(Alessia’s POV)
The scent of polished wood and old books filled the courtroom yet beneath this aroma lay something denser which suffocated the air.
A suffocating silence filled the air, encircling my throat like a tightening noose that squeezed tighter with every second.
My fists clenched at the plaintiff's table where my nails dug painfully into my palms. My entire body was rigid like a tightly wound coil ready to snap. This was it. Three years of relentless pursuit and sleepless nights spent combing through evidence while reliving my sister’s death over and over again.
The judge who was an elderly man with deeply etched experience lines on his face adjusted his glasses and looked down at the papers before him. Time stretched into an agonizing crawl where every second struck my chest with the force of a warning bell.
He spoke then.
“After reviewing all the evidence submitted,the court finds insufficient proof to support the allegations against the defendant,Mr.Nikolai Volkov. Therefore, the charges are dismissed. Case closed.”
The gavel struck the wood with a piercing crack that sent echoes through the courtroom and fractured the air between us.
No.
The word screamed through my head but my lips refused to move. A frigid numbness seized my body while my soul seemed torn away to decay upon the courtroom floor.
A murmur spread through the room—whispers the shuffle of movement the rustle of papers being gathered. The relentless roar of injustice battered my mind with a deafening drumbeat that pounded against my skull.
My movements became deliberate as I turned while my eyes fixed upon him.
Nikolai Volkov.
He sat there with his usual calm demeanor while wearing a navy-blue suit that clung to him like an extra layer of skin. His posture remained relaxed as though he had never feared this verdict and had known all along that he would walk away untouched. The bastard didn’t even look surprised.
He smiled.
His lips stretched into a deliberate arc that mocked and taunted me while seeming to perceive the rage winding within my core. He appeared to take pleasure in the experience.
My nails penetrated further into my palms.
I propelled myself from the chair with abrupt motions while my heels struck the marble surface creating sharp clicks as I advanced toward him in a stormy manner. As his handshake with the lawyer concluded I stepped into his path to obstruct his movement.
“You think this is over?” My voice emerged as a venomous whisper intertwined with sharp edges and barely controlled fury.
Nikolai elevated a shadowy brow while his emerald-green eyes descended to lock with mine. His height advantage measured at least six inches over me yet I stood my ground refusing to feel intimidated.
He mused while tucking his hands into his pockets I don’t think. “I know. ”
I experienced an overwhelming desire to physically remove his maddeningly smug expression through a slap. My body shook in anger while blood boiled beneath my skin.
"You killed her," I spat. “You ended my sister's life and now you believe you can simply leave without consequence? ”
The look on his face remained the same. His smirk deepened. “Alessia your vision remains obscured by sorrow. And obsession. ”
My body became rigid while my heart rate surged into a relentless pounding. “This isn’t obsession. It is justice. ”
His head tilted ever so slightly while he pondered my words before leaning in to let his breath faintly brush my cheek. My senses became overwhelmed by the sharp intoxicating scent of expensive cologne.
“Justice? ” he murmured. “Or revenge? ”
I swallowed hard forcing myself not to react. I struggled to conceal from him how his nearness disturbed me in ways I detested acknowledging.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Volkov," I hissed stepping back. “Yet be aware of this—I have not reached my conclusion. You shall experience my vengeance through financial retribution. ”
His smirk remained but his eyes darkened something unreadable flickering behind them. “A word of advice?”. “Stop whatever you are doing or you will be at the receiving end.”
Before I managed to respond he turned away and walked past me leaving behind an intangible presence that lingered as an unshakable trail.
My phone buzzed which jolted me from my reverie. I pulled it from my bag without hesitation and answered without checking the caller ID.
“What? ”
“Alessia.” The voice of Daniel, my CFO whose urgent tone caused a spine-chilling reaction. “We have an issue.”
My fingers pinched the bridge of my nod e. What type of issue? ”
“A financial one. The rate of sales decline is rapid. The governing body experiences uncontrolled distress. A strategic plan becomes essential at this very moment. ”
Of course.
"I'll be there soon" I muttered before disconnecting the call.
I took a deep breath to find balance yet the universe appeared determined to destroy me today.
My phone rang again just as I was about to leave.
Upon seeing the name displayed on the screen my stomach performed an unnatural twist.
Arturo De Luca.
My father.
My jaw tightened as I weighed the option of ignoring it yet I understood his persistence would not cease until I responded.
I prepared myself mentally before swiping the screen to answer the call. “What is it that you want? ”
His voice emerged smooth yet layered with a deceptive warmth which caused my skin to crawl.
A short silence ensued before he eventually uttered the words “We need to meet. ”
I scoffed. Not interested. ”
“It’s important Alessia.” His vocal expression became inflexibly rigid. “About the company. About your mother. ”
The fibers of my heart twisted into a tight knot.
My breath escaped in drawn-out increments. Where? ”
“The house. An hou”
Before I had the chance to present my argument the call terminated abruptly.
My eyes fixated on the phone screen while my thoughts whirled into chaos. First the judicial proceedings. Then the company. Now my father?
The day evolved into a total catastrophe beyond all expectations.
If Arturo De Luca believed he could use his manipulative tactics to draw me into his schemes, I’ll be more than happy to burst his bubble.
Alessia’s POV The night felt like it would go on forever, wrapping the villa in its shadows like a heavy blanket. I sat by my bedroom window, staring at the dim reflection of my face in the glass. My heart still hadn’t calmed down from the chaos of the evening—the whispers, the warnings, and the creeping sense that with every step I took, I was just diving deeper into a maze created by my father. I couldn’t sleep. How could I? Every secret I uncovered seemed to lead to another, each truth came with another betrayal. A soft knock jolted me from my thoughts. I tensed up, but before I could say anything, the door creaked open. Nikolai stepped inside, quietly shutting the door behind him. He didn’t say anything right away; he just looked at me, a mix of exhaustion and intensity in his eyes. “You should get some rest,” he finally said, his voice low. I let out a hollow laugh. “Rest? When everything I thought I knew is falling apart in front of me?” I turned to face him fully, my arms
Nikolai’s POV The night before we faced Arturo, Alessia hardly slept at all. I could see it in the way she tossed and turned under the sheets, her breaths coming in shallow gasps, her fists clenching and releasing as if she was fighting her own battles even in her sleep. I didn’t want to wake her—some demons, after all, were meant to be confronted alone. But when morning arrived, she was already up—her hair pulled back, eyes shadowed with fatigue yet burning with a fierce resolve that outshone her fear. I strapped on my holster and watched as she slipped into the sleek black dress I had picked for her. It was simple, elegant, and exuded power—a dress that spoke of a daughter of strength, not a mere pawn in a king’s game. “Remember,” I said, adjusting her necklace, which felt more like a protective charm than just jewelry, “no flinching. No bowing. Let him talk, and only answer when it’s absolutely necessary. Every move, every breath, it’s all calculated. Got it?” She raised her
Alessia’s POV By the time we got back to the safe house, dawn was breaking, turning the sky into a mix of iron and fire. I felt utterly drained, but my mind kept replaying images from the docks—the smell of oil and gunpowder, the heavy bomb Nikolai had pushed into my hands, the sight of that guard collapsing like a marionette whose strings had been cut. I sank onto the edge of the bed, feeling numb. My hands were still shaking, even though the mission had gone better than it could’ve. We hadn’t been fully caught. Arturo’s shipment was delayed and crippled. Still, despite our success, I couldn’t shake off this gnawing guilt. “This was just a preview,” Nikolai said from across the room as he shrugged off his coat, tossing it aside. His shirt was soaked with sweat, and though his movements were sharp, he seemed to embody control. This was a man who thrived on adrenaline, always walking that fine line. “The real fights are still to come.” I pressed my palms against my knees, trying t
Alessia’s POV The air was thick with the smell of salt and rust as we crouched in the shadows of the old warehouse overlooking the docks. Outside, through the shattered glass windows, I could see Arturo’s men bustling about, moving crates into the hold of a cargo ship. Guns. Ammo. They had enough firepower there to keep his operation running for months. My heart raced, drumming loudly in my ears. This was new territory for me; I had never been the one lurking in the dark, planning a strike before dawn. Up until now, I had always been a pawn, just moved by people like my father and Nikolai. Tonight, though, I was the one in control. “Keep your eyes forward,” Nikolai whispered beside me, solid as a rock against my shaky nerves. He motioned towards the guards. “Two at the gate, three by the crates, one on the roof. They switch every five minutes. Pretty sloppy.” Sloppy, sure, but to me, it felt suffocating. Every shadow felt alive with danger. “Are you really sure about this?” I as
Alessia’s POV Sleep was nowhere close to being an option. Every time I shut my eyes, all I could picture were Arturo’s men at the door, smug and indifferent, bringing his shadow right into our home. The memory crawled on my skin like spiders, leaving me restless. Nikolai was sprawled on the sofa across the room, his hand resting on his chest. He looked surprisingly gentle in the fading firelight, like he’d shed some heavy weight. But I knew better than to think it was peaceful; his silence was just a way of calculating. Even in sleep, his body buzzed with tension, always waiting for the next fight to begin. I envied that steadiness. I sat down at the desk, spreading out the papers he’d left behind—maps, notes, lists of names. It looked like a puzzle of death laid out before me. Every arrow pointed to a battlefield, every circled name belonged to a man who would either kill or get killed. And right in the middle of it all: Arturo De Luca. My father. Just his name made my
Nikolai’s POVAs the car's taillights disappeared beyond the gates, the weight of their threat hung in the air, unsettling like a bad taste. Arturo hadn’t felt the need to show up himself. Sending those men—smug and careless—was enough to twist the knife a little deeper and remind me he was still in control.I closed the door slowly, with purpose, as if the act alone might keep the shadows away. My hand tightened on the handle, itching to smash it to pieces, but I wouldn’t let my anger win this time. Not tonight.When I turned back, I caught Alessia watching me. She sat there, arms crossed, but her shoulders trembled slightly, revealing her fear. She hid it well, but I knew her tells. Watching her try to be tough when I could see she wanted to crumble—well, that hit me hard.“We need to leave this place,” she said, her voice low and steady. “He knows where we are. He’ll use that.”Her reasoning made sense, but running wasn’t an option anymore. My father-in-law had taken too much alrea