Her Volkovs #Book 4
Chapter 41

Belle's POV

Devon arrived at the embassy residence and he seemed like he's in no mood for anything. He looks dead serious as he approaches my father who just sat stoically as if already expecting what happened. Nikolai and Alexei just did what they once threatened to do if I file for divorce. The lawyers my father hired withdrew from representing me and no amount of money convinced a single law firm in New York City to handle my case. The building where the divorce papers were filed in Colombia was razed by fire, burning every single record or proof of our filing.

"Call Nikolai, I want to talk to him." Said Papa to Devon.

My heart started to beat at an abnormal pace. My father may look like he's so calm but I know him well enough that I start to feel nervous. The man ran a country for more than twenty years and no single assassination attempt deterred him. He would have been the Governor-General until now hadn't he decided to retire from his office and gave way to a civil government. He had the people's support when he rose to power and he remained so when he stepped down.

This time however, Nikolai is on his way. New York City is the Russian Mafia's playground and as long as we are here or wherever part of the world where Nikolai has some sort of influence, there is no way out for me.

My father stood up from his seat and went to the balcony his back facing us. His demeanor and the way he carries himself with such grace and dignity did not seem to change in time. When he enters a room, his presence alone commands respect with a hint of charm that every great leader naturally possesses.

Phone Conversation between Nikolai and General Galves

Nikolai: Papa

General Galves: Nikolai, I would have been more impressed if you had the same dedication in prioritizing your wife. You do not want her to leave you and yet you and Alexei treated her in a way that she was unhappy with your marriage.

Nikolai: I am sorry Papa. I just need to talk to her. I want to make things right but I can't do that if you keep her away from me. All I'm asking is a chance to see her. We've lost our babies Papa. You're a father and I know you understand what I am going through right now.

General Galves: Ara's been making decisions for herself since she emancipated from us. As her Father, it is my job to protect her because the man-or men for that matter-- who ought to do that lost their way. Nikolai: I take full responsibility for everything that happened Papa. I have hurt my wife and it was entirely my fault but divorce is not the solution. There is no way I am going to let it happen.

General Galves: Arabella is headstrong but once she gives up, that only means one thing--you have hurt her too much. If you are going to ask me, you have ruined your marriage beyond repair. You must let her go. There is no reason for you to fight this.

Nikolai: Would you have given up Mama when this happens to you? With all due respect Pa, I have said this before and I will say it again-- I will fight for her to the death even if that means destroying anyone who gets in my way.

General Galves: I have said this before and I will say it again Nikolai-you are an arrogant motherfucker. Show me what you got. Pa is waiting.

Belle's POV

The stillness of the night became an inevitable reminder of the pain I have been trying to ignore. In front of my parents, Devon and Amy, I never shed a tear. I never showed how broken I am inside. I tried my best to not give them a chance to feel bad for me.

But whenever I'm alone in my room, I do not have much choice but to face my reality. I have been through so much because I fell in love with the Boss and the Underboss of the Russian Mafia. I gave my all. And I mean literally, all of me. My heart was broken for far too many times, and yet I held on. Falling in love with Nikolai and Alexei was easy--- fighting for that love however was a whole different story. I thought I knew what I was getting into so I dived in without hesitation, hook line and sinker.

Nikolai was having a relationship with his sister. I have been given clue after clue right from the start and yet I was too blind to see the truth. I am willing to bet, that bastard would not have even noticed me that one faithful day if I hadn't resembled his sister---same with his brother. I did not mind the words that were coming out of Alexei's mouth when we first broke up. He admitted that I reminded him of Yelena but I did not care because I believed him.

I believed when he said that he loves me, for me. I believed when they said that I was their world. I was shamefully and utterly wrong. When the day was about Yelena, I was completely shut out of their lives as if I did not exist. I was expected to wait on the sideline because, in the meantime, they grieve her death. My birthday did not even cross their minds!

It's been weeks of boredom and nursing a heartbreak that doesn't seem to go away. It's just here, trying to friggin kill me inside. Being contained in a room was like magnifying the pain. I can literally feel my heart aching awfully inside my chest.

The doctor's advice was complete bed rest for a week and restricted strenuous physical activity afterward. Although she also encouraged going out after and surrounding myself with people that I love. People who will not give me stress. So basically stay as far away as possible from my past-from Nikolai and Alexei.

The silence coming from the Russian Mafia scares me. After the incident with the process server, it was dead quiet on their end. I should feel relieved that Nikolai and Alexei appear to have given up but at the back of my mind I know there is something going on. I just can't seem to wrap my finger around it.

I was in the middle of my thoughts when I heard a knock on my door. It's already past midnight and I know that Devon is out with Dylan, Amy went back to her brother's house for the night and my parents are, well, they sleep early. Our security-- who by the way look like fierce Viking warriors-- are definitely not allowed to talk to me unless I summon them. I wonder who could this be?

St. Michael Hospital

Nikolai: (Forcibly pulls out the heart monitor attached to his chest) What a fucking joke! Just clean the wound so I'm out of here!

Cardiologist: Mr. Volkov, aside from the infected wound on your thigh, you just suffered a heart attack. Your medical history tells me that you were in perfect health and physical state prior to this. May I know what recent events or changes happened?

Nikolai: I would like to be discharged now.

Cardiologist: Mr. Volkov your temperature is very high at the moment. You need to stay at least for the night.

Nikolai: The hell I will! Can someone get me my goddam shirt!

Cardiologist: Mr. Volkov I strongly advise-

Irene: (Interrupts) Drug him.

Cardiologist: I'm sorry?

Irene: (Nods at Boris and Andrey and then signals the Doctor to come with her outside of the room) The only way you can make that man stay against his will is to knock him out cold. Administer the drug or whatever you do to mental patients that make them sleep-- you know like in the movies.

Cardiologist: But- (Got distracted because he just saw Boris and Andrey hold Nikolai down but the latter is fighting back albeit weakly. The hospital apparatus inside the room are now scattered on the floor)

Irene: You don't have much time Doc.

Cardiologist: But this is not a mental institution-and certainly not the movies Mrs. Volkov! This is against the law-we can't hold Mr. Volkov against his will. Irene: Charge the damages and the bill against his name. Money is of no matter. Treat his infection and do what you need to do for his heart problem.

Cardiologist: His heart problem was not really heart attack per se'. I suspect that Mr. Volkov is suffering from Broken Heart Syndrome. BHS usually mimics the symptoms of a heart attack. Whatever he is going through or has been through recently-- if not resolved-- will worsen his condition.

Irene: Thank you for having the common sense of not telling a very powerful man that he might die because of a broken heart. Good call.

(Her phone rings and it's Dimitri)

Irene: I have been trying to reach you Dimitri! All hell is breaking loose but you're not answerin

my calls! Where

are you

Dimitri: Matushka...

Irene: Did you replace Alexei? Did you tell him what happened to his brother?

Dimitri: Matushka, are you sitting down?

Irene: (Froze as she felt strongly that something has happened to her son. She once had this exact feeling, the moment before she found out over the phone about what happened to Vyacheslav and Viktor)

Belle's POV

When I opened the door my heart skipped a beat as my body spun and swiftly pinned to the wall. His palm instantly covered my mouth as his gaze connects to mine. He then signals that I keep quiet as he gently closes the door, locking it from the inside. Oh my goodness. Why is this man even here? And how on earth was he able to get past our security?

He looks at me longingly, brushing a few strands of my hair off of my face. He then removes his hand from my mouth and wraps his arms around me for a tight embrace. The warmness of his body and his scent reminded me of home--reminded me of the Russian Mafia. I want to push him away but my heart has betrayed my cause. This, right here, used to be my safe place ---my solace.

For a few seconds, I let my guard down and just gave up. I slowly reached for his back, leaned my head on his neck and closed my eyes. We stood in silence; the only sound we can hear is the beating of our hearts.

"My sunshine." He whispered to my ear.

He pulls me tighter to his chest, "We've been missing you." He continued.

"What are you doing here Yuri?" I asked as I stood still.

"I'm here to make good my birthday present to you. Here you go." He answered lightheartedly, guiding my palm to his beard.

I smack him lightly on his chest I heard him soft chuckle in response. "What did you do to the guards? You know, they can kick yours and Boris' arse without breaking a sweat."

"Are you sure about that? Last time I checked they are all sleeping like big babies."

"Yuri! What did you do to the guards? They are Papa's men!"

"Relax, I won't do anything that would put me in bad terms with the General." He paused for a while and continued, "Maybe just this one time?"

My heart jumped from my chest when I heard Devon knock on the door relentlessly. He's calling my name worriedly, perhaps he has found out that the embassy has been broken in.

I pushed Yuri towards the other side of the bed on the floor so he can hide underneath my bed. I took a deep breath as I compose myself to face Devon.

"Ara!

"Wait Devy, I'm coming!"

When I opened the door Devon instantly held my face and inspected me from head to foot. "Are you okay? Did anyone come in here?

"I'm okay. What happened?" Oh my goodness please I hope all of Papa's men are okay.

"There's been a breach. We don't know exactly what happened because our security details were all knocked unconscious by tranq guns and our security cameras have been remotely disabled. Whoever did this were pros."

Devon is looking at me as if he already knows who might be behind this. "I will post security outside your room. I'm sorry I wasn't here to protect you Ara." He said as he inspects my room. He went to the bathroom first and then went around my bed. I feel like I am going to faint.

Oh goodness not under my bed. Not under my bed please.

"Call me if you need anything. Amy will be here soon. I asked her to sleep here with you."

"No!" I said too abruptly. "I mean, I'm okay Devy. Amy can sleep in the other room when she arrives. Really, I'm very sleepy. I'll see you tomorrow." I said sitting down and slowly scooting over to lay in bed. I hugged my pillow and waited patiently for him to leave.

When I heard the door shut I told Yuri that it was clear for him to get up. He stood up from the floor and pulled me toward him but I took a step back.

"Take off your shirt now." I demanded. There is only one reason why this man was able to pull off coming in the Embassy, a task that requires resources and an enormous amount of influence. He still has the back of the Russian Mafia.

His lips slowly pulled to the side like a loco, "Belle."

"I'm serious Yuri. Take your shirt off and show me your right arm."

His Adam's apple moved as if he got caught on something. He sighed in defeat knowing fully well that I already have a hunch about his real status in the mafia.

He took his jacket off and then

unbuttoned his shirt in front of me.

Lo and behold every single tattoo signifying his standing in the Mafia as the third man in line is intact. The monogram V on the back of his hand, the cross as a symbol of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian words and symbols covering the sleeve of his whole arm all pointing to one fact. His wolf was not burned. He is still an important and powerful part of the Russian Mafia.

I looked at him sternly, anger simmering at the pit of my stomach. "You and your Bosses are all lying bastards!"

He grabs me and pulled me back to his chest, effectively immobilizing me. "Back in the boathouse, when you asked me if I am leaving the Mafia, what was my answer?" He held my chin to meet me in the eye, "What was my reply to you Belle?"

I tried to disconnect my gaze from him but he held my chin to look up to him, "That you're not leaving the Mafia." I answered without looking him in the eye.

"That's right. That was after you said that you want me to stay. The Boss and Alexei love and care for you so much that they spared my life because they know that you did not want me to leave." He paused for a little while as if nking about his words, "That it will break your heart if I leave."

I tried to ignore what he was implying but in the process, I was left crimson. I can literally feel the heat trickling up my cheeks. This time a small smile formed on Yuri's face.

"Still, you made it appear that you left the Mafia. You were nowhere to be found! Nikolai told me that it was your decision!" I said, as I try to make full sense of what happened.

"The Boss did not lie to you. It was

my decision to leave for the time being because I was on a mission to eliminate Sergey Yvanislov's descendants and every single person connected to him whom we

suspect had a hand in killing the bosses' old men and for threatening your life. The Boss could not take any chances. It had to be done on the sly while we are still at war with the Germans."

"On the sly mission like what you just did here?"

"Coming here was one of the hardest jobs I ever did. It took Your Father is a tough old man to beat Arabella." He said while taking his phone from his jacket pocket. I hurriedly grab the phone from him because

the man is now typing something and I think I know with whom he's going to communicate.

"Belle I need the phone now."

"No."

"The Boss and Alexei need to know the truth about your condition before it's too late."

"Too late, why?"

He kept silent for a few seconds and sat on the edge of the bed as if thinking if he will tell me or not.

"Why Yuri?"

"The Russian Mafia is imploding.

The Boss had been drinking himself to sleep every night since he

received the divorce papers. He's

been taking pain medication for his wound but Matushka is afraid that, he's started abusing it. We think that the pills are the only reason why he

still functions every day since he barely gets sleep or eats a decent meal. He blames himself for what happened to your marriage, to you, and to your babies. Since you left them, Alexei has become obsessed with fucking killing himself. He competes in every single underground sport he could think of without care if he lives or dies. Now both of them are in the hospital because one's heart has suddenly stopped working while the other one

might just get what he wishes."

I turned my back on him because I don't want him to see that every single word ripped through my heart like a knife.

"Belle, if you can't forgive them, I am begging you to at least tell them the truth that you did not lose the babies. Guilt is a foe no one can ever win. Not even a Volkov."

to be continued...0000