Chapter 35

Chapter

Thirty-Five

"To me, the thing that is worse than death is betrayal. You see, I could conceive death, but I could not conceive betrayal."

― Malcolm X

Volk

When we finally arrived at the house, Igor slammed the door behind him with a loud thud. Without wasting a moment, he marched purposefully towards the entrance.

Throughout the entire drive, he didn't say a word, not even when I spilled the truth or when Dve signalled we were minutes away from the house.

His silence spoke volumes.

He was fuming, yet somehow containing himsel f.

Within seconds, Dimitri joined us, saluting Igor before flicking his cigarette away.

We followed closely behind, entering the house that greeted us with an unsettling silence. It felt like the house itself held its breath.

As I trailed behind Igor, reaching the foot of the stairs leading to the basement, something caught my eye.

I glanced up the stairs, and there she was—Sofiya, peering down at us with a mix of curiosity and concern.

My little light.

She wore a black linen shirt and pants, hair pulled back in a ponytail, bare feet grounded on the floor.

Our eyes locked for a fleeting moment, and in that instant, I sensed the whirlwind of questions swirling in her gaze.

But before any words could escape her lips or betray her presence, my instincts kicked in.

I pressed a finger to my lips, silently instructing her to stay put and keep quiet.

Sofiya, her eyes fixed on mine, nodded ever so subtly.

Good girl.

If Igor saw her now, he would kill her immediately.

With a small grin, I refocused on the damn task at hand.

Sofiya stayed upstairs, out of sight, but she lingered in my thoughts, bringing both comfort and concern.

Dve and Dimitri cautiously followed as we descended the creaky stairs into the shadowy depths of the basement.

The echo of our footsteps seemed to merge with the oppressive silence.

At the bottom, dim light revealed Igor standing there, hands planted firmly on his hips.

His gaze locked on Vlad and Helena, tightly bound to chairs, their faces drained of color .

What a fucking sight.

Vlad, always the smart-mouthed bastard, greeted him. " Priviet , old friend."

The audacity in his voice didn't sit well with Igor; his wrath simmered just beneath the surface.

This bastard was screwed.

With zero hesitation, Igor's anger surged like a raging inferno.

He lunged at Vlad, moving so fast it was like lightning, landing a clenched fist against Vlad's nose. Blood spurted out, painting the scene in vivid red.

Vlad's pained gasp echoed through the basement.

"You fucking bastard!" Igor yelled, landing another blow to Vlad's face. "You fucked my fucking wife."

He then turned toward Helena, striding purposefully.

But just as he neared her, I swiftly intervened, blocking his path.

His expression mixed anger with curiosity, waiting for my explanation.

Before I could speak, Vlad's voice pierced the tense air.

"Helena," he sneered, blood flying as he spoke. "Why don't you tell Igor how you helped Victoria with her fucked-up plan and how you're responsible for snuffing out an innocent baby's life, huh?"

Helena's voice broke. "It's not me! It's him! Vlad's the one to blame!"

"I never forced you to fuck with me, Helena, or to kidnap Victoria's baby," he spat.

"It's your fucking baby too!" she cried out, shaking her head in disbelief, tears streaming down her face amid hiccups of despair. "The daughter you fantasized about!"

My knuckles tightened into fists, white with rage, and a primal snarl erupted from deep within me. Vlad's twisted audacity sent a surge of fury coursing through my veins.

Tonight, I would fucking kill him with my own hands.

Igor's voice sliced through the silence, unnervingly calm. "I've never laid a hand on a woman before, Helena Melov. But today, you will be the first."

Without warning, his fist struck with brutal force, hitting her squarely on the nose.

The impact echoed in the basement, accompanied by a sickening crack as her head snapped back.

Fuck, I didn't even have time to stop him.

"Mama!" Sofiya's panicked voice cut through the chaos.

Her wide eyes reflected sheer terror as she witnessed the scene unfold.

Acting on instinct, I grabbed her waist and pulled her forcefully against me, my hand covering her mouth to stifle any cries.

She fought against my grip, nails digging into my hand, desperate to break free, but I held on tighter, determined to keep her safe.

"Calm down, Sofiya," I whispered into her ear. "You have to trust me."

But her distress was clear as she shook her head, her tears burning my knuckles as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Her knees trembled, on the verge of giving out, but I held her up, supporting her to keep her from collapsing onto the cold basement floor.

Seeing her crumble only fueled my determination to protect her from this fucked-up world.

Igor's voice cut through the air. "Well, Sofiya, it's nice to meet you. Too bad it had to be in these fucking circumstances."

His snide remark intensified the rage bubbling inside me .

"Let's make this short, boss."

"You're right, Volk," Igor sneered, his face twisting with malice. He turned and seized Helena by her hair, yanking it back as she screamed in pain. "Let's make them pay."

Sofiya fought me harder, trying to kick and step on my feet, but I held on.

She bit my hand, making me curse and release her.

"Leave her alone!" She screamed.

"Don't fight for Helena," Vlad laughed. "She's just a whore and a killer, like your real mama. And you, A ngelochek ," he continued, his gaze scanning her up and down, "you look even better than Victoria."

Sofiya froze, her eyes wide with shock. Her gaze fixated on Vlad as he smirked, savoring her reaction.

She brought a trembling hand to her lips, trying to stifle the silent scream threatening to escape.

"P-Papa?" she whispered.

Vlad's smirk widened, a twisted satisfaction in his eyes .

" Da , A ngelochek ," he said mockingly. "I am very much alive."

I circled her shoulders again, I tightened my grip on Sofiya, feeling her entire body go rigid.

"How? Why did you disappear?" she choked out, her voice cracking.

Vlad scoffed. "You were a nice kid, Angelochek . But you were fucking annoying. The only reason I stayed was because you were Victoria's spitting image. I wanted to see if you'd grow up to be as hot as your dead mother. Too bad Helena ran away with you, ruining my plan."

His words cut through the air like a knife.

Fueled by anger, I released Sofiya roughly and swiftly reached into my jacket, retrieving my gun.

Without hesitation, I closed the distance between us and pointed it directly at him.

This fucking bastard was going to pay for everything.

"You are a dead man, Vlad."

Just as my finger was about to pull the trigger, a voice called out my name.

"Put down your gun."

I froze, my heart pounding.

Slowly, I turned around, and what I saw made my blood run cold. Dimitri had Dve at gunpoint, his finger tense on the trigger, while Marina had Sofiya in her grasp, a gun pressed against her temple.

What the fuck was Marina doing here?

"What the fuck is going on?" Igor asked, his eyes wide with confusion.

Dimitri smirked. "Relax, boss. Vlad knows how to play his cards right, and I'm just here to spice things up."

Igor's jaw dropped. "You son of a bitch!" he spat. "You've let that manipulative bastard get into your head."

Dimitri shrugged nonchalantly. "Call it what you want, boss. I'm just exploring my options."

Igor took a step forward. "You're playing a dangerous game, Dimitri. Vlad will use you and then get rid of you."

"We'll see about that, Igor," he replied, pressing the gun harder against Dve's head.

I couldn't bear their bullshit any longer.

My focus shifted to Sofiya, her panicked eyes darting around.

Marina held her tight, the gun pressed menacingly against her throat.

"Let her go."

Marina laughed. "Don't worry, Volkie. Your precious girlfriend is safe… for now. But only if you do exactly as I say. "

My blood boiled. "I'll never fucking listen to you."

"Well then, I guess it's goodbye to your little princess."

Vlad's coughing, choking on his own blood, snapped me back to reality, and I reluctantly lowered my gun.

"Untie me," Vlad ordered.

Dimitri nodded, silently signaling Igor to untie that bastard.

Igor approached, hands shaking with anger as he fumbled with the knots.

Fuck! I needed to think fast.

Vlad stood up, gave Igor a mocking look, and patted him on the shoulder.

Then, with a swift move, that fucker snatched Igor's gun from its holster.

We were in deep shit, and I needed to figure out how to regain control fast.

Time was against us, and I couldn't waste a damn second.

With Vlad gripping the gun tightly, adrenaline surged through me like a raging torrent.

But before I could make a move, Helena's voice broke through the heavy air, calling Sofiya's name. Instantly, my head snapped towards her.

"I'm so sorry, Sofiya," Helena choked out as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I messed up, and I can't change the past. But please know that deep down, I have always cared for you. Despite my mistakes, I loved you as if you were my own."

Sofiya stared at Helena, eyes brimming with heartbreak.

Amidst it all, Vlad approached Helena with slow, deliberate steps, his face unreadable.

"Your real mother, Victoria, was a terrible person," Helena continued. "And maybe, I am too. But you, my sweet child, are nothing like us. You have a beautiful soul, full of kindness and love. I am so sorry for failing you."

As her words left her lips, Vlad aimed the gun directly at her. The room fell silent, time seeming to stand still.

"I love you, Sofiya," Helena whispered as Vlad's finger inched closer to the trigger.

"Mama, I-"

Just as tension reached its peak, a loud bang resounded from upstairs, cutting through the air like an explosion. We all looked around, trying to figure out what had happened.

But Dve wasted no time.

He swung the back of his head with brutal force, connecting squarely with Dimitri's face.

The sickening crack of bone filled the room as Dimitri crashed to the floor, blood spurting from his broken nose.

Without missing a beat, I pulled the trigger, aiming for Marina's arm. The gunshot reverberated through the room as the bullet found its mark. A piercing scream tore from her lips as she crumpled to the floor, clutching her injured leg in searing pain.

I dashed towards them, scooping up Sofiya in my arms.

Her cries echoed in my ears, tearing at my soul.

At that moment, something clicked inside me.

I would risk my life to protect her.

Suddenly, Igor launched himself at Vlad like a madman.

They wrestled for control of the gun, their desperate struggle filling the room with grunts and curses.

Then, out of nowhere, two thunderous bangs ripped through the air.

Without thinking, I pulled Sofiya closer, shielding her with my body.

Her whole frame shook against mine, her grip on my shirt threatening to tear the fabric .

"Are you hurt?" I blurted out, my hands instinctively checking her for injuries. I brushed her hair away, desperate to see her eyes, to ensure she was okay. "Sofiya! Talk to me! Are you hurt?"

She shook her head slowly.

A growl snapped me back, and I spun around to find Igor lying on the floor, soaked in a pool of blood.

His face ghostly pale, eyes wide open with blood spilling from his mouth.

My stomach drop.

No.

Not Igor.

Vlad was also down, clutching his stomach as blood gushed from his wounds, filling the air with the sickly smell of iron.

Before I could speak, Marina pointed her gun at me, clutching her wounded, bloodied arm.

"One last chance, Volk," she said, taking a step closer. "Hand her over."

I could feel Sofiya's presence behind me, her forehead pressed against my back, her muffled sobs absorbed by the fabric of my jacket.

I let out a bitter laugh.

This witch was truly delusional.

"Are you fucking stupid?"

Time seemed to stretch, each passing second feeling like an eternity as our gazes remained locked.

Neither of us was willing to back down.

"Let me tell you one thing, Marina," I said, closing the distance between us despite Sofiya's grip on my blazer, silently urging me to stop. "Now that Igor's out of the picture. There's nothing stopping me from killing you."

She gulped but remained silent .

As the atmosphere grew heavy, a voice broke the silence.

"Oh, hello there!" Alexsei blurted out cheerfully from the bottom of the stairs, followed by the clumsy sound of his stumbling descent. "So, this is where y'all have been hiding!"

His sudden entrance turned out to be a timely distraction.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Dimitri slowly getting up and reaching for his gun on the floor.

With lightning speed, I aimed my gun at him and fired a bullet.

He collapsed to the ground, motionless.

In the chaos, Marina made a break for it, climbing the stairs fast.

I let Marina run away, my attention shifting to Sofiya whose scream cut through the air.

She crumpled to her knees, hands shaking as she desperately covered her face.

Damn it, I just wanted to get her out of here and let her sleep this fucking night away.

Alexsei's laughter broke the tension, a low chuckle escaping his lips. "Well, fuck, that was quick."

"You fucking son of a bitch! You're dead!" Vlad's furious scream erupted as he scrambled to his feet, reaching desperately for his gun on the floor.

Annoyed, I fired another shot straight into his gut.

He collapsed, writhing in pain.

"That's for wasting my fucking time," I spat, advancing purposefully toward him.

Another bullet ripped through his arm.

"And that's for Igor."

Vlad cried in pain.

Locking eyes with him, I leaned in close, my voice low .

"And that's for hurting my girl. See you in hell, Vlad."

With those words hanging in the air, I aimed for his head and pulled the trigger one last time, the bullet piercing through his skull, watching him crumple lifeless to the cold basement floor.