She nods slowly, though I can tell she’s still struggling with it. I pull her into another hug, rubbing her back the way I used to when we were younger.
“Come on,” I say, forcing lightness into my voice. “Let me give you a tour of the house. It’s ridiculous how big it is.”
Milana manages a small smile. “Lead the way.”
I give Milana a full tour of the mansion, showing her the grand living areas, the library, the massive kitchen, and the beautiful gardens visible from the windows.
“God, this place is massive,” she says, eyes wide as we walk through the endless halls. “It feels more like a fortress than a home.”
I nod. “Tell me about it.”
When we finish, we settle outside by the infinity pool. Olga, brings us fresh lemonade and warm cookies. The sun feels nice on my skin, and for a little while it almost feels normal, just two sisters sitting together.
Milana takes a sip of her drink and sighs. “About the wedding… we don’t have much time. Irina and Kira already met and planned out a lot of the decorations and venue details. They’re handling most of it.”
I stare at the pool water. “That’s fine. I’m not really enthusiastic about any of it anyway.”
She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I know this isn’t the marriage you envisioned. You wanted to marry someone who chose you, not someone who claimed you. But even so… we should make it count. Let’s go shopping for your dress tomorrow. We’ll find something beautiful, even if we have to get it off the rack because time is short.”
I manage a small smile. “Yeah… maybe tomorrow or the day after. Let’s do it.”
We spend the next hour talking through whatever details I’m willing to engage with. When Milana finally leaves, I feel both lighter and heavier at the same time.
I head upstairs to my room, but the second I open the door I freeze.
It’s empty.
All my things, the clothes I bought, my toiletries, the few personal items I had, are gone.
I storm back downstairs and find one of the maids. “Where are my things?”
She looks nervous. “They’ve been moved to Mr. Orlov’s bedroom, miss. It was his instruction.”
Anger surges through me so fast I feel dizzy. “He didwhat?”
I don’t wait for her answer. I already know.
He decided on that without asking me. I don’t even get to keep the small sliver of independence I had left.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Maxim
I leave my office well past midnight. The city lights blur outside the tinted floor-to-ceiling windows of the office as I gather my things to leave, exhaustion weighing heavy on my shoulders.
I have a lot on my plate, with the new alliance with the Morozovs, my official acceptance into the Society, and the constant, nagging search for the rat inside my own organization.
I still can’t find the bastard who leaked that shipping route. The hijacking cost us millions and three good men. If I can’t find the traitor, that means there’s a hole in my armor. My people aren’t safe. I’m not safe.
The one thing I refuse to do is kill innocent men. The driver I worked on earlier, he was telling the truth. I sent him home to his family with heavy compensation and a warning. If I find outhe lied, I’ll make him regret it. But for now, he’s free. I have other sources digging deeper.
I’m tired to the bone.
Another reason I stayed at the office so late tonight is because I’ve been avoiding the woman waiting back at the house.
My fiancée.
This morning’s encounter still has me rattled. The way she felt pressed against me, soft and warm, her body instinctively curling into mine while she slept.
