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CHAPTER 34

Author: Flowervil
last update Huling Na-update: 2025-04-16 06:39:12

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
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  • SHADOW 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 : 2025-04-17
  • SHADOW 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 : 2025-04-18
  • SHADOW 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 : 2025-04-19
  • SHADOW 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
  • SHADOW OF VOW'S   CHAPTER 39

    Nikolai Volkov She was late.And Alessia Volkov was never late.I stood in the middle of the penthouse, phone glued to my ear, heart hammering in a way I hadn’t felt since my father taught me what it meant to bleed for power. The Los Angeles skyline blinked mockingly through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind me, a cruel reminder that in this city of gods and monsters, people vanished every day.But Alessia wasn’t just anyone.She was my wife.She was my responsibility.And she wasn’t answering her goddamn phone.“Come on, pick up,” I muttered, pacing the length of the living room like a lion in a cage. Her call went to voicemail again. I ended it with a growl and immediately dialed Stassie.She picked up on the second ring. “Nikolai?”“Where is she?” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. Fear was a poison in my veins, and I was already overdosing.“What? I—wait, Alessia?” Her voice cracked. I could hear music in the background. People. Laughter. It sounded like s

    Huling Na-update : 2025-04-22
  • SHADOW OF VOW'S   CHAPTER 40

    Alessia Volkov The first thing I felt was cold.It seeped into my bones, clinging to my skin like a wet second layer. The air was damp, thick with mildew and rot. My head throbbed, every heartbeat pounding like a drum behind my temples. I groaned, trying to move, but my arms felt like lead.I was lying on concrete. Hard. Wet. My cheek pressed against it, and I could feel tiny stones biting into my skin. My wrists ached. Something dug into them—plastic? Zip ties. Panic fluttered in my chest, not full-blown yet, but creeping in around the edges.Where am I?Why can’t I move?And then it hit me—everything. The long day with Stassie. The drive home. The headlights in my mirror. The panic. The crash.And then—nothing.Until now.My eyes fluttered open, but I saw almost nothing. Darkness. Deep, suffocating darkness. The only light was a faint glimmer far off, like a single dying candle in the shadows. My entire body screamed for answers.A sound.Footsteps.Steady, calm, unhurried.My brea

    Huling Na-update : 2025-04-23
  • SHADOW OF VOW'S   CHAPTER 41

    Alessia volkovMy legs burned with every step I took, lungs heaving and heart pounding in my chest like a war drum. The cold night air stung my skin, and the uneven gravel beneath my feet bit into my soles, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I had no plan, no direction—just one thought echoing through me like a desperate prayer:Run.I had made it out. I had struck him. I had escaped. But freedom had never felt so fleeting.Behind me, I could hear him.Marcello.Screaming. Cursing. Unhinged.His rage echoed off the metal walls of the warehouse like a beast unleashed from the depths of hell.My body ached, still sore and stiff from being bound. I stumbled through the overgrowth that surrounded the building, each branch clawing at my skin like nature itself was trying to pull me back into the nightmare I was trying to escape.Just a little farther, I told myself. Just a little more—A sharp yank on my arm pulled me backward.He had caught me.A scream burst from my lips, but it was cut shor

    Huling Na-update : 2025-04-24
  • SHADOW OF VOW'S   CHAPTER 42

    Alessia VolkovThe smoke thickened.It coiled around my lungs like a snake, suffocating, biting, cruel. Each breath was a battle, each second stretching longer than the last. My eyes burned as the flames crept closer, dancing in a cruel rhythm that matched the pounding of my heart.Marcello…He was burning.Burning alive.His screams pierced through the roar of the fire, a haunting sound that etched itself into my soul. I’d never heard pain like that. Rage, betrayal, and utter madness tangled in those cries. For a moment, I forgot he’d been my stalker. My tormentor. He had just been a boy once—someone I’d cared about, someone who’d whispered promises in my ear and brushed his fingers down my spine as if I was everything.Now he was engulfed in flames, writhing like a devil caught in hellfire.I turned my head away, bile rising in my throat. It didn’t matter that he deserved it. No one should burn like that.The fire surged, a hot, pulsing wave of destruction, and panic finally seized

    Huling Na-update : 2025-04-25

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  • 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

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