Trigger Warnings

This chapter contains depictions of child abuse, domestic violence, emotional trauma, foul language.

Reader discretion is advised.

NIKOLAI POV

12 year old

DOOR SLAMMING SOUND

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

All I can hear is my heartbeat as I hide in the closet, my knees close to my chest as dad hits mother continuously. I swallow my sobs which are threatening to fall out of my mouth.

“Dimitri stop please, please I beg of you. Ahhhhhh-” mom begs dad who's showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.

“Shut up you whore. I-” he kicks and grunts, “I should've killed you the day you gave me my hier. Slut.” Spits.

I am breathing heavily while trying not to make any sound but I peek out of the closet and my heart drops, tears filling my eyes and I try to speak but can't.

I am speaking but no words are coming out, my throat is clogged.

This can't be happenin—

“There you are my son.” Dad's voice brings me out of my trance as I stare at him with wide eyes filled with terror and underlying defiance to which he gives me his cold smirk and drags me out while grabbing the nape of my neck and throws me in front of my mother.

“Repeat after me or else this woman?” he kicks her stomach and I flinch, “she will suffer, okay?” He tilts my chin and my green eyes meet his green ones and I nod.

“Svetlana Volkovitch- tch tch tch.” He shakes his head and crouches infront of me as he yanks mom up by grabbing her hair and continues in a condescending tone,

“Svetlana Daniel-” he looks at her and gives her a cold smile and she's shaking like a leaf.

“Dimitri please” she pleads him only earning a slap.

“Shut up you whore. You only talk when I allow you to.” He hisses and faces me all while my entire focus remains on my mother's bruised face, the famous pianist, Svetlana Volkovitch, a mess with her hands and knuckles all bruised.

He forces me to look at him and I do shakily.

“You repeat after me boy.” And all I do is nod.

“Svetlana”

“Mother”

Slaps.

I flinched, he slapped mother again.

“Again.” I nod shakily, holding back my tears.

“Svetlana”

“Svetlana.” I speak in a broken tone. I just want this to stop but the next line he speaks? I possibly cannot repeat it.

I cannot.

She's my mother but if I don't, she'll pay the price and she's on the verge of passing out.

He continues in the same mocking tone,

“Is a whore.”

“I-is a- w-whore” I speak as a sob rips out of my throat and he leaves her and walks out while shaking his head as he mutters, “disgrace.”

I quickly rush towards her and cradle her in my lap as I try not to cry but failing miserably and I whisper in a broken tone.

“Mo-om- I-im so-sorry- I-”

She reaches her hand as she caresses my cheeks and that was it, I break down. She speaks in her honey like tone which just a cruel reminder of the monster she lives with— Dimitri Ivanov, my father, her husband.

“It's okay Malysh. You're my strong boy right? Wipe those tears, c'mon.” She coos and gives me her best possible smile at the moment and I cry harder while holding her.

“I hate him. I hate this, I hate it that I cann-not protect y-you from that m-monster- I-” I cry harder, trying to stop but cannot.

“Shhh! My Malysh. I'm here aren't I? Then why are you crying? C'mon smile for me. Please Niko.” She coos while continuing to caress my face.

PRESENT

I keep staring at the blank screen as the blast just happened.

The memories of the past.

The screams.

The begging.

The dark closet.

I've heard that history repeats itself but it should be with the person who committed the sin and not the one who suffered because of it.

That man killed my mother and posed it as a bloody blast in front of the world and gained sympathy.

Sorry fucking son of a-

My eyes widen as I remember that I am married now.

My wife.

My Rhea.

I immediately dial her number and it goes straight to voicemail. Panic sets to grip me, as the familiar feelings return,

“No no no no… This can't be happening. She can't die..I should've never left her alone-”

I call my secretary and all I know is that I'm going back to London.

“I'm coming Rhea. You better not die on me.” I mutter, more like convincing myself.

She won't, right?

⋆｡‧˚ʚ🍒ɞ˚‧｡⋆

RHEA POV

DUST.

SMOKE.

BROKEN PILLARS.

I cough, trying to identify the place that I'm in, wasn't I on the third floor?

“Damn it, didn't know that entering the third floor would result in nothing but a blast.” I mutter to myself but before I could register, a sharp cry of pain rips out of my throat and I look in front, my leg is under a damn almirah.

“Ahh, no no no please, ahhh-” I cry in pain, trying to move but even the slightest of the movements is creating so much distress and my head feels heavy, as if I could faint any second now.

“A-aanikka- hel-p-” I moan weakly gathering some remaining strength, and muffled voices could be heard but not strong enough for me to make out who it was.

“Nikolai-” I whisper before I submit myself to the darkness.

⋆｡‧˚ʚ🍒ɞ˚‧｡⋆

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

I slowly open my eyes, adjusting to the white light on my head.

Am I dead? Is this heaven?

You bet bitch, as if your karma will lead you to heaven.

True that-

I blink a few times.

“Ro? Oh thank fucking god. I thought I lost you for good.” Alia looks at me concerned.

Did she cry? Probably.

“Nikolai, she's awake. You can see her.” She turns towards him and leaves the room before planting a small kiss on the top of my head as she murmurs,

“I'll be right outside, call me if you need anything.” And with that she walks out.

I look up at him, dark circles, unshaved beard and he looks sleep deprived too.

“Niko-”

“Shh. It's okay Zvezda, everything is fine. You're fine.” He speaks softly and this is the second time he's used this tone with me.

“You look like a mess”. I mutter quietly.

“I do, huh? I guess. I was here for the past two weeks. Only took bath that too in the washroom here.”

Wait a minute.

“Two weeks-”. I ask, trying to hide my panic.

“Hey, shhh shh! It's okay. And yes, you were out for two weeks. The doc said it's cause of the brick that hit your head and that you could have forgotten but you didn't. That's a relief”. He sound relieved as he traces random circles on my hand.

“I thought I lost you for a second. I was so scared. Don't, I mean do not ever defy my orders again. Never again Rhea.”

I nod, not pulling my hand back, just relishing and enjoying the moment.

“Annika and others.” I whisper and he looks away, “Answer me Nikolai. Where are they?”

“Annika is admitted and is in ICU but others? Natalie and James couldn't make it.”

“No no no, this can't be happening. They were there before I went around the mansion. No this can't be happening.” I start panicking and the next thing I know is that he cradling me, just like that day nothing but just murmuring sweet things and I break down.

“I killed them.”

“You didn't. They were just unfortunate. You didn't do anything wrong, nothing at all. I'm here Zvezda. It's okay. You're safe with me.” He murmurs quietly and kisses my forehead and just like I sleep on him, but questions linger in back of my mind.

Who would try to kill us?

Why us?

Is this a warning and most importantly,

Who is Svetlana Volkovitch and how's she related to my husband and why does he have her portrait?

⋆｡‧˚ʚ🍒ɞ˚‧｡⋆