All Chapters of I Am Mustafin: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

The leather seat creaks beneath me as I shift for what feels like the hundredth time, my eyes drawn to the checkpoint ahead—our fourth one so far. Efrem sits beside me, the blue glow of his laptop screen casting shadows across his sharp features. I watch as his fingers move across the keyboard, wondering what command he’s issuing, what plans he’s setting in motion.My gaze drifts to the rearview mirror, catching Alek’s eyes briefly before he returns his attention to the road. Tavin sits rigid in the passenger seat, his vigilance never wavering. Through the side mirror, I can see the identical black SUV following us—Matvey and Ivan maintaining their protective distance.“Identification,” a stern voice demands from outside.I hold my breath as Alek hands over our documentation. The guard’s flashlight beam sweeps through our vehicle, lingering maybe a second too long on me before moving on. My heart pounds against my ribs as I wait.Four checkpoints. We never passed this many before.Eve

My fingers trace the edge of my dress zipper, the events from dinner still playing in my mind. It’s not Kane’s brutality that unnerves me, but the casual nature of it. The way everyone simply continued eating, as if a man’s bones hadn’t just been crushed mere feet from their plates.Like breaking someone was as normal as passing the salt....They have the power to do whatever they want to whoever they want without consequence… “Let me help you with that,” Efrem murmurs, his fingers replacing mine on the zipper. His movements are careful, protective rather than passionate. When the dress pools at my feet, his hands settle on my bare waist, and for a moment, he merely holds me.I try to relax, but even in the warmth of his arms, I can’t shake the thought that what happened tonight was normal to Efrem too. And maybe, under different circumstances, he would react the same way Kane did.Efrem is nothing like Kane.I catch Efrem’s expression in the mirror—concern etched in the slight furr

Each click of my heels against the marble feels like a countdown. The spa room stretches before me, all gleaming surfaces and soft lighting. My eyes flicker from the hot tub’s steam rising in lazy curls to the women sitting on the pedicure chairs.Just do what you always do. Speak only when spoken to. I try to prepare myself as I near them, feeling the tips of my fingers tingle at my nerves.Sophia barely glances up from her magazine, perfectly manicured nails turning pages with indifference. Christana offers a polite nod, her eyes carefully avoiding mine as if she can sense my discomfort. But Nana… Nana watches me with that calculating gaze that seems to see right through me.Just then, a young woman in a crisp white uniform appears at my elbow. “Right this way, Mrs. Mustafin.”The title still sounds foreign here, drawing a subtle shift in Sophia’s posture. I sink into the offered chair, hyperaware of every movement. The attendant kneels to prepare the footbath, steam rising as she

After a long and silent car ride back, I’m relieved to be standing in our home, in our bedroom, changing into something more comfortable, though it’s barely mid-afternoon. The silk of my dress whispers against my skin as it falls on the floor, replaced by soft cotton that feels like armor against the world. I have no intentions of leaving this bedroom again tonight—the weight of the day, combined with the ghost of last night’s fear, leaves me craving nothing but solitude.I move to the bathroom next, and I begin the careful process of removing my makeup. The foundation comes away slowly, revealing patches of purple and blue beneath. Each gentle touch around my jaw reminds me of his fingers there—first in anger, then in careful avoidance. And as I shift my wrist, my hand finishing its work, the bruises peek out from beneath the diamond watch he gave me to hide them.How long will these take to heal?As I study my reflection in the mirror, Amara’s voice echoes in my mind: “They’re viole

The flash drive feels impossibly heavy in my palm. I’ve been standing here for what feels like hours, though the ornate clock on Efrem’s wall tells me it’s been mere minutes since Kane left. My fingers trace the edge of the small device, my mind at war with itself, conflicted.Just do it.But I hesitate. There’s something about the way Efrem left it here—so deliberately visible, so carefully placed. Like every other test he’s given me, this one carries weight I can’t measure.It’s now or never.With a shaky breath, I round his desk and sink into his chair. The leather is still warm from his presence, and something about that makes my heart ache. I lean forward, sliding the drive into his laptop with trembling fingers. The screen flickers to life, showing a single video file.The meeting. Their meeting.The file opens to show the Ringleaders’ conference in Kane’s mansion. My stomach turns at the sight of that familiar table where I sat just yesterday. But now the seats are filled with