"Beautiful, kind but sad."

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T/W: Abuse and foul language.

Mention of murder.

Reader discretion is advised.

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R H E A

2 1 Y E A R O L D

I groan softly whilst walking like a dead zombie towards my department.

How do the teachers expect us to study so much?

Remember all the laws and then show up with all the assignments completed?

IDIOTS.

“Good morning, baby.”

I look up with an annoyed expression but smile immediately as I see my boyfriend, Rudra.

“Rudy.” I grin as he kisses me.

“You look like a zombie, baby.” He laughs and I elbow his ribcage.

“I'm tired.” I groan as we both sit down on our usual spot at the terrace since there is almost an hour for the classes to start.

“I told ma about you, she's okay but bhai overheard and he's seething I tell you, Rudy.” I mutter as I look at the horizon before looking at him with a lazy smile.

“Oh yeah, about that baby, I-i-just.”

I face him completely now, “Bhai won't do anything to you, okay? He's just a little protective of me and I-”

“I want to break up.”

The sounds of birds and distant traffic could be heard apart from my thrumming heartbeat.

“W-what?” I stare at him and then at my phone to check the date.

It's December and not even April that he's pranking me.

“I said, I want to end this.” He gestures between us.

“Our relationship. It's holding me back and I can't do anything. You're boring, okay. I-i have my own needs. You've given me blowjobs but you won't let me fuck you and I'm tired”.

I keep staring at him as my vision blurs.

Four years of our relationship for this?

“Just because I don't let you have sex with me, y-you-ur breaking up?” I whisper, voice cracking and my gaze drops on his neck and the ground slips from beneath my feet.

A hickey.

A mark that I never left on him.

He follows my gaze and scoffs, “Yes, it's not you and I cheated. Anything else? This is what you get for being such a prude.”

I lock my eyes with his, tears threatening to fall down my eyes and the next thing I know is that he's shouting at me from behind while holding his cheek as I walk out of the terrace.

Yeah, I slapped him.

I stop at the door and face him, removing the bracelet he got me for our third anniversary and I throw it on his face.

“I hope you graduate without honours and always lose all the cases, especially against me.” I mutter as he stares at me like I've lost my mind, which I have

I walk out without sparing that failed lab experiment another glance.

I was too good for that piece of shit anyways but I loved him.

God, I hate myself for it.

I walk towards my hostel room. I have no energy to attend today's lectures.

With a sigh I enter my room, slamming the door shut and my roommates look up at me with curious gaze.

Kriti Singh, first year law student and Everly Carson, first year business student.

I don't know what the fuck came up to the university people that they assigned two fucking freshers with a senior.

I stare at them before walking towards my room and slamming the door shut. I lie down on my bed, burying my face in my pillow, I scream at the top of my lungs.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."

I sit up again, looking in the mirror, I fix my hair while biting my inner cheek and trying but failing not to bawl my fucking eyes out.

“Come in.” I groan, wiping my eyes and a knock interrupts my thoughts.

Kirti followed by Everly enter while holding a cup of hot cocoa. They both stare at me, unsure of what to say.

“Well, we thought you could use some sugar now.” Everly speaks, breaking the silence, her american accent prominent while Kriti nods.

“Definitely and trust me, boys are DICKS IN CAP.” She rolls her eyes as if she has some personal vendetta against the species in general, making me chuckle.

The tension in the room lightens and they both sit on the bed while I sip the hot chocolate.

Juniors are not that bad after all.

“Wanna spill?” Every mutters and I nod and tell them everything.

“He's honestly a mistake. His parents should've used a condom, as it is he looks like a torn condom.” Kriti grits her teeth as she sips her tea making Everly nod while I chuckle.

“You girls are too much.”

“Nawrr!” Everly shakes her head making me chuckle at her version of “NO.”

“She's right, he's an idiot.”

I smile, it feels like to atleast have someone to talk to after you've been betrayed by the person you love.

I wonder if I'll ever find my princess love story and happy ending?

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P R E S E N T

I stare at the man infront of me, more like glaring daggers at him and I swear, if eyes could shoot lasers?

Dimitri Motherfucking Ivanov would've been burnt by now.

I come back from grocery shopping in a happy mood only for it to turn sour at the sight of him.

“Now now, easy there tigress. You're an Ivanov now, so I expect you to behave like one. Don't force me to discipline you”. He says smugly, sitting in our home, mine and Nikolai's home, on our damn sofa as if he owns it.

“You-”

But before I could say anything, Aunt Yuliya holds my hand in a death grip while glaring at me.

“Behave. He's our boss and Nikolai's father.”

I stare at her dumbfounded, I've never seen her like this.

Sure, she's cold and detached but this? This is a whole new level of coldness and detachment.

I try to free myself but her grip is relentless making me more angry.

“Let go, Aunty.”

“You will behave, Rhea.”

Oh, now you've done it.

I glare at her, pulling my hand back with a jerk but she grabs my collar and drags me across the hall while he laughs, standing up lazily.

His gait is slow and measured.

I don't have the time to process as I'm pushed into the store room, making me land harshly against the cold floor.

“Ahhh.” I groan in pain while he smirks as he pats her shoulders and says something in Russian to which she just nods and leaves, leaving me and him alone.

He crouches in front of me and grabs my collar, making me yelp.

Fear crawls up my spine as he brings his face closer to mine, attaching his lips on my neck, making me scream out loud and I kick him in the balls and run out somehow as tears stream down my face.

“No no no no..Niko, no please.”

I walk towards the lobby and call on Nikolai's number but Aunt Yuliya walks towards me, grips my hair and pushes me back as my back hits the staircase making me cry more.

“Why are you doing this, Aunty?” I moan in pain as she stares at me without any expression.

“Aren't I your Solyonkshko?” I somehow speak but scream as Dimitri, my fucking father in law grabs my hair and drags me up the stairs.

I scream and shout, thrashing my legs. I even beg him to let me go but it's all in vain.

I stare at everyone, the entire staff is frozen as they watch him drag me away.

Is this the end?

Will I die without confessing?

I keep screaming till I can't no more before I am thrown onto the bed.

Our bed.

Mine and Nikolai's bedroom.

“You've been a bad girl and girls like you?”

He jumps on me, caging me between himself and the bed.

“Please don't.” I whisper, voice trembling.

I have never ever begged in my life but this is something I never thought I'd ever find myself in.

He laughs darkly, bringing his lips near my ear as he nibbles on it making me cry out more loudly.

“I love it when you all cry. Makes me harder and more aroused.” He murmurs, trailing wet kisses down my neck.

I keep shaking my head and kick his groin only for him to slap me hard, making my lips bleed as I look at the mirror.

My reflection.

A man who was supposed to be my father-in-law, caging me between himself and the bed whilst everyone else is downstairs doing nothing.

Aunty Yuliya, the one I thought loved me and Nikolai?

She left me alone with this monster to suffer and let him do as he please.

“Nikolai.” I murmur as a tear slides down my cheek and Dimitri’s movements come to an abrupt halt.

He grabs my chin, making me face him, looking me dead in the eye he laughs.

“That bastard won't come. He couldn't even save his mother and Yuliya? She was there when I killed her.”

I look at him and my eyes widen as his words sink in.

She was there but she didn't save her.

“His mother-” the words leave my mouth even before I could stop.

He grins, a slow menacing grin, “No wonder Nikolai fell for you. You're smart.” He murmurs, playing with my bottom lip.

“She was a whore anyway. Played piano like her life depended on it and worst of all? That bitch made my son also like her. Soft, weak.”

He continues to belittle his mother, the one who loved Nikolai dearly, only for her to die because Aunt Yuliya was a weak bitch to save her.

“If Nikolai finds out about this, which he will. You will have no place to hide-”

I choke on my words as he presses my neck painfully, cutting off the air supply while I try to free myself and his next words were like a punch in the gut.

“His mother? That bitch was none other than Svetlana Volkovitch.”

I hit his face, scratching, anything that would help me get out of this.

Those letters.

The pictures.

Everything.

It was his mother.

He lied to me.

He hid her from me.

He hid himself from me.

My eyes slowly close but then something sharp hits my head and everything goes black.

Of Course it does.

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I blink open my eyes as I stare at the white ceiling and the soft beeps of the monitor kept on the side of the bed.

Where am I?

I sit up with a groan looking around, everything is blue and white.

“Oh god-”

I look at the source of the voice. A man in his early thirties stands in front of me.

His hair is a mess, his green eyes are staring at me like I'm his most prized possession and the bandage around his hand with a deep red center?

Yes, that is scaring me.

He cups my face, making me pout as he joins his forehead with mine.

What the fuck?

“Fuck, Zvezda. God, I-i am so sorry. I didn't realise. Please forgive me. I-i-”

He stares at me and attaches his lips with mine, catching me completely off guard.

Though I don't mind a handsome kissing me but this?

It feels like I am home but wrong at the same time.

We both pull back and he picks me up like I weigh nothing and makes me sit on his lap and engulfs me into a tight hug.

Like he's afraid that I will vanish if he lets go of me.

He burys his face in my hair and breathes in the scent of my hair and sighs in contentment as if he's been waiting for this.

After a beat long, he pulls back and caresses my cheek with the pad of his thumb.

“I am so sorry, Zvezda. I didn't know. I saw your message and came immediately.”

Message? What message is he talking about?

I didn't send him anything.

“Please, I know you're mad at me but please.” He pauses, “I've never begged anyone in my life but please, if that is what you want, I will.”

“Talk to me, Rhea. Talk to me baby, please.”

I blink.

How does he know my name?

“Please say something. Anything.”

And I do,

“Who are you?”

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