The brothers had done their grieving the day before, the moment they received the news. There was nothing more to be done- their grandfather had been well into old age and had lived a long, full life. Still, it was painful to watch the once commanding man, who had loved life with such ferocity, carried along the narrow path in a coffin, soon to be lowered into a depth from which there was no return.

The Darvins stood in silence throughout the ceremony, leaving all the arrangements to their uncle. Vlad's attention drifted to a young woman standing on the opposite side of the grave. He clung to the hope, right up until the last second, that it wasn't Nadya. But that hope vanished the moment Katerina stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter.

Over the years, he had assumed the girl would change-grow into her looks, maybe even become beautiful. Apparently, no such miracle had occurred. Hideous, shapeless leggings. An oversized black T-shirt. The glasses he could tolerate, but what on earth was she wearing on her head? A babushka scarf?

"Unbelievable," Stas muttered beside him, letting out a low chuckle.

"What are you talking about?" Vlad snapped irritably.

"Don't you remember that chocolate bar from when we were kids? The one with the girl in a headscarf on the wrapper?" Stas smirked. "Well, there she is. Look at her."

Vlad nearly lost his temper and shot his brother a lethal look. Not because Stas had insulted his fiancée- but because he was infuriatingly right. This was not the kind of woman Vlad envisioned at his side, much less for the rest of his life.

"Well done, Grandpa," he muttered darkly.

He noticed the girl turning away, clearly intending to leave. And where exactly did she think she was going? The nerve. His grandfather had loved her more than his own grandsons, and she couldn't even stay until the ceremony was over? He wouldn't allow her to dishonor the old man's memory.

Vlad, cutting across another path to intercept her, just as he expected, caught up to her in a few long strides. She walked straight into him, not even noticing he had stepped into her path. Her startled eyes flew up to his, and she froze, holding her breath.

Up close, things weren't entirely hopeless. Her skin was clear and well cared for. Full lips. A nicely shaped nose. Not a complete disaster. He could mold this girl into something acceptable. Something worthy of standing beside him. And who knew- perhaps one day he might even want her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Vlad growled, seizing her wrist when she tried to step back. "Do you think this is appropriate, considering everything our grandfather did for you?"

"I just wasn't feeling well, that's all..." she said, trying to pull free.

"You look perfectly fine to me. We're going back before people start talking."

He tugged her along without the slightest concern for whether it hurt. Girls like her should be grateful he paid them any attention at all.

"Let go," she snapped, finally wrenching her hand free. "What gives you the right to grab me like that? You're his grandson. You're the one who shouldn't have walked away."

Nadya's expression shifted-steady now, more assured. She rubbed the spot on her wrist where his fingers had dug in.

What right did he have? As her future husband, every right. But it was far too soon for her to know that.

"Go back and wait quietly until it's over. After that, you're free to do whatever you like."

Infuriating little thing, he thought bitterly.

She gave him a faint, incredulous smile, then turned sharply and almost ran toward the exit.

"Looks like I'll have to work on your manners as well as your appearance," Vlad muttered as he headed back. There was no time to chase his bride now. In one respect, she was right-he was Makar's grandson, and his place was there.

The ceremony was drawing to a close, and the final farewell began. The brothers stepped forward first to say goodbye to their grandfather, followed by their uncle, who looked more devastated than anyone else present.

When the last of the mourners began tossing handfuls of earth into the grave, people gradually made their way toward the exit.

A woman approached the Darvins and offered her condolences-words they had heard so many times that day they had lost count. But coming from Katerina, they carried more weight. After all, she was their future mother-in-law.

"Mrs. Katerina, thank you for coming to pay your respects," Stas said politely, though a faint smile tugged at his mouth as he fought the familiar urge to provoke his brother.

"Boys, I can't even begin to imagine your loss," the woman said softly. "That man was like a father to you."

"Yes, you're right. It won't be easy without his support," Vlad replied, adopting the solemn expression expected of a grieving grandson. "But despite everything, I hope our meeting this evening is still on?"

"Of course. I'm very much looking forward to seeing you both tonight."

"Oh no, I won't be there," Stas said lightly, lifting his hands and stepping aside. "I've already made other plans. All the best."

The younger Darvin strolled down the path, leaving Vlad alone with the woman.

"I'll come alone, if you don't mind," Vlad said smoothly. "There's something important I need to discuss with you, and I can't postpone it any longer. May I assume Nadya will be joining us for dinner?"

"Of course," Katerina replied with a warm smile. "Nadya is very much looking forward to this evening."

"Then I'll see you tonight, Mrs. Katerina."

Nadya's POV

These two had always gotten under my skin, but today Vlad pushed me so far I could barely keep my knees from trembling. A strutting peacock, not a man. I have no doubt the company will end up in his hands. Men like him never miss an opportunity-and if they have to step over someone to get what they want, they won't hesitate for a second. Just picturing his smug face makes me want to tear off this ridiculous mourning outfit. He didn't have to say a word. It was all there in his eyes. Disgust. Contempt. An entire spectrum of unspoken judgment. As if he'd already dismissed me and sent someone else to deal with the inconvenience.

I understand that Makar is a longtime friend of our family, but still-he's a stranger to me.

People began streaming out through the cemetery gates, and I suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to hide inside the car-which is exactly what I did. Mom didn't appear until more than half the guests had already left, freeing up the parking lot. She looked far too pleased for someone coming straight from a funeral.

"Did something good happen?" I couldn't help asking. She was glowing brighter than the gold wrapped around her wrists and draped across her neck.

"Oh, nothing you need to worry about," she replied lightly, then told the driver to pull away.

"Mom, could you drop me off downtown? Nina's already waiting for me at Cherry Café."

"All right. But remember-you need to be home this evening."

I'm pulling the scarf off my head. It had become unbearably hot. I loosened my braid, and when my blonde hair fell freely over my shoulders, I exhaled in relief.

The car stopped in front of the familiar café I used to visit so often that the memories alone wiped the smile from my face, plunging me straight into nostalgia. As I watched the car disappear down the street, I lifted my gaze to the sky. Heavy clouds were gathering. The heat had eased, the air turning cool and fresh, and the moment I stepped inside, a light rain began to fall.

Nina was already seated at a table, and I couldn't hold back a squeal. "You're exactly the same," I said, settling into the chair across from her.

We'd kept in touch from a distance, of course, but seeing each other in person after several years was something entirely different.

"I thought you didn't wear glasses anymore," Nina said, taking a sip of her coffee.

I ordered a slice of strawberry cake and a cup of tea, then turned my full attention back to her.

"I don't," I snorted. "But the day before I came home, I had a poolside photoshoot and accidentally fell into the water. Lost my contacts. Since that was my last pair, I had no choice but to switch back to glasses."

"So I wasn't imagining it," she beamed. "That was you in the latest issue of Evening Star, wasn't it?"

"Yes, that was me." I'd never hidden how I made a living, but for some reason, it felt oddly awkward talking about it with her.

"Tell me something," she said, suddenly serious. She studied my face carefully, then lowered her gaze to the plate the waiter had just placed in front of me. "Are models even allowed to eat something like that?"

"Technically, no," I laughed. "But if my manager doesn't see it, it won't kill me."

She smiled-but then her expression shifted. A spark flared in her eyes with such intensity that it made me uneasy. I remembered that look from childhood all too well. It usually meant trouble. Nina was about to ask for something.

"Nadya, tell me-would your manager be against you participating in my photoshoot?"

There it was. I knew it. With a groan, I rolled my eyes, sighed dramatically, and took the first bite of cake.

"I came home for a break from all of this, Nina."

"Please." She grabbed my hand and looked at me with so much hope that refusing felt nearly impossible. Whether Valen would approve was another matter entirely. I couldn't say yes without asking him first.

"I'll talk to my manager," I said carefully. "But I'm warning you-he might not like the idea."

"But you'll try, right? I can work around things. Your face won't even be visible-just your body in luxury lingerie."

"Lingerie?"

"Yes. A designer boutique hired me to shoot their new lingerie line-for both men and women. So I said yes. Everything fell into place perfectly."

She was glowing with excitement, and I didn't have the heart to interrupt her. Still, something nagged at me.

"You said men, too. Does that mean I'll have a partner?"

"Yes, but I haven't found the right male model yet. I still have a couple of days to look..."

"By the way, Nina," I said, "why weren't you at Darvin's funeral? Are things between your families still that bad?"

Her excitement vanished instantly. The moment I said that name, Nina stiffened and withdrew. I didn't know exactly what had sparked the feud between their families, but it had been dragging on for years. And yet, that hadn't stopped her from falling for one of them.

"Don't tell me you're still in love with Vlad," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"No, I'm not. That's ancient history," she replied sharply. She could fool anyone else-but not me. I knew she still loved him. It was written all over her face. "They didn't invite us. Father said we had no place there."

"I see," I said quietly, focusing on the dessert in front of me.

I shouldn't have brought up the Darvins. After that, the conversation fizzled out completely. I finished my tea and said goodbye-Nina had clearly sunk into a darker mood. Something had happened, I was sure of it, but until she was ready to talk, pushing wouldn't help.

I called a taxi and waited beneath the café awning while a heavy downpour raged outside. The weather had turned ugly fast, and all I wanted now was to take a hot bath and curl up in bed with my economics notes. I still needed to figure out why that awful professor had knocked down my grade.

Nadya's pov

"We're here," the taxi driver announced over the roar of the rain. I stared at him in disbelief.

"But my house is still a long way from here. I'll be drenched," I protested, handing him a couple of bills.

"Don't worry, miss. You'll run fast," he said with a shrug. Before I could even shut the door, the car sped off.

The rain was coming down in sheets-a relentless wall of water-and running would have been pointless anyway. I was already soaked through, so I trudged home at a steady pace. Honestly, any enthusiasm I'd had about guests had completely evaporated, which gave me the perfect idea for how to avoid an unwanted meeting.

The moment I stepped inside, Mom peeked out from the living room and gasped when she saw me.

I had to summon every ounce of my acting ability to sell it. A loud, impressively convincing sneeze echoed through the spacious hallway, and I wrapped my arms around myself, dragging my feet as if every step took effort.

"Oh, sweetheart, what happened? You could have called-I would've brought you an umbrella," Mom exclaimed, hurrying toward me. "Are you okay? No fever? Headache?"

Seriously? As if someone could catch a cold that fast. But her over-the-top concern worked perfectly in my favor.

"Mom, I'm fine. A hot bath will fix everything," I said with a reassuring smile, then pressed my advantage. "I'm exhausted and completely soaked. Maybe you could handle the guests without me? If they even show up in this storm."

"Of course, no problem at all. But if you start feeling worse, promise you'll tell me."

"I will," I replied, barely suppressing a triumphant smile.

The second I was out of sight, I dashed up the stairs to my room. I needed a bath and dry clothes as quickly as possible-actually getting sick was not part of the plan.

Afterward, I went through my full skincare, hair, and body routine. My stylist hadn't just selected my wardrobe and overall look; she'd also recommended products perfectly suited to my hair and skin.

Once I dried my hair, I changed into my favorite loungewear-a cropped top and shorts-and climbed into bed with my laptop.

Thank goodness we live in the age of online shopping. I could order contact lenses and simply pick them up later. I checked the city map, chose the best-rated salon, and placed an order for several pairs.

My phone, which had been eerily silent until then, suddenly lit up.

"What do you want at this hour?" I muttered irritably as I answered. "Valen, to what do I owe this late-night call?"

"I just wanted to make sure you're perfectly fine," his overly sweet voice flowed through the speaker.

"And what exactly could possibly happen to me?" I scoffed.

"Nothing, darling. Do you hear me?" His tone sharpened abruptly, as it often did. "Nothing must happen to you. Not a single bruise, not a scratch-and don't you dare get a tan. Understood?"

"Yes, I understand. You told me all of that yesterday. Why repeat it a hundred times?"

"I shouldn't have let you travel alone. Giving you this long of a vacation was a mistake."

"But I need to rest. Be reasonable," I pleaded softly.

"Fine." After a brief pause, he added, "Nadya, what did you eat today?"

Here we go. Should I start sending him daily reports next? Maybe log every step I take and every bite I eat? Then I remembered my friend's request and seized the opportunity to change the subject.

"Valen, your call is actually perfect timing. I need something from you. I want to participate in a photo shoot..."

"I forbid it. No. Absolutely not. End of discussion."

So predictable. I'd expected this, but I wasn't about to give up.

"My face won't be visible, and my name won't be mentioned anywhere. My best friend asked me. Please, Valen. It's important."

"Important, you say?" He scoffed, then fell silent. That was a good sign-at least he hadn't exploded. "What's the concept?"

"Lingerie."

"No. Absolutely not. I forbid it, do you hear me? Those curves are meant to represent luxury brands only."

"But it is a designer collection, so please-"

"What brand exactly?"

Damn. I had no idea. I hadn't even asked Nina. But before I could respond, he continued:

"Fine. I'll allow it-but on two conditions. First, your face must not be visible. Second, you'll grant me one request."

"What kind of request?" I asked, already celebrating internally.

"I'll tell you later."

"Alright. I agree."

"Good. Then get some sleep, Nadya. And don't stare at that screen too long. I won't tolerate dark circles under your eyes."

"Okay."

I ended the call and immediately texted Nina to confirm I'd participate in the shoot. She replied with a flood of ecstatic emojis, and I set my phone aside.

The day had drained me completely, and exhaustion washed over me in heavy waves. I was seconds away from falling asleep when a soft knock sounded at my door. Assuming Mom had come to check on her precious daughter, I called out without thinking:

"Come in. Why are you knocking-"

But it wasn't my mother who stepped inside.

And not a woman at all...