18 Years Later

Alina's Pov - Eighteen Years Later!

I can tell you the exact moment my life fell apart completely.

He shattered everything around me, and at that moment, I knew; everyone who's closest to me, ends up dying.

I don't deserve love. I don't deserve anything. I should be locked away.

"Alina! Get in here!" My uncle Vladi shouted when I came down the stairs. I took a deep breath and walked into his office. "Yes, uncle?" I uttered a little nervously when he gazed at me. Vladi, the man who took me in sheltering me but never gave me anything else. He ignored me most of my life, unable to show any emotions towards me. I never knew why until I was fifteen and my nanny, Olga, told me a short story about my parent's deaths, and I was the only survivor.

Olga never said it, but I somehow knew Vladi blamed me for that. But I was a baby?

"Alina. I want you to do something for me," Vladi said, and I frowned, "Of course, uncle. What do you want me to do? " I replied, with a knot in my stomach.

"We have had some trouble with the Serbian mafia lately. But we have now agreed. You will marry Jakov Kostic, heir to Aleksander Kostic, tomorrow on your 18th birthday to unite our families. " I gasped in shock, "This is crazy? Do you hate me that much to marry me off to a stranger?" I stuttered, and I felt tears burning in my eyes, "I don't hate you, Alina,"

"Then don't make me marry a stranger?" I cried, and Vladi sighed, "Stop with the tears. We have already settled this agreement in-between. And you will walk down the aisle tomorrow and say I do? Okay?"

"But.."

"No buts, Alina. Is what needs to be done to stop this war that has been going on!" I swallowed nervously, "Whatever you say, uncle," I shuddered and left the room with tears streaming down my face.

"Alina!" Olga gasped when I ran into her up the hall, "Alina!" She said again and grabbed my arm.

"Why do you cry?" Olga asks in a worried tone, "Ask Vladi!" I mumble and run into my room and lock the door. I slipped in and landed on the wall, and minutes later, I heard Olga yelling at Vladi downstairs, saying everything I didn't dare tell him myself.

The biggest fear I had was that people would be disappointed or not like me.

I did the best I could with everything I did and asked to do.

I have an A in every subject at school, but it was never enough.

There was a constant noise in the back of my head telling me how worthless I was at all and that nobody could ever love me for it.

"Alina!" Olga knocked at the door, and I arose and opened it for her. Olga looked at me with a sad face, "I tried to stop it, but you know your uncle. His words are everyone's law." I sighed and nodded. "But... I managed to talk him into letting me come with you!" "You did what? No, I can't ask you to do that, Olga," I stuttered,

"Nonsense! And I'm not asking for permission; I'm going with you no matter what. I can't let you leave with a mobster we don't know! That's madness. And I will protect you to my last breath!"

I began to sob and embrace her. "Thank you, Olga," I breathed out between the sobs. "Always, Alina."

Jakov's Pov

"Tell me you love me," mumbles Ivanka fondles my torso. "You know I do. I don't need to say that." I reply, a little annoyed, "But you never say it..." "Don't start, Ivanka!" I hissed and pushed her off me on the bed and stood up.

"This is so unfair! You said that I would stand next to you? And now a Russian bitch is taking my place?" Ivanka shouted and stood up. "You know I don't get a say in this. You and I both knew it was a possibility. My father and mother were forced into marriage!"

"So that's it? We are over?" Ivanka shuddered and walked up before me.

"We both know she could never make you feel like I do," Ivanka whispered in my ear and let her hand glide over my boxers.

"Stop this. You know what my dad thinks about infidelity, and my mom's worse. She'd cut my cock off if I cheated on my wife."

"One more time? Please," Ivanka argued, and I conceded one last time...

"We need to be at the airport in one hour, move!" My father, Aleksander Kostic, roars from downstairs. I rolled my eyes and put on my jacket before leaving my room. I never wanted this wedding. I didn't have a clue what she looked like. But my opinion is not relevant to these decisions. And I grew up keeping in mind that our way of life might choose my future wife for me. But I always hoped that I would never marry anyone. But sometimes, to unite two different cartels, a marriage between kids or leaders would do it.

"Stop slacking, son, you know how important this alliance is for our family," My father hissed, and I nodded.

"Good. Let's go now. Your bride-to-be is waiting for you!

Alina's Pov - The Day Of The Marriage

"You look so beautiful, Alina. Like a fairytale princess," Olga said with tears in her eyes while I came out of the dressing room.

"That dress is simple but timeless in style," she went on, and I agreed.

It was a beautiful white dress with long sleeves with a tight fit around the waist, but then the fabric was streaming down, making a nice fall to the ground. The cut on the chest had silver laced edges, so well as the edges on the wrists.

I was looking at my reflection in the mirror, and all I saw was a confused little girl staring back at me; it all seemed unreal to me.

"It's okay, Alina, you're not alone in this," said Olga, and I shook my head, "I know, but you can't be here all the time. And when he expects us to... You know!" I mumbled with a terrified face.

"I don't know how to do that, Olga? I never did anything like that or kissed anyone."

I whistled and felt my heartbeat loudly. "Take it easy, Alina."

"I can't. What if he's the same as Vladi? What if he's rough on me? Or mean?" I cried and felt the panic beating down.

"Hush, Alina. Calm down. We don't know anything yet, and we can't paint a picture to hang on," I began hyperventilating and ripping off the dress that made me feel claustrophobic. I knelt on the ground and cried uncontrollably.

"Alina... Whatever happens, know that I will be at your side. And I will always watch over you. I may not be your blood mother, but you are my child by heart."

Jakov's Pov

We came to Russia and went to a private residence of Vladi Sokolov, where the marriage would take place.

I was nervous, I was angry, and I would be lying if I didn't say I was a little bit curious, too.

"Sokolov," My father greeted Vladi when we stepped into the great hall, "Kostic," Vladi nodded and shook our hands.

"All is in order?" Father asks, and Vladi agrees, "Da, all is in order. But my niece and our bride, Alina, is running a little late, women, huh?" Vladi and my father chuckled and elbowed each other like two old friends like these past year's killings were brushed under the rug.

We entered the site, which was decoded with white roses and lilies across the alley, and there were some chairs on the front line.

"You may wait for us ahead; I will fetch Alina," said Vladi and left the room.

We went in front of the altar and were greeted by the priest.

"Who's the lucky guy?" He asked and stared at us with a smile.

"That would be my son, Jakov," Father replied and elbowed me in the side,

"I wouldn't say I was lucky," I mumbled and felt dad's waring eye burning down at me.

We remained silent for a brief moment until a woman rushed into the alley and sat on the bride's side to the left.

She appeared to be about 40 years old, with short wavy brown hair and an ordinary face. Her eyes wander over us, and soon, I saw Vladi and a woman in a white dress walking down the aisle.

Her face was covered with a veil, and her white gown flowed around her legs to the sound of the echo of her heels.

I swallowed the nervousness when Vladi reached her slender hand, and I caught it with hesitation.

The priest began to talk while I looked at her from time to time. Her hand was shaking in mine, and she was a head shorter than me in heels. Which means she was probably just touching me in the chest without them. "You may now reveal the bride," the priest calmly pronounced.

I walked in front of her and lifted the veil from her face, and just as our eyes were locked, that was the moment when I fell in love. Her beautiful yet terrifying ice-blue eyes met mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw her heart-shaped face and her red, full lip. I could tell that she had been crying since she had traces of tears down her cheeks.

A sling of her blond hair had fallen in between her eyes, and I gently reached out and swept it back with my fingers, but I winced when she jumped away with horror in her eyes.