Chapter 75 Chapter 75
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
Irina's POV
"Bring out the criminal!" A voice screamed from outside.
The sound was loud and angry. It echoed through the building.
Dimitri opened the door to go outside. "Stay here," he ordered.
But I did not listen. I could not just sit there.
I followed him down the stairs and out of the front door.
And I was shocked at what I saw.
The massive gate had been completely destroyed. That was what had caused what I thought was an earthquake.
The trembling. The loud bangs. Everything made sense now.
Cars were parked everywhere. Expensive black vehicles.
Men stood in formation. At least twenty of them. Maybe more.
Their faces were not smiling. They looked serious and dangerous.
And I guessed they were the council. The most powerful men in the Moscow’s underworld.
The ones who decided people's fate. Who decides who lives and who dies.
Even politicians were no match for these ones.
I stood by the pillar. Standing by a few of Dmitri's guards.
I looked up at the person who spoke. He had a striking resemblance with katya. He must be Katya's father.
He was the one leading this. The one in charge.
"That is the woman who poisoned Alexei Volkov," Katya's father announced.
I didn't say anything. I just stood there watching them falsely accuse me of a crime I didn't commit.
"We have evidence," he said.
He held up a tablet and on the screen was a video.
I watched in horror. It showed me talking to a guard.
In the video, I was telling him to poison Alexei.
But I had never said those words. I had never even spoken to that guard.
"This is fake," Dmitri said desperately. "She never said that."
The guard has also testified," he added. And I could see the satisfaction in his eyes.
He made a gesture and two men dragged a guard forward. I had never seen him around the estate before. Even while I was working here as a maid, I didn't concern myself with the estate’s guards. I go about minding my business.
The guard fell to his knees. He was crying. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. How could a man fake those tears? I wondered. No one would doubt this.
"I am sorry, boss," he sobbed, facing Dmitri. "Miss Irina made me do it."
I could not believe what I was hearing.
"She threatened me," the guard continued. "She said she would frame me for a crime I did not commit if I did not help her."
"That is a lie!" I wanted to shout "I never threatened anyone!" I wanted to scream.
But who would believe me? Who would listen to me? The answer was nobody.
I could not bring myself to look at Dimitri's face.
I was too scared. Too afraid of what I might see.
Would he believe me? Or would he believe them?
Even though he said the video was fabricated. Even though he said I couldn't do it. I couldn't still look at him. I was ashamed. Ashamed I couldn't defend myself. I could only watch as they framed me for murder attempt.
The evidence looked real. Even though I knew it was fake.
They were framing me. Setting me up. But it looked too convincing.
"Take her away!" Katya’s father ordered.
Guards moved towards me immediately. They grabbed my arms.
"No!" I tried to pull away but they were too strong.
Dimitri stepped forward. "Over my dead body will you take her."
My heart broke hearing his words. He was trying to protect me.
But there were too many of them. The council was too powerful.
Katya's father warned Dimitri. He threatened him that he would be arrested too if he tried to obstruct them again.
I watched as they argued. As Dimitri tried to fight.
But it was useless. There were too many guards.
They dragged me away from him. Away from my husband.
I did not look back at Dimitri's face. I could not.
I was too scared. Too heartbroken. And too terrified.
They threw me into a van. The door slammed shut.
A bag was suddenly put over my head and everything went dark.
I sat there in silence. Not making a sound.
Where were they taking me? To a court? To a prison?
Was there even a trial in the underworld? Or would they just kill me?
I thought about my baby. The life growing inside me.
My hand went to my stomach. M Protecting it instinctively.
"Please," I whispered to no one. "Please protect my baby."
The van drove for what felt like forever. Hours maybe.
I lost track of time. Everything was dark under the bag.
Finally, the van screeched to a stop. The brakes squealed loudly.
The door opened. I felt strong hands grab me roughly.
They dragged me out. I stumbled on weak legs. And tried my best not to fall.
As I was trying to balance myself, I heard the sound of heels clicking on concrete.
The sound grew closer.
A woman was approaching?
Then, a familiar scent hit me. Rose and mint perfume.
"Awww, poor girl," a voice cooed mockingly.
I knew that voice. I would recognize it anywhere.
Katya.
She really was behind this all along. She had planned everything.
The bag was pulled off my head. Light blinded me for a moment.
When my eyes adjusted, I saw her. Katya Orlov standing before me.
She was smiling. That cruel smile I had seen before.
"Did you really think you would get away with it?" Katya asked.
"I did not do anything," I said weakly.
"Of course you did not," Katya laughed. "But everyone thinks you did."
She walked around me slowly. Like a predator circling prey.
"That is all that matters," she continued. "What people believe."
"Why are you doing this?" I asked.
"Because Alexei was supposed to be mine," Katya said simply. "But you took him from me. Then Dimitri took you from him."
She stopped in front of me. Her face was full of hatred.
"Now I am taking everything from you," she whispered.
"What are you going to do to me?" I asked fearfully.
Katya smiled wider. Her eyes dropped to my stomach. "First, we are going to take out that baby."
My blood ran cold. My hand went to my stomach protectively.
"No," I whispered. "Please. Not my baby."
"Oh yes," Katya said. "That thing growing inside you is an abomination. It's standing between me and Alexei."
"Please," I begged. Tears streamed down my face. "Please do not hurt my baby."
"It is not really your choice," Katya said coldly. “Take her.”