Victor's enraged face began to blur before Alia's eyes. His tight grip could no longer hold her in the present. Her mind drifted back to a secluded villa in the Italian mountains, a night of snow and fire.
Flashback: The Forbidden Union with Marcos
There was no Victor there, no power struggles. Alia clearly remembers Marcos holding her, whispering into the folds of her hair, "I will take you away from this hell, Alia." Their intimate union that night was more than just physical; it was an act of profound rebellion. Victor had kept her in a cage, but Marcos gave her the taste of freedom. Every touch, every breath in those moments gave Alia a dangerous kind of courage. She knew she was committing a grand betrayal, yet it felt like the sweetest crime of her life.
Present Day
Returning from the flashback, a strange smile played on Alia's lips. She looked into Victor's eyes with cold defiance.
Alia: "You know, Victor? You ruled me, but Marcos won me. You claimed my body, but he reached my soul. Every moment in those videos is real, and I enjoyed every second of it because it was my ultimate revenge against you!" Victor's rage turned into something far more dangerous: a cold, calculated calm. He stepped back, adjusted his collar, and gave a chilling smile.
Victor: "Fine, Alia. You're right. We are two sides of the same coin. But there's one difference—I am the king of this hell, and you are just a prisoner."
He lit his expensive lighter, staring at the flame. "I thought I was making a mistake by showing you mercy. Now I see what I've done. I exposed my weakness. But no more."
He barked an order into the intercom: "Alexei, lock down the mansion. Notify all our sleeper cells in Italy. I want Marcos's head on a platter. And that child... the one from the video? Find it. I don't want that traitor's bloodline left on this earth."
Alia's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the baby. Her smirk vanished instantly. "No, Victor! Don't take your revenge on a child! He's innocent!"
Victor: "Innocent? He is the harvest of your sin. I won't kill you, Alia. I'll keep you alive to watch as I burn your 'Prince Charming' and his entire empire to ashes."Alia's defiance shattered instantly into desperate sobs. She realized Victor was no longer just playing with her; he was striking at the very core of her motherhood. She ran to the locked door and screamed at Victor, who was on the other side.
Alia: "Victor! I beg of you, don't kill him! I'll fall at your feet, Victor! Do whatever you want to Marcos, but my baby is innocent. He has a mother there, Marcos has a wife... they have done nothing wrong! You can't be this cruel!"
There was no verbal response from Victor, only the sound of his heavy boots fading away down the hallway. Alia leaned her forehead against the door, whispering, "Victor, punish me as much as you want, kill me, but leave my child alone. I promise I will never defy you again..."
But Victor was already consumed by his thirst for vengeance, briefing his commandos on how to strike the secret hideout in Italy.Exactly two hours later, Victor returned. The heavy sound of his boots echoed as he unlocked the door. Alia scrambled to her feet, her face stained with tears and fear. Victor entered with a chilling calmness, holding a tablet in his hand.
Victor: "Stop the crying, Alia. I'm not here for your screams. I've spent the last two hours thinking. Killing you or that brat is easy. But I want you to burn in regret for the rest of your life."
Alia whispered, "Did you... did you let them go?"
Victor turned the screen toward her. It showed a live drone feed of the villa in Italy, surrounded by his men. "They aren't dead yet. But one command, and that villa turns to ash. I've told my team to hold, but you must pay a heavy price."
"I'll do anything," Alia sobbed.
Victor: "First, you never utter his name again. Second, you decode the Pentagon files so I can dismantle his entire business network. And third..." He tilted her chin up. "You will call Marcos right now and tell him you hate him. Tell him the child was your biggest mistake. I want to watch his heart break in real-time."Victor held the phone in front of Alia's face like a judge delivering a sentence. Her hands trembled, and her tears wouldn't stop, but the life of her child was worth more than her own dignity. She did exactly what Victor demanded—first, she decoded the encrypted Pentagon files, handing Victor the keys to dismantle Marcos's entire global business network.
Then came the most agonizing moment: The Phone Call.
Victor hit the speakerphone button. After a few rings, Marcos's deep, urgent voice echoed through the room.
Marcos: "Alia? Alia, are you okay? I knew you'd call! The baby is safe, don't worry about a thing. I'm making arrangements to get you out of there right now..."
Alia looked at Victor. He gestured toward the tablet screen, where the live drone feed showed his men ready to vaporize the villa. Her heart was breaking, but she forced her voice to become ice-cold and harsh.
Alia: (In a trembling but firm voice) "Shut up, Marcos! Not another word. I didn't call to be 'saved.' I called to tell you that... I hate you."
There was a deafening silence on the other end. Marcos sounded like he couldn't believe his ears.
Marcos: "Alia? What are you saying? I know Victor is standing right there, I know he's forcing you to say this—"
Alia: "No one is forcing me, Marcos! I was just bored. I used you to escape the monotony of my life. You were just a mistake. And that child? He is the biggest stain on my life. I don't want anything to do with him or you. Take the brat and go to hell—just never come back into my life again!"
She slammed the phone down and collapsed onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. She knew she had just shattered Marcos's heart into a thousand pieces, but it was the only way to keep her son alive.
Victor let out a demonic, satisfied laugh. He picked up the phone and stroked Alia's hair mockingly.
Victor: "Well done, my Queen. Today you proved you truly belong to me. Your 'lover' is now mentally dead, and his empire is in my pocket. From now on, you are mine—and mine alone."
The Aftermath
Marcos sat in the dark villa in Italy, staring at his silent phone, devastated. Meanwhile, Victor began the process of absorbing Marcos's assets, effectively becoming the most powerful man in the underworld.Marcos's world came to a sudden, grinding halt. After hearing Alia's toxic words over the phone, it felt as though his heart had stopped beating.
The Phone Slipped from His Hand and hit the floor with a dull thud, the screen cracking just like his spirit. At that exact moment, the baby began to cry from the cradle nearby. Perhaps the infant felt the tremor of agony radiating from his father. The sharp, piercing wail echoed through the room, but Marcos had no strength left to move.
Marcos Collapsed to the Floor, his back against the cold wall. His body trembled as he buried his face in his hands. He couldn't wrap his head around it how could Alia, the woman he would have burned the world for, call their child a "stain" and say she hated him?
"Why, Alia?" he whispered into the darkness. "I would have given up everything for you..."
The baby's cries grew louder, demanding comfort, but the man who was supposed to be his protector was currently a shattered soul. The light in Marcos's life vanished in a heartbeat. When Alia rejected him, all his power and wealth became meaningless. He stared at the cracked phone on the floor, Alia's words—"I hate you"—ringing in his ears like a funeral bell.
The Final Choice
Marcos stood up, trembling, a hollow emptiness in his eyes. He pulled his silver revolver from the drawer. It was his final refuge. He couldn't even bring himself to look at the crying baby. But just as he pressed the barrel against his temple, the door burst open and his wife, Claudia, rushed in.
Claudia froze seeing him like this. She lunged forward and grabbed his hand. "Marcos! What are you doing? Are you insane? You're going to end your life over a woman who betrayed you?"
Marcos looked at her like a ghost. "She hates me, Claudia. She called our child a stain. What do I have left to live for?"
Claudia wrenched the gun from his hand and slapped him hard across the face. "Look at yourself, Marcos! You are a leader! You are a father! Don't you see she might be lying to save you? And even if she isn't, why die for her? Look at this baby. His mother has rejected him are you going to abandon him too?"
Marcos finally broke. He collapsed at Claudia's feet, sobbing. The wife he had neglected for so long was the only one standing between him and the grave.Months passed by. The atmosphere in Victor's massive mansion had grown quieter, but beneath that silence lay a world of suppressed sighs. Alia had adapted or rather, she had turned herself into stone for the sake of her children.
A Season of Sadness
Alia sat in the garden under the soft afternoon sun. In her arms was the youngest child, who had grown quite a bit. Her other five children were laughing and playing around her. The eldest son had grown taller, his movements now mirroring Victor's stern demeanor. Alia watched them, occasionally remembering that snowy night in Italy, but she didn't cry anymore. Protecting their smiles was her only remaining war.
Just then, Victor arrived. Clad in a black suit with an expensive briefcase in hand, he was busier than ever. After seizing Marcos's empire, his power was limitless. He stood before Alia, but the murderous suspicion in his eyes was gone, replaced by a cold indifference.
Victor: (Checking his watch) "Alia, I'm leaving for Dubai tonight. I'll be back in three days. Take care of the children."
He didn't stoop to pick up the baby. Perhaps he still saw Marcos's features in that small face, so he chose to ignore it. To Victor, Alia was now like a piece of expensive furniture something he had conquered but whose soul he would never own. He walked toward his car, already busy on a phone call, completely absorbed in his world of power.