Chapter 71 Chapter 71
CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
Irina's POV
Dimitri dashed out of the room with the guard immediately.
The door slammed shut behind them.
And I was left alone in the sudden silence.
Even after everything Alexei had done to him, Dimitri still cared.
I had seen the fear in his eyes. The panic.
Alexei was his brother after all. His twin. His blood.
I sat still for a while. Just staring at the empty space where Dimitri had stood.
My mind was racing with thoughts. With worries. With questions.
What if Alexei really died? What would happen then?
Would Dimitri blame himself? Would he regret taking me from him?
I stood up slowly and walked to the window. I stared out at the grounds below. Guards were patrolling everywhere.
The estate was beautiful.
Everything was perfect, clean, expensive and luxurious.
This was the life some women dreamed of having.
A life of wealth. Of power. Of luxury and comfort.
And I had it. I had all of it.
I had the most feared and respected man in Moscow as my husband.
A man who was wealthy beyond imagination. Handsome beyond words.
The man every woman whispered about when he walked by.
I had overheard the maids talking just yesterday.
"If Don Dimitri would just spend one night with me," one maid said. "Just one night. Even a one night stand. I would be satisfied."
The other maids giggled and agreed.
They all wanted him.
But he was mine. He chose me and he married me.
I should be happy. I should feel blessed. I should feel grateful.
But I was not. I was scared, terrified and trapped.
I wanted Dimitri. I loved him with all my heart.
But I did not want all the chaos around us.
I wanted him. But not this lifestyle. Not this world of darkness.
I collapsed on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
My childhood days suddenly flashed before my eyes.
I saw my mother's beautiful face. Her warm smile. Her gentle hands.
She was brushing my hair. Getting me ready for school.
"You look so pretty, my darling," she said softly.
My father was home that day. He had been laid off from work.
He sat at the kitchen table. Looking sad and worried.
But he smiled when he saw me. "Have a good day at school, princess." He said softly, placing a gentle kiss on my cheek.
I went to school that morning. It was a normal happy day.
But when I came back that afternoon, everything changed.
Everything ended. My life ended.
It was smoke I saw at first. Black smoke rising into the sky.
Then as I moved closer, I saw the flames. Our house was on fire.
Firefighters were everywhere. Trying to put out the fire. Spraying water.
But it was too big and too strong. The flames consumed everything.
I ran forward, screaming. "Mama! Papa!"
I looked around the crowd gathered. People were watching. Some were crying and screaming.
But I could not find my parents. They were not there.
"Mama!" I screamed again. "Papa!"
Our neighbor grabbed me. She pulled me away from the fire.
"No!" I cried. "Let me go! I need to find them!"
But she held me tight. "You cannot go in there, child. It is too dangerous."
I watched our house burn. I watched everything disappear.
And I never saw my parents again.
They died in that fire. Both of them. Together.
I was just twelve years old when it happened.
My whole world ended that day.
Everything I knew was gone.
A few months later, everything got worse.
A bunch of dangerous looking men came to our neighborhood.
They found me staying with our neighbor. They grabbed me roughly.
"You have to come with us," one man said. "You have to pay off your parents' debts."
"What debts?" I cried. "What are you talking about?"
But they would not answer. They just dragged me away.
Our neighbor tried to stop them. But they pushed her aside.
From that day, I was taken from one rich man's house to another. Working as a maid. Cleaning, cooking and serving.
I was treated like a slave. Like I was nothing.
And four years ago, I was brought to Dimitri's house.
To this estate. To work for him.
That was when everything changed.
The man who would become my husband. The father of my unborn child.
Though the child was not his. It was his brother's.
I did not realize I was crying until I felt tears on my cheeks.
I wiped them away quickly. But more kept falling.
The room suddenly felt suffocating. The walls felt like they were closing in.
I needed air. I needed space. I needed to breathe.
I stood up and opened the door. I stepped out into the gardens.
The night air was cool against my skin. It felt good and refreshing.
I saw the guards watching me.
I walked down the stone path, tracing my fingers on flowers as I passed.
The flowers were beautiful. They were in different colors and different scents.
I bent down to smell some.
They were sweet, calming and peaceful.
I had walked quite far from the guards now. Away from their watchful eyes.
I just wanted a moment alone. A moment of peace.
As I walked, I suddenly felt strong hands yank my hair backwards.
The pain was immediate and shocking making me gasp.
Before I could turn around, the hands slapped my face hard.
The impact sent me sprawling to the ground.
I landed on my palms. Sharp pain shot through my hands.
Blood dripped down. I had scraped my skin on the stones.
"Argh," I winced. The pain was terrible.
I looked up to see who had attacked me.
And I froze.
It was a woman. Tall, beautiful and expensively dressed.
I recognized her immediately.
Katya Orlov.
The lady who showed up at Alexei's safe house months ago.
The one who had called me names.
"You?" I hissed. Anger rose in my chest.
"You slut!" She spat at me. Literally spat on me.
"You are the criminal who poisoned Alexei!" She yelled.
Her voice was shrill.
"You are drunk," I said as I tried to get up from the floor.
But Katya kicked me. Her foot connected with my side.
I fell back to the ground. The pain was worse now.
"I will make sure you rot in the dungeon," she threatened.
I rolled my eyes. "You have no power here."
"You think I am joking?" She laughed cruelly. "I have the power and the money."
She stepped closer. Looking down at me with disgust.
"While you are just a filthy maid who fucked her master," she added.
Those words hurt. They cut deeper than any physical pain.
Because part of me feared they were true.
Was that all I was? A maid who slept with her boss?
"I will make sure you are killed." Katya said coldly, dragging me away.