Two days had passed. Since that breathless confrontation in the estate, Alia had managed to compose herself, but the seeds of suspicion in her mind had only grown larger. Viktor's father had told her that Viktor was a retired official, but Alia's sharp intuition told her otherwise.
On that ice-cold evening, while Alia was searching through some old documents in the manor's library, a sealed file suddenly fell into her hands. As she opened it, the ground seemed to slip from beneath her feet. Inside was a photograph of Viktor in a high-ranking Russian Police uniform, and beneath it, in bold letters, it read— "Senior Special Officer."
Alia realized that Viktor had kept her imprisoned in a massive lie. At that very moment, the sound of heavy boots echoed at the door. Before Alia could hide the file, Viktor entered. Today, he was wearing an expensive coat, the kind reserved only for the highest-ranking officials.
Alia threw the pages of the file toward Viktor and screamed:
"You lied to me, Viktor! Your father said you were retired, but you are still in this high position in the police? Did you stage this whole drama just to keep me under surveillance?"
Viktor calmly picked up the file. There was no guilt in his piercing blue eyes, only a mysterious depth. He stepped very close to Alia, placing his hand on her waist and pulling her toward him.
Viktor spoke in an exceptionally grave voice:
"The truth is much more complex, Alia. I am not just a police officer; I control the dark side of this entire system. The retirement story was merely for the outside world, so that Nikola or my enemies wouldn't perceive me as vulnerable. But behind the curtain, every trigger in this city moves at my command."
Alia stared into Viktor's eyes. She realized that Viktor held both the Mafia and the Law in the palm of his hand. Viktor tilted Alia's chin up and said:
"Now tell me, Alia do you want to stay with a common mobster, or do you want to be the Queen of someone who is the Emperor of both the empires of law and crime?"
A thousand thoughts raced through Alia's head. Viktor's dual identity left her simultaneously terrified and thrilled. On that bone-chilling Russian night, the landscape was swallowed by a blanket of white snow. The wind whistled through the air like a haunting, mysterious melody. Viktor and Alia stood together in a desolate, snow-covered clearing outside the estate. Suddenly, for some unknown reason, Viktor started—his blue eyes widening for a split second with a flicker of unexpected fear.
Perhaps he had spotted an enemy's footprint in the snow, or perhaps he had seen something in Alia's gaze that caught him off guard. But in an instant, he regained his composure. Looking at Alia's brave and enchanting expression, his fear was replaced by an irrepressible surge of passion and obsession.
With a sudden movement, he cradled Alia in his arms. Her blue dress and golden hair created a stunning contrast against the stark white snow. Viktor gazed into her eyes, a wide grin spreading across his face as he began to speak in a low, Russian voice:
"Принцесса Алия, ты действительно пришла..." > (Princess Alia, you actually came...)
Alia grabbed the collar of Viktor's shirt, staring back at him with a sharp, piercing gaze as she countered in Russian:
"Ты — просто обманщик! Если бы только знали, что ты — Лорд Русской Мафии, и всё же работаешь на ФСБ..." > (You are nothing but a deceiver! If they only knew that you are the Russian Mafia Lord and yet you work for the FSB...)
Hearing her words, Viktor laughed even louder—a sound filled with both pride and a diabolical joy. He pulled her closer and began walking through the deep snow. He whispered:
"This is my game, Alia. And now, in this game, you are my partner. Let this Russian snow be our witness whether it is the law or the underworld, no one has the power to rule over us." In the silence of the snowfall, Viktor's diabolical obsession reached a new height. Still holding Alia in his arms, he suddenly stopped. His hot breath crashed against her lips. Without giving her a moment to think, Viktor began to kiss her lips with a raw, primal aggression—a kiss that felt more like a claim of ownership than an act of love.
At that exact moment, several armed FSB officers emerged from behind the snow-covered trees and the shifting shadows. The laser sights from their weapons danced across the snow like tiny red drops of blood. Seeing their senior officer in such a position, they froze for a split second.
Viktor pulled his face slightly away from Alia's lips but did not lower her from his arms. His eyes burned with the arrogance of absolute power. Looking at the officers, he whispered in a low, bone-chillingly grave voice:
"Look closely... this is the woman I will protect, even at the cost of my own life. From this day forward, she is not just my Queen; she is the second-in-command of this empire. Let no one dare to even raise an eye toward her."
The officers bowed their heads in a sign of absolute respect. Viktor leaned back toward Alia's ear and whispered once more:
"Do you see now, Alia? Even these gun barrels are beneath your feet. You cursed me, but this cursed man will make you the Goddess of all Russia."
Alia watched as the darkness of the mafia world on one side and the powerful weapons of the law on the other all moved at the single command of this one man. Viktor touched her forehead with his and began to walk through the snow with a terrifying sense of pride. That romantic yet toxic moment in the snowfall was suddenly shattered by a harsh, grating sound. As Viktor moved forward with pride, carrying Alia, an officer quickly stepped in front of them. A sense of emergency was etched across his face. The officer bowed his head and spoke with extreme caution:
"Sir, forgive me for disturbing you. But word has come directly from headquarters. You must leave for an FSB mission immediately. A 'special person' is waiting for you."
Viktor's jaw tightened. A terrifying coldness returned to his blue eyes in that instant. He didn't set Alia down; instead, he gripped her even tighter. For Viktor, a mission meant bloodshed and destruction, and at this moment, he was unwilling to leave Alia behind.
Viktor looked at the officer and said through gritted teeth:
"Tell them I am busy. Let them not dare to interfere with my private time."
The officer replied in a trembling voice:
"But sir... this is a direct order from the top. They said this mission is linked to your 'Nikola' project. If you don't go, there could be a major threat."
At the mention of the name 'Nikola,' a diabolical glint flickered in Viktor's eyes. He realized this wasn't just a mission; it was likely a move played by his elder brother. Viktor looked into Alia's eyes, seeing that she, too, understood the gravity of the situation.
Viktor whispered into Alia's ear:
"Did you hear that? The prey has emerged from its hole. I am going, but remember this palace and these officers are now under your command. Until I return, you are the master of this empire."
Alia straightened the collar of Viktor's uniform and said in a steady voice:
"Go, Viktor. Finish your mission and return. But remember, if I make a move of my own before you come back, you cannot blame me for it."
Viktor embraced Alia one last time and signaled to the officers. Within moments, several black vehicles skidded to a halt on the snow. As Viktor disappeared into the blizzard in his black-tinted vehicle, Alia stood on the palace balcony, watching the scene unfold. She had expected Nikola to launch an ambush or cause some grave danger along the way. But strangely, the entire route remained dead silent. Neither Nikola nor any of his men stood in Viktor's path.
In reality, Nikola knew that if Viktor succeeded in the project he had undertaken, it would mean the absolute power of Russia would fall into their family's hands. Today, Viktor succeeded in the greatest and most secretive mission of his life not just as a Mafia Lord, but as a high-ranking FSB Officer. This success meant that Viktor was now unrivaled in both the Russian government and the underworld.
When Viktor arrived at the headquarters, the air was thick with tension and excitement. High-ranking officials were saluting him. Viktor knew that this victory hadn't just given him power; it had given him every legal and illegal means to keep Alia his forever.
Back at the palace, Alia saw that even in Viktor's absence, his influence had not waned. On the contrary, following Viktor's massive success, Nikola had seemingly accepted defeat and remained quiet a silence that felt increasingly mysterious to Alia.As Alia stood by the window, watching the moonlight dance on the snow, her phone suddenly rang. Seeing an unknown number on the screen, she hesitated for a moment before answering. A deep, slightly mocking voice came through from the other side it was Nikola.
In a tone of utter disdain, Nikola began:
"What did you think, Bhabi (Sister-in-law)? Do I have nothing better to do than spend my life chasing after my crazy brother (Viktor)? I have my own world, I have my own wife. I might be in the Mafia, but I am a family man. Let Viktor do what he's doing; that's his own path. I don't have time for this."
Without giving Alia a chance to say a single word, Nikola abruptly hung up. Alia stared at her phone in silence. This sudden call and Nikola's attempt to prove his "innocence" only made her more suspicious.
She realized that while Nikola might not want an open war, he was likely weaving a massive plan behind the scenes. What did he mean by mentioning his wife? Was he sending a hidden message, or was this just a move to deceive Viktor?
In the vast emptiness of the palace, Alia stood alone, wondering l was Nikola's retreat truly for the sake of his personal peace, or was this the eerie silence before a massive storm?