Chapter 2

Elsa's pov 

The alarm rang beside me. I looked at it, 6 in the morning. I put my book at side table and  stretch my body. One more night without sleep it's like a normal routine for me to get sleep for a few hours or not get any.

I got up from bed and went to the washroom after finishing up with my routine. I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast but before that I have to do dusting. I do dusting and then prepare breakfast and lunch and then go to college.

These house chores are normal for me to do or I say compulsory for me to do. I have no choice. From the  past few years this is my routine. I can't deny doing all this. I prepared lunch for myself, Ryder bro and Hanna sis-in-law. They both sleep while I do work. Did they help? This is the most useless question to ask. 

Today is Sunday so my main focus is to do all the work before they both woke up and took some food for me to my room and didn't come downstairs until time for dinner. Did I want to meet them? No. Sometimes it's not their words which pierce my heart, it's their eyes which show only disgust and hate for me. 

If only Hanna shows those emotions I somehow manage but my only brother Ryder shows the same or I say much more hate then her so I tried hard to avoid any encounter with them. When Mommy and  Daddy were alive brother Ryder verbally accused me but after them he started to beat me. 

I pace my work speed as I make breakfast of Ryder's choice.

"Ohoo, the lady of the house making her brother's favorite breakfast....." Hanna said to me as she entered the kitchen. She stand beside me and continue 

"So what do you want now? Home, money or our lives, what  do you want?" 

I didn't say anything to her malicious words. It's good if I don't concentrate on her words. 

She held my arm in her tight grip deeping her nails in my skin, it will definitely leave marks on my skin. She held my jaw in tight grip from other hand and said while gritted her teeth 

"If you tried to go back to his good list by all doing this then you are already at loose. Because we all know what you are and how you are capable of destroying everything. Like you destroy my life by putting your bad eyes on it." 

She released me with a force that I stumbled on my feet backing. I hold my tears in the back of my eyes and try not to make her feel successful in her way. 

She left the kitchen and I went back to do my incomplete work while shaking hands. My appetite die long ago now  I only eat for survive.

"Sign those papers as soon as or you know what I'm capable of doing" brother told me or threatened me when I was going back to my room. He sat on the dining table eating his favorite sandwiches. He didn't look at me from past years. It's not like that  that he was a fun loving cool big brother, he always like this sulking but this version is destroyed his little sister in me. 

I didn't say anything and came into my room, locked it and looked at our family photo. Yes I have a happy family but it's long gone.

My elder sister Jane is my strength during hard days. She even offered me to live with them but this house held our parents' memories. Their talk, their laugh, every beautiful memory present here.

Aiden's pov

It's night and I sit in the garden puffing my cigarette. The photo of that girl beside me Mom asked me at dinner whether I saw that photo or not and I ignored that question. So do I really consider this proposal seriously? Hell yes because I made a promise to Mom and Volkovs never back off from their promises.

Volkov is not only a name, it's a legacy. It's an aura created by my grandfather and now we carry it and double it. We are very secretive about our personal lives. Whole world wanted to know about us but the gates of Volkov Mansion locked for all of them. It separated us from the outer dark world where we are cruel, arrogant, billionaire and Mafia but here we are son, brother and grandson. 

I don't want that because of a girl my family scattered like leaves. We are strong enough but when we make a relation to someone we carry it till the last breath.  Will that girl carry this name carefully? Will she love my family as her own family? Will she love me after knowing my reality to who I am? 

Many questions in mind for this girl. Which gave me a headache and on top of that dad really wanted to be this girl their daughter-in-law. How is it possible?

"Why didn't you sleep?" Dad's voice brings me out  of my thoughts. He stood near the bench looking at me and then my cigarette.

I threw it on the ground , crashing it under my foot. They all knew about my cigarette addiction and told me to quit it but it is hard for me. When I'm stressed or in tension I start it. 

"Can I sit here?”  Dad asked me and before I answered he sat beside me. 

Now he  tells me to quit cigarettes and counts its side effects and harmful effects. In short he will start  to scold me. But his question surprise me 

"Did you see the photo?" He asked and I looked at him and nodded in no and looked at the front of the garden. 

"Do you know her"? I asked him as I know that something is fishy about it which he didn't say earlier.

He took a deep breath folded his hands near his chest and said 

"Yes. I know her father. He was a struggling businessman at that time. I met him at a party where he tried to find an investor. I meet him and I like their business idea and invest in their business"

I looked at his face and his expression changed from nostalgia to happiness. 

"After that when his business grew he came to return money to our office. I was impressed by his honesty and that day he invited me to his daughter's birthday party." 

He looked at me and said while smiling 

"I almost forgot about his invitation but I remember it around 11 at night and I went there. I crashed an after birthday party. Where I met her, Elsa Williams. She was cute like a little doll wearing a pink frock. I met her and instantly connect with her if I had a daughter she was just like her" 

His eyes beaming in happiness he lost at that time. He looked back at trees and said 

"That was her fourth birthday. You were ten at that time. That was my first time meeting her. After that his father was busy with his business and me in mine. But I always have thoughts back in my mind to make her my daughter in law." 

He stopped for a few minutes and I smiled seeing his face, calm and composed. I sometimes really wanted to be like him, calm, composed, not getting angry on mere things but I didn't have those qualities, Aaron have.

"I thought that my son is handsome and has a good personality and sharp features. He is capable of falling in love, and will do love marriage  like his father. But alas there was no use of your handsomeness." He said with sarcasm which made me chuckle. He looked at me with done expression and said 

"Look seriously I always thought that you use your brain and this handsome feature and bring us a good talented daughter -in -law but no. Even when you went out of  London to Europe I thought that you would bring your girlfriend at least one but no. What are of your use?" 

We both laughed at his antics and I sensed his eyes on me. 

"Did you meet her or his father?" I asked him as he was serious about this proposal but his expression changed to guilt and sadness. 

"Her parents died one year ago. She lives with her brother and his wife. I got to know that......." he looked at me straight into my eyes, his eyes shows promise, trust and he continued 

"She's perfect for you son. We belong to the Mafia, blood and killing is our work but my mother always wanted to build a home where we feel what we are, we live as a normal person and express our feelings. Your Mom created this home and Elsa will continues this legacy. You can trust her. Think about it and tell us." 

Dad never shows this type of trust for outsiders. I'm surprised to hear this and it shows the emotions which he probably shows for us. He already assumed her as a family member. We sat there for some time in silence and then he went saying good night.

I came into my room taking a long hot shower and changed into something comfortable. I took that photo and stood on the balcony. I looked at the photo. 

She wears a white summer off shoulder dress which reaches to her thighs, with white shoes. Her dress shows her curves to the right places. Her black eyes, pin nose, red cheeks and long hair with back length make her more gorgeous. Her dress was simple, wearing no accessories, no earrings , no necklace , nothing but a small nose pin which shines. Her pink plumped lips formed into a bright smile making everything colorful. Her slim figure looks so beautiful on the earth. Her smile has the power to shine everything around us.

She is beautifully divine and gorgeous just like mine.

What, this is not right. Her eyes were so captivated I could look at them till my last breath. A smile formed on my lips. Let's get to know about miss beauty. 

I took my phone and messaged someone with her name and said to give me every detail before morning.

Elsa's pov

I'm in my room for the whole day. Trying to figure out a way to escape this life. Yes I'm tired now and when I told anyone about this they tried to give me a solution to do yoga and take therapy like seriously dude I can't afford that. I'm tired of showing everyone how strong I am. No one harms me, no one dares to hurt me but in reality they all hurt me. I'm just pretending so that no one asks me about the dark things which I hide from everyone. Why don't I say those things to them because I don't want someone to feel pity on me. I hate that. If God gave me this life he even gave me strength to conquer it.

I ate my food which I brought here in the morning and cried from my heart and then read to distract my mind and overthink everything. I'm no fool to ignore the time of dinner which I had to prepare. 

I came out of my room in the evening to make dinner hoping that my brother and sis-in-law would not be there. When I reached the living room they were both not there. So I hurriedly went to the kitchen and started to make dinner. I wear black and grey check trousers with black t-shirt. I tied my hair in a bun and started to do my work. 

It's almost ready when the doorbell rang. I went to open the door hoping for Jane and Nike but when I opened the door my happiness vanished in seconds.