Chapter 6

WILLA

Gabe left in the afternoon. I don’t have the strength to argue. I can’t run away this time. I guess I would be stuck with Ilya for weeks or so.

Gabe’s reason makes sense, but I feel like he has an agenda. He hates Ilya. He made it pretty clear when he threatened to kill him three years ago.

He didn’t just take me to the angry, raging, resentful, and vengeful lion to be a pawn, but to be mauled. He’s also using me, and I don’t know what for. And I will find it out.

Since Ilya left the room, I haven’t seen him again. He doesn’t visit me or say hi, but I expect nothing less from him. I betrayed him after all.

Gabe might have paid him a huge amount of money to take me in. Otherwise, there’s no way he’d do this out of the goodness of his heart.

I can see in his eyes how much he hates me and hasn’t forgiven me.

After what happened in Las Vegas, I promised Gabe not to contact Ilya again if he left him alone. I did try to find him, but he didn’t want to be found.

Seeing him again after three years feels like opening an old wound that hasn’t healed.

When Gabe said I have everything I need, he’s right. I even have a bodyguard, even though I don’t think I need one here.

The room, though. I feel like it’s a bit too much. Too grand for me, even the bathroom.

No one has offered to tour me around the house, but I understand if Ilya’s men hate me as well.

I haven’t left the room since I arrived. Even my dinner is brought and served in the sitting room.

***

I wake up to a brand new day with the crowing rooster and the sun streaming through the window, and I just take in the countryside experience.

I’m still in pain, throbbing everywhere, but I try to relax and be grateful even if this new day has no guarantee.

I get up from bed and use the toilet. Then I clean up. Even brushing my hair, I can’t do it without writhing in agony.

Stroking the pendant of my necklace, I look outside the window, only to have my jaw drop to the floor.

Ilya is riding a horse, just like he wanted. He’d dreamed of owning a ranch in the countryside with horses, cattle, and chickens, and where he wanted to start his family.

I’m happy to know his dreams came true.

Despite the beautiful, majestic, breathtaking surroundings, I can’t take my eyes off him as he swings off the horse.

A man, one of his enforcers, takes the horse from him and they talk. I don’t know what they’re talking about, but it seems serious, putting a frown on his handsome face.

Before I can walk away from the window, he must have felt someone was watching him. He looks directly at my window, making my heart skip a beat. I don’t know if he can see me, but it’s not that far, and I can even see the stone-cold expression on his face.

“He really hates me,” I mutter before I hear a knock on the door. “Come in.”

I stay at the window until a woman— a tall blonde woman in a cowboy hat walks in his direction. It doesn’t take long, and the woman cups his head and kisses him.

As a familiar emotion resurfaces, making my chest ache, that’s a cue that I have to step away. I can’t watch it anymore.

I almost jump when someone clears their throat behind me.

I meet a giant man, towering over me. I lift my gaze to look at his face. He’s around Gabe’s age, taller, but with a friendly face. He’s wearing a white shirt and dark pants.

“I’m sorry to startle you, Miss Linden.” I can hear a Russian accent in his English. Unlike Ilya, his American accent is almost perfect unless he’s pissed.

“Hi. Just call me Willa.”

“I forgot to introduce myself yesterday. I’m Andrey Vadik, your bodyguard, nurse, doctor, and assistant. I’m all around.” He chuckles. “And I brought you breakfast.”

“I wanna get out of here. I’m allowed to get out of this room, right?”

“Of course. You’re not a prisoner here. You’re my boss’s guest.”

“Yet he never comes to say hi,” I mutter under my breath, but enough for Andrey to hear it. I suddenly sound like a jealous, sarcastic ex.

“He’s busy right now. He has a guest, and you need to heal, but I can walk with you around the house later.”

“Right. The guest. I saw a woman with him.”

“Yeah.” That’s all he says as he places the breakfast on the table near the window. “Do you want anything else?”

The breakfast looks delicious, but my heart and every inch of my body are still sore.

It’s been three years. Of course, he’s moved on. I broke his heart. He hates me. End of story.

“I know we’re in the US. Where are we exactly?”

“His ranch in Montana.”

I stare at him in disbelief. I remember Ilya mentioning the property he wanted to buy.

“But he didn’t leave his old life.” I sit before the table. “Join me.”

“It’s in his DNA, his blood. You can’t take that away from him. Enjoy your breakfast. I’ll give you my number later. After breakfast, I’ll come back to take you on a walk.”

Before he can walk out of the room, I call out to him, “Andrey, thank you.”

I eat my breakfast in melancholic silence. Then I take my medicine.

Just as I finish changing into a comfortable outfit, another knock comes. Andrey walks in. “Ready?”

“Yeah.”

I’m surprised by the magnificent ranch house showcasing the perfect blend of elegance and convenience— a real sanctuary.

The luxurious living area boasts expansive window walls with a breathtaking mountainous backdrop.  

Andrey says it has seven bedrooms, including one of the guest suites I slept in, nine baths, and an elevator that connects all four floors. That, I remember yesterday even in my woozy state.

The spacious kitchen offers double islands for entertaining and serving, fully equipped with high-end appliances.

The covered patio is an excellent retreat with an expansive lawn. In the distance is a barn and a stable.

“It’s beautiful here in Spring and Winter.”

I look at the breathtaking view of mountains and trees. “I can imagine.”

“Are you tired?”

I shake my head. “The painkiller I took just kicked in. I’m good. Thanks.”

Just as I breathe in fresh air, the woman runs out of the barn, laughing. “That was fun.”

My smile fades. My mood sours. I don’t know why it still hurts even if Ilya and I were over a long time ago. Watching him happy should make me happy, but it doesn’t.

It breaks my heart, filling it with envy and jealousy that it should be me laughing, kissing him, and smiling at him the way that woman does.

“Ignore her.”

“It’s fine.” No, it’s not.

The woman enters the house. Ilya walks out of the barn later with disheveled hair, strands falling off his manbun, and he’s sweaty, talking to someone on the phone. They definitely had sex in there.

“I know, I’m sorry, sweetheart. I was busy yesterday. I’ll make it up to you, and I might see you sooner than I thought.” He just fucked someone, and he has a sweetheart waiting? Wow.

“Lara. I have to go. I love you. Bye.” He passes by and gets in the house.

It doesn’t take long, I sense someone standing behind me. 

“What are you doing here outside?” His angry voice startles me.

I open my mouth to reply, but his eyes narrow at my chest.

“Why are you still wearing that shit, Willa? Get rid of it. Don’t make me snatch it from your neck.”