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CHAPTER 23
Huling Na-update:
2025-04-04 19:14:54
Kaugnay na kabanata
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 24
The sun had barely crested the Los Angeles skyline when I laced up my sneakers and grabbed my water bottle, the silence of the penthouse broken only by the rhythmic slap of my footsteps against the marble floor. The weight of the previous days sat heavy on my chest, and running felt like the only way to outrun my thoughts. I needed the sting of cool morning air, the burn in my calves, the ache that came with pushing myself harder than my doubts could follow.Wearing a fitted black sports bra and high-waisted leggings, I tied my hair into a tight ponytail and headed toward the elevator. Of course, fate—or rather, Nikolai—had other plans.He was leaning against the kitchen counter, coffee in hand, dressed in a pair of tailored pants and nothing else. The way his gaze moved from my sneakers to the hem of my leggings told me he wasn’t admiring my dedication to fitness."That’s what you’re wearing?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement and the slightest hint of disapproval.I rolled my
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-05SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 25
The air in the conference room was thick with tension, the kind that wrapped itself around your throat and didn’t let go. I sat at the head of the table, elbows resting on the dark wood, fingers steepled beneath my chin. Zayn lounged across from me with a deceptively casual posture, but even he wasn't immune to the shift in my mood. My most trusted men stood silently along the wall, posture rigid, eyes flicking between me and the silent screen where the security footage from the last few days played on a loop.No one dared speak first. That was smart.“I want to know,” I said finally, voice low but sharp, “how a fucking letter ended up on Alessia’s windshield under our watch.”One of the younger men, Emil, shifted uncomfortably. I didn’t look at him. I kept my eyes on the footage, pausing it at the moment the envelope appeared beneath the windshield wiper of her car.“You see this?” I pointed at the screen. “This right here is what failure looks like.”Zayn cleared his throat. “We’ve
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-06SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 26
The dress clung to my curves like a secret, black and glittering under the lights of the penthouse bedroom. Stassie let out a dramatic whistle from behind me, a drink in hand, as I adjusted the neckline in the mirror."You know Nikolai’s going to combust when he sees you," she said with a grin."Good," I muttered, smoothing the sides. "Let him stew. This is *my* night."She raised a brow. "You sure you don’t want to tone it down just a *little*?"I spun to face her, lips quirking with defiance. "I’m one week away from marrying a man I didn’t choose. If I’m going to have a bachelorette party, I’m going to do it right."She held up her hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. You look hot as hell, anyway. LA isn't ready for us tonight."We both laughed, the sound echoing off the high ceilings. There was something oddly comforting in her presence, in knowing that someone still existed who reminded me of who I was *before* Nikolai Volkov bulldozed into my life like a hurricane wrapped in ta
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-07SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 27
The car ride was suffocating.The silence between Nikolai and me wasn't peaceful or empty—it buzzed with unspoken words, with tension so sharp it could slice the air in two. I sat rigidly against the leather seat of his sleek black SUV, arms folded tightly across my chest as the city lights blurred past the window. He didn’t say a word. Typical. Always the silent brooding type when he knew he was in the wrong.Not that he'd ever admit it.My phone buzzed. A message from Stassie: *"Zayn is too much. This man is dangerous in all the worst ways. Wish me luck."*I smirked and quickly replied: *"If he kisses you, bite him."* Then I tucked the phone back into my clutch and stared straight ahead. My body was still humming from the adrenaline, from the nightclub confrontation, from *him* stepping in again like some overbearing shadow looming over my life.He turned the wheel with practiced ease, eyes fixed on the road, jaw clenched. The tension radiating from him was palpable, matching mine n
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-08SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 28
The penthouse was unusually quiet for a morning that promised chaos. Two days. Two days before Alessia and I were bound by a contract neither of us asked for—but both agreed to. A necessary alliance. Strategic. Ruthless. Like me.And yet, nothing about this wedding felt predictable. Especially not her.I stood in the open space of the living room, watching the sun slant through the large windows. My black dress shirt was rolled at the sleeves, a cup of Turkish coffee in one hand. I needed the caffeine if I was going to survive this morning. The wedding planner was set to arrive any minute, and Alessia—true to form—was still in her room, likely choosing the most dramatic outfit she could find just to irritate me.Footsteps echoed lightly from the hallway. Speak of the devil.She entered, dressed in an oversized black button-down shirt that looked suspiciously like mine. Her hair was twisted up messily, and she wore no makeup. Still, she looked like chaos incarnate—controlled, curated c
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-09SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 29
Nikolai Volkov The meeting with the wedding planner had barely ended when I found myself pacing the hallway outside my office, jaw clenched and fingers twitching with anticipation. Alessia’s sarcasm still lingered in my mind like the remnants of an irritating perfume—sharp, invasive, and impossible to ignore. And yet, underneath all the aggravation, I could still see the glint in her eyes when she challenged me, the fire she tried so hard to conceal. It was a maddening dance we performed, this back-and-forth of cold barbs and reluctant magnetism. But there were more pressing matters than navigating the battlefield that was my relationship with my fiancée. Zayn leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his usual smirk absent from his face for once. He knew what today meant. This wasn’t about sending a message. It was about making a statement. “You sure you don’t want to send Roman or Sergei?” he asked, his voice calm but laced with caution. “You know they’d take care of it wit
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-11SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 30
Alessia MorettiThe night air was heavy with warmth, laced with the distant sounds of a city that never truly slept. From the terrace of the penthouse, Los Angeles sprawled beneath me like a sea of molten stars—bright, endless, deceptive. I lay on the lounge chair, a thin silk robe draped over my legs, my hair cascading over my shoulder like a veil. The wind was gentle, caressing my skin, offering no comfort.Tomorrow, I would become Mrs. Volkov.My throat tightened at the thought. Not out of love. Not out of joy. But because I had no other choice.I tilted my head toward the sky, searching for something—clarity, maybe. A sign. Anything. But the stars didn’t care, and the moon remained silent.A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. A year. Just one year. That was the deal. One year bound to Nikolai Volkov. One year wearing his ring, sleeping in his bed, smiling for cameras, and pretending I wasn’t drowning inside.All for Luca.The thought of my little brother made my chest
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-12SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 31
Alessia Moretti The morning light streamed through the sheer curtains of the bridal suite, but there was nothing soft or romantic about it. It felt intrusive, like it was daring me to forget what today really was. My wedding day.I stood in front of the vanity, motionless as Stassie pinned the last delicate strand of my hair into place. Her fingers were steady, her reflection calm, but I knew her well enough to see the storm behind her eyes."You look like a goddess," she said softly, her voice a rare note of warmth in the cold quiet of the room.I met her gaze in the mirror and forced a smile. "A sacrificial one."She sighed. "You still have time to run.""And where would I go, Stass? There’s nowhere far enough from Nikolai Volkov. Or the consequences."Her eyes dropped to her hands, and the silence between us stretched. She didn’t argue. She knew me too well. Knew Luca was worth it. Knew I’d already made peace with my own destruction.I stared at my reflection, trying to reconcile
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-13
Pinakabagong kabanata
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 56
Alessia Volkov If someone had told me a few months ago that I’d be strolling through Rodeo Drive with Stassie, arms heavy with shopping bags and a smile tugging at my lips, I would’ve called them delusional.And yet, here I am.“Try this one!” Stassie chirps, holding up a pastel blue mini dress against my chest. “It’s very ‘my-husband-won’t-know-what-hit-him’.”I arch a brow. “That’s oddly specific.”She grins, devilish and full of mischief. “Well, you’ve got that glow, babe. It’s only fair we give it a proper outfit.”I glance at my reflection in the mirror of the boutique’s velvet-draped fitting room. I do look… different. Lighter somehow. Still sarcastic, still guarded, but a little less broken.“You’re annoyingly observant,” I mumble, taking the dress from her and disappearing behind the curtain.“Right? It’s a gift.”I hear the rustling of more fabric being tossed over the fitting room door. Stassie is a menace when she shops—an enthusiastic one. She’s been chattering nonstop si
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 55
Nikolai Volkov The moment the envelope hit my desk, I knew it wasn't just another threat. It was too formal, too clean, too deliberate. The kind of envelope that meant war—not just in words, but in legacy.I didn’t open it right away. Instead, I stared at it for a moment, feeling the familiar sting of anticipation burning just behind my sternum.It bore no return address. No emblem. Just my name, scrawled in neat, deliberate handwriting."Nikolai Volkov."I broke the seal with a blade, unfolding the letter with care. The message was short.“Let’s talk, Volkov. Face to face. One week. Neutral grounds. No backup—or do bring them. I want them to see what’s coming.—Natov”Bastard.He didn’t even bother to sign with a title. No “Don Natov,” no initials. Just a name. Like we were equals.We weren’t.And now, I had to remind him of that.—I gathered my men within the hour.The war room at the mansion felt colder than usual. Zayn stood at my right, arms crossed, his expression grim. Across
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 54
Alessia Volkov The silence stretched between us like a tightrope I wasn’t sure I wanted to walk.Nikolai stood a few feet away, his body still as stone, arms crossed, eyes locked on mine. That infuriating unreadable stare of his. It was the kind of look that could either promise ruin or reveal everything if I dared to stare long enough. But I’d learned the hard way—he didn’t give anything away for free.Still, I wasn't going to let the moment pass.I took a slow breath, crossing my arms in return—not out of defiance, but because it was the only thing keeping me from fidgeting under that gaze. My voice came out quieter than I expected.“Why me, Nikolai?”A flicker. Barely noticeable, but I saw it. A twitch in his jaw. A shift in his weight.Good. I’d hit something.“You could’ve taken anything else. My father offered you his everything. You could’ve had it all. But you asked for me.” My throat tightened, but I forced the words through. “Why?”He didn’t answer. Of course not. That woul
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 53
Alessia Volkov There was something suspiciously charming about the way Nikolai Volkov smirked.Like he knew something I didn’t.Or worse… like he knew I knew he knew—and was daring me to do something about it.And lately, that smirk had become a permanent fixture on his face.Our truce—if we could call it that—had brought a new kind of peace between us. Fewer arguments. Less hostility. Occasional laughter. The kind of calm that made me question if this man was still the same infuriating control freak I married.But with peace came something even more dangerous.Playfulness.And from Nikolai, that translated to subtle touches. Lingering gazes. Innuendos that danced dangerously on the edge of propriety. And, of course, the smirk.Today was no different.He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, wearing black slacks, a crisp white shirt rolled to his elbows, and that damn smirk."You’re awake early," he said, sipping his espresso like a villain in a perfume ad.“I had a nightmare,” I repl
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 52
Exterior PovThe luxury of the study did little to ease the weight in Dante Moretti’s chest. The room was adorned in dark oak and rich leather, a blend of Italian elegance and old-world authority, but even that ambiance felt suffocating tonight. A single glass of scotch rested on the armrest of his chair, untouched, the ice melting slowly into insignificance.Across from him, Viktor Natov sat with the poise of a viper: relaxed, but every fiber of his being coiled, ready to strike. His suit was impeccable, his demeanor calm, but his eyes—those glacial eyes—carried a madness that no amount of grooming could conceal. He sipped his vodka slowly, lips curling into a thin smile as he studied Dante like a predator admiring the temporary civility before bloodshed.“I have to say, Dante,” Natov began in his thick Eastern European accent, “I didn’t expect a man like you to agree to work with a monster like me.”Dante didn’t respond immediately. He leaned back into the leather chair, eyes narrow
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 51
Nikolai Volkov The low hum of the fireplace was the only sound accompanying the silence in my office. The thick walls of the penthouse filtered out the distant noise of Los Angeles. Outside, the city was alive. Inside, I was a storm waiting to break. The amber glow of the desk lamp cast shadows on the mahogany as I flipped through the recent reports. Arms shipments. Movement of rival factions. Port schedules. Nothing out of the ordinary until the name appeared. Viktor Natov. I froze. The words blurred, my mind short-circuiting for a fraction of a second before the fire roared back to life in my chest. My fingers clenched around the edge of the folder. A knock. Three sharp taps. Predictable. Controlled. Zayn. “Come in,” I said, my voice like steel scraped against gravel. Zayn entered, dressed in black as usual, his shoulders relaxed but his eyes alert. He didn’t wait for pleasantries. He closed the door and approached the desk, placing a USB and a printed document in front of
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 50
Alessia Volkov The moment I stepped out onto the terrace, barefoot, wrapped in a silk robe that clung to my curves like a second skin, I saw him.Nikolai.He was seated on one of the lounge chairs by the pool, a laptop perched on his lap, the screen casting a faint glow over his sharp features. The light breeze tousled his dark hair as if it belonged to him, as if even nature obeyed his silent command. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing the powerful tendons of his forearms. His jaw was tight with focus, eyes locked on the screen.And I wanted to ruin that focus. Completely.Not because I needed attention. Not because I was feeling insecure. But because I was Alessia Moretti, and I never let a slight go unanswered. No matter how subtle.Sienna McCoy had touched what was mine.I knew Nikolai had dealt with her. I knew he’d said the words, drawn the line, made it clear she had no claim on him. But I also knew men like him. Power didn’t only live in action—it breathed in
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 49
Nikolai Volkov It was early afternoon when I glanced at the clock, the ticking echoing louder than usual in the silence of the office. The calm before the storm. Sienna McCoy would be here in exactly two hours, and despite the professionalism I intended to maintain, I could already anticipate the chaos that would follow. Not because of Sienna, but because of Alessia. She hadn’t taken the news well. “I’m sorry, you invited her here?” she’d asked, voice sharp as a dagger. “She’s not invited,” I corrected, leaning against the marble counter in the kitchen, arms crossed. “It’s business.” She scoffed. “Sure. Business. Because nothing screams professionalism like holding meetings in your living room.” “My office is separate, and you know it,” I replied coolly. “I’m not going to rent a penthouse suite every time I meet a supplier.” “Supplier?” She barked a laugh. “She’s not a supplier, Nikolai. She’s the woman who thinks she’s your future wife.” “She isn’t,” I said simply. “And she
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 48
Nikolai Volkov If someone had told me years ago that I’d spend my Tuesday morning trying to convince a woman—my wife—to hold a gun without threatening to shoot me with it, I would’ve laughed.Now?I wasn’t laughing.Not when Alessia stood at the entrance of our underground training facility like I’d just asked her to drown a puppy.Her arms were crossed, brows drawn together, lips pressed into a line of pure rebellion. That particular expression—equal parts dramatic and unimpressed—was becoming her default look around me lately."Let me get this straight," she said slowly, voice dripping in honeyed sarcasm. "After our cute little bonding session where you taught me how to punch people, now you want me to hold a gun? Inside a literal mafia shooting range?"I nodded once. “Yes.”“Are you high?”“No.”“Are you sure? Because that sounds like the fever dream of a man deeply disconnected from reality.”I exhaled through my nose, keeping my patience on a tight leash.She took another step b
