ZARYA ROGOV
The cold wind hit my form when I stepped out of the white mansion, my hair up in a messy bun, the coat I stole sat perfectly on my shoulders.
Walking through the hall, trying my best not to get caught, I finally made it out.
I only needed to get away from the men surrounding the area, and maybe I would reach home.
I kept my head low and walked perfectly fine, even though the pain in my ankle was bad enough.
I heard them barking orders at each other.
Some of them were chatting and making jokes.
I didn’t waver; I just kept walking until I was able to get away from them.
I slowed down a little and turned my head slightly back to look at the mansion.
I managed to get away from them; now all I needed to do was reach home.
My heart was beating so fast, but not as fast as my mind was running with possibilities and consequences.
I immediately stopped a taxi for myself and got inside.
The middle-aged man greeted me and stared at me through the rearview mirror.
I took a deep breath and told him the address.
“The Rogov mansion?” He asked, and I nodded before looking out through the window.
My eyes were on the white mansion, the gate, and the guards, including his men, roaming around.
The farther the car got, the relaxed my shoulders became.
I took another deep breath and turned back in front.
What would happen now?
What would he do?
Because no matter what, I was still bonded to him through marriage.
I looked down at the ring on my finger.
My hands were still trembling, including my whole body.
I licked my lips and rubbed my hands against my arms to calm myself down.
I did it.
I managed to escape him.
I didn’t care about the future.
The fact that I managed to escape from right under his nose was good enough.
Guess I had a degree in escapism.
I chuckled to myself while looking out through the window.
The driver looked at me through the rearview mirror, but I couldn’t care less.
He must be thinking I had gone crazy.
I kinda have.
After a while, the Rogov mansion finally came into my sight.
I felt relieved, but at the same time, my heart wasn’t at ease.
When the taxi stopped in front of the gates, one of the guards walked out as usual.
I rolled down the window and looked at him.
His eyes slightly widened when he saw me.
“Miss Zarya.” He said and immediately turned to open the gates.
“Wait.” He halted on his steps and looked at me.
“Yes, miss?” He asked, and I stepped out of the car.
“Pay the driver,” I told him, and he frowned.
It took him a few seconds to get it, but he nodded and walked over to the driver’s side.
With that done, I limped in through the side door, clenching the coat around myself.
Just as I entered, I saw a group of guards standing in the corner, smoking.
Among them was Michael.
All of them halted and looked at me.
Some were in shock, some neutral, and Michael with amusement.
I looked back at the mansion.
Although I didn’t have many good memories of this place, I felt like I could breathe.
This place felt like my own, and not a cage anymore.
As I began to limp forward towards the mansion, I heard them whispering among each other.
“What is she doing here?”
“Why is she walking like that?”
Then Michael’s voice came, telling them to shut up.
They faded behind me because all of my attention was now ahead of me.
I grabbed the knob and slowly opened the door, stepping inside.
The nostalgic scent and surroundings almost made me tear up.
At this time, they usually sat in the living room, discussing stuff.
As I limped towards the living room, the maids working paused and looked at me, shocked.
I could hear their voices coming from the living room, and tears finally began to fall down my face.
It wasn’t just the tears of finally being here; it was the tears of realizing that while I was battling in their enemy’s territory all this time, nothing in this place and these people had changed.
They were sipping on tea like usual. Find the original chapter at g.com.
My mother took a sip and looked at my father before her gaze snapped to me, and her eyes widened.
“Zarya.”
My father looked at her with a frown.
“I told you not to talk about her.” But when he noticed his wife staring towards the door’s direction, he followed her gaze, and his eyes landed on me.
‘I told you not to talk about her.’
How could he?
A sob shook through my body.
She put the cup down and stood up, staring at me in shock and concern as tears gathered in her eyes.
“What kind of a father are you?” I yelled, tears streaming down my face.
He slowly stood up, staring at me like I was some trash and not his blood.
“I’m fighting every day in that damn mansion, and you don’t even care.” I continue to yell, my voice getting louder, my face turning red, and tears running down my cheeks.
“I’ve endured enough.
For what?
FOR A SHITTY FATHER LIKE YOU.”
Mother gasped, father’s eyes widened, but then soon narrowed in anger.
She immediately rushed towards me and grabbed my arm, telling me to be quiet, but I pushed her away, making her bump against the wall.
“Why should I be quiet?
I’ve always been quiet, always taken you’ll bullshit.
While I’m fighting there every day for something you did, you have the audacity to act like nothing has changed.” I continue to yell.
The maids peeked through the door, whispering among each other.
Mother stared at me, shocked as tears gathered in her eyes.
Father’s anger only grew as he strode up to him.
I immediately grabbed a vase from the nearby table, hitting it against the edge of the table until it shattered right in my hands, making me bleed, but the pain was nothing.
The feelings I was feeling at the moment were my ruination.
I pointed the sharp edge at my father.
“Don’t you dare,” I growled.
He paused, staring at me in disbelief, as if I had been possessed, but it was just me breaking.
Mother gasped, shaking her head at me to stop.
“I’ll never forgive you for what you did.” I rasped, staring at my father in wrath, yet the tears wouldn’t just stop.
He sighed and pulled out his phone, calling someone.
Probably his guards because his pathetic self couldn’t handle me anymore.
But then…
“Take your wife, she’s here making a fuss.” He said on the call, and my eyes widened, orbs throbbing.
Did he…
“Oh yeah, you’re already on your way?” Father looked me straight in the eyes.
He called Sergei and told him to take me.
I stumbled back.
“How could you…” I whispered under my breath.
He dropped the call and sighed.
“He’ll give you a good lesson.” He said, and I looked up at him, tears running down my face nonstop.
What to expect from others when this was my own…father?
Maybe…I was truly cursed.
I raised my wrist, ready to cut it with the sharp dagger in my hand, but Father strode up to me almost instantly and snatched it out of my hands, throwing it away.
Mother screamed.
I looked at them and shook my head.
Father raised his hand to slap me, but I harshly pushed him and turned around, running out of the mansion.
The place I thought would save me from the monster turns out it was being ruled by just another one.
The maids gasped as I pushed past them.
I harshly slipped out of my heels, spraining my already sprained ankle, and a cry tore through my lips, blood dripping on the white marble from my hand.
Yet, I didn’t stop.
I rushed out of the mansion barefoot, and just as I was descending the stairs, I tripped and fell over, scraping my knees.
The guards stared at me, shocked, and Michael immediately rushed to help me up, but I pushed at him, my coat falling off my shoulders.
He stared at me in shock.
Yet, I didn’t stop.
I ran out of the mansion half dead, but I still ran.
I refused to get caught by that monster again; I’d rather die.
The cold wind didn’t make me shiver; it soothed me because my insides were burning in agony.
The guards stepped aside as I rushed past them, running out of the side door through which I had entered.
I wished I shouldn’t have come here, I should have gone there.
The bridge.
As I looked to my right, a yelp left my lips when I saw a long trail of cars far away on the road.
He was coming.
I could feel Michael following me.
Why was he following me?
“Miss Zarya.” He yelled behind me.
“Leave me alone,” I yelled, not turning back, just running.
I rushed towards the bridge with the water flowing beneath it.
By the time they would reach me, I would be dead.
I half ran, half limped.
I could now see the lights of their cars reflecting right besides me on the road, but I was also near.
I heard Michael talking to someone on his phone while following me, but his words were just a haze.
My mind has gone numb.
I reached the bridge, but my eyes widened when the cars began to stop beside me with loud screeches.
They were here already?
Michael finally stopped along with the cars, and I immediately climbed the bridge, staring down at the water.
That water…it scared me.
Even looking at it back then scared me, but right now, it was calling me, whispering words of love and comfort.
“ZARYA.” A familiar voice called out to me, and I slowly turned to look at Sergei standing there, staring at me with his eyes narrowed.
“What do you think you are doing?
Get down.” Even now, he was commanding.
I shook my head.
He took a step forward, and I took a step back, making him pause.
The wind caressed me.
My messy bun was now open, and my hair was dancing in the wind.
My silk dress was slightly covered with my blood.
His men stared at the scene in shock.
“Hey…Get.
Down.” He commanded, his jaw clenching.
I didn’t move, didn’t say anything.
Sergei asked Michael, his voice rough.
“What the hell happened?”
For the first time, he looked like he was on the point of breaking character.
His eyes showed something other than emptiness and genuine animosity.
Michael shook his head.
“I don’t know, she first came out of nowhere and went inside.
Just after five minutes, she ran out looking like…this.” Michael said.
Sergei snapped his head back at me.
“You asked what happened?” I asked and smiled.
“You happened.”
Silence surrounded us.
His eyes moved away from my face.
They first went on my bruised ankle, then my torn dress from the knees, then my bleeding hand, and then rested back on my face.
Something flashed in his eyes, something very unknown.
“Get down, Zarya.
This is the last time.” He commanded.
His footing began to turn restless.
“Exactly, it’s the last time…Sergei.”
He slowly tilted his head at me, his jaw clenched.
“You wanted revenge, right?” I asked.
“You wanted me dead,” I said and chuckled.
“I thought I’d fulfill your wish earlier so you wouldn’t have to waste your time.” I continued, then looked at him right in the eye with a smile.
“You can thank me in hell.” With that said, I stepped back, stumbling.
“ZARYA!”
I let go and fall backwards.
The last thing I heard was him yelling my name, and the last thing I saw was him jumping in the water, following right behind me.
The water splashed, not once but twice and at the same time.
I didn’t know how to swim, so I let the water drown me gladly.
I didn’t struggle to breathe; I just let it consume me.
The last thing I felt before losing myself completely were two strong pairs of arms wrapping around my waist.
Then I realized..he wouldn’t let me die because eight years ago he promised me and himself.
‘I would kill you with my own hands…until then, even god can’t take you away from me.’
So yeah…my curse was to die from his hands and not yet die.
He was my curse.
Being his wife was my curse.