ZARYA ROGOV
The white mansion ahead of us looked like heaven on earth with all that lightning and structure, but the truth was it carried the secrets of devils and was loyal to them.
His hand on my waist was a constant reminder of my cage.
A shiver ran down my spine when the cold wind caressed me.
I cursed myself for not bringing anything to cover up.
I was just too focused on getting on his nerves.
It just backfired.
He stood beside me like an iron wall, unwaveringly dangerous.
As I slowly looked up at him, he was giving orders to one of his men; my eyes couldn’t help but caress his features.
He was handsome, but that was all because from inside he was the worst monster of all.
The better the outside, the worse the inside.
I immediately lowered my gaze, looking everywhere but him when he looked down at me.
I felt his eyes boring holes in my skull.
And then he began walking with me right beside him.
The guards at the door bowed to him and opened the grand door.
I almost frowned when the sharp lightning hit my eyes, but he stared straight ahead, unblinking.
A wave of whispers circled in the grand hall once he stepped inside with me.
My heart was literally thumping in my ears, and my palms were sweating in nervousness.
His grip tightened on my waist.
I looked around in order to spot my family, but as far as my sight could reach, I found them nowhere, though I made multiple eye contact.
People were whispering among each other while looking at me, looking at us.
As Sergei walked further in, an old man approached him with a wide grin on his wrinkled face.
“Oh, Sergei, what a surprise.” The old man playfully hit his arm in a greeting manner.
“You never attend such parties, no matter how much I persist.” The old man complained, a wine glass in his left hand.
“I just thought a little change would be better,” Sergei answered.
“Plus, I’m not on a killing rampage for now.” Goosebumps rose on my skin at his words.
The way he just casually mentioned his criminal record with the old man just smiling at him just showed how fucked up this place and these people were.
This man just mentioned Sergei doesn’t attend such parties.
Then why did he attend this one?
Yes, I know why.
Because he wanted to show the world that he had finally caged me.
A Rogov.
His sworn enemy.
That Rogov’s were now in his palm.
The old man’s gaze finally fell on me, and he frowned.
“Hello, young lady.” He greeted, not extending his hand to shake for some reason.
I passed him a little nod in return.
A fake smile was plastered on my lips.
“You look familiar.” He said, and the side of Sergei’s lips curved up.
Here goes nothing.
“She’s Zarya Rogov, now Zarya Morozov,” Sergei said, and the old man’s eyes widened.
The people standing nearby also heard that and were shocked out of their wits.
“What?” The man asked, looking shocked as he tried to fix his expression but couldn’t.
Sergei just stared at him, his thumb now caressing the side of my waist, making me feel tingly around the area.
“Ho-How did that happen?” He asked.
He looked very comfortable around this old man.
“Well, that’s the news of the century.” He said, finally smiling now.
“When did you guys get married?
You didn’t even tell me.
I’m your family, damnit.” He asked, sounding a little upset.
“Happened in private.
In a very limited circle.” Sergei said, and the old man didn’t ask anything further, knowing how private Sergei was related to his personal relations…and his plans.
The marriage happening in secret was understandable, but why was he flaunting his wife now when he didn’t want anyone to even know about her?
Even Rogov hid her for a long time.
Well, I know.
They might not get the whole story, but I knew exactly what he was doing.
After that, we met a few more people, all of them looked scared of him, but masked their expressions with a fake smile.
He held me by his side all the time, introducing me like a trophy he had won.
My ankle was screaming at me to take off the damn heels and just sit somewhere, but his grip on my waist was like iron.
“Um, I-I can’t stand anymore.” I looked up at him and whispered.
Even though he heard me, he pretended like he didn’t.
Finally, it was time for dinner, and when everyone settled down to have dinner on the round tables, we were the last to reach our assigned table.
People were already seated in a circle, but what caught my attention was that there was only one seat left at the circular table.
Only his name was written on the metal and placed on the table in front of the chair.
“I’ll arrange another table.” One of the waiters said nervously, but Sergei stopped him.
“There is no need.” He said, his voice held an authority that made the waiter remain frozen in his place.
Sergei settled down in the chair.
A little frown kissed my features.
What was he doing?
“You can leave.” He told the waiter.
The waiter first looked at me and then at him.
He nodded, lowered his gaze, and walked away.
I just stood there beside him, my heels digging into my flesh, my ankle begging for some release.
Was he going to make me sit on his lap?
That would be embarras-
“Serve me.”
Huh?
I stared down at him in disbelief.
The people at the table stared at us in shock before they shared looks and whispers.
W-What was he doing?
‘Humiliating you.’
When I didn’t move, he slowly looked up at me.
His gaze held warning.
He would stomp lower if I refused to obey him.
When I didn’t budge, he lowered his gaze back to the plate in front of him.
“Well…
I’ll let you slide today.” He muttered under his breath and gestured at the waitress standing nearby.
She immediately moved forward and filled his plate with whatever he liked.
Without a word, he began eating, and I just stood beside him like a clown, staring at him in disbelief.
He didn’t bring me here to flaunt me but to humiliate me as well.
I wasn’t used to attention, and this was killing me.
He was killing me.
My hands trembled, eyes turning teary, no matter how much I tried to control my tears.
The pain in my throat was making it hard for me to breathe.
And then someone placed a chair behind me.
I turned to look, and it was that same old man.
Mr Dima.
“It’s awful to make a lady stand like that when all the males sit shamelessly.” He said, his eyes moving to Sergei, who was unbothered before moving onto me.
I immediately lowered my gaze so he wouldn’t see my teary eyes.
“Thank you,” I said and settled down.
“No one in my party stays in discomfort.” He said, gripping my chair from behind.
The people around the table nodded at his statement.
The only reason nobody dared to step forward was because the one before them was no one but the Pakhan himself.
The pain from my ankle has now traveled up my whole leg; the slight relief wasn’t helping at all.
I looked at Sergei and then at my plate, which the waitress was filling.
It wasn’t even half full, and I stopped her with a polite smile.
The waitress passed me a little sad smile and moved away.
She looked like she understood me more than anyone here.
I grabbed the spoon and took a small bite.
I had no appetite.
While everyone was still eating, Mr.
Dima stood in the middle, hitting the spoon on his glass to gain everyone’s attention.
When everyone was looking at him, he announced.
“This toast goes to my great nephew, Sergei, on his marriage to Zarya Rogov.” He said it as loudly as he could, and everyone raised their glasses in cheers, which took over the whispers.
Sergei and I sat silently as everyone congratulated us in unison.
I hated this.
Once everything got back to normal, I looked at him and leaned closer.
“I’m going to use the restroom,” I said, and didn’t wait for his response as I got up.
The sharp pain in my ankle almost made me hiss as I made my way through the hall, trying my best not to limp.
My jaw clenched as I tried to endure pain.
I could feel his gaze burning my back.
As I was making my way to the restroom in the hallway, I finally leaned against the wall for support and began to limp.
Tears were burning the back of my eyes.
I didn’t care when a few waitresses walked past me.
I just couldn’t walk like my foot wasn’t on the verge of breaking.
As I entered the restroom, I grabbed the edges of the sink and washed my hands.
I wasn’t here to use the restroom; I was here to get some relief from his presence.
As I was lightly dabbing my face with water, a lady entered the restroom.
She looked at me from head to toe and took off her woollen coat.
She hung it up and went to use the restroom.
Just then, an idea clicked in my mind.
Escape!