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CHAPTER 30
Huling Na-update:
2025-04-12 06:18:33
Kaugnay na kabanata
SHADOW 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 : 2025-04-13SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 32
Alessia Volkov The applause faded into the clinking of crystal flutes and the soft hum of a string quartet. The ceremony was over. The vows had been said. The trap had been set. Now came the performance. The reception was held in the same estate, only this time, the gardens had been transformed into a dreamscape of lights and flowers. Twinkling chandeliers hung from towering trees, casting golden reflections across white roses and marble statues. It was beautiful—disgustingly so. I stood at the edge of it all, glass of champagne in hand, veil removed, heels sinking slightly into the manicured lawn. Guests mingled and laughed, wine flowed like water, and everyone pretended like this was a celebration. But I knew better. "Smile," Nikolai murmured beside me, not looking at me but at the crowd. "They’re watching." I forced my lips into something resembling joy. "Don’t worry. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you in front of your criminal board of directors." His mouth twitched at the
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-14SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 33
Nikolai Volkov The morning sun had no right to shine as brightly as it did.It poured into the penthouse like liquid gold, draping the marble floors and high ceilings in warmth that I didn’t feel. Alessia sat by the window, wrapped in a silk robe that was too pristine for how sharp her mood had been since she woke. Her hair was a cascade of dark waves over her shoulder, untouched since last night.She didn’t look at me.Coffee brewed in the background. The scent filled the room, but it didn’t mask the chill that had settled between us.“You didn’t sleep,” I said, my voice low.Alessia raised her cup to her lips without turning. “Didn’t know I had to report my sleep schedule to you now.”The sarcasm was immediate. Cutting. Familiar, yet more pointed than usual.I approached slowly, as if one wrong move would cause her to shatter.“Was it the bed?” I asked. “Or the idea of waking up next to me?”She glanced over her shoulder finally, eyes gleaming with something I didn’t like. “It was
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-15SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 34
Alessia Volkov The air felt heavier than usual. Like something thick and unspoken had settled over the city, clinging to the windows and walls of the penthouse. I stood at the edge of the balcony, wrapped in a robe, hair twisted into a loose bun, fingers curled around a cold glass of water I hadn’t touched in ten minutes.Behind me, the doorbell echoed faintly. Once. Twice.I didn’t move. Didn’t turn.I knew who it was.Nikolai had stepped out earlier for meetings—of what nature, I didn’t care to ask—but his absence made it easier for my father to come slithering back in. Roman had called to let me know Dante was downstairs, waiting.I should have said no.I didn’t.When the door opened, I didn’t need to look to feel him enter. The presence of Dante Russo always came with the scent of expensive cologne, finely tailored disappointment, and shadows.“You look thin,” he said casually. “Is he feeding you?”“Not now, Papa.”I turned to face him slowly. He looked older. Or maybe just more
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-16SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 35
The warehouse was quiet. Just the hum of the overhead lights and the soft scrape of my shoes on the concrete floor. Zayn stood near one of the worktables, rolling a coin between his fingers. That little tic always meant something was bothering him. I didn’t need to ask.Still, I waited.He didn’t make me wait long.“Alessia’s stalker isn’t just a shadow anymore,” he said, voice low but certain. “We’ve got something. Not enough to strike, but enough to feel the heat.”My jaw tightened. “Talk.”Zayn flicked the coin up and caught it again. “Surveillance footage. Cross-referenced timestamps from the gala, her usual haunts, even that little bookstore she likes.”“She hasn’t mentioned the bookstore to me.”“Because she doesn’t trust you yet.” He raised a brow. “Can you blame her?”I ignored the jab. “What else?”“One guy shows up three times in three different places. Always on the edge of frame. Never close enough to raise alarms. But too consistent to be coincidence.”I nodded slowly, pi
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-17SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 36
Dante MorettPower isn’t something you inherit. It’s something you seize. Something you bleed for. People like to romanticize legacy, talk about bloodlines and destiny, but all of that is noise. Pretty distractions. I’ve built my empire in silence, in calculated moves, in sacrifices most men wouldn’t stomach.Including my daughter.Yes, I gave Alessia to Nikolai Volkov. A contract wrapped in lace and signed in blood. Not because I wanted to. Because I had to. Family always comes first. Even when it destroys you.I sit behind the desk in my study, the city’s lights flickering like dying stars beyond the window. The glass in my hand is half-empty, like everything else in my life. Half full of victories. Half full of regret.Alessia thinks I betrayed her. Maybe I did. Maybe the moment I agreed to the terms with Volkov, I sold off the last piece of my soul that could still call itself a father. But that girl—she doesn’t see the battlefield. She only sees the wounds.And Luca… my son. My b
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-18SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 37
Alessia Volkov Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like this.It’s not supposed to feel like walking barefoot through a minefield, like waiting for the next invisible strike, like drowning in silk sheets that feel more like spider webs. Every step I take, every glance I cast over my shoulder, reminds me that I’m no longer just Alessia Moretti. I’m Mrs. Volkov now.And being a Volkov comes with a target I never asked for.I sit in the sunroom of Nikolai’s penthouse, the walls made of glass, letting the morning light pour in like liquid gold. But the brightness does nothing to warm me. My fingers twitch restlessly on my lap, my nerves on fire ever since the wedding.There’s a car parked outside that doesn’t belong to our usual security rotation. A man I didn’t recognize lingered too long in the café across the street yesterday. Zayn says it's probably nothing. Nikolai says it's handled. I say they’re both liars.And I hate how right I might be.I sip my tea, now cold. I’ve been holding the
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-19SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 38
Alessia Volkov The day had been a rare kind of perfect. The kind that felt borrowed from another life. The kind of day I used to have before the name Volkov was stitched onto mine.Stassie had dragged me out of the penthouse at an ungodly hour, practically vibrating with excitement about our plans. “One last day of freedom before you’re officially a college graduate,” she’d said, tossing me a coffee and pulling me into the passenger seat of her car. It was the kind of energy only she had—the ability to cut through the storm clouds in my life and remind me of who I used to be.We started the morning with breakfast at The Ivy, where she made me laugh so hard I nearly spit out my mimosa. She recounted stories about her latest situationship, complete with dramatics and impressions, and I forgot for a moment that there was a shadow over my life. She kept saying I needed to “bask in my pre-graduation glow,” as if a ceremony and a gown could erase the scars beneath my designer clothes.Afte
Huling Na-update : 2025-04-20
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
