MEETING THE DARKNESS

14

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The tension between Dia and Viktor was palpable as the night at the club unfolded. Despite trying to maintain her composure, Dia could feel the weight of Viktor's presence, the unspoken connection that lingered since Karishma and Adam's wedding. She had worked so hard to protect her double life—balancing her role as the CEO of K Group of Enterprises with her hidden mafia ties—but now, with Viktor reappearing and his link to Kai revealed, things had just spiraled into an uncontrollable whirlwind.

Viktor's cool, calculated demeanor was no surprise to Dia. After all, they were cut from the same cloth—both born into powerful families, both shaped by the pain of losing a parent, both learning to navigate a world filled with shadows. Yet, what unnerved her the most was the way Viktor looked at her, like he understood her in ways others never could.

And perhaps he did.

As they settled into the VIP section, Viktor sat directly across from Dia, his sharp gaze never straying far. Kai, clearly trying to lighten the mood, engaged the group in casual conversation, but the tension between Dia and Viktor was undeniable. Elle, Sahasra, and Vivian tried to follow along, but their confusion lingered.

At one point, Viktor leaned in closer to Dia, his voice low but steady. "I didn't expect our paths to cross again so soon, but here we are. Are you going to keep pretending there's nothing between us?"

Dia bristled at his insinuation, though her heart pounded in her chest. "What are you talking about, Viktor? We barely know each other."

Viktor's lips curved into a slight smile. "Maybe. But you can't deny the connection we have, the way we see the world, the way we handle... business."

Dia's eyes narrowed, but Viktor's words hit closer to home than she would ever admit. She wasn't used to people seeing through her walls, especially not someone like Viktor. But denying the chemistry between them would be a lie, even if she hated that fact.

Kai noticed the shift in the air, his eyes flicking between the two of them. "Alright, alright, can we just take a break from whatever this is?" He gestured toward the dance floor. "We came to have fun, not to sit in this tense silence."

Elle nodded eagerly, pulling Sahasra and Vivian up. "Come on, girls, let's dance."

Dia gave a tight smile as her friends got up to join Kai on the dance floor. But she stayed seated, her thoughts still swirling in the aftermath of Viktor's arrival.

Viktor, noticing her hesitation, remained by her side. "You don't trust me, do you?" he asked, his tone unreadable.

Dia met his gaze. "Should I?"

Viktor didn't answer right away. Instead, he leaned back in his seat, his eyes studying her. "I think we both know that trust isn't something people like us give easily. But that doesn't mean we can't work together."

Dia's brow furrowed. "What are you getting at?"

Viktor's smirk returned, but this time, it was laced with something deeper. "You're not the only one with a score to settle, Dia. I know more about you than you think. And I believe we could help each other... in more ways than one."

Her pulse quickened at his words, and the implications behind them. Viktor was no ordinary man, and whatever he was proposing carried weight—dangerous weight.

As the night carried on, Dia couldn't shake the feeling that she was standing on the edge of something monumental. Viktor's reappearance in her life wasn't just a coincidence—it was a warning. A signal that her carefully constructed world was about to unravel, and that the only way out might be through the very man she had vowed to keep at a distance.