ROSALINE

33

ALEXEI

No words could describe how angry I was at the moment. I was surely going to kill Sahin and no one was going to stop me. I felt my stomach sink when images of what he could do to my wife flashed through my head.

If he touches one strand of hair on her head, I'll butcher him up. I promise!

"Bro, calm the fuck down," Vladmir walked in with an annoyed expression on his face with Igor following behind. I looked up from my laptop to glare at him.

"Asked you not to come back till you get information!" I stated. He rolled his eyes, "It's been two days and you've not touched your fucking food. What are you? Five?"

I ignored him and turned back to what I was doing. If they wanted to be useless, I'll find Rose myself.

"Boss, your health is important," Igor said. I looked up at him, "So is my wife!" his face was still straight, as expected.

Vlad sighed, "Did you at least check up on your daughter?" my eyes snapped to him. He gave me a narrowed look, "The girl already misses Rose too much. You're meant to be there for her, it comes with the package of being a father."

My jaw clenched. I forgot Blakely.

"Yeka and I were able to get ahold of the Chinese. Turns out, they are working with the Scottish and Turkish against us. This will lead to genocide," he said to me.

Fuck Sahin and his men!

"Who has her?" I asked him. "Sahin," he muttered drily and my fists clenched. I wanted to punch something so badly but I needed to calm myself before I did something stupid.

"Your mom is with Blakley upstairs. Rosaline's father called too," Vlad added. I nodded and asked them to leave before picking up my phone to see a missed call from Matthus.

Even with our agreement, he rarely called to ask for anything.

I called him back.

"Alexei, you were meant to protect her! that's why I agreed to this contract!" he yelled immediately he picked up. "Watch your tongue, Matthus," I said to him.

"THIS IS MY FUCKING DAUGHTER!" He yelled in rage.

I hated when people disobeyed me. He was my father-in-law for crying out loud, I'm supposed to show him respect.

"We'll find her," I said and hung up.

I needed to see my grandfather again. I dialed Enzo's number as I stood up and walked out.

"You don't need to ask, cousin. I'm already working on it," his voice filled my ears. "Who told you?" I asked him. "Vlad, Bianca is crying out Niagara falls and she won't speak to me," he said jokingly with a chuckle.

He wanted to lighten the mood.

"I need her, Enzo," I mumbled as I walked up the stairs and headed for Rose's room. "We'll find her. we'll kill Sahin for good," he promised and I hung up.

I let out a breath and walked into the room. The smell of vanilla filled my nose and I felt a pinch in my chest. My eyes fell on Blakely who was seated on the bed beside my mother.

They looked up at me and my heart moved when I saw Blakely's puffy cheeks. "Daddy!" she cried as she got down from the bed and ran to me. I crouched down to pick her up.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and cried into my chest. "I want mommy. Please bring mommy," she begged into my chest. My jaw clenched and I looked at my mother.

She gave me a warm smile and stood up to approach me. "Stay with her," she said to me in our mother tongue and walked out of the room. With deep breaths, I walked over to the bed and sat down with Blakely on my lap.

Her cry had stopped as I stroke her blonde hair gently. It was something I did to Vera whenever she cried or wanted to sleep. "Are you hungry?" I asked her. she shook her head, still clenching unto my clothes.

"I'll make us dinner. Will you eat?" I asked her. she looked up at me. Her face was so swollen, her eyes were puffy and red. I caressed her cheeks. "Will you eat?" she asked me.

I nodded, "Mommy will come back. I'll bring her back."

She nodded and hugged me again. "You won't leave me?"

Her voice was quiet and shaky.

She already lost her real parents. I knew how she felt.

I hugged her, "I will never leave you."

I have a family now.

_

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ROSALINE

Water.

That's what I wanted.

That's all I craved for.

I just wanted to drink something. But I was skeptical about everything they gave me. With the few times I encountered Sahin, I gathered that he was a petty and disgusting man.

I was already tired from the hits he had delivered.

This man was the first man that ever hit me. I craved to cut him to pieces.

The creaking of the door caught my attention again. It was annoying. The fact that I was bound to the bed made things worse. I could only raise my head to see who it was but I stopped.

I wanted to retain my strength so that bastard of a man won't break me. I needed to be strong.

"Mrs. Volkov?" I heard a whisper. I raised my head to see a lady who looked to be my age. She was dressed in rags that hung off her boney figure.

I narrowed my eyes at her. I refused to be fooled by appearances. "What do you want?" I sneered. She flinched, hugging a small cup to her chest.

I frowned. I could see fear evident in her dull green eyes. "What do you want?" I asked calmly this time. "I j-just w-want to give you water. I didn't w-wan't you to d-die," she stuttered.

"Who are you?" I asked her. "One of Sahin's toys. Please drink this quickly before his men come," she said and approached me.

I don't know why I wanted to believe her but my brain said no. "I'd rather die of thirst," I turned away. She tapped my shoulder, "Please." I narrowed my eyes at her, "What is your name?"

"Mary," she answered quietly. I complied and she helped me drink the water. It was cold and I nearly cried when it touched my tongue.

"Thank you," I mumbled. She nodded and quickly ran out of the room, closing the door.

Few minutes later, I heard a scream.

My eyes widened, MARY!

It was followed by a gunshot and my heart dropped. I couldn't breathe properly. My heart found it hard to beat.

Did someone just die because of me?

Everywhere became silent and the only thing I could hear was my heavy breathing. Tears stung my eyes as I tried to keep calm.

Mary was killed because of me.

Then, a tear escaped for the first time since i was brought here.