Chapter 24: Daniil

Being a father wasn't something that I'd dreamed about or allowed myself to ponder much on in the past. I'd never really thought about how it would feel to be a father, to have kids. I was all about my business, so diligent and dedicated to building the family name and upholding the legacy.

That was it for me: business, business, business. Sometimes, there was a little bit of pleasure here and there, you know, like sprinkles to make my life less serious.

I thought everything had changed when I met Vivian, but the real game-changer was the kids.

They had turned me into a different man within these few weeks, a better man, as Vivian believed. We spent a lot of time together, watching movies, playing games, and going out.

The business was not affected because, in my absence, Andrei was in charge, making sure that everything was going fine. He had once told me that he thought it was a good idea, loosening up around the kids.

I couldn't help it. I loved them too much to be absent. This was the difference between my father and me. I hadn't felt his love growing up because there was the whole Bratva tough guy thing, and I hadn't seen it as a problem. It hadn't been. He trained me in his own way, in the way of the Bratva, and I would do the same to Leo—only in my own way.

"Wake up, wake up!"

I groaned in our bed, my eyes struggling to open, as their voices forced me out of my dream. I could feel the effect of their cheerful hops as they jumped on the bed, excited.

"What time is it?" I asked, reaching for my watch on the bedside table.

"I don't know. It's morning!" Sophia laughed, still jumping.

"Dad, you promised!" Leo said, standing over my head.

For a second there, my head was blank. My brain couldn't think of anything, let alone remember the promise they were so keen about. But I couldn't let them down by asking what it was we'd agreed upon.

"Uhh…" I drawled lazily.

"Come on, come on, get out of bed," Sophia said, attempting to literally drag me off.

"Okay, okay," I replied, smoothing my hair back.

"Yay!" She jumped off the bed and skipped around the room joyfully.

I wiped the remnants of sleep from my eyes and stretched a bit before placing my feet on the floor. However, instead of feeling the chills of the cold floor beneath my feet, I felt a sharp pain, like I'd stepped on something pointy.

"Aww!" I reflexively raised the affected foot and hopped on the other.

Leo laughed, but Sophia was more concerned.

"Sorry, Dad," she said softly, taking a break from her rounds.

Leo glanced at his sister, then said, trying to hold in his amusement, "Sorry."

"Oh, you find this funny, tough guy?" I asked with a playful frown on my face.

He was just standing there, giggling.

"Leo, run!" Sophia laughed as I charged at the boy.

He took off with his tiny feet as though he could outrun me. I picked him up above my head.

"Not so tough now, are you?"

"Put him down, or you will feel my sword!" Sophia said to me.

I looked down, and there she was: pointing a toy blade at me with a heroic stance and a serious look etched upon her adorable face.

"And who might you be, young hero?" I asked with a thick voice, syncing into character, as I was the villain.

"I am an Amazon warrior!" Then, she let out a battle cry and attacked me.

I gently set Leo down, groaning at the imaginary cuts her sword was inflicting on me.

"What's going on here?" Vivian asked from the door.

"Save me!" I strained, stretching out my hand to her. A second later, my head dropped, and I played dead.

"And…scene!" Sophia laughed, sketching a bow.

"Amazing!" Vivian clapped, stepping inside with a smile. "Alright, that's it for the morning. Go meet Daria and get ready," she said to them.

They played with me a little longer before racing each other out of the room.

Vivian chuckled as I lay on the ground, and I wondered why. As I jerked my head, I was greeted by the flash of her phone's camera.

"Perfect," she said amidst laughs. "Now, I have something to watch."

"Delete that footage!" I rose to my feet, smiling.

"Or else what, Mr. Wolkov?" She walked seductively towards me. "What're you gonna do?" She halted in front of me.

"Hmm." I sized her up lustfully, admiring her beauty and shape.

Vivian reached as if to kiss my lips, while her hands ran over my chest.

I was starting to get hard.

"We leave in an hour," she said to me and pulled away.

"Oh, come on," I groaned, looking down at my erection.

Vivian laughed as she took gentle steps backward.

"Wait, where are we going in an hour?" I asked after it dawned on me that I was oblivious to what was going on.

"You promised the kids time out at the mall," she replied.

"Ohh, shit, right." I slapped my forehead. "It slipped my mind."

She was already at the door when I asked, "Where are you going?"

"To make us something nice to eat." She blew me a kiss and left the room.

I scoffed and sat back on the bed. Was this a dream? Because I could barely recognize myself when I was around them. They made me feel great and act in ways that had used to be alien to me.

This new me, however, was only restricted to my family. At work, I was still the same feared and ruthless boss.

These last few weeks had been way more than I'd anticipated. Vivian and I had moved past our enmity—more like her dislike toward me. We'd grown so fond of each other, and I had bonded with the kids so well.

I massaged my temples, thinking about how wonderful my life was gradually becoming; I had a gorgeous woman who was starting to adore me, and we were blessed with two little ones.

___________

Andrei didn't come with me, nor did I let the chauffeur drive us around. I decided it was a time out with my family alone. Although, knowing Andrei, he would tail me and maintain his distance just to make sure that we were safe.

While driving, I smiled as I watched Sophia and Leo, excitedly chattering in the backseat of the car. Vivian sat beside me, her eyes shining with warmth.

"Are you all ready for our adventure today?" I asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.

"Yes! Yes!" they chimed in unison, bouncing up and down.

Vivian laughed. "I think that was a definite yes."

"Okay, then," I replied. "Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts," I said jokingly, even though we were all strapped in.

I put my foot down and pressed on.

When we arrived at the mall, I helped the twins out of their car seats and took their hands, leading them into the bustling shopping center. Vivian walked beside me, smiling at the sight of our little family.

She looked really lovely in that pair of blue jeans with a flowered blouse on top of it. She had a pair of sunglasses on, and her heels clicked against the floor as we walked inside.

"Alright, guys, what's the first store we're going to hit?" I asked, looking down at Sophia and Leo.

"Toys! Toys!" they shouted in unison.

Vivian leaned closer, softly saying, "That really shouldn't have been a question."

"Right," I concurred and faced the kids. "Ah, I think we can handle that." A grin played on my lips.

Inside the toy store, Sophia's eyes landed on a shelf filled with stuffed animals.

"Daddy, Daddy, look!" she exclaimed, tugging on my hand.

"Wow, that's a lot of cute animals," I said, lifting her up to see better. "Which one do you like best?"

She thought for a moment, her hand beneath her jaw.

"The pink rabbit!" she squealed.

"The pink rabbit. Okay, great choice," I said, plucking the rabbit from the shelf. "You can name her Mrs. Fluffers." I bent to her level and handed her the stuffed animal.

Leo, meanwhile, was fascinated by a remote-control car. "Daddy, can I get this?" he asked, his eyes shining with excitement. "I want to drive like you."

"Really?" My brows rose.

"Yes, you're the best driver that I know," he replied.

Vivian scoffed and rolled her eyes. "That's debatable."

"Is that a challenge?" I asked her.

She shrugged with a smile and picked Sophia up.

"Alright, buddy. Let's take it for a spin," I said, handing Leo the controller. "Vroom!"

We spent about an hour at the mall, playing games together and having fun. When the kids were tired, we bought some stuff and decided to wrap it up for the day.

As we left the store, arms loaded with bags, I scooped up both twins and swung them around, making them giggle. "Best shopping trip ever, right?" I asked, grinning at Vivian.

She smiled, her eyes shining with love. "Definitely."

The way she looked at me recently was completely different, and I loved it. There was always a hint of love and a mix of admiration whenever those blue eyes landed on me.

We got into the car, and I drove away.

"Can we get ice cream now?" Sophia asked, her voice lifting on a hopeful note.

Vivian glanced at me, unsure. We'd spent so much time outside already. "I don't know, honey…."

"Please…?" She put on a cute little pout as she pleaded.

"No." Vivian shook her head, peering at the backseat, her index finger shaking in the air. "No, don't do that. Don't gimme that look."

"Please…?" Leo joined in.

I swore they looked like cartoon characters.

"Argh, God!" Vivian grouched. "What do you think?" she asked me.

"Well, we can't go shopping without ice cream," I replied, just to please the kids.

"Yes!" they cheered in unison, bouncing up and down.

Vivian laughed. "I think someone's getting a little carried away."

I chuckled, taking a turn down a street where I knew they sold the best ice cream in town.

As we drove past, Vivian brought my attention to a Solenoir outlet across the road. She shifted her gaze back to me and smiled.

"Funny, isn't it?" she asked. "This brand was the reason we met in the first place."

I smirked. "Do you remember the first time I walked into your store to get those suits?"

"How could I forget?" She chuckled. "You bought the whole ten suits I brought just so I would get a bonus off that sale."

"I believe in fate and the concept of destiny, Vivian," I said to her. "Solenoir was an integral part of the design that brought us together. Our story cannot be told without Solenoir being mentioned multiple times."

She grinned widely and returned her gaze to the horizon.

We got some ice cream, and after the kids ate their fill, they fell asleep in the backseat of the car.

I glanced at them through the rearview mirror, and my heart, much like the ice cream, melted at the sight of those two lovelies.

Vivian caught me looking at them and smiled to herself.

I needed to act fast, but I already had my plan in motion anyway.

"I thought we were going home?" Vivian said, noticing I was driving in the wrong direction.

"We are," I replied with a mischievous grin. "Just need to take care of something first."

"Okay, whenever you have that smirk on your face, you're always up to something." She looked at me, suspicion coloring her eyes. "What is it this time?" Though she pretended to be annoyed, Vivian grinned widely.

I said nothing and soon pulled over by the shore. The kids were still asleep, and I stepped outside; then, I helped her with the door.

Vivian had no idea what I was up to, but she wasn't able to stop blushing.

I took her hand, and we walked closer to the shore. By now, the sun was setting in the west, and its soft glow draped over the ocean, softening the dark blue of the water. The wind was blowing through her brown hair—having been dyed to its original color—and ruffling mine.

"This is beautiful, Daniil," she gasped, walking ahead and observing the view. "But what are we doing here…?"

She froze when she turned and saw me on my knee, holding up a small box in one hand and a ring in the other. Her hands reflexively covered her mouth, and her eyes widened.

"Vivian Kennedy, will you marry me?" I asked.

She was quiet, her eyes filled with unshed tears and her hands still over her mouth while her hair continued to dance to the rhythm of the wind.

I was afraid for a second that she would say no, that I might have misread her attitude. What if she didn't love me enough to want to spend the rest of her life with me? What if these past few weeks were just another act? Wasn't this proposal sudden?

Those tears now began to flow like little rivers, and she didn't bother wiping them away.

My stomach clenched; I was unable to comprehend these tears.

Was she sad? Was she happy? I couldn't tell.

"I know this is sudden, and maybe you need some time to think, but—"

"Yes!" she interrupted, stretching out her hand.

"Yes?" I asked to confirm, warmth filling me from head to toe.

"Yes, Daniil," she replied with a sniffle.

I smiled and slipped the ring into her finger; then, I rose to my feet.

She was still in tears, and I reached out to wipe them with my thumbs while gazing into her eyes.

I hadn't expected her to be so emotional, but then again, I figured this gesture might have peeled open an old wound.

"Why are you crying?" My voice was calm as I slowly wiped those tears that wouldn't stop flowing.

"I'm sorry." She sniffled. "I didn't mean to," she said. "It's just…it's just that I…." She let out a sigh. "I should have admitted earlier how I truly felt for you. I should have faced my fears and reached out when I realized that I was pregnant."

"Hey," I said softly, holding her hand. "I didn't make things easy for you, as well," I admitted.

"There wasn't a single day that went by that I didn't think about you, Daniil," she confessed. "And there were times when I wanted to reach out and tell you about the kids, but I just couldn't. I was too afraid to do so. I wanted to apologize because I really needed you at the time; I needed your care—the kids, too. But I knew I couldn't play with fire. I'd tried that once, and I got burned."

I understood the reference of the fire burning her; I was the fire, the reason she ran.

"You did good raising them and getting a degree, then chasing your dreams." I cupped her face in my palm, looking right into her eyes. "I'm proud of you for that."

"You asked why I was crying," she said. "It's because I love you, Daniil Wolkov…. I have for a long time, even when I was too afraid to admit it, and I and always will."

Her confession brought a bright smile to my face, making me realize that I had to fess up and admit my feelings, as well. I'd always known deep down that I was in love with her—ever since Andrei had nudged me in that direction—but hearing her say those words was the confirmation I needed.

"I love you, too, Vivian Kennedy," I whispered.

She smiled broadly, as though she'd been expecting to hear me say the words.

"At last, you said it." She chuckled.

I leaned in for her lips and planted the most fervent kiss I'd ever given anyone.

Nobody but her deserved it.