LOGINMatvei.“Ah... here comes the king of the day,” my father said, spreading his arms wide like we were best fucking friends.I gave him a weird, disgusted look. Then I turned my eyes toward the Morettis. They looked way too happy to see me, grinning like idiots.“I don’t remember calling a fucking meeting,” I said, my voice firm. My father dropped his arms and stood up, smoothing his jacket. “Rumors are going around that you plan to stay single. That you won't bear an heir for the Orlov clan. You know I don’t like it when our family name gets tainted, Matvei. So I called the Morettis over to renew the agreement we had before.”I let out a harsh scoff. “With whose fucking permission?”The smiles vanished instantly. Fear washed right over the Morettis' faces. Grace stood up anyway, clutching a piece of paper in her trembling hands.“This is the agreement right here, Matvei,” she said. The bitch actually had the nerve to say that shit to my face. “I don’t want a big wedding. Just go ahead
Matvei.A year later.The midday sun was fucking brutal, beating down on this overgrown piece-of-shit clearing. The air smelled like hot dirt and dying weeds. I kicked a sharp stone out of my way, watching it bounce through the dry grass and smack against the bottom of her headstone. Sweat was dripping down my face, prickling my skin like a thousand goddamn needles, but the heat outside didn't mean shit compared to the fire burning in my gut.I looked down at the flowers in my hand. I dropped them onto the dirt right in front of the stone.“I don’t think I ever bought you flowers when you were alive, Araceli,” I muttered, my voice sounding like gravel. A sharp, ugly laugh ripped out of my throat, hollow as hell. “Pathetic of me. I’m so sorry for that, love.”I let my heavy body drop right onto the hard ground, sitting close to the stone. I took another deep, pissed-off breath, trying to stop the shaking in my chest. My fingers balled into a fist, digging hard into my sternum.“A whole
Araceli.Kira stood there. She waved her hand for me to follow, pressing a single finger to her lips to tell me to stay completely silent.I nodded and followed her with slow, careful steps. She took my hand but suddenly paused, peeking her head outside to check for any patrolling guards. Once she confirmed the hallway was clear, she pulled me forward, leading me toward what looked like the back door.She pushed the door open. My heart thumped violently against my ribs. I kept turning my head back, terrified that someone was trailing us. She pulled my hand again, guiding me toward a small gate at the very back of the building.I looked around and noticed how eerie and quiet everything was. The moon was fully out, casting long shadows on the ground. Kira grabbed the gate and tried her best to push it open slowly. But it was old and rusty. It let out a loud, piercing screech that made me cover my ears in panic.Before we could even recover from the noise, heavy footsteps started rushing
Araceli.Darkness was my only friend now. I had been locked inside this room, cut off from the rest of the world, for almost a month. Inside me, my baby bump grew bigger every day. The guards always made sure to feed me. Even though I was miserable, I couldn't stop myself from eating. I had to do it for my baby.I was so tired of waiting. I kept hoping Matvei would realize his own father was behind my disappearance. Every single day, I waited with a heart full of hope, but every night ended in disappointment. I never saw him. Now, I started to believe his father had done something to make Matvei forget about me completely.But is that even possible? Can a man really just forget the mother of his child? Did he ever actually love me, or was it easy for his father to erase me from his mind?My mind flashed back to our very last conversation. We had a huge argument, and he confessed that he only loved me because I asked him to.How is that even possible? Loving someone just because they a
MatveiThe warehouse echoed with screams; usually, those sounds gave me satisfaction, but today it fucking irritated me. Nothing could satisfy the beast raging inside my chest. Not blood, revenge, or the endless bodies piling up underneath my feet. Nothing.Because none of it brought Araceli back.I sat lazily on the chair placed at the center of the warehouse, my elbow resting on the armrest while my fingers rubbed slowly against my lips. The smell of blood was thick in the air. It coated the back of my throat. Mixed with sweat, fear, and rusted metal, the warehouse smelled like death itself.A man cried somewhere in front of me. The fucker was caught trying to drive the car out of the burnt building.I stared at him blankly. The bastard was saying something and begging, pleading, and crying. Shit. I couldn't even hear him properly.All I could hear was Araceli laughing.The sound echoed inside my head.The way she'd laugh whenever she stole food from my plate.The way she'd pout whe
Matvei“Matvei...”My eyes searched through the darkness.The voice sounded distant and fucking weak. Like it was being swallowed by the wind.“Matvei...”My chest tightened instantly.Araceli.I knew that voice.I would know it even if the whole world went hell silent.“Araceli?” I called out, moving forward.The darkness stretched endlessly around me. There was nothing but shadows and cold air brushing against my skin. Every step I took felt heavier than the last.Then I saw her.My heart stopped.She stood a few feet away from me, her white dress swaying softly. One hand rested protectively on her bump while her beautiful eyes remained fixed on me.Relief slammed into me.Fuck.There she was.There she fucking was.I rushed toward her.“Araceli.”A smile tugged at her lips.The same smile that always made my chest feel lighter.The same smile that made this fucked up world bearable.I reached for her hand.My fingers almost touched hers. Then she started moving away.My smile vanis







