Chapter 10 - The Winter Gala
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The ballroom of the Grand Plaza Hotel was a sea of crystal chandeliers, imported champagne, and dangerous men hiding behind expensive tuxedos.
When Victor Malenkov entered with Aliyah on his arm, the entire room seemed to hold its collective breath. The whispers spread like wildfire. The untouchable king had finally broken his twelve-year isolation, and the woman beside him was absolutely radiant in emerald silk.
Aliyah kept her chin high, her hand gripping Victor’s bicep. She could feel the coiled tension radiating from his body. He was hyper-aware of every movement in the room, constantly calculating threats.
"Smile, milaya," Victor murmured in Russian, guiding her toward the VIP tables. "Let them see how little we care about their opinions."
"I'm smiling," Aliyah whispered through her teeth. "But my shoes are killing me."
A deep, dark chuckle escaped him, drawing the shocked stares of several nearby bosses.
As they took their seats, a man broke away from the crowd and approached their table. He was tall, blonde, and possessed a smile that looked more like a knife slash.
"Victor," the man said, spreading his arms. "It has been far too long."
"Romanov," Victor replied coldly, not standing up to greet the rival boss.
Igor Romanov turned his icy blue eyes toward Aliyah, looking her up and down with blatant, predatory disrespect. "And who is this beautiful creature? A new nurse to wipe your brow?"
"She is the reason you are still breathing, Igor," Victor said softly, the lethal threat hanging heavy in the air. "Because if she were not sitting here to keep my temper in check, I would break your neck for looking at her."
Romanov’s smile faltered, but before he could respond, the massive crystal chandeliers above them flickered rapidly.
With a deafening mechanical clank, the entire ballroom plunged into absolute, pitch-black darkness.
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"Get down!" Victor roared, his massive arm sweeping across Aliyah’s chest, throwing her violently to the plush carpet beneath the table.
Chaos erupted. Screams filled the dark room, instantly drowned out by the terrifying, deafening crackle of automatic gunfire.
