LOGINArielle’s POVI barely slept last night because anytime I close my eyes, I would see Sergie’s study coupled with the hidden safe, strange ledger and missing pages. Nothing about it made sense anymore. If those records were simply financial documents, I wondered why he would hide them inside a secret compartment behind a bookshelf and remove only a handful of pages.These thoughts were sitting heavily in my chest as morning sunlight was filtering through the curtains. I reached for my phone but there were no new messages or calls.To make matters worse, ever since the gala, my life had become unusually noisy which so many unwanted activities; Daniel has refused to leave me alone, reporters are always waiting outside Viktor’s properties and unknown numbers have been constantly appearing on my screen. But today was different because it was filled with silence.“Ma’am breakfast is served.” One of Viktor’s staff entered the room interupting my thoughts.“I’ll be down in a bit.” I answere
Arielle's POVI kept staring at the photograph until the edges blurred but the missing face kept haunting me more than the one I could actually see.Viktor was standing in the center of the picture, younger by a few years but unmistakably the same man. His posture was rigid, with one hand tucked into the pocket of a dark overcoat.Beside him, someone had carefully cut the other person from the photograph with precision.I turned it over for what had to be the tenth time, and I thought to myself that whoever had sent it wanted me to question Viktor but I could not fathom why. And for that reason sleep became impossible.Because every time I closed my eyes, I would see the hooded stranger, the gun pressing against my head, Viktor's unusual anger and the empty space in that photograph.By the morning of the next day, I had earlier made a decision not to ask Viktor any further questions but to wait and see his reactions without warning.Breakfast time this morning was unusually quiet as V
Arielle's POVThe cold metal which I predicted to be a gun was pressing harder against the back of my head."Don't move." The voice came again, it was low and calm. My pulse was thundering in my ears, but I forced myself to stay still as every instinct in me was screaming at me to run or maybe fight. But instead, I slowly raised my hands into the air."I don't have anything worth stealing," I said, surprised by how steady my own voice sounded."This isn't robbery." A soft chuckle came from behind me.“Then what was it?” I asked as the night air was suddenly feeling colder.The mansion lights were shimmering beyond the iron gates, close enough that I could almost convince myself I was safe."You picked up the note?." The stranger asked."I did." I answered."Good. And you have been asking questions which you need to put a stop to." The man behind me said."I'm not taking advice from someone hiding behind a gun." I replied frowning."You should take my advice because you have no idea wh
Arielle’s POVBefore the evening ended, I had promised myself that I would stop letting Viktor Sokolov get into my head.Though it sounded simple enough but I still woke up the next morning in his house.Sunlight was slipping through the curtains in narrow strips and warming the polished wooden floor of the bedroom. For several seconds, I was simply staring at the ceiling as everything felt quiet.Thinking of everything that had happened over the past few days from the warehouse, the attack, the endless questions and the strangers watching every move I made, the silence in the atmosphere was feeling unnatural.I pushed the blankets aside as I sat up slowly, I felt the healing bruise on my shoulder and I inhaled sharply.“Miss Arielle?” One of the maids called out, knocking on the bedroom door.“You may come in.” I answered from inside.She entered carrying a breakfast tray comprising of fresh coffee, fruits, toast and eggs. Everything was looking perfect.“I didn’t order any this.” I
Arielle’s POVThe gunshots were still echoing through the underground corridor. The stranger staggered backward, with one hand flying to his shoulder as blood spread rapidly through his coat. He hadn’t been killed because the sniper had intended to slow him down.The sealed envelope slipped from his grasp and hit the marble floor with its contents scattering in every direction.Before I could check out a single page, Viktor lunged forward and in one swift movement, he swept the documents under a nearby steel cabinet.At the same instant, Roman came rushing in from the opposite corridor.“Sir! We need to leave, "he called out.“Collect everything,” Viktor ordered without taking his eyes off the stranger.Roman didn’t hesitate. Two guards immediately dropped to one knee, gathering the papers before I could read more than a single line.But my name on one of the papers caught my attention, it was neatly typed across the top of a page.“What was that?” I demanded as my heart lurched but
Arielle's POV"Run now." The command barely left Viktor's mouth before another explosion came ripping through the front gates.The force of it shook the entire estate as glass were bursting from the mansion windows behind us and raining across the stone courtyard.I ran but Viktor never released my hand instead he was pulling me through the chaos with astonishing speed, weaving between guards who were already taking defensive positions. Controlled gunfire was erupting from beyond the walls."They're inside!" someone shouted as one of Viktor’s gaurd came crashing against one of the parked vehicles beside us with blood spreading rapidly across his black suit.I froze on the spot but Viktor didn't rather he stepped in front of me so naturally that I barely realized what he had done. His pistol appeared in his hand almost as if it had always been there.Three sharp shots cane echoing through the courtyard as three attackers dropped dead before I even located them."Keep moving." Viktor
Arielle’s POV“So this is the girl.” The older man said in a smooth voice which was enough to make my skin crawl.Gunfire was still echoing in the distance, but somehow the atmosphere around us had shifted completely the moment he appeared beside Alora on the steel catwalk above. The situation was
Arielle’s POV“That’s too late already.” The stranger’s voice came spreading through the warehouse calmly, yet it was somehow louder than the gunfire had been moments ago.Everything became still even the men holding weapons seemed uncertain on the next move to take now.I was standing perplexed
Arielle’s POVBy the time I opened my eyes gunshot were echoing so loudly through the warehouse that my ears began to ring. And for one horrifying second, I thought I have been shot. My body was freezing that I could not breathe or think Then Viktor’s arm came wrapping around me violently and drag
Arielle’s POVI knew for a fact that something was wrong the moment Viktor called my name because it was not soft and casual like before but more like a command.“Arielle.”He calledI looked up from my phone slowly. “What is it?” I asked“You’re coming with me for a dinner party.” He ordered while







