Alia's dominant and fearless side shattered in an instant. Hearing about the separation from her family, her fiery gaze was replaced by plea and desperation. She gripped Viktor's shirt sleeves tightly with both hands, as if clinging to a straw for survival.
Alia: (In a tearful voice) "Viktor, please... don't do this Do whatever you want, punish me, lock me in a dark room I'll endure it all. But don't strike at my family like this."
Alia rested her head against Viktor's chest, sobbing. Her defiance, her devilish smile everything seemed lost behind a veil of sorrow.
Alia: "I know I made a mistake; I know I raised my hand against you. But for God's sake, don't separate me from them. To get no news of Aliza, to not hear my parents' voices I won't survive like this, Viktor!"
Viktor stood as still as a statue. It was impossible to tell if Alia's tears were making any impact on his stony heart. His body was still rigid with rage.
Viktor: (In an incredibly low and cold voice) "You're crying now, Alia? You were talking so big just a moment ago. Now that you've broken this 'animal's' patience, why are you seeking mercy?"
Alia looked into Viktor's eyes and said in a choked voice
Alia: "Because you know I have no one but them. Viktor, I promise I will never disobey you again. Just don't take my family away from me. Have mercy!"
In that luxurious Russian room, only the sound of a helpless woman's sobbing and the deep breathing of a ruthless Mafia Lord could be heard. The situation was now entirely in Viktor's control, and Alia was cowering in fear of losing the people she loved most. There was a primal stubbornness in Viktor's eyes. He grabbed Alia's shoulders and pulled her forcefully toward him. There was no mercy in his voice, only the arrogance of crushing the powerless.
Viktor: (Screaming) "I said No! No! No!Stop talking back to me! I am a Mafia Lord, have you forgotten that? I don't know how to forgive, and I won't! If you ever defy my orders again, if you are ever disobedient again, then I will..."
Viktor stopped mid-sentence. His pupils seemed to turn red with rage. He brought his face right up to Alia's, so she could feel his hot, angry breath.
Viktor: (Whispering, but terrifyingly) "...then I will lock you in a dark cell for the rest of your life where sunlight will never reach, and not even a memory of your family will remain. You will only hear the sound of my footsteps and regret. Do not test my patience, Alia, because once I make up my mind, even God won't be able to save you!"
Alia broke down in tears, but Viktor's iron-like hands did not let her go. Each of Viktor's words struck her heart like a whip. She realized that the Mafia Emperor had discarded all his tenderness today, transforming into nothing but a ruthless dictator. Alia's sobbing filled the heavy air of the room, but Viktor's heart held no room for mercy today. Seeing her tear-stained face, Viktor gave a cruel smirk. He tilted her chin up with his finger and said mockingly
Viktor: "What happened? Why the tears nowAre you in pain (Koshto hoyche)? Just a moment ago you were showing so much fire, even slapping me why this beggar-like state now?"
Viktor continued to insult her, trying to break her spirit.
Viktor: "You have only seen this Russian mafia empire, Alia. But do you know about Zhekha? That terrifying Germany Mafia Lord have you ever even heard his name?"
Choked by her tears, Alia couldn't speak properly. She shook her head and whispered
Alia: "No... I... I don't know
Viktor glanced at Alia's eyes for a moment and then pulled his hand away. There was a mysterious darkness in his gaze. He knew how complex and bloody the relationship between Zhekha and the Russian mafia was. Perhaps he didn't want to terrify Alia further with the horror of Zhekha today.
Viktor: (Slightly calmer, but still very serious) "Alright, let it be (Achha thak). It's better you don't know about him. That world is far more cruel than you can imagine. Now go, pull yourself together. Remember, from today, the boundary of your world is this room and my command."
Viktor walked out of the room, leaving Alia alone. Alia sat on the floor, sobbing. In this ice-cold Russian palace, she was now a prisoner facing an uncertain and terrifying future.Alia went back to her room and sat in silence . Her tears had dried, but her heart was filled with a deep void. Her golden anklets were silent now as if they, too, had turned quiet along with her. She watched the Russian snowfall through the window, but in her ears, only Viktor's ruthless threats continued to echo.
Meanwhile, in another dark room of the palace, Viktor and his father sat face to face. A cruel, triumphant smirk played on Viktor's lips. He looked at his father and burst into a devilish laugh.
Viktor: (Laughing) "Father, you were right She broke the moment I struck at her family. All that pride and fire of hers it all turned to dust in an instant."
Viktor's father slowly took a drag of his cigar and exhaled smoke. His stony face showed no expression, only a cold sort of satisfaction.
Viktor: "I showed her who I am today. She called me an animal, she slapped me but in the end, she was crying at my feet. From now on, she will only move at my command. Cutting off her contact with her family was the best way to control her."
Viktor took a sip from his glass and laughed again. There was no tenderness in that laugh, only the arrogance of power. He knew he now held Alia's weakness in the palm of his hand. In this vast Russian palace, Alia was now just a puppet whose strings Viktor could pull at his whim. One night, when the palace was shrouded in silence and Viktor was away on business, Alia moved forward with her plan. She knew this was her chance. She cautiously approached her bodyguard.
Alia pulled out a bundle of money and tucked it into the bodyguard's hand. Her eyes were sharp with caution, and her voice held a firm command.
Alia: (In a very low voice) "Take this. Remember, no one should ever know about tonight. Especially Viktor or his Father hey shouldn't get even a hint that I am going somewhere The bodyguard looked at the bundle of cash and glanced around. He knew the consequences of betraying someone as terrifying as Viktor, but he couldn't resist the temptation of the large sum Alia offered.
Bodyguard: "Madam, you can go without worry. But be very careful. If Viktor sir finds out, none of us will be spared."
Without a word, Alia covered herself in a black shawl. She had wrapped her golden anklets with cloth so they wouldn't make a sound. Stepping silently, she slipped through the secret back door of the palace into the snowy darkness outside.
Where she is going, only she knows. Every step Alia took on that frozen Russian snow was the beginning of a new rebellion.When Alia appeared before Marco through the snow and darkness, she looked as beautiful as a blood-red rose. She was wearing a bright red dress, which glowed like a flame against the white Russian snow.
Alia: (With a tired but sweet smile) "Hi! How are you?"
Marco had been waiting there for her. Seeing Alia's sudden presence and her devastating beauty, Marco seemed to lose his words for a moment. He stared at her intently and said in an enchanted tone
Marco: "I am fine. But honestly, Alia, you look extra beautiful and premium today. This red color seems to have amplified that powerful elegance within you."
Marco took a step forward and gently placed his hand over Alia's.
Marco: "I never thought you'd come out of Viktor's iron cage to meet me. In this red dress, you look more like a Greek goddess than a Mafia Lord's queen."
Alia adjusted the flare of her red dress and glanced around. She knew the immense risk hidden behind this beauty and this meeting. If Viktor were to find out, this red color might not remain confined just to her dress.