Chapter 84

ANASTASIA’S POV

“Accept it, Anna. She is mine,” Ivan said to me in a firm tone.

I opened my mouth to speak, to scream that he was wrong, to deny everything, but I saw something behind him that made my heart stop.

Nolan was standing in the doorway looking bloody and bruised.

Ivan turned, finally noticing him. He didn’t even flinch. He just smiled, smug and unbothered. 

“Nolan,” I whispered. “You’re alive,” I said moving to stand from the bed.  

He raised his hand to stop me from moving, his eyes darting between me and Ivan. “Did I hear him right?” He asked slowly. 

I could only sit there as tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision.

Nolan stepped into the room fully with his fists clenched. “Tell me I didn’t just hear him claim my daughter,” he said, turning to me. “Anna, tell me I heard wrong. Please,” he said, his voice breaking.

I wanted to scream yes, he heard wrong, that Ivan was lying. But I couldn’t. Because I didn’t even know what the truth was myself. Not after everything that had happened.

“Nolan, please,” I whispered, shaking my head slowly, tears falling freely now. 

Nolan staggered back a step, looking broken.

Ivan stepped forward with that same annoying calmness. “I see you made it out alive,” he sneered. 

“What are you talking about?” I asked, looking confused.

“You really want to know?” Nolan spat, his eyes flaring. “I came to confront the bastard who’s been sabotaging my business and trying to kill me. Only to find out that he’s the father of my child.”

I gasped. “What?” My voice was barely a whisper.

Ivan didn’t even deny it. He just tilted his head. “You should have just died, Nolan.

“You son of a—” Nolan surged forward, but I shouted, “Stop! We’re in the hospital, please!”

Ivan still remained calm. “You being alive changes nothing, Nolan. I have what I want.”

“Who the hell are you?” Nolan roared. “What the hell do you want from me?!”

Ivan’s expression shifted “Your life,” he growled. 

Before either of them could say another word, the door swung open again.

Nolan’s mother rushed in first, followed by his father. She was already halfway to Nolan when she froze, taking in the scene. Her eyes flicked from her bloodied son to me lying on the bed, to Ivan standing tall, casual, and cold.

“Nolan—my God—are you okay?” she asked, reaching for him.

“I’m fine,” Nolan muttered, still glaring at Ivan. “I’m fine, Mom.”

Then his father stepped forward, eyes narrowing as he took in what was going on.

Ivan smirked. “Ah. The man of the moment has arrived,” he said, his gaze locked on Nolan’s father.

Nolan’s dad frowned. “Who the fuck are you?”

“I was hoping you’d recognize me,” Ivan replied smoothly.

Nolan’s mother turned to him. “What’s going on?”

Nolan looked between his father and Ivan, confused, and angry. “Nothing to be bothered about Mother, we'll take this somewhere else.”

Ivan chuckled and shook his head. “No actually. They'll want to hear what I have to say.”

“Ivan,” Nolan said in a warning tone.

“You know, Nolan,” he said slowly, “life is funny, isn’t it? One moment you're on top of the world, and the next… you're finding out everything you knew was a lie.”

Nolan’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Ivan’s smile widened. “I’m talking about your picture-perfect family. The one built on lies and secrets.”

Ivan began pacing. “You were born into wealth, power, and legacy, but I wasn’t that lucky. My mother raised me in the gutter and she died there too, trying to keep me alive. While I watched men like him” he pointed a finger toward Nolan’s father “live like kings.”

“I don’t know who the hell you think you are—” Nolan’s father began, but Ivan cut him off.

“Oh, but you do know me. You knew my mother.” He turned, gaze burning. “Red hair. Skin like caramel. Eyes like mine. You remember her, don’t you?”

His father’s eyes widened. “What?”

Ivan's tone dipped, low and venomous. “You left her pregnant and alone. You promised to come back, but you didn’t even bury her.”

Nolan's mother gasped. Nolan stared in disbelief.

Ivan stepped forward, voice rising. “You want to know who I am?” he roared.

He pointed to himself. “I’m the bastard you abandoned!

Nolan shoved Ivan in the chest, making him stumble. “Enough with the stupid games, you sick bastard.”

“I guess you didn’t tell them,” Ivan said still staring at Nolan’s father. “Not about the affair. Not about the woman you left behind. The woman you promised to protect, but abandoned.”

Nolan’s father looked rattled now. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said in a hurry. 

“Oh, but I do, and you do too.” Ivan’s voice dropped to a chilling whisper. 

My head spun as I stared at Ivan, stunned.

Nolan turned to his dad. “Father, what’s he talking about?”

His father remained silent.

“Is this true?!” Nolan’s mother asked with tears in her eyes.

Nolan turned to his father. “Tell me he’s lying.”

Silence.

“Answer him!” his mother screamed.

“I didn’t know…” his father whispered. “It was a long time ago. I didn’t know she kept the baby.”

Ivan let out a bitter, broken laugh. “Of course not. You moved on. It was nothing but a stain on your past.” His voice cracked, “I grew up with nothing. With no one. I had to fight for scraps while you gave Nolan everything!” He sneered.

Nolan’s Father looked taken aback. “This can’t b—” 

Ivan interrupted him, his voice dropping. “I bled for years in silence while your family thrived. And now? Now you get to watch everything fall apart—just like my mother did.”

Nolan’s mother stormed out of the room in tears and her husband ran after her. 

I placed a hand over my chest, trying to slow the frantic pounding of my heart. Ivan was Nolan’s half-brother?

Nolan stood frozen, shocked at the revelation. “All this time… You tried to kill me because of this?”

Ivan’s jaw twitched. “Not just kill you. I wanted you to feel what I felt. Loss, betrayal, and despair. I wanted you to burn.”

“No,” Nolan growled, his voice shaking. “This can’t be happening.”

Nolan turned to me then, and I froze under his gaze.

“How could you do this to us?” he said softly. 

Hearing him sound so dejected broke something inside of me. “Nolan, it was a mistake,” I said, tears flowing from my eyes.  

“We were to build a life together away from all of this and you handed it right into his hand.” He said, his eyes looking glassy from unshed tears. 

“Nolan, she’s not his. She can’t be.” I whispered as I moved close to him. 

“She’s my daughter!” Ivan insisted. “You better not think of trying anything funny. I’ll ruin you.” Ivan said in a stern tone as he grabbed my arm. 

“Don’t touch her!” Nolan barked as he yanked my arm free from Ivan’s grip.

Nolan turned to me. “I trusted you,” he said in a voice so low it almost broke me. He stared at me, lips parted like he wanted to say something—but couldn’t. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out of the room.

Before he could leave Ivan spoke up, “Watch your back, Nolan.” The door slammed behind him as he left. 

I stood there staring at the door, praying that he would come back. But he didn’t.

I turned to face Ivan, anger pulsing through every nerve in my body. "What the hell do you want?” I whispered.

He stepped forward until we were nose to nose. “I already told you. Everything.”

“You’re not taking my daughter," I said.

Ivan tilted his head, his gaze ice-cold. “That’s where you’re wrong, Anna. She’s mine.” He leaned in, so close I could feel the heat of his breath on my cheek. “I will ruin you if you try anything funny," he whispered.

Then he turned and walked away, leaving me shattered in the room.