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| 33 | Between the Ripples
publish date:
2026-06-11 11:07:15
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I Am Mustafin ⊰ 11 ⊱ Hollow Victories
Rain drums against the windows as we pull up to the mansion, the downpour a fitting backdrop to the tension radiating from Alaki beside me. I study her profile in the dim light of the car’s interior—the rigid set of her shoulders, the careful way she avoids meeting my gaze, the subtle tremble in her fingers as they rest against the door handle.She hasn’t spoken a word since we left Viktor’s ball. Not since I caught her watching me disappear with Tatiana behind those heavy curtains. The silence between us feels charged, like the air before lightning strikes.As Matvey opens the car door, the sound of rain grows louder, fat droplets illuminated in the security lights. I calculate my approach, deciding on casual authority—the same controlled presence that has served me well in far more dangerous situations than a wife’s silence.“Master Efrem,” Matvey says as he holds an umbrella over us, his posture perfect despite the storm.I guide Alaki toward the entrance with my hand at the small
I Am Mustafin ⊰ 10.5 ⊱ Dangerous Affections
⊰ Alaki ⊱The world around me blurs as I stand rooted to the marble floor, my eyes fixed on the burgundy dress across the room. My breath feels shallow, each inhale burning as though I’ve forgotten how to properly breathe.Not her. Not here. Not now.“Little Bea?” Efrem’s soft voice reaches me first, his lips grazing my ear as his hand finds the small of my back. “What is it?”I can’t answer him. I can’t form words as I stare at the golden-brown hair, the curve of her shoulders, the woman who knelt before my husband while he stared at me over her head.Anastasiya’s concerned voice breaks through my frozen state. “Are you alright? You look pale.”I force myself to turn toward her, struggling to compose my features into something resembling normal. “I’m fine,” I lie, the words feeling thick on my tongue. “Just a little warm.”Efrem studies me with narrowed eyes, but Anastasiya steps in seamlessly. “Efrem, would you mind terribly if I steal your wife for a moment? I’ve been dying to show
I Am Mustafin ⊰ 10 ⊱ The Master and His Wife
This chapter transitions back and forth between both POVs.⊰ Efrem / Alaki ⊱The weight of my watch feels heavy as I adjust my cufflinks, eyes fixed on my reflection in the bedroom’s full-length mirror. Around me, the room holds its breath—silent except for the soft rustling of fabric as Alaki finishes dressing behind me. Tonight isn’t merely another social obligation; it’s a performance. One that requires perfect execution after days of fracturing control.That dinner confrontation lingers between us like a physical thing—her defiance, her refusal to eat, the questions about my intentions for our child spoken openly before the guards. Since then, we’ve exchanged no more than a handful of necessary words, the silence growing heavier with each passing day.In the mirror, I catch Alaki’s reflection as she stands before her vanity. The dress I selected—midnight blue silk that spills like water over her curves—simultaneously conceals and accentuates her condition. At almost three months,
I Am Mustafin ⊰ 9 ⊱ Where Fear Once Lived
The dining room lies in shadows, light spilling only from the crystal chandelier above. Alaki sits beside me at the dining table, close enough that I catch the faint scent of jasmine from her skin, yet distant in all the ways that matter. Her shoulders remain rigid, every line of her body screaming of resistance even in stillness.I watch her from the corner of my eye, noting how deliberately she avoids my gaze. The fork in her hand hovers above her plate, performing the charade of interest without ever bringing food to her lips. Her fingers seem thinner somehow, more delicate, though the subtle curve of her stomach has become more pronounced. The changes in her body stand out in stark relief tonight.She’s not eating again.The thought rises with irritation I struggle to suppress. Even after our conversation about her health, even knowing the child she carries needs nourishment, she defies me in this small, aggravating way.Across the room, Konstantin stands at perfect attention near
I Am Mustafin ⊰ 8 ⊱ Monsters of Mercy
My eyes flicker to the windows of Viktor’s office, noticing the way clouds gather. Outside, the Mustafin sector sprawls beneath a sky that threatens rain—fitting for a day spent strengthening friendships while plotting another man’s demise. The crystal tumbler in my hand feels too heavy for the hour, but Viktor pours anyway, his weathered steady around the decanter.“You look like shit, Efrem,” he says, the familiar gruffness in his voice carrying genuine concern. “Trouble at home?”I take a measured sip, letting the burn coat my throat before answering. “Nothing I can’t handle.”Viktor settles into his chair, the leather creaking beneath him. The scent of tobacco clings to him like a second skin, mixing with notes of expensive cologne that can’t quite mask the underlying earthiness. Unlike Dimitri, who still fights for recognition and power a decade after our selection, Viktor has always embraced his role as Arbiter with comfortable ease—content with the position that grants him auth
I Am Mustafin ⊰ 7.5 ⊱ Before the Sun Rises
⊰ Alaki ⊱The sun hasn’t risen yet as I finish getting dressed, my movements careful and measured in the pre-dawn darkness. Through the mirror’s reflection, I watch Efrem sleeping—the way his chest rises and falls, how his features soften in unconsciousness. Once, this sight brought me comfort. Now it just makes my heart ache.I love him.I respect him.I hate that I still do both.The resentment that’s been building since that night in his office—since watching another woman touch what was supposed to be mine—coils tighter in my chest. Worse, last night’s devastation has hardened into something else, something that tastes like anger but burns deeper.He’s going to kill our baby.The thought rises rings in my head as I adjust the necklace at my throat—his name catching light even in the darkness. My fingers trace the diamonds flanking his claim, remembering how tenderly he held me while delivering that death sentence. How he comforted me through pain he was causing.But is it really h
I Am Mustafin | 20 | Game of Secrets
I perch on the window seat of our assigned bedroom, eyes fixed on the door as I wait for Efrem's return. He left me here with Alek standing guard outside, his usual command to stayputstill ringing in my ears. This time though, I have no intention of testing the waters. I will
Last Updated : 2026-03-23I Am Mustafin | 19 | Of His
Nausea churns in my stomach as we pull into the driveway of the Diallo Ringleader's home. My eyes flick to Alek's hands as he turns the steering wheel of the SUV. A large gate looms before us, guarded by a man with his arms crossed behind his back, legs spread at shoulder width. His dark brown ey
Last Updated : 2026-03-22I Am Mustafin | 18 | Power Play
It's been a couple of days since Ciana tried to freeze me alive, and it seems that's the only thing I can think about damn near every minute of every day.Will she try again? If she does, will she succeed?A part of me can't help but wonder if Efrem is going to do anything
Last Updated : 2026-03-21I Am Mustafin | 17 | Fragile Truce
I breathe in deeply, the corners of my lips curling into a small smile as I relish in the delicious scent of the mahogany coconut cologne.Where am I?My eyes flutter open and almost instantly, it dawns on me: I'm still in Efrem’s arms. My heart skips a beat, my breath catc
Last Updated : 2026-03-20
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