves?
Suddenly, an idea clicked in my mind.
A bold makeup…maybe.
….
At exactly 8:00 PM, I checked myself in the mirror.
My hair was tied up in a high ponytail so I could show most of my skin.
A dark brown lipstick with gloss painted my lips, dark makeup curling around my eyes.
I didn’t recognize my own self, but I looked exactly like a woman who should be standing beside him.
My eyes almost teared up, but I didn’t let it get to me and grabbed my bag.
I took a deep breath and left the room.
Just as I was descending the stairs in heels, trying to endure the pain in my ankle, I saw him sitting on the couch in the hall.
He was on a call with someone, but upon hearing the sound of my heels, his head snapped in my direction.
My heart was literally thudding wildly.
I was expecting no reaction on his face or maybe slight anger, but the brief twitch of his eyes said something else that I couldn’t pinpoint.
“I’ll talk to you later.” He said and dropped the call. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
The moment he stood up, my eyes took him in.
He looked dangerously handsome in his black suit.
On that, he had a long brown coat hanging on his broad shoulders.
His signature dress code.
If he wasn’t the man I knew, I would have found it hard to look away.
I immediately lowered my gaze, feeling tense under his.
Without a word, he stepped forward and took off his brown coat, making me wear it the same way he wore it, just so that my upper body would appear covered.
Grabbing my cold hand in his big, warm ones, he began to walk out.
I tried to match his pace, but the pain and my heels held me back.
He didn’t stop.
Once we were out of the mansion, his man bowed at him in unison.
This time, a black Limousine was parked in the driveway.
One of his men opened the door, his eyes cast low.
I realized none of his men even dared to glance at me.
They were truly loyal to him.
He made me sit in the car and followed behind.
I took a deep breath to calm myself, but it wasn’t helping.
Why was he so silent?
Why was he not reacting?
Don’t tell me…
did he actually like the way I was dressed?
Tsk!
What was the use of me putting my reputation on stake if he was going to act like this?
The car traveled through Moscow with a grace of its own.
I leaned against the soft seat, and from the corner of my eyes, I noticed him pouring himself some wine.
He was on his phone, completely ignoring my presence.
I wasn’t sure whether I should be thankful for it or not.
By the time the car stopped, I was already yawning.
I slipped out of his brown coat and moved towards the door, but he grabbed my wrist and abruptly pulled me onto his lap, making me gasp.
My wide eyes snapped at him.
“What are you trying to do?” He asked, his tone sounded restrained.
I realized all this time I was actually getting on his nerves.
Suddenly, he moved his hand in my hair and grabbed my ponytail, slowly taking it off and letting my hair rest on my shoulders and back.
He caressed my hair, scattering them so they could cover most of me.
I silently sat there wondering why he wasn’t snapping yet.
And then he put his hand under my chin and caressed his thumb on my lips in an attempt to lighten my lipstick.
And then…he finally looked in my eyes.
The intensity of his gaze almost made me breathless.
“Don’t be someone you are not.” His voice sounded huskier.
“I married Zarya, not a damn mistress.”
“Respect yourself if not me.”