Chapter 59 Anya
The wedding day arrived too quickly.
I woke up feeling numb. Like I had already died and this was just my body going through the motions.
"Time to get ready, miss," the maid said softly. She looked at me with pity.
Everyone knew. Everyone could see I did not want this.
But no one could stop it.
I stood up. Letting them dress me, style my hair and apply makeup to hide the dark circles under my eyes.
When they were done, I looked in the mirror.
A beautiful bride stared back at me.
But her eyes were dead.
"You look stunning," one of the maids whispered.
I said nothing.
There was a knock on the door.
Alexei walked in. He was wearing a black tuxedo. Looking handsome and powerful.
He smiled when he saw me. "Perfect. You look absolutely perfect."
"Can I have a moment alone?" I asked the maids.
They glanced at Alexei. He nodded. They left quickly.
Now it was just the two of us.
"Having second thoughts?" Alexei asked.
"Would it matter if I was?"
"No. But I am curious."
I turned to face him. "Why are you doing this? You could have any woman you want. Why force me?"
"Because I do not want any woman. I want you." He walked closer. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were special."
"You saw an opportunity. A way to hurt Nikolai."
"Maybe at first. But then I got to know you. Saw your strength. Your loyalty. Your fire." He touched my face gently. "You are extraordinary, Anya. And I am not letting you go."
"Even though I will never love you?"
"Love can grow. With time."
"No. It cannot. Not for us."
His jaw tightened. "Then you will learn to pretend. Just like you have been for the past two months."
"Is that what you want? A wife who hates you?
"
"I want you. However I can have you."
There was a madness in his eyes. An obsession that terrified me.
"Dmitri will never forgive you for this," I said quietly.
"Dmitri will accept it. He has no choice."
"He would rather die."
"Then maybe he will." Alexei's voice turned cold. "If you do not behave today. If you try anything. If you embarrass me in front of my guests. I will kill your brother."
My blood ran cold. "You would not."
"Try me." He stepped back and adjusted his cufflinks. "Now. Put on your smile. We have guests waiting."
He left the room.
I stood there, shaking.
This was it. This was really happening.
I was about to marry Alexei Volkov. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.
The ceremony was outside. In the garden. Three hundred guests. All dressed in their finest.
I walked down the aisle alone. No one to give me away. My father was dead. My brother refused to participate.
I was completely alone.
Alexei waited at the altar, smiling confidently. Like he had already won.
I reached him and stood beside him.
The officiant began speaking.
But I did not hear the words. I was too busy scanning the crowd, looking for one face. One person.
Nikolai.
Was he here? Had he come?
Or had he moved on completely?
"Do you, Anya Koslov, take Alexei Volkov to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
The question echoed in my mind.
This was it. The moment. Say no and Dmitri dies. Say yes and I lose myself forever.
I opened my mouth to speak.
And then I saw him.
At the back of the crowd. He was standing in the shadows.
Nikolai. He had come.
Our eyes met. And everything else faded away.
He looked different. Harder and colder. Like something inside him had broken.
But he was here.
"Miss Koslov?" The officiant prompted. "Do you take this man?"
I looked at Alexei. He was watching me closely with a warning in his eyes.
Then I looked back at Nikolai.
He shook his head slightly. A small, almost invisible movement.
He was telling me not to do it.
But how? How could I not? Dmitri would die.
"Anya," Alexei said quietly. Only I could hear him. "Say yes. Or your brother dies right now."
I looked at him. Then at Nikolai. Then at the crowd.
Somewhere in there, Dmitri was watching, hating me, wishing I would say no.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"I..." I started.
And then gunshots rang out.
People screamed. Chaos erupted.
I opened my eyes just in time to see Nikolai pulling out a gun.
He aimed it directly at Alexei.
"Get down!" Someone yelled.
But I could not move. I was frozen.
Alexei grabbed me and used me as a shield.
"You dare?" He shouted at Nikolai.
"You dare attack me at my own wedding?"
"Let her go," Nikolai said calmly. His gun never wavering.
"Or what? You will shoot me? Through her?"
"If I have to." He said coldly.
My heart stopped. Would he really?
"You are bluffing," Alexei said.
"Try me."
They stared at each other. Guns were drawn. Lives hung in the balance. And I was caught in the middle. Literally.
"Anya," Nikolai said. His eyes finally met mine. "Do you want this? Do you want to marry him?"
"I..." I could not answer.
"Tell him," Nikolai urged. "Tell him the truth."
"If she says no, her brother dies," Alexei said loudly. "Is that what you want, Nikolai? Her brother's blood on your hands?"
"Where is he?" Nikolai demanded. "Where is Dmitri?"
"Safe. For now. But one word from me and he dies."
Nikolai lowered his gun slightly.
"Do not listen to him!" I finally found my voice. "Dmitri would rather die than see me marry this monster!"
"Shut up!" Alexei's grip tightened on me.
"Nikolai, please," I begged. Tears streamed down my face. "Please get me out of here. I do not want this. I never wanted this."
"Touching," Alexei said. "But it changes nothing. Lower your gun, Nikolai. Or I give the order and Dmitri dies."
Nikolai hesitated. I could see the conflict in his eyes.
Save me. Or save Dmitri.
Just like I had to choose before.
"Three seconds," Alexei said. "Three. Two..."
"Wait!" A new voice shouted.
Everyone turned.
Dmitri walked out from the crowd. He was holding a gun to his own head.
My eyes widened.
"Let my sister go," he said to Alexei. "Or I pull the trigger. And you lose your leverage."
"You would not." Alexei said.
"Try me." Dmitri's finger moved to the trigger. "I am done watching my sister suffer. So let her go. Now."
"Dmitri, no!" I screamed.
"It is okay, Anya." He looked at me. "I love you. And I am sorry for being weak. But I am not weak anymore."
"Please," I begged. "Please do not do this."
"Let. Her. Go." Dmitri pressed the gun harder against his temple.
Alexei's grip on me loosened slightly.
But it was enough.
I twisted his arm and broke free.
I ran straight toward Nikolai.
He caught me and pulled me close. "I got you."
Behind us, Alexei roared with rage, holding his broken arm. "Kill them! Kill them all!"
His guards raised their weapons.
And all hell broke loose.