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My heart exploded, and my stomach filled with wild butterflies. Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away.
With Viktor, tears were not needed. With him, I was strong.
“I know it’s not what you had in mind. But for now, this is all what I can give you, baby.”
I palmed his cheeks, wanting him to see my words. He watched my lips as I mumbled silently.
This is enough.
His forehead touched mine again. I loved when he would do that. There was something so soothing in it—like we were connected in some ways. Maybe he felt the same way, because his eyes always softened when our foreheads would touch.
“One day…one day, I promise. One day, I will get you out of here. I will steal you away. Forever.”
…and I will wait for that day. I will wait…for you.
I smiled and leaned up. Our lips met, and we kissed. We just…kissed.
***
The day was here.
The day of the party.
My dress was placed on the bed.
A different dress from usual.
I didn’t know who chose it or who brought it for me. I had walked out of my bathroom to find it on my bed.
It was long and white, made with beautiful lace patterns. The dress was also covered with a few pearls, making it slightly heavy. My sleeves were long but with a cut in the middle. It came together at my wrist. It wasn’t high neck. Actually, the cut was pretty low. It was the most skin I had ever shown while being dressed in a very long time. My blonde hair was up in a twisted bun, with a few strands of hair falling on either side of my temple.
I didn’t look at myself in the mirror. I couldn’t bring myself to. Closing my eyes, I brought my hand up and touched the collar that was always present.
I let out a loud breath and opened my eyes again.
Don’t think of it, Valerie.
Think of Viktor.
He is waiting for you.
I walked out of the room, repeating those words. I descended the stairs slowly and felt everyone’s eyes on me.
My palms grew sweaty, and I trembled, my legs shaking.
You can do this, Valerie.
A few more stairs…
I caught his eyes.
I was breathless. Breathless for him. Only for him. Always for him. My heart danced. Oh, how it danced so wildly and beautifully for him.
His brown eyes never left mine.
He stared…and stared…and never looked away.
I didn’t look away either as I stepped down the rest of the stairs.
I realized that I didn’t have to look in the mirror.
Viktor’s eyes were the mirror to my soul. And in his eyes—I was beautiful.
I smiled.
Love was crazy. It was a beautiful madness. An euphoric chaos I never wanted to escape from.
Chapter 30
Valerie
I stepped off the last staircase, and Viktor took a step forward. Almost like he was unconsciously drawn to me. When we were in the same room—it was just us. Nobody else mattered.
But our moment was ruined, like the ashes after a fire, scattered throughout the air.
Valentin stepped in front of Viktor, blocking our path to each other. I stilled, my feet refusing to move as Valentin walked closer, a smirk on his face.
He was dressed up in an expensive three-piece suit, his hair styled nicely and a champagne flute in his hand. My eyes roamed around the room, taking everyone in. They looked like rich businessmen—billionaires. No one would have guessed their reality. The most depraved men to ever live on this earth.
The things they had done—the things they do on a daily basis. Hurting innocent people. Ruining lives. It was all hidden behind a careful, sophisticated mask.
My husband stopped in front of me, his body close to mine. He leaned down and placed a quick, hard kiss on my lips. His arm went around my waist, a band of steel—my body his prisoner.
When his lips released mine, I fought against the urge to wipe at my lips. I stayed still in his arms as he turned to face everyone. My gaze lifted to his lips, watching him speak.
“I would like to present to everyone—my beautiful wife,” he said, a huge smile plastered on his face.
My eyes went to the room again. Some people clapped. Others raised their glass as a toast. There were snickers and smirks. Laughter that I didn’t hear and I was thankful for that.
I didn’t want to hear their degrading laughs and words. Seeing it all was enough for a lifetime.
My gaze finally met Viktor’s again. My heart stumbled just like always, whenever our eyes would meet.
He was there, in the shadows, leaning against the wall, a glass in his hand too. Viktor was dressed very similarly to everyone else.
But for some reason, out of everyone—he looked the most dangerous.
He was dark and brooding. A vicious glare and his lips in a firm straight line. An animal ready to strike. A killer on the loose.
