Alia's eyes snapped open.
The soft blue light of the room, the slow rise and fall of Victor's chest, and the sound of her own breathing returned to her all at once.
For a few seconds, she remained completely still.
The drunken haze was gone.
The familiar sharpness had returned to her eyes.
She slowly lifted her head. Victor was still asleep, holding her close—but Alia's gaze was now fully awake, aware, calculating.
A faint, mysterious smile curved on her lips.
In a very low whisper, almost to herself, she murmured,
"What did I say…?"
Her expression slowly hardened.
Fragments of memory flashed back—the car ride, the words about Alexander, the Don, her vulnerability.
Gently, she moved Victor's arm away and sat up on the bed.
Her feet touched the floor. Her head lowered, hair falling over her face.
Silence.
Then she looked toward the mirror.
The girl in the reflection was not drunk, not weak, not helpless.
She was the God-Mother again.
The Tigress.
In a soft whisper, Alia said,
"No one… will ever know this side of me."
Behind her, Victor stirred slightly in his sleep.
In an instant, Alia composed her face back to normal.
The game was about to begin again.Victor was lost in deep sleep.
The soft blue light of the room made the muscles on his chest, visible through his open shirt, stand out even more. His breathing was slow, heavy, steady as if no storm in the world could touch him at this moment.
Alia stood silently, watching him.
This was the same man who had burned like fire just a while ago rage, jealousy, possessiveness forming a terrifying presence.
And now?
Completely calm. Unarmed. Unaware.
Alia slowly walked closer to him and sat at the edge of the bed. Her eyes did not leave his face.
Her fingers lightly brushed over his chest, feeling the firm lines of his muscles.
A strange smile curved on her lips.
In a soft whisper, she said,
"Why do you look so peaceful when you sleep, Victor…"
For a brief moment, softness appeared in her eyes.
Then, the familiar firmness returned.
She stood up and walked toward the window. Outside, the night was fading.
A new morning was approaching.
And Alia knew
These quiet moments are always the most dangerous.Three hours later, Alia returned.
As she entered the room, she saw Victor stepping out of the bathroom. He was wearing a black bathrobe, his hair still wet, drops of water running down his shoulders. In the room's light, he looked even fresher, stronger.
Alia paused for a moment.
She herself was wearing an oversized black shirt that reached down to her knees. The fatigue of the night had faded, but the sharp awareness in her eyes remained.
Their eyes met for a brief second.
No words.
Only silence.
Alia slowly walked toward the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine. The sound of coffee pouring into the cup broke the quietness of the room.
Victor stood near the doorway, watching her.
In his eyes, there were questions, suspicion, and a strange calm all at once.
Alia took a sip from the cup and stood near the window.
A new morning.
But the invisible tension between them still lingered.Victor slowly stepped forward from behind.
Alia was standing by the window, holding her cup of coffee and staring outside. Suddenly, she felt two strong arms gently wrap around her.
Victor's chest rested against her back.
He leaned closer and placed a soft kiss near her neck.
In a low, sleepy voice, he whispered,
"What are you doing… my little mouse?"
A faint smile appeared on Alia's lips. She closed her eyes for a moment.Alia's eyes grew quiet. She slowly pulled away from Victor's arms, taking her cup in hand and sitting down in the chair.
Her mind wandered—to her five children, who were now in Russia. It had been so long since she last saw them.
Her heart felt a gentle ache. She knew leaving them behind had never been easy. Even after starting a new life in Korea, a lingering emptiness remained deep inside.
Victor noticed the depth in her gaze. He slowly placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What's on your mind, Alia?"
Alia smiled faintly and shook her head.
"Just… thinking of them. But it's alright. I'm here now."
Silence once again filled the room, but the echo of that memory still shimmered in her eyes.Victor paused slightly, a mixture of hope and pain in his eyes.
"So… you can't have a child?" he asked in a slow, deep voice.
Alia looked at him, a hint of unease mingled with smoke in her eyes, and a faint, flickering smile on her lips.
"Victor… are you out of your mind? You don't know my problem. I can't have a child anymore."
Victor's hand tightened slightly, a subtle tremor betraying his heavy heart.
"I know… but sometimes, can't one hope?" he murmured softly, as if unknowingly revealing the pain within.
Alia exhaled slowly, shaking her head.
"No… it's over. We must make new choices for our path. But the past… we cannot bring it back."
Silence filled the room, heavy with unspoken understanding, pain, and a strange tranquility between them.Victor took a deep breath and looked at Alia, his eyes a mix of firmness and understanding.
"Try to understand, Alia. We need a child. We are both billionaires. We have wealth, power, many things… but none of it will complete us if we don't build a family."
Alia remained silent for a moment, her gaze conflicted, but she clearly tried to comprehend his words.
"Victor… I know what you're saying, but my body can't do it anymore. This isn't just a question of money or power. I can't have a child."
Victor slowly nodded, yet the determination in his eyes remained.
"I understand… but for our future, we need to make this choice. For just the two of us, Alia. With our strength and influence, we can achieve anything but to deny life itself… that will never be fulfilled."
Alia stared deeply into his eyes, trying to understand, yet the pain in her heart was undeniable.Alia's eyes instantly hardened. She stepped back, as if trying to contain the fire rising within her.
Her voice now carried clear anger controlled, but sharp.
"You know, Victor… two of my children were born artificially. They are unusually tall, far beyond their age, and mentally different. I trained them myself, shaped them. And the other two are natural… I fought for them, protected them, raised them."
She pointed a finger toward Victor.
"And when you talk about 'another child' how many times do I have to tell you? I cannot become a mother again!"
The air in the room grew heavy.
In Alia's eyes there was not just anger but helplessness, exhaustion, and deep emotional pain.Victor quickly picked up his phone and called the doctor, saying, "Come here. Check Alia immediately."
Within moments, the doctor arrived. His eyes held professional caution, while Victor stood silently in the corner, watching closely.
Alia took a deep breath and said, "Doctor, my previous uterine problem—it's saying again that I cannot have children. Now you see for yourself. Am I understanding this correctly, or am I missing something?"
The doctor began the examination with focused attention. Anxiety flashed in Alia's eyes, and concern was evident in Victor's gaze—the room was filled with a heavy, silent tension.The doctor began Alia's examination. Her eyes glistened with fear and tension, while Victor's gaze was heavy with pressure and concern. After a few moments of silence, the doctor suddenly started laughing. It wasn't a pleasant laugh—it had a cruel, almost mocking edge, as if he controlled the entire situation.
Victor was taken aback. "Doctor, are you sure? Is there something wrong?"
The doctor slowly spread a smile across his face and said, "The person you came to is not a real doctor. This is completely fake. This whole checkup was designed to deceive both of you."
Alia's eyes widened, staring at Victor in shock. "What… are you saying?" Her voice was a mix of astonishment and barely concealed anger.
Victor nodded slightly, his expression serious but tense. "Yes… I didn't know beforehand, but now it's clear. The one you faced was a fraud."
Alia closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and murmured, "So, all this fear, all this pressure I endured… it was all for nothing? Just a lie? But why?"
The doctor, still holding back his grin, said, "Because someone wanted to exploit your anxiety and weakness. This fake checkup was a psychological game and you, Alia, stepped right into it."
Victor placed his hand gently over hers. "Now it's okay. I know you've suffered, but we can face this together. No one can manipulate us again."
Alia let out a slow smile, but her eyes held a sharp intensity, a deep memory of the experience. "Victor… everyone in this city wants to test me, but I won't fall for anyone. I am in control. And you know how strong we are together."
Victor nodded, eyes full of unwavering promise. Alia's body was calm now, but the fire in her mind burned brighter than ever.
The room fell silent again, but within that silence, a new strength emerged Alia's renewed power and Victor's vow of protection fused into an unbreakable force.