Konstantin
One year later
“Are you fucking serious? We have been planning this for a year and now you want to change the plans?” He bellowed so loud that the walls shook. Probably. Because my ears were now definitely ringing.
“It’s the only way and you know it,” I returned calmly.
His fist slammed on the table, and I internally rolled my eyes. Here we go again. One of his tantrums that made me want to wring his neck and drop him in a ditch somewhere.
“Or is it that you don’t trust me?” I raised an eyebrow in question.
A small change in his expression. The tiniest flinch. A little furrow in his eyebrows. But I caught it all.
Bullseye.
Crossing my arms, I leaned back against the couch, getting comfortable. “I just hit the eye, didn’t I?”
“No,” he growled low.
I was itching to take out my knife and cut his tongue out for lying to me. But I had mastered the art of controlling myself over the years.
Right now, he was the Boss, and I was the underdog.
Not for long, though, the devil on my shoulder whispered. He liked challenging me, laughing in my ears, reminding me of the games that were being played.
But oh, how he tested my limits every single time. Him and the fuck face sitting behind that table.
“You are scared this little plan of yours will fail. You are scared I will betray you and go back to them,” I hissed, just to make him angrier.
I liked him angry. The way his face would turn red like he was tempted to shoot me. But unfortunately for him, he couldn’t.
It was all part of the game. A little ruse we had built around us.
“They think I am dead. They even had a little funeral for me. We have kept the charade on for a year. They have no idea what’s waiting for them,” I continued before he could say anything.
I hated it when they would interrupt while I spoke. He knew that and stayed silent. Not surprising. He was a little coward in disguise. Without me, he was nothing.
Sitting back in his chair, he regarded me silently, waiting, calculating. “And what will you do when you go back there?”
“Gain their trust again.”
He laughed, a full belly laugh that I was highly hoping he would choke on.
Unfortunately for me, he didn’t. Sad life.
“You think you can gain their trust? After everything? After disappearing for a year and making them believe you are dead,” he grumbled, his thick Russian accent very obvious.
Whenever he was angry or frustrated, his fake English accent would vanish into thin air and reality would take its place.
“I believe you are questioning my abilities now,” I returned rather very calmly.
“I am not, but your plan does not seem easy, Konstantin.”
Konstantin. I fucking hated this name. Every time it was uttered, I wanted to smash someone’s head into the wall.
But he would purposely say it every time. A way to remind me of who I actually was. Whose family I belonged to.
Not the Ivanshov.
I was no longer an Ivanshov.
I cleared my throat, trying to calm the anger rising inside of me. “What makes you say that? Artur did it for years. Why can’t I? If they were able to fall into his trap, imagine how easy it would be for them to fall into mine?”
Artur had played the Russian King, infiltrated their home, and stayed there as family. Except he was just a pawn, a player of the game. He was a cunning liar and betrayed the family. He had sided with the enemy and chosen the wrong side. In the end, it had led to his death.
But before his blood was spilled, he had played his game well, for many years.
If he could do it, I easily could too.
“They won’t believe it,” Valentin said through gritted teeth, now losing his thin patience. “Alessio ne poverit.”
The veins in his neck bulged in fury, and I fought the urge to laugh. So much anger yet he couldn’t do a single thing about it.
Alessio wouldn’t believe it, he said. Of course not. But someone else would…
“Ayla will.”
My voice was loud and clear. I spoke the two words that silenced everyone. He took a deep breath through his nose, holding it in.
His eyes flared in surprise as I smirked for him to see. He started to shake his head, but I raised a hand, stopping his tirade.
Standing up, I walked over to his desk. Both my palms made contact on the surface as I leaned forward, caging him in. “She will believe me. One word and she will believe me. Ayla is too fucking naïve for this game. The moment I have her wrapped around my fingers, Alessio will have no choice but to follow. He is like a little dog after her. If Alessio falls in my trap, the whole family will.”
My face was mere inches apart from his when I spat the words. “Guess what? The little Queen is going to be their…unfortunate downfall.”
His lips curled up in distaste at the mention of Ayla. “You think you can win her?”
“Absolutely. You know, I am deeply hurt by your lack of faith in me,” I added before leaning back.
I tugged at my tie, suddenly feeling like I was going to suffocate. “For a year, I have been trying to get you to trust me, yet you still don’t.”
He quickly stood up, shaking his head in disbelief. “Of course, I do. You are my heir. My reign is coming to an end. I am doing this for you. If we win this little game, one day, the four families will belong to you,” he sputtered.
Moving forward in a flash, I grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, his feet almost leaving the ground. “Then start treating me like your heir instead of your fucking slave. You don’t want to test me, because the moment I am in control, your ass will be in a gutter somewhere, understood?”
He choked, his face turning bright red. “I know,” he breathed.
“Good,” I said as I released him.
“If you’re scared that I will choose them again, then your fear is misplaced. Remember, they left me for dead,” I grumbled, facing the wide windows.
The darkness of the night shadowed everything. Every evil in this world.
I was killed in the darkness too.
And then I was resurrected in the darkness.
This time…I was the Master of the game. Everyone else would just be dancing to my tune.
Without turning my back, I spoke. “Don’t forget. This is my game. My war. You are just a part of it.”
He didn’t answer, but I felt his fear vibrating, feeding my dark soul. Such a sad sight, to see him cowering to me. And it was just the beginning.
“Konstantin, I wouldn’t have saved you if I didn’t trust you,” he said slowly. He meant his words to be believed.
Funnily, I believed them. Because they really were the truth.
Unfortunately for him, his first mistake was saving my life.
From the corner of my eyes, I saw him rubbing his neck. It was already bruising. He stared at me with wide eyes, waiting for my next response.
“Then show it. From now on, I will be living in your main estate. Since you saved me, I had to stay here. I wonder what you are hiding in your estate?” I replied slowly, watching his every reaction through the dark-tinted glass.
He fidgeted with his tie before answering. “Nothing. I made you stay here in order to protect you. We had to hide your identity. But if this is what you want, then I will have your stuff moved to the main estate. You can stay there for however long you want. It’s yours, after all.”
I hummed in response. My eyes tracked every single fidget. He was nervous, and I was more curious.
This was another move on the chess board. Every move was part of the perfect ruse.
Perfect betrayal. Perfect lie. Perfect revenge.
I loved the chase. The prey falling willingly into the jaw of the predator. Too bad, so sad.
Without making eye contact with him, I swiveled around. He stayed beside his desk, watching me walk away with hawk eyes that I felt burning into my back.
My men followed behind me, and I reveled in the power of having everyone underneath me, on their knees. The corner of my lips turned up as I thought of how this was going to end.
My feet stopped just in front of the door. The room was silent, waiting for my next words, my next move.
With my hand on the door knob, I spoke loud for everyone to hear. Dominance and power swirled with my words, masking the real threat underneath.
“If you want to win this game, then it’s about time you trust me, Valentin Solonik.”
I didn’t wait for his answer before walking out. I didn’t need his reply. He knew exactly what he had to do.
And that was to surrender.
I was in control now.