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CHAPTER 53
Last Updated:
2025-05-06 05:12:03
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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
Last Updated : 2025-05-07SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 1
Alessia MorettiLos Angeles 5pmThe night air was thick with the scent of Los Angeles—gasoline, asphalt, and a hint of the ocean breeze that never quite reached our part of the city. My heels clicked against the cracked pavement as I made my way up the worn-out steps of our townhouse, exhaustion pressing heavily against my limbs. The weight of the day—a full schedule of classes, an endless group project, and a midterm looming over my head—made the sight of our familiar blue door almost comforting. Almost.A strange sense of unease curled in my gut as I reached for the handle. Something felt off. The porch light flickered ominously, and the house was eerily silent. Usually, my brother, Luca, would be sprawled on the couch, yelling at some basketball game on TV or complaining about his latest poker hand gone wrong.Tonight, there was nothing.A chill ran down my spine.I pushed open the door, and the scent hit me first—coppery, thick, unmistakable. Blood."Luca?" My voice wavered as I s
Last Updated : 2025-03-13SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 2
Alessia Moretti I stood frozen at the doorstep long after Nikolai Volkov had disappeared into the night. My body was stiff, my pulse erratic, my mind caught in an endless loop of disbelief and fury.Future husband.The words rang in my ears like a death sentence.My fingers curled into tight fists at my sides. This cannot be happening.A weak groan from inside the house snapped me out of my trance.Luca.I spun around, slamming the door shut behind me, and rushed back to where my brother was slumped against the couch. His face was pale, his breaths shallow, the bruises already darkening along his skin.“We need to get you to a hospital,” I said, grabbing a damp towel and pressing it gently against his bleeding lip.“No hospitals,” Luca muttered, wincing. “They ask too many questions.”I bit back a frustrated scream. “And what? You’ll just sit here and bleed out?”He offered me a weak smirk. “I’ve had worse.”“Jesus Christ, Luca!” I threw the towel down, pacing the small living room.
Last Updated : 2025-03-13SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 3
Nikolai Volkov I watched her, amused.Alessia Moretti had stormed into my penthouse like a woman marching to war, her chin high, her posture stiff with defiance. She reeked of desperation, though she was trying—badly—to mask it behind confidence.And now, she stood in front of me, offering terms.A marriage with a deadline.One year.I rolled the whiskey glass between my fingers, studying her. She doesn’t understand the game she’s playing.“You think you can negotiate with me?” I asked, watching her closely.Her brown eyes, warm but filled with fire, didn’t waver. “I know I can.”Interesting.Alessia had always been a contradiction. She despised me, but she was also the only one who had ever dared to challenge me. Even as a child, she’d looked at me with those same defiant eyes, full of hatred, full of fire.And now, here she was, trying to outmaneuver me in my own game.I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, my gaze locked onto hers. “And what makes you think I’d agree to
Last Updated : 2025-03-13SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 4
Alessia Moretti I should have been used to walking into a room and feeling like prey.Growing up as a Moretti meant constantly being watched—by allies, by enemies, by people who wanted something from you. But this? This was different.This was suffocating.Everywhere I turned, another pair of eyes lingered on me. Some with curiosity, others with envy, but most with satisfaction. Like they were enjoying the spectacle of my downfall.Because that’s what this was.An arranged engagement. A forced marriage. A cage.And I was the perfect little bird trapped inside it.I stood next to Nikolai, my soon-to-be husband—God, even thinking about it made me want to scream—as we walked through the extravagant engagement party he had thrown. It was a spectacle of wealth and power, full of people who knew exactly who Nikolai Volkov was and what he was capable of.Every time someone approached us, I had to force a smile, pretending I wasn’t silently plotting ways to ruin this man.Nikolai had been pl
Last Updated : 2025-03-13SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 5
Nikolai Volkov Power wasn’t given. It was taken. Earned through blood, fear, and ruthless decisions.I had learned that lesson early in life, watching my father build an empire from nothing but brutality and intelligence. He had no patience for weakness. No tolerance for mistakes. And he made sure I understood that if I wanted to survive—if I wanted to rule—I had to be worse than my enemies.Now, as I stood in my office, overlooking the city I controlled from the shadows, I knew I had succeeded.The skyline of Los Angeles stretched before me, an ocean of lights and opportunities. A kingdom built on financial schemes, underground dealings, and the silent threats that kept my competitors in line.This city didn’t belong to the politicians or the businessmen who thought they ran it. It belonged to me.And yet, for the first time in years, my mind wasn’t consumed by business.It was consumed by her.Alessia Moretti.The woman I had wanted for as long as I could remember. The woman who no
Last Updated : 2025-03-13SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 6
Alessia MorettiThe silence in the Moretti household had never felt this heavy.My fingers hesitated on the zipper of my suitcase, trembling slightly as I tried to force order into chaos—both in the bag and in my heart. My room looked like a storm had torn through it: clothes scattered across the bed, boxes half-filled, memories strewn across every corner of the space I had once called mine. Now, it was just a room. A temporary shell I was abandoning. I inhaled deeply and folded a soft ivory blouse, laying it neatly on top of a stack of carefully chosen outfits. Clothes I would wear in **his** house. Nikolai Volkov. I still hadn’t fully wrapped my head around the reality that I was going to live under the same roof as that arrogant, ruthless man. The man who had cornered my family into a deal disguised as marriage. The man I had hated since childhood—and somehow now, the man I was supposed to **belong to**. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth. A sharp knock on my d
Last Updated : 2025-03-18SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 7
Alessia Moretti The iron gates creaked open with slow, mechanical menace, revealing the full magnitude of the Volkov estate.It wasn’t just a house—it was a fortress. A looming mansion of obsidian stone and gilded windows, surrounded by tall hedges, surveillance cameras, and guards dressed like corporate assassins. Every inch of it screamed power, danger, and wealth—the perfect home for a man like Nikolai Volkov.The car rolled up to the entrance, and the driver stepped out before I could even reach for the handle. He opened the door for me without a word, and I stepped out, heels clicking against the pristine marble steps.A butler was already waiting by the door—gray-haired, sharp-eyed, and impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit.“Miss Moretti,” he said with a respectful nod. “Welcome.”I swallowed hard. *Miss Moretti… not for long.* That name would soon be replaced with something else—something I hadn’t chosen.“Thank you,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.The butler moti
Last Updated : 2025-03-19
Latest chapter
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
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 47
Alessia VolkovvWhen Nikolai said he wanted to teach me self-defense, I thought he was joking.Like, genuinely. I even checked if he was smiling. Spoiler: he wasn’t.I should’ve known that marrying a man like him — a Volkov — meant the romantic Sunday morning cooking class would be replaced by private training sessions in a gym that smelled like sweat, leather, and testosterone.And here I am. Barefoot on the tatami mat, wearing black leggings and an oversized T-shirt, standing across from my very intimidating husband.He’s in nothing but sweatpants and a tank top that clings far too perfectly to his muscles for me to focus properly.I tilt my head toward the ceiling and sigh. “Honestly, Volkov, if you wanted to beat me up legally, you could’ve just said so.”He raises an eyebrow, amused.“I’m teaching you how to defend yourself, printsessa. Not how to get beaten.”“Hm. Either way, I still end up on the ground, right?”He shakes his head, that sly little smile tugging at his lip
SHADOW OF VOW'S CHAPTER 46
Alessia Volkov The world kept spinning. Relentless. Unforgiving.And me... I was pretending.Physically, I was fine — or so the doctors said. The bruises had faded. The superficial wounds had healed under the patient touch of time. From the outside, I was Alessia Moretti-Volkov, beautiful and radiant, the perfect wife of a powerful man.Inside, it was a different story.At night, I woke up gasping for air, certain that smoke was filling my lungs. I could still feel the burn of the rope against my wrists. I could still hear Marcello’s screams blending with the crackling flames.Even now, in the overwhelming luxury of the manor, I was never truly alone.The past clung to me like a second skin.And Nikolai... Nikolai wasn’t making it any easier.Since the day I woke up, he had become a constant shadow. Always there. Always close. Always ready to jump at the slightest sound I made.I knew he wanted to help. I knew he thought he was doing the right thing. But sometim
