SECOND UPDATE
THIRD PERSONThe afternoon sun spilled over the manicured gardens, golden light catching the dew on the roses. Lia moved along the stone path, her thoughts tangled, eyes fixed on the ground, unaware of the quiet presence that lingered in the shadows, just beyond the line of hedges.A figure stood perfectly still, almost blending into the world around her. Every movement, every glance, was calculated, watching, waiting. The figure’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.“She’s finally here,” the figure murmured softly, unheard by anyone. “Nine years later… closer to me than she thinks.”Lia walked past, lost in her own thoughts, oblivious. The figure remained in the shadows a moment longer, then melted back into the hidden depths of the garden, unseen and silent, leaving only the faintest echo of presence behind.LIAI slipped away from the garden, keeping my steps light and quiet. The afternoon sun stretched long shadows across the walls, and every rustle of the leaves made my hear
SALVEThe phone rang sharp in the quiet.His smirk faded as he listened. Trouble. There was always trouble. He grabbed his shirt, buttoning only half of it, and shot me a look. “Don’t miss me too much.”“I’d kill you if you didn’t come back,” I replied. It was the closest I’d give to worry.He kissed me quick and left. The door closed, and the silence that followed felt heavier than the wedding itself. I moved to the study. Paperwork was cleaner than emotions—ledgers, maps, coded notes that spoke of blood and territory. Numbers never asked me to explain myself. They never questioned.Not long after, she appeared—Lia.Her dress was pale, the folds heavy around her frame. Her posture was stiff, her eyes sharp even through the veil of fear. She stepped into the room like she was entering enemy ground, as though one wrong step would set off a trap.“You expected him to stay,” I said flatly.Her mouth pressed thin. Then, softer than I anticipated, she admitted, “It feels emptier without him
SALVEThe room was quiet, too quiet for a night meant to be a celebration. The applause, the champagne, the carefully rehearsed smiles—it was all over now. Behind the locked door of my suite, the world no longer saw the don with the perfect bride at his side. It was just me. And the weight of what I had done.I sat on the edge of the bed, loosening my cuffs, stripping away the trappings of the husband I had pretended to be. The ring gleamed dully in the lamplight, mocking me with its permanence. Lia’s ring, her vows, her silent resentment—all of it bound to me now. But she wasn’t the reason I had agreed to this.The marriage wasn’t for her.It wasn’t even for me. It was for us. For him.The door clicked open. I didn’t have to look up to know who it was. Dimitri never knocked. He leaned lazily against the frame, his shirt half undone, his smirk still clinging to his lips from the chaos of the night. “Brooding already?” he teased.I let out a low breath. “You never tire of mocking me.”“
LIA“He’s family.”The words cut deeper than any blade. Dimitri lounged at the foot of my bed like a cat who had cornered his prey, his shirt half-open, his grin sharp enough to draw blood. Beside him stood the man I thought had saved me—the man who gave me hope, only to drug me and drag me back.Dimitri’s smirk widened as he draped an arm across the stranger’s shoulders. “Quan,” he said lazily. “My cousin. Though I’m sure you’ve already met from your little stunt.” His eyes gleamed with cruel delight. “I only suggested you might try running, kotyonok. I didn’t know you had it in you.”The air left my lungs. My body shook with rage and humiliation. I wanted to scream, but my throat locked.Quan’s face remained unreadable. He gave me the smallest of nods—acknowledgment without warmth, without apology. Like I wasn’t even worth his time. Then he left the room without a word, as though my humiliation was finished business.Dimitri chuckled, low and venom-sweet. “Lesson learned, little rab
LIAThe house was too quiet at night.The walls felt alive, humming with secrets I wasn’t meant to know. I sat on the bed that wasn’t mine, silk sheets cold against my skin. The chandelier above me cast golden light, as if mocking me. I didn’t belong here. I never had.The diamond ring on my finger caught the light and burned. No matter how I turned my hand, the stone seemed to follow me, glaring like an eye. A shackle dressed as a jewel. Half a billion dollars. That number had repeated in my head since the auction. Over and over, like a curse. That’s what they paid. That’s what I was worth. To them, not as a person—but as a body and a womb.I pressed my hands to my ears, trying to drown the memory out. But it came anyway. The gavel slamming down. The men in suits shouting, laughing. My stepmother’s voice, bright and greedy. “Virgin, untouched, perfect.” The way she smiled as if she were proud.I had been standing there under the lights, trembling, naked in their eyes even if I wore a
LIAThe dining hall felt like a throne room. A long table of polished oak gleamed under the chandelier’s light, silver platters steaming with food I couldn’t pronounce. Crystal glasses caught the glow like they were mocking me. Everything was elegant, beautiful, perfect. Except me.I sat stiff at one end of the table, the diamond ring burning on my finger, my fork untouched. Across the table sat Salve, Beside him lounged Dimitri, his jacket abandoned, his shirt unbuttoned just enough to tempt scandal. He poured himself wine like a king who owned the vineyard, smirk dancing at the corner of his lips.I had never felt smaller.The silence pressed in until Dimitri shattered it with a laugh.“You look like a nun at a feast, kotyonok,” he drawled, twirling his glass. “Surrounded by temptation, but too scared to take a bite.”My jaw clenched. “I’m not hungry.”His smirk sharpened. “Ah. Sulking again.”Salve didn’t look up from his plate. “Eat.”It wasn’t a request.I forced a bite into my m