Kidnapped to love

chapter 37

Crystal sat on the couch in Dimitri 's living room, flipping through the photo album that Dimitri's mother had eagerly brought out. His childhood photos were scattered across the pages, showing a boy who had grown into the striking man she knew now. Dimitri had been handsome from the start, and his mother seemed to take great pride in that.

"He was always the handsome one," his mother said with a warm smile, watching as Crystal turned the pages. "Any doubt he was the crush of the whole school?"

Crystal smiled politely, her eyes lingering on the photos from Dimitri’s school and college days. "No doubt at all," she said softly, but something in the pit of her stomach tightened. She’d always known Dimitri had a past, but seeing these photos made it more real.

Then, as she turned another page, something caught her eye. The photos became darker, more serious. It was a shift—Dimitri wasn’t the carefree boy anymore. These pictures were from the time he got involved in the mafia, his expression hard and intense. It sent a shiver down her spine. But what stopped her breath entirely was a photo near the bottom of the page. Dimitri stood beside a girl, his arm around her, and the two looked close. Too close.

"Who’s this?" Crystal asked, her voice tighter than she intended as she pointed to the photo.

Dimitri’s mother leaned over to take a look. "Oh," she said with a casual wave of her hand, as if it was nothing. "That’s his childhood friend. And his fiancée."

"Fiancée?" She asked.

His mother nodded, her tone completely nonchalant. "Hmm, yes. It was arranged years ago."

"Fiancée?" she repeated, her voice barely audible.

Dimitri’s mother, sensing Crystal's reaction, quickly placed a comforting hand on hers. "Oh no, darling, not anymore. That was years ago, just something arranged when they were kids. It’s all in the past now."

Crystal blinked, feeling the weight on her chest lighten just a little. "Oh," she said softly, a sense of relief slowly washing over her.

Dimitri’s mother smiled warmly. "It meant nothing, dear. They were just children, and it was never serious. Dimitri has moved on completely. You’re the one who holds his heart now."

Crystal exhaled, the tension easing out of her shoulders. "I see," she said, offering a small smile. The doubt that had flared up in her chest began to fade.

Dimitri’s mother patted her hand gently. "You have nothing to worry about, Crystal. He cares for you deeply."

Crystal nodded, her relief growing. "Thank you for telling me."