After the high-tension car ride, they arrived at the mansion. Victor dragged Alia by the arm, leading her straight into his infamous "Red Room." Everything in this chamber—from the velvet walls to the dim lighting—was the color of dried blood. It was a place designed for intimidation and dark secrets.
Once inside, Victor shrugged off his tailored coat and tossed it aside. Alia stood pressed against the wall, her face flushed red with a mixture of fury and humiliation. Victor calmly took out a cigarette and lit it. The small flicker of the lighter reflected in his cold, calculating eyes.
He blew a thick cloud of smoke directly into Alia's face. Through the hazy veil, his blue eyes pierced through her like a hungry predator.What did Isabella give you, Alia?" Victor's voice was a low, dangerous vibration. "I saw you throwing fragments of paper out the window. Was it some false dream of freedom?" He stepped closer, bringing the glowing, ember-tipped cigarette inches away from her cheek. "Once blood is spilled in this Red Room, it's impossible to scrub clean. Tell me the truth."
Alia's Defiance
Alia didn't flinch. Before the heat of the cigarette could touch her skin, she stared directly into his soul and let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Your fear is beautiful, Victor," she whispered. "Do you realize that right now, you don't look like a Don? You look like a man who knows he's already lost." Victor's cold laughter blended with the smoke of his cigarette, making the air in the Red Room feel even heavier. He wasn't deterred by Alia's mockery; instead, a twisted sense of satisfaction gleamed in his eyes.
He crushed the cigarette into an ashtray and stepped toward her with predatory grace. He stopped so close that Alia could feel the heat radiating from his body
"You think I'm in the dark, Alia?" Victor's voice carried a terrifying level of confidence. "I know exactly what Isabella gave you. I even know what was written on that note. Isabella is a fool; she thinks my most loyal men actually belong to her. She doesn't realize that even the air in this palace doesn't move without my permission."
With a sudden, powerful movement, Victor jerked Alia away from the wall and spun her around, forcing her back toward him. He wrapped one arm tightly around her waist, locking her in a grip as unyielding as iron. Alia's back was pressed firmly against his broad, muscular chest.
Victor leaned down, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He took a long, deep breath, inhaling the scent of her hair and the faint aroma of her fear. His fingers brushed against the black silk ribbon on her neck, sending a shiver through her entire frame.
"You're looking for the 'Black Ledger,' aren't you?" Victor whispered directly into her ear, his hot breath ghosting over her skin. "You think possessing that book will make you a Queen? But Alia, that ledger is a key to hell. And did you really think I wouldn't notice? You plan to use my son's birthday as the code... but I changed that code a long time ago."
Alia froze. A surge of ice-cold dread raced through her veins. Had Isabella fed her false information? Or was Victor playing a psychological game to break her spirit before she even tried?
Victor tightened his embrace, pulling her even closer until there was no space between them. "Tonight, you aren't going anywhere. That library, that clock—it's all a trap. I wanted to see just how far you were willing to go."
Alia closed her eyes, realizing she wasn't just in a cage; she was trapped in a labyrinth. But deep inside, the fire of her defiance still flickered.At that precise moment, the harsh ringing of Victor's phone shattered the heavy silence of the room. Frustrated, Victor kept his iron grip on Alia with one hand while he pulled out his phone with the other. When he saw "Mother" flashing on the screen, his jaw tightened slightly, and he answered.
His mother's excited voice could be heard even from a distance.
The Unexpected News
"Victor! Finally, the news is confirmed. Your older brother, Nikola, is getting married! Can you believe it? And the girl is no ordinary woman she is the CEO of one of the city's largest tech conglomerates. She is incredibly influential, brilliant, and beautiful. The whole family is ecstatic about this alliance. Nikola wants you here immediately. When are you coming home?"
A flash of genuine surprise flickered in Victor's icy blue eyes. Nikola, the man who had always kept his distance from women and serious commitments, was suddenly marrying a CEO? This wasn't just a marriage; it was a merger of two massive powerhouses.
Victor's Reaction
Victor tightened his grip on Alia's waist, as if subconsciously asserting his ownership over her in the face of his brother's new conquest. He spoke into the phone in a deep, gravelly tone, "So, my big brother finally got caught in the net? A CEO... impressive. There couldn't be better news for our business empire. I'll try to arrive by tomorrow, Mother."
After hanging up, Victor turned Alia to face him. His eyes now held a new layer of predatory pride and arrogance.
"Did you hear that, Alia?" he whispered, his face inches from hers. "My family is becoming even more powerful. My brother Nikola is marrying the ruler of another empire. And you? You're wasting your time here with little notes and old clocks. The scope of my power is expanding far beyond your imagination."
Alia, however, did not back down. The news of Nikola's wedding sparked a new plan in her mind. She knew that at a high-profile mafia wedding, the crowds would be massive and the chaos would be the perfect cover to evade surveillance.
Alia gave a crooked, daring smile. "Congratulations, Victor. But remember the brighter the lights at a royal wedding, the deeper the shadows that hide within the palace. Does your brother's CEO bride have any idea what kind of hell she is stepping into?"A demonic yet captivated smirk played on Victor's lips. He gripped Alia's chin with his firm fingers, tilting her head back as if admiring a priceless sculpture. Seeing the same fire and defiance in her eyes only seemed to thrill him more.
Victor tilted his head and whispered against Alia's ear:
"Owwwww... my cute wife! It's these bold words of yours that keep me so obsessively in love with you."
He began twirling a lock of her hair around his finger, leaning in closer. "You're absolutely right, Alia. There will be plenty of light at my brother's wedding, and in that light, you will be my most stunning ornament. People will stare at you, they will envy my power, but no one will know the toxic Phoenix clawing to get out from inside this beautiful body."
His gaze locked onto hers, his voice dropping to a dangerous level. "Are you thinking of using the crowd to escape? Or perhaps pouring poison into the ears of the new bride? Go ahead, try. My brother Nikola is far less merciful than I am. And his CEO bride? She might rule a boardroom, but in this underworld, we are the law."
Alia stood frozen, a fresh wave of loathing crashing over her. Victor was mocking her with the title 'cute wife,' but she knew it was just another invisible chain.
Victor brushed a ghost of a kiss against her cheek and stepped back. "Go, start packing. We leave for my father's estate tomorrow. To witness Nikola and his royal wedding. But remember... the 'five-minute rule' applies there, too."Morning arrived. As the first light of dawn filtered through the mansion windows, it revealed the sleepless exhaustion in Alia's eyes. But today was not a day for weakness. Today was Nikola's royal wedding, and she had to stand by Victor's side as the ultimate symbol of power.
Alia stood before the mirror. Spread out before her was the dress Victor had handpicked—a blood-red silk gown. The bodice was encrusted with expensive diamonds and sequins that shimmered like fire under the light, while the smooth silk skirt cascaded onto the floor like a pool of velvet.
Alia donned the dress, finishing the look with her signature diamond anklets. She stared at her reflection; the ordinary Alia was gone. In her place stood a devastatingly beautiful Mafia Queen. Yet, beneath the glamour, her mind was focused on only one thing: the Black Ledger in the library.
When Victor entered the room, he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes held more than just lust; they held a terrifying pride. He pulled out a set of expensive ruby and diamond jewelry.Exquisite!" Victor stepped up behind her, his fingers brushing her neck as he replaced the black silk ribbon with a heavy diamond necklace. "Today, the world will be at your feet, Alia. The elite of GC (Global Class) society will be blinded by your beauty. They won't know that the most priceless jewel among them belongs solely to me."
Alia looked at Victor's reflection in the mirror, her voice cold. "Are you dressing me, or are you preparing a product for display? These clothes and jewels cannot cage me, Victor. Remember, blood-red isn't just the color of beauty it's the color of danger."
Victor let out a dark laugh. "I've always thrived on danger, darling. Now come, the private jet is waiting."After hours in the private jet, they finally arrived at the ancestral palace. Standing at the grand entrance was Nikola, Victor's older brother, looking more formidable and cold than Victor himself. Beside him was his fiancée, Evelyn, the high-profile CEO. She wore a pristine white business suit, looking every bit the powerful woman she was.Nikola smirked as he greeted Victor. "So this is the girl causing all the chaos? Excellent choice, brother."
But it was Alia's interaction with Evelyn that shifted the energy. Evelyn stepped forward, offering a firm handshake. Her eyes were sharp, reflecting a high level of intellect.
Evelyn's First Words:
"Hello, Alia. I've heard much about you. They call you a 'caged bird,' but I see something else in your eyes. That red dress suggests you are here to set something on fire today."
Alia shook her hand, feeling an unexpected strength. She whispered, "Congratulations, Evelyn. I wonder why a CEO would step into this darkness. Do you know whose hand you are holding?"
Nikola laughed, but Evelyn remained stoic. She leaned in and whispered into Alia's ear, "Sometimes, to kill the beast, you must enter its den, Alia. We might be on the same team."
Alia was stunned. Evelyn wasn't just another bride; she was a player.