All Chapters of I Am Mustafin: Chapter 131 - Chapter 140

Concluding dinner, my hand rests at the small of Alaki’s back as we leave the dining room, the pills in my pocket feeling heavier with each step. Her body heat radiates through the silk of her dress, and I find myself hyperaware of every subtle change in her—how her hips sway differently now, how her breathing carries a slight catch when she’s tired.She’s lost weight everywhere except where it matters. The curve of her hips has somehow grown fuller, her body preparing itself for what I won’t allow to happen. The knowledge of it makes something twist in my chest as I reach past her to open the bedroom door.The familiar scent of cedar and leather wraps around us as we enter. Something about watching her move through our space—this room where we’ve shared so many moments—makes everything feel heavier tonight.“Get ready for bed,” I tell her softly. She nods, that soft, subtle bow of her head that makes her look perfectly submissive. She moves toward the bathroom, and I watch her reflec

My eyes flicker to the windows of Viktor’s office, noticing the way clouds gather. Outside, the Mustafin sector sprawls beneath a sky that threatens rain—fitting for a day spent strengthening friendships while plotting another man’s demise. The crystal tumbler in my hand feels too heavy for the hour, but Viktor pours anyway, his weathered steady around the decanter.“You look like shit, Efrem,” he says, the familiar gruffness in his voice carrying genuine concern. “Trouble at home?”I take a measured sip, letting the burn coat my throat before answering. “Nothing I can’t handle.”Viktor settles into his chair, the leather creaking beneath him. The scent of tobacco clings to him like a second skin, mixing with notes of expensive cologne that can’t quite mask the underlying earthiness. Unlike Dimitri, who still fights for recognition and power a decade after our selection, Viktor has always embraced his role as Arbiter with comfortable ease—content with the position that grants him auth

This chapter transitions back and forth between both POVs.⊰ Efrem / Alaki ⊱The weight of my watch feels heavy as I adjust my cufflinks, eyes fixed on my reflection in the bedroom’s full-length mirror. Around me, the room holds its breath—silent except for the soft rustling of fabric as Alaki finishes dressing behind me. Tonight isn’t merely another social obligation; it’s a performance. One that requires perfect execution after days of fracturing control.That dinner confrontation lingers between us like a physical thing—her defiance, her refusal to eat, the questions about my intentions for our child spoken openly before the guards. Since then, we’ve exchanged no more than a handful of necessary words, the silence growing heavier with each passing day.In the mirror, I catch Alaki’s reflection as she stands before her vanity. The dress I selected—midnight blue silk that spills like water over her curves—simultaneously conceals and accentuates her condition. At almost three months,

Rain drums against the windows as we pull up to the mansion, the downpour a fitting backdrop to the tension radiating from Alaki beside me. I study her profile in the dim light of the car’s interior—the rigid set of her shoulders, the careful way she avoids meeting my gaze, the subtle tremble in her fingers as they rest against the door handle.She hasn’t spoken a word since we left Viktor’s ball. Not since I caught her watching me disappear with Tatiana behind those heavy curtains. The silence between us feels charged, like the air before lightning strikes.As Matvey opens the car door, the sound of rain grows louder, fat droplets illuminated in the security lights. I calculate my approach, deciding on casual authority—the same controlled presence that has served me well in far more dangerous situations than a wife’s silence.“Master Efrem,” Matvey says as he holds an umbrella over us, his posture perfect despite the storm.I guide Alaki toward the entrance with my hand at the small

Content Advisory: This chapter contains themes of emotional manipulation, power imbalance, and toxic relationships. It includes references to past betrayal, coercion, and pregnancy. Reader discretion is advised.This chapter transitions back and forth between both POVs.⊰ Efrem / Alaki ⊱ Her eyes meet mine in silent question, the towel still clutched firmly against her chest. I can see the conflict warring within her—desire battling with justified mistrust, need fighting against the memory of hurt that sits between us.“Please,” I whisper, the word unfamiliar on my tongue.The surprise flickers across her features, subtle but unmistakable. I rarely ask. I take, I command, I expect—but I seldom request. Yet something about her vulnerability, about the tears still clinging to her lashes, makes me unwilling to demand even this small concession.Her fingers tremble slightly as she loosens her grip on the towel. I don’t move to help, allowing her this moment of choice, giving her control