Alan

“How do you like the bride?” a voice called from the driver’s seat, pulling me away from the contract Levin and I had been going over all evening.

“Ordinary,” I said flatly, trying to picture the girl he’d praised so enthusiastically earlier, as if he were selling something far more valuable than his usual worthless offers. Which wasn’t surprising. This was just a deal. One that would save Philip’s business. “It’s obvious they think very highly of their daughter. That makes her perfect for what I need.”

“You still haven’t changed your mind?”

My friend let out a quiet sigh and looked at me in the rearview mirror. He didn’t need an answer. It was written all over my face.

Over the years, my need for revenge had only grown stronger, and now that everything was finally in motion, nothing was going to stop it.

What made it even worse was that Levin remembered nothing.

He’d greeted me with that same bright, sickening smile, like we were old friends.

And now he was more than willing to hand over his daughter to the man whose life he had once ruined—without realizing he was sending his own child straight into the lion’s den.

Children shouldn’t pay for their parents’ sins.

No matter how many times I reminded myself of that, every time I looked at that pretty little thing, I felt a flicker of contempt.

And something darker.

I wasn’t going to hurt her.

But that was where my mercy ended.

“He has two daughters, doesn’t he?” I asked, remembering I was supposed to have a choice tonight, even though only one of them had shown up.

“Yes. Two.” Rinat glanced down at the tablet in his hands, then passed it to me. The screen showed nothing but a blurry photo of a girl from behind. “That’s all we’ve got. I have to admit, he’s been careful about keeping the second daughter out of sight. There are only two possible explanations. Either there’s something wrong with her... or she matters more to him than the first one. Want me to look into it?”

“No. Don’t bother.” I handed the useless thing back and leaned my head against the seat.

It didn’t matter which daughter Levin gave me. Either way, it would end with his downfall.

“Work on the new contract instead. Since we’re not family yet, he’ll go over every line. Make sure there’s nothing he can pick apart.”

“It’ll be ready by Monday.”

The car stopped in front of a nightclub.

The second I saw the bright neon crown above the entrance, the tie around my neck suddenly felt too tight. I loosened it with one sharp tug and stepped out of the car, leaving behind responsibility, control, and everything else that came with them.

I needed a break.

It had been far too long since I’d let myself have one.

This was one of the few places where the city’s elite came to unwind. The service was flawless, the alcohol expensive, and there were always beautiful women around to make the night more interesting.

Expecting nothing more than a few quiet drinks, I headed down the hallway.

Then someone slammed right into me.

A clumsy little thing appeared out of nowhere and spilled her drink all over me.

Dark liquid splashed across my shirt and jacket, and for the first time in years, my irritation was directed at someone other than my worst enemy.

The girl looked up at me, eyes wide, one hand pressed to her mouth.

There was nothing fake about the expression on her face. None of that practiced sweetness escorts usually wore.

Just real shock.

And real regret.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

The blonde finally looked up at me properly.

She was beautiful.

And in that brief second, I noticed every detail—the curve of her body, the long bare legs, the ridiculously short dress that showed far too much and somehow still made me want more.

“Everything okay, Al?” Rinat stepped up beside me, immediately noticing the stain on my jacket.

It wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t care about things like that. I’d throw the jacket away without a second thought.

But those wide, frightened eyes...

I suddenly wanted to push her a little. Just to see what she would do.

“No,” I said, keeping my eyes on her. “It’s not. How exactly are you planning to make this up to me?”

Girls like her usually only had one thing to offer.

I expected the usual reaction.

Instead, she changed right in front of me.

The frightened little thing disappeared.

In her place was a tigress.

Her eyes sharpened, suddenly full of confidence and challenge, like she knew she had the upper hand. Without looking away, the blonde reached into her purse, pulled out a few bills, and slipped them into the breast pocket of my jacket.

Her fingers brushed the fabric.

A slow, satisfied smile curved her lips.

“There’s a dry cleaner around the corner,” she said coolly. “They’ll make it look like nothing ever happened. That should cover it. Keep the change.”

Then she turned and walked away, hips swaying with every step.

For one brief second, I wanted to go after her.

To stop her.

To put her back in her place.

But I pushed the thought aside just as quickly.

“You seriously let her walk away?” Rinat asked, sounding genuinely surprised as he watched her disappear into the crowd.

I pulled the money from my pocket and looked down at it.

It was more than enough.

Way more.

She’d probably just handed me half of everything she’d earned in the last few weeks.

“I know that look, Al,” Rinat said with a grin. “Want me to arrange something?”

“If it’s not too much trouble.” I tightened my fingers around the bills. “I need to give this back to her. Maybe throw in a little extra. For being brave.”

Rinat smirked and headed toward the group the blonde had been standing with.

Within minutes, the redhead in the group was already laughing at something he’d said.

I stayed where I was, slowly sipping my whiskey and watching from a distance.

The club wasn’t very crowded tonight.

I didn’t see anyone I knew, though there were a few familiar faces.

Like Tikhonov, the TV anchor, scanning the room with the cold, calculating look of a predator.

He wasn’t here to have fun.

He was hunting.

And whoever became his story tonight was in for a very bad time.

“Half an hour. Second room,” Rinat said when he came back and dropped into the chair across from me.

“Perfect. What are you going to do until then?”

“I’m thinking about joining that group over there.” He nodded toward three slim girls standing by the bar. “I like the brunette.”

“Fine. But keep an eye on Tikhonov while you’re at it,” I said. “I have no desire to end up on camera. Especially not the one he’s probably hiding under that ridiculous lace collar.”

“Of course,” Rinat said with a grin. “Enjoy yourself.”

The awful feeling finally started to fade, but a few drops of the spilled drink had stained my dress. They were barely visible, but I knew they were there. My hands hadn’t escaped either—they were still sticky in the most humiliating way.

Locked away in the ladies’ room, I tried to clean myself up, already knowing I wanted to go home. That rich asshole had looked at me like I was something disgusting stuck to the bottom of his shoe, then acted like I wasn’t even worth a response. Way to ruin an evening.

My phone rang inside my purse, and I grabbed it while still holding the hem of my dress under the hand dryer.

"Zoe, when are you coming home?" Valeri’s excited voice burst through the speaker.

I pulled the phone away for a second and glanced at the time. Yeah. I’d been here long enough.

"Soon, I think. Judging by your voice, meeting your fiancé went well?"

"Better than well! Zoe, he’s gorgeous. Seriously, you should’ve seen him. He’s so polite, so sweet... and the way he looked at me..." She let out a dreamy sigh. "It made me feel... I don’t know... something."

"Turned on?" I offered with a laugh.

"Zoe!" she gasped, scandalized.

I laughed again.

If my sister liked him that much, then he was probably a good guy. I already respected him a little, even though we hadn’t met.

"No, seriously," she rushed on. "I think I fell in love at first sight. Please come home soon. I’m literally going to explode if I don’t tell someone everything."

"Are Mom and Dad home?" I asked, mostly out of curiosity. I couldn’t help wondering if anyone besides Valeri had even noticed I was gone.

"No. They dropped me off, Mom changed, and then they left for some private event."

"Of course they did," I muttered.

Nothing ever changed. I was still invisible in my own house. Honestly, if it weren’t for the surgery when we were kids—when I had to donate stem cells and blood to Valeri—I probably would’ve convinced myself I was adopted. The only thing proving we were related was the cluster of birthmarks across my back, exactly like Mom’s and Valeri’s.

"I’ll be home soon, Valeri."

I ended the call, looked at myself in the mirror, and let out a quiet sigh. Was it really because of how I looked? The way I dressed? Why did they treat us so differently? Valeri was loved, adored, spoiled. I was just... there. An inconvenience nobody wanted.

I headed back into the club, planning to sneak out without anyone noticing, but basic manners won out. I should at least tell my friends I was leaving.

Kriss was sitting at the table with the two guys, and for once they weren’t laughing or causing chaos. Sergey waved me over, and before I could protest, I found myself trapped between two stubborn idiots who clearly had no intention of letting me leave.

Not that they got a vote.

Once I made up my mind, that was it. Kriss knew that better than anyone.

"Come on, Zoe, stay a little longer," she whined, grabbing my hand like I was about to make a run for it. "I ordered you a mojito. Maybe that’ll change your mind?"

She pushed a glass toward me. Mint leaves and lime slices floated in the pale green liquid. Usually it was one of my favorite drinks.

Usually.

"Sorry. I’m leaving. I’ll leave my card with you so security doesn’t give you any trouble," I said firmly, getting to my feet.

For a second, something dark flashed across Kriss’s face, but it disappeared just as quickly. She covered it with a wounded look, her eyes immediately going shiny.

Typical.

Kriss was a manipulator. If begging didn’t work, she’d move straight to guilt and tears.

Good thing she wasn’t looking directly at me. One glance at my face and she would’ve known exactly what I thought of that act.

Miron slid the glass back toward me and lifted his own, full of something I couldn’t even identify. I leaned closer and sniffed my mojito carefully. The three of them had tried to get me drunk before, but this time I couldn’t smell any alcohol besides what should’ve been there.

I took a long sip.

Cold, sweet, refreshing.

Despite myself, I smiled.

"Fine. Five minutes. But that’s it."

"Of course," Miron said, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

Kriss and Sergey grinned and went back to drinking like they were dying of thirst.

"I can walk you home later, Zoe," Miron added.

He switched into what he probably thought was his charming mode and took my hand.

My stupid, inexperienced heart had no idea what love was supposed to feel like, but I knew one thing for sure: when I did fall in love someday, it definitely wouldn’t be with either of them. I knew my friends too well for that.

The next few minutes dragged on forever.

Little by little, I stopped feeling like myself. A heavy drowsiness settled over me, pressing down on my eyelids. My eyes burned like I hadn’t slept in days. My body felt warm and heavy, and my thoughts started slipping through my fingers, slow and blurry.

Seriously?

Was I actually about to fall asleep in the middle of a club?

"I think I should go," I said, forcing myself to stand.

Only Kriss was still at the table. She was typing furiously on her phone, but when she noticed me, she got to her feet too, swaying slightly.

Yeah. We both needed to get home.

I managed to swallow the first yawn, but the next one hit me so hard my eyes watered.

"Are you okay, Zoe?" Kriss asked, slipping her arm through mine. "Maybe we should get you home."

"You don’t look so great either," I said, glancing down at her.

She was standing there in one shoe.

Kriss burst out laughing and ducked under the table to look for the other one.

"Maybe we should just go together," I said. "You’re drunk, and I can barely keep my eyes open."

"Yeah..." She shoved her shoe back on and grabbed my arm again. "But first let’s find the guys. I saw them go upstairs."

"Upstairs?" I frowned, looking toward the staircase.

The VIP area was up there, hidden behind the balcony level, but neither Sergey nor Miron were anywhere downstairs.

We couldn’t leave without saying goodbye... could we?

Step by step, we made our way upstairs. My head felt heavier with every second, and dragging myself up the stairs while Kriss leaned half her weight against me felt almost impossible.

"There," she said, pointing toward a door.

We stepped into a narrow hallway lit by dim golden lights.

"There’s nobody here," I muttered, staring at the closed doors lining the corridor.

The room spun.

I caught myself against the wall, breathing hard. What the hell was wrong with me? I could’ve curled up right there on the floor and gone to sleep without caring.

"Kriss, let’s go back. I don’t feel good."

Everything blurred.

The next thing I knew, I was in some unfamiliar room.

Maybe I was imagining it.

Or maybe I really was sitting on the edge of a huge bed.

Silky sheets brushed against my fingertips, soft and cool, and before I could stop myself, I leaned into them.

Warm light filled the room.

A door opened.

I wasn’t drunk. Not really. I was too aware for that. My head was foggy, but I still recognized the man standing in front of me immediately.

The same one I’d spilled my cocktail on.

"So the money wasn’t enough to pay for your jacket?" I snapped, glaring at him.

"Disgusting," he said coldly.

His eyes swept over me like he couldn’t stand the sight.

"I thought you agreed to this. You’ve got terrible friends, girl." His mouth twisted. "So tell me... what exactly am I supposed to do with you now?"

"I don’t need you to do anything to me," I snapped, trying to lift my hand.

My body didn’t feel like mine anymore. My arms and legs were heavy, useless, and even the brush of my own fingers against my face felt wrong. Distant. Unreal.

"How much for the night? I’ll pay you double."

The words cut through the haze, and I forced my eyes open.

The man standing in front of me was taking off his shirt.

Panic hit me so hard it stole what little breath I had left. If I’d been thinking clearly, maybe I could’ve done something. But right now, I could barely move my tongue, and apparently someone had decided I was easy.

"Get the hell out! I don’t sleep with men for money!" I hissed.

Suddenly, his weight pressed down on me.

Please let this be a dream. Please not this.

Then he moved.

Cool air brushed over my chest, and a broken gasp slipped from my lips.

"If you don’t sleep with the men in this club, then what exactly is a girl like you doing here?"

His voice was right beside my ear. My eyes fluttered open again, and all I could see was his bare shoulder. Warm skin. The sharp, woody scent of his cologne.

The fear finally cleared some of the fog from my head.

"I came here with friends. I’m not staff. I have a VIP card."

"I almost believed you," he said with a low laugh.

One side of my chest burned where his fingers touched me. I flinched and tried to push him away, struggling to understand what was happening.

"And maybe I would've believed you were innocent, judging by how sweetly you react to me..." His voice dropped lower. "But your outfit says otherwise. Around here, only escorts dress like that."

"What are you doing? Stop! I really came here with friends!" I cried as his knee slid between my legs, pressing insistently against me.

A strange, sharp sensation twisted low in my stomach, making my whole body tremble.

"Friends?" he said with a rough laugh. "Your friends were happy to take my assistant’s offer. One night with you. And from the look of it... they drugged you too. Do real friends do that?"

He went quiet for a second.

"There’s only one person in my life I’d call a friend. And trust me—this isn’t what friendship looks like."

"You don’t know that..." My voice came out weak and slurred. My eyes kept drifting shut, and I couldn’t make myself pull away from the heat of his touch. "You don’t know them..."

"A minute ago, I wasn’t sure, sweetheart," he murmured against my ear. "But maybe this is a lesson you need."

His voice dropped even lower.

"Remember this. The next man might be a lot worse than me. So maybe start thinking harder about the people you trust."

I tried to answer.

I couldn’t.

Why can’t I talk?

Something filled my mouth, slick and unfamiliar, cutting off even my ability to breathe properly. My lips moved, but no sound came out. My throat refused to obey me.

And then everything stopped.

Warm breath brushed across my damp lips.

"You’re adorable..."

Those were the last words I heard before the darkness swallowed me whole.

My scream tore through the silence—

—and disappeared.

***

My head was pounding, and my eyes refused to open.

Did those three really drug me?

Because this felt a lot worse than a hangover.

With a groan, I finally forced my eyes open—and froze.

I had no idea where I was.

The room was dim, but there was enough light for me to see my naked body beneath the sheets.

Horror crashed over me, and I bolted upright.

My hand shook as I slipped it between my legs.

Then I froze.

Wet. Sticky.

Even without experience, I understood immediately.

I’d spent the night with a man.

And I’d lost my virginity.

A sob tore out of me.

Then another.

Tears streamed down my face so fast I could barely breathe. My throat burned, and before I knew it, I was crying so hard I couldn’t stop.

I jerked my hand away and clenched the sheets instead—but there was something underneath them.

Paper.

Blinking through my tears, I looked down.

Money.

Large bills scattered across the bed.

Not only had some stranger taken the one thing I had protected so carefully...

He’d paid me for it.

Like I was nothing but some cheap whore.

Rage exploded inside me, hot and vicious.

I remembered everything.

Everything except what had happened after the room went dark—like my mind had erased the worst part out of mercy.

I’m going to kill Kriss.

The second I see that bitch, I’m going to kill her.

My clothes were crumpled at the foot of the bed. I got dressed as fast as I could. Every inch of my body hurt, and the dull ache low in my stomach reminded me exactly what had happened.

I grabbed the money too.

Not because I wanted it.

Because I was going to throw it in that bastard’s face.

When I stepped into the hallway and headed downstairs, relief flickered inside me when I realized the club was closed.

At least no one would see me like this.

Humiliated. Ruined.

"Hey! Where do you think you’re going?" an annoyed female voice snapped as a wet mop smacked against my legs. "Use the back exit! Don’t walk all over my clean floor!"

I turned.

An older woman stood there glaring at me with obvious disgust.

God. I feel disgusting.

"Where’s the back exit?" I asked quietly.

"What, you don’t know? Or is this your first time doing this kind of work?"

A lump rose in my throat.

"Where. Is. The exit?" I repeated, louder this time.

With an irritated sigh, she jerked her head toward the hallway near the ladies’ room.

I ran.

I ran like my life depended on it.

Like something horrible was chasing me.

Like if I didn’t get out of there, I would die.

The sun hit my face the second I stepped outside, bright and blinding.

It only made everything feel worse.

How could I have been so stupid?

I always knew Kriss was awful.

So why did I still walk right into her trap?

After I called a taxi, there was only one thing I wanted—

to scrub this night off my skin.

Thankfully, Mom and Dad weren’t home.

Neither was Valeri.

I went straight to my room, locked myself in the bathroom, and stood under the hot water for over an hour, crying until there was nothing left.

Maybe that was the difference between me and Valeri.

She never would’ve ended up in a situation like this, trying so hard to prove something to people who didn’t deserve it.

This was my fault.

Maybe this was the cruelest lesson life could’ve taught me.

But at least...

no one knew.

And no one ever would.

I would bury it.

Forget it.

Pretend it never happened.

Why did it take something like this to make me see the truth?

I didn’t have real friends.

And I would rather be alone than surrounded by people like them.

But that didn’t mean I was going to forgive Kriss.

Not a chance.

By the time my tears finally stopped, I was dressed.

And even though my body still remembered everything—

I was going to find that red-haired bitch

and make sure she understood exactly what she’d done.