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I liked him angry. The way his face would turn red like he was tempted to shoot me. But unfortunately for him, he couldn’t.
It was all part of the game. A little ruse we had built around us.
“They think I am dead. They even had a little funeral for me. We have kept the charade on for a year. They have no idea what’s waiting for them,” I continued before he could say anything.
I hated it when they would interrupt while I spoke. He knew that and stayed silent. Not surprising. He was a little coward in disguise. Without me, he was nothing.
Sitting back in his chair, he regarded me silently, waiting, calculating. “And what will you do when you go back there?”
“Gain their trust again.”
He laughed, a full belly laugh that I was highly hoping he would choke on.
Unfortunately for me, he didn’t. Sad life.
“You think you can gain their trust? After everything? After disappearing for a year and making them believe you are dead,” he grumbled, his thick Russian accent very obvious.
Whenever he was angry or frustrated, his fake English accent would vanish into thin air and reality would take its place.
“I believe you are questioning my abilities now,” I returned rather very calmly.
“I am not, but your plan does not seem easy, Konstantin.”
Konstantin. I fucking hated this name. Every time it was uttered, I wanted to smash someone’s head into the wall.
But he would purposely say it every time. A way to remind me of who I actually was. Whose family I belonged to.
Not the Ivanshov.
I was no longer an Ivanshov.
I cleared my throat, trying to calm the anger rising inside of me. “What makes you say that? Artur did it for years. Why can’t I? If they were able to fall into his trap, imagine how easy it would be for them to fall into mine?”
Artur had played the Russian King, infiltrated their home, and stayed there as family. Except he was just a pawn, a player of the game. He was a cunning liar and betrayed the family. He had sided with the enemy and chosen the wrong side. In the end, it had led to his death.
But before his blood was spilled, he had played his game well, for many years.
If he could do it, I easily could too.
“They won’t believe it,” Valentin said through gritted teeth, now losing his thin patience. “Alessio ne poverit.”
The veins in his neck bulged in fury, and I fought the urge to laugh. So much anger yet he couldn’t do a single thing about it.
Alessio wouldn’t believe it, he said. Of course not. But someone else would…
“Ayla will.”
My voice was loud and clear. I spoke the two words that silenced everyone. He took a deep breath through his nose, holding it in.
His eyes flared in surprise as I smirked for him to see. He started to shake his head, but I raised a hand, stopping his tirade.
Standing up, I walked over to his desk. Both my palms made contact on the surface as I leaned forward, caging him in. “She will believe me. One word and she will believe me. Ayla is too fucking naïve for this game. The moment I have her wrapped around my fingers, Alessio will have no choice but to follow. He is like a little dog after her. If Alessio falls in my trap, the whole family will.”
My face was mere inches apart from his when I spat the words. “Guess what? The little Queen is going to be their…unfortunate downfall.”
His lips curled up in distaste at the mention of Ayla. “You think you can win her?”
“Absolutely. You know, I am deeply hurt by your lack of faith in me,” I added before leaning back.
I tugged at my tie, suddenly feeling like I was going to suffocate. “For a year, I have been trying to get you to trust me, yet you still don’t.”
He quickly stood up, shaking his head in disbelief. “Of course, I do. You are my heir. My reign is coming to an end. I am doing this for you. If we win this little game, one day, the four families will belong to you,” he sputtered.
Moving forward in a flash, I grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, his feet almost leaving the ground. “Then start treating me like your heir instead of your fucking slave. You don’t want to test me, because the moment I am in control, your ass will be in a gutter somewhere, understood?”
He choked, his face turning bright red. “I know,” he breathed.
“Good,” I said as I released him.
“If you’re scared that I will choose them again, then your fear is misplaced. Remember, they left me for dead,” I grumbled, facing the wide windows.
The darkness of the night shadowed everything. Every evil in this world.
