Chapter 5

WILLA

I thought I died until I became aware of the hammering headache, so severe that it was worse than the worst hangover I had when I drank to stupor after finding out my ex had been cheating on me. My throbbing skull feels like it’s splitting into pieces.

I don’t know how long it has been, but the first thing I hear is the rhythmic beeping sound echoing in the room.

As my mind clears, I try to crack my eyes open. I realize they’re too heavy, like I just stepped into the swarm of bees.

Then I feel the large, warm hands softly squeezing mine.

“Honey?” It’s Dad. One word filled with worry is all it takes for that assault to flash in my head.

A gasp escapes my lips as tears roll down my cheeks. “D-Dad?”

“Hey.” I feel the bed being adjusted, and my back feels like one giant bruise. He kisses my forehead and says, “You’re gonna be okay.”

“Dad.” My throat hurts. My voice is hoarse. I try to say something, but my lips are dry, split, and swollen.

I can barely see him through my busted eyes. I try to move, but every cell in my body hurts.

“Easy.” He presses his lips on my hand. “You were—”

“Attacked,” I say hoarsely. “W-Water?”

He places the straw near my mouth as he helps me sip until I cough. My ribcage feels like it’s cracked open.

I look at myself. I’m wearing a hospital gown. I see bruises on my arms, and there’s a dull pain in my left shoulder every time I move.

When I lift my gaze, I’m not aware my brother has been standing there in the corner. Gabe doesn’t just look angry. I see rage and regret in his eyes.

Dad turns his head to look at him. “He blamed himself for pulling out your bodyguard.”

I smile tightly, lifting my arm to call Gabe. “God, it even hurts to smile.”

He comes right away, kissing the top of my head, whispering, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Gabe and I have been close since we were kids. When Dad’s job as a chef wasn’t enough to pay the bills anymore, Gabe enlisted to send me to school. While he was responsible, risking his life for this country, I, on the other hand, let them both down.

I married early, cheated on, was battered, and eventually got divorced. I stood up from that fall and continued my passion for art and started an art gallery called Vivid Art Gallery, my pride and joy.

Gabe became a billionaire. He married a beautiful heiress, Estelle Bladwyn. They have two lovely and sweet kids, Rae and Rem.

Then I met a handsome, honest, and thoughtful man who made me smile, understood me, and never judged me for my failures and past.

In short, I fell hard for him even though I knew he wasn’t who I thought he was. We even eloped until it was disastrously interrupted.

Well, I left him at the altar. The rest is history.

“Willa, I have to break our deal and my promise to you. You almost died.” His voice is heavy with pain.

“I thought I was going to die.” I look at Gabe, wiping the tears from my cheeks. Even my fingers are trembling, and he sees them. I can see the look in his eyes— Dad is right— he’s blaming himself.

“You were unconscious when Cleo went back to the gallery to bring you dinner.”

I suck a sharp breath as I stare at Dad. “The man—” I swallow hard as I try to remember what happened.

Everything sinks in all at once, making me dizzy.

Those cold, remorseless eyes glaring at me, filled with such darkness— they were terrifying.

“He has only one goal that night. He came to kill me.” I don’t realize I spoke out loud until I see the horror in Dad’s face.

Gabe’s expression is more restrained. He should be cursing out loud right now, in front of me, but I can tell the rage growing in his chest.

“Who would want to hurt my child? You’re too kind and sweet, Willa.” Dad’s voice cracks.

“I’ll do everything in my power to find who hurt you, Willa. I’ll make them pay. You have my word.”

I shake my head. “Gabe, you have a lot on your plate right now. Let the police handle this.”

“No, honey.” Dad takes my hand. “We keep this under wraps. That’s why we’re here in this hospital where Gabe donates a huge amount of money. He’s facing a lot of scrutiny, and his company is under investigation. The police might link this attack to whatever is going on with your brother’s case. I don’t like it, but Osmium men are capable.”

I nod as I look at Gabe. “I’m sorry.”

He chuckles sadly. “You’re apologizing when you almost died.”

“How long have I been here?”

“Nearly two days. I’m taking you out of here. I know a place where you can recover and rest away from my own problem.”

“But—”

“Take a vacation from work. Cleo will take care of the gallery, Willa. Don’t argue with me about your safety anymore. I gave you a chance to live a normal life, and I know you’re still mad at me for what I did, but this attack might have something to do with me. I know you want nothing to do with my business, and I want you to forgive me for dragging you into my mess, but let me make it right this time, sis. Please?”

“I could use a rest.” I smile at them. “I want to heal, Gabe, Dad. And I want to forget what happened to me.”

***

When Gabe told me yesterday that he knew a place, I never thought, in my wildest dream to come face to face with Ilya within just a few feet away of me.

My heart instantly pounds in my cracked ribcage the moment our gazes lock.

I’m still drowsy from the drugs I took before the flight, but I know what I see. Of all the circumstances, I have to see him when I look like crap and wrecked.

Hold on. Why do I have to look nice in front of him?

Well, he looks hot as hell, like always. He’s only wearing a dark T-shirt, and he’s tanned, but he might have grown some muscles because he used to have a shredded physique. And those fierce aquamarine eyes I used to love staring at for hours as he made me laugh and lose in conversation are now filled with anger and discernment.

I’m even surprised to see him in a man bun like a hot actor I used to stalk on I*******m.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” That’s it. No hi or hello. He just leaves without asking how I feel.

Once the door closes after him, I turn to Gabe. I still feel the side effects of the painkillers, but I try to sit on the bed.

Glaring, I ask him. “What’s he doing here?”

Instead of answering me, he looks around. “You’ll be staying here until I find the man who did this to you and my issue with the FBI is over.”

“How long would that be? A week, a month? A year?”

“I don’t know, sis.” Shrugging, he slips his hands in his pockets. “I don’t wanna lie to you. It can take weeks, months, or more.”

“So, I’ll be staying here alone. Great. How is this recovering?”

“You have everything you need. You don’t have to stay at the ranch all the time.” Ranch?

“I’m in a ranch?”

“Yes. Once you’re healed, you can travel whenever you want.”

I shake my head. “It doesn’t make any sense. What’s going on?”

“You’re staying with Vasilyev.”

“Excuse me?” My voice rises as I stare at him in shock. My throat itches. “Aren’t you supposed to be staying away from someone like him?” I use his own words when he warned me about who Ilya was.

“People think he’s my mortal enemy, Willa. No one would suspect you’d be here with him. That way I can take care of my problems while he’s keeping you safe.”

“No. I wanna go home.” I move out of bed, but he’s quick to stop me. “I don’t want him to take care of me, Gabe. It’s unfair for him. We broke his heart, remember? Why are you doing this to him?”