I listen to Rai, Kyle, and Damien’s bickering while offering a few smiles or nods. Even though I speak my mind with Kirill, I’m not that talkative with everyone else.
I guess he’s the only one who brings out the best and worst in me.
He’s also infuriating most of the time, so it’s effortless to disagree with him and try to show him the other side of a coin.
The music comes to a halt, and then the tapping of a champagne glass echoes through the hall. Everyone grows silent, including the three surrounding me.
The Pakhan stands on the stage with Igor and Mikhail on either side of him.
Adrian and Vladimir are close by. Even though Adrian used to be so appreciated by the Pakhan, his popularity and position have taken a huge hit in the past couple of months due to some behavior issues that the Pakhan doesn’t approve of.
The one who managed to somehow get him back in favor was none other than Kirill. He will cash in on that sooner or later, but it’s still a gesture that gets him in Adrian’s favor, and that’s a good place to be.
Sergei waits a few moments before he starts in a composed, wise tone, “Thank you all for attending this gathering and bringing your loved ones along. In this organization, we believe in family values and lifelong prosperity. We believe in shaking our allies' hands and bringing them to our table.” He raises his glass in the direction of the Yakuza leader, then the Luciano family’s head, and then to the Triads. “To allies.”
“To allies,” everyone else echoes, then drinks.
Damien snatches a glass of vodka from his guard’s hand and nearly chugs all of it down.
Kyle drinks from his champagne, and Rai sips from a mocktail.
That’s when I finally spot Kirill. He’s standing in the front row along with Yulia, Konstantin, and Igor’s wife, daughter, and son.
Viktor is on the opposite side, close enough to interfere but far enough to not get in their space.
I frown. Since when has Kirill been close with Igor’s family? Well, yes, he does business with Igor and his eldest son, and we even go to their house sometimes, but that doesn’t mean he’d be too familiar with his extended family in public, right?
“Because we believe in family,” Sergei continues. “We also believe in joining together for the greater and prosperous future of the brotherhood. I’m happy to announce that two of our greatest families and leaders, the Petrovs and the Morozovs, will now be joined by marriage. This banquet is to celebrate the engagement of Kirill and Kristina.” He raises his glass. “To the future.”
“To the future!” everyone, including Kirill and Kristina, Igor’s daughter, echoes as they raise their glasses.
Then he grabs her hand in his and leads her to the stage. She’s dressed in an elegant black dress, her blonde curls falling to her shoulders with so much sophistication it’s nauseating.
I think I’m dreaming.
This has to be a nightmare, right?
But then Kirill smiles charmingly and lifts her hand, showcasing a huge diamond ring on her finger.
She has Kirill’s ring on her finger.
The man to whom I confessed my love for after he fucked me into oblivion not two hours ago is engaged to another woman.
A beautiful, elegant, and absolutely stunning woman.
And everyone is here to celebrate it.
“Sasha?”
I blink the blurriness in my eyes away and robotically focus on Rai. She’s touching my arm and dragging me away from everyone.
“You’re crying,” she whispers. “I assume you don’t want anyone to see that, right?”
I don’t reply. I can’t.
I’ve lost my voice and…every part of me that made any sense.
Once we’re in a hall that’s hidden from all the attention, she grabs me by the shoulder. “Are you okay?”
I stare at her numbly. “Please tell me what we just heard was a joke or a play of my imagination or…or simply not true.”
She winces. “I’m afraid it’s real, Sasha. Granduncle just announced Kirill’s engagement to Kristina. Honestly, I don’t even know how he accepted her when she was Adrian’s fiancée six years ago. I guess Igor is ready to sacrifice that poor girl for whoever he sees fit of his support…oh, God. Why are you crying? Don’t tell me…oh no, do you actually like that cunning fox?”
“I…I need to go. I have to…to…”
“Sasha…” She softens her voice. “He’s no good for you. Or anyone, for that matter. He’s an opportunist, and if you have feelings for him, he’ll just use them to reach his end goal. It’s not too late to remove yourself from his side.”
It is too late.
So, so late.
“I need to go.” I forcibly remove her hand and run outside.
She calls my name, but I’m not hearing her.
The cold air hits my face, and then the rain. It’s raining hard and heavily, but I don’t stop as I run and run.
I get soaked in seconds, but I’m thankful that the rain camouflages my tears.
But nothing can mend my heart that’s currently shattering to pieces.
22
KIRILL
This night is going worse than I predicted.
Yes, I knew Sasha wouldn’t like the news of my engagement, but I didn’t think she’d cry in public.
If Rai hadn’t dragged her away, I have no fucking clue what she would’ve done.
Would she have done anything? Or would she have stood there crying and then I would’ve been the one who drew unwanted attention?
I’m overthinking at this point with no concrete plan or course of action.
Fucking liar.
I welcomed the deal both Igor and the Pakhan offered me a few days ago.
If it were just Igor wanting me to marry his daughter for some sort of families’ union, I would’ve comfortably said no.
I’m not Adrian. Where he was previously engaged to Kristina for the mere purpose of an alliance with the secretly most powerful family in the brotherhood, I’m doing it for higher purposes.
That’s why I only accepted this deal once the Pakhan gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
Kristina gives me a reserved smile as we stand side by side to accept everyone’s congratulations. She’s a woman made for this role. She has no character, no opinion, and no purpose other than being her father’s trump card.
She’s as beautiful…as a lifeless doll. Expressionless in private and an actress in public.
Yulia and Stella, Igor’s wife, are on either side of us. Now, this whole thing is a pain in the ass, except for one part. The look on Yulia’s face when she realized that I’m playing the long game and that whatever she has planned will fail miserably once I’m in my future position.
She does have to put on a show in front of the world, though, so as not to embarrass herself.
I’m going to make this woman watch every moment as I stomp on each and every one of her grandiose dreams. I’ll crush her hopes and plans, so she’ll really wish she’d killed me when I didn’t have the strength to fight back.
Konstantin, however, fucked off to God knows where as soon as the engagement was announced. If I wasn’t imagining things, I’d think Kristina stiffened, too, but she didn’t look at anyone but me and her father tonight.