✔️ DOLORE | 18 +

Chapter 2

Adrian's pov

Family, Calina was my only family in this life. I didn't know my parents, I was left outside the door of an orphanage when I was a baby, abandoned by my parents.

Did I ever wonder who my parents might be? Yes, I did. Could I find them with my hacking skills? Yes, in a blink of an eye.

Did I search for them? No, I didn't want anything to do with them as I wasn't obviously worthy enough for them. They weren't there for me as I cried or laughed, they never looked for me. So, why should I look for them?

Whatever, I was taken from the orphanage by the age of five, thinking I was going to be welcomed into a warm family, have a home, but no, that wasn't the case.

I was thrown into a life of guns and knives. Did I want such a life? Yes, I was given a choice. They asked me if I wanted a future, a future where I could take care of myself in the best way possible. And I said yes, because I wanted a good life, and a good place to live at.

But the luxury I received came along with a sacrifice. I promised them I'd serve them until my last breath for the life they offered me. And by them, I mean the Russian mafia.

Dimitri Ivanov, Calina's father, paid for my education and I became an excellent hacker, one of the best the world has ever seen.

However, he didn't only benefit from my hacking skills, but also from my killing skills as he also put me through a fatal training in order to make me a bounty hunter.

And after my training was over, he saw I had a mind as sharp as a steel trap and made me his right-hand, trusting me with his daughter. Calina and I became also much closer than we already were as I was assigned to protect her.

Though, I had seen her as my sister since she offered her chocolate bar to me when she saw me crying in the garden as she was five and I was ten. I was in pain then as I got shot during my training and cried silently as my trainer pulled the bullet out of my leg with a knife.

I was in great pain, and nothing could make me smile that moment, but she did with her generosity as she offered me her chocolate bar, she hadn't said anything, she only approached me quietly and handed me her chocolate bar.

But I could see the empathy in her eyes, she felt sad for me, and that made me smile. No one cared for me and my pain, but she did, she felt bad for me, giving me her chocolate bar, thinking I'd feel better. And that was the moment I started seeing her like my sister. She cared for me, and I cared for her.

Calina was a quiet child, always being alone as her brothers excluded her, not wanting to play with her, suing her away, telling her not to bother them.

I acknowledged their behavior towards her after she gave me her chocolate bar as she evoked my interest with her attitude that moment.

Seeing her sad and lonely, I offered to play or talk with her every time I had the opportunity and the eyes of the guards weren't on me as I knew her father wouldn't appreciate me playing or spending time with her instead of investing my time into my training.

But I was smart, even as a child, and we spent time together without getting caught. By time, we became closer, we were like siblings, like brother and sister.

I took her out at night times as we grew older, helping her escape from the cage she called home, making her breathe and feel like a teenager. It was always a risk while we sneaked out, but the risk was worth it as I saw her relax and smile, be happy for a moment.

I never went against Dimitri Ivanov, except for Calina. I would never betray Dimitri Ivanov, except for Calina. And I'd never kill for anyone without a demand from Dimitri Ivanov, except for Calina, I would die for the girl I loved like family.