When the doors to the VIP room of 'The Red Dragon' opened, a literal nightmare unfolded before Alia's eyes. As elegant as the club had seemed from the outside, the underworld within was its polar opposite. Amidst expensive furniture and a smoke-filled atmosphere, there was a grotesque display of power. Some were intoxicated by substances, while others were drunk on the sight of blood. In one corner, a dangerous transaction was taking place that made Alia's skin crawl with a sense of impurity.
As Alia stood paralyzed by the sight, a pair of firm, warm hands suddenly pressed against her eyes from behind. It was Viktor.
The familiar scent of Viktor's perfume and the touch of his hands calmed her slightly. Viktor pulled her back against his chest and, leaning close to her ear, spoke in a deep, gravelly whisper:
"I told you, Alia—there are no royal rules here. This is the darkest part of my world. These filthy scenes are not meant for your eyes. I won't let the purity of those blue eyes be ruined like this."
Alia felt her eyelashes fluttering against Viktor's palms. He didn't pull his hands away; instead, he kept her eyes shielded while guiding her blindly toward a private inner cabin. Alia moved forward, forced to rely entirely on Viktor's lead.
Viktor whispered again:
"You wanted to see how low I can go? Tonight, you will only hear and feel, but you will see only as much as I permit. Because even in this hell, I will protect you like my most precious diamond." In the silence of the private cabin, as Viktor pinned Alia against the wall, the smoky dim light made the atmosphere even more mysterious. Viktor very slowly placed his hand on the fabric of Alia's red backless dress. There was a strange coldness and elegance in the touch of his hand.
Alia shivered. As Viktor's fingers brushed against the delicate folds of her dress, Alia looked at him with wide eyes and snapped:
"Viktor! Are you out of your mind? Is this the place for this? Your murderous friends are sitting right outside, and you're in here..."
Viktor didn't stop at Alia's words. Instead, his signature crooked smile appeared on his lips. He leaned in closer to Alia, so close that his warm breath could be felt against her neck. Viktor said in a low voice:
"Crazy? I went crazy the moment I saw you in this look, Alia. Does this Mafia Lord not have the right to touch the dress of the girl who can rule the snowstorm in a Blue Pagani?"
Alia tried to push against Viktor's chest, saying:
"There's a difference between right and madness, Viktor. Have you forgotten why we're here? You said you'd show me your dark world, but all I see are your own dark desires!"
Viktor pinned Alia's hands firmly above her head, looked into her eyes, and said:
"The biggest part of my dark world is keeping you as my own, Alia. And this dress... it could have been the cause of many deaths tonight. I'm just making sure that I am the sole owner of this fire."Just as Alia was trying to break free from Viktor's hold, he suddenly grew calm. That cunning smirk returned to his lips. He released her hands, straightened her dress with a deliberate touch, and spoke in a grave tone:
"Fine, Alia. Since you've come to see my world, let me introduce you to some of my 'old friends'."
Viktor led Alia out of the cabin toward the most elevated and luxurious sofas in the club. Five stunningly beautiful women were seated there. Each wore expensive designer outfits, held glasses of wine, and carried an air of arrogant sophistication. Seeing Viktor approach, they all stood up at once.
Viktor placed his hand firmly on Alia's waist and said with immense pride:
"Ladies, meet Alia. And Alia, these are my long-time companions. We've shared many 'missions' and nights together."
The five beauties sized Alia up from head to toe. Seeing her in that red backless halter dress, her Cesare Paciotti heels, and her natural royal aura, their eyes instantly flashed with jealousy. They glanced at one another, their smiles turning as artificial as plastic.
One of them, wearing a silver dress, stepped forward and placed a hand on Viktor's shoulder. Looking at Alia with a condescending sneer, she said:
"Wow, Viktor! I see your taste has changed. Can this little girl really handle your dangerous world? We always thought someone like us belonged by your side."
The other four smirked, clearly looking for a chance to belittle her. Alia could feel that these women didn't like her at all. But Alia was not one to be intimidated. She brushed the woman's hand off Viktor's shoulder and slammed the keys to her Blue Pagani onto the table.
In a voice as cold as ice, Alia said:
"Viktor knows very well who belongs by his side and who doesn't. And as for 'handling' things? For a girl who can drive a hyper-car through a snowstorm at 2 AM just to be here, handling your cheap politics is nothing at all."
As Alia spoke, Viktor watched, mesmerized by the fire in his future Queen. The five beauties turned red with rage and humiliation, glancing at each other in stunned silence.After Alia's dominant response, a strange silence fell over the VIP zone, but then the unexpected happened. That drunken Mafia boss—the one who had whistled earlier—gathered his courage and stood right behind Alia.
Captivated by her red backless halter dress and her exposed back, he lost all self-control. With extreme audacity, he gave her back a sharp pinch and whispered in a filthy tone near her ear:
"Hi baby! Too much fire isn't good. Spend tonight with me, and all your rage will turn into water."
Alia was startled by this sudden, unprovoked attack. Her body shook with a mix of pain and insult. But Alia was not one to back down; she spun around instantly, looking at the man with a calm but mocking voice:
"Opps! Did you actually dare to lay a hand on me? I thought Russian Mafia bosses at least loved their own lives."
Alia's "Opps" was the silence before the storm. Standing beside her, Viktor's jaw tightened instantly. His blue eyes were now burning like a volcano. Very slowly, Viktor grabbed the hand that the man had used to touch Alia.
Viktor twisted the man's wrist with such force that the sound of bones snapping echoed throughout the VIP zone. The man's scream made the club's music come to a halt. Viktor leaned into the man's ear and spoke in an ice-cold voice:
"Alia said 'Opps' because she's laughing at your stupidity. But I don't say 'Opps' I deliver immediate judgment. The hand that defiled my Queen will no longer remain part of your body."
Viktor's five beautiful friends turned pale with fear. They finally realized that belittling Alia meant stepping directly into Viktor's death trap. Amidst the bone-chilling silence of the VIP zone, as Viktor wrapped his firm arm around Alia's waist and began leading her toward a highly confidential 'Private VIP Suite' further inside, the five beauties could no longer contain themselves.
Blinded by jealousy, one of them cried out:
"Viktor! Wait a minute! Where are you going, leaving us behind for this ordinary girl? And who is she that you're giving her more importance than us?"
Another companion took a sip from her glass and added condescendingly:
"Yes, Viktor, are you insulting us for this little girl? Who is she to you?"
Viktor paused for a moment. He slowly turned his head to look at those women. There was a coldness in his eyes that could freeze anyone in their tracks. He pulled Alia even closer to himself and declared in a thunderous voice before everyone present in the club:
"You want to know who she is? Then listen well—she isn't just someone to me, she is my 'Wife' (Wife). The future Queen of Russia's dark empire. So, before you disrespect her, make sure your graves are ready."
Hearing the word 'Wife' from Viktor's mouth, the entire club turned stony and silent in an instant. Those five beauties turned pale with humiliation and fear, glancing at each other in shock. They never imagined that Viktor could give someone such high status and honor.
Alia was internally surprised by Viktor's bold declaration, but her royal smile remained unshaken. She looked at those women one last time and said with a final mocking tone:
"Just wait. When the Queen sits on her throne, the maids' only job is to watch from a distance."
Without wasting another second, Viktor led Alia into the secret room and shut the door. Outside, only a trail of astonishment and bitter envy remained.As soon as the heavy door closed, the five jealous beauties lost their composure. One of them smashed her wine glass on the floor in a fit of rage, cursing, "F#ck! How is this possible? A man like Viktor introduced that little girl as his 'Wife' in front of everyone!" Another sat down, fuming, "F#ck! We tried for years to be by his side, and this girl just shows up in a Blue Pagani and takes it all? Viktor has lost his mind!" They were left in the lounge, consumed by the sting of their defeat and pure hatred for Alia.The moment they entered the secret room, the chaos from outside seemed to fade into nothingness. Alia was trembling with a strange, dark excitement. She picked up a luxury lighter from the table, lit a cigarette, and slowly released a trail of smoke. In her red backless dress, she looked like a goddess carved from fire.
Viktor, unable to remain still at the sight of her, stepped forward. He brought his own thick, expensive cigar close to Alia's lips, their breaths and smoke intertwining in the dim light. It was as if their very souls were merging through the haze.
Viktor gripped Alia's waist firmly, pulling her body flush against his. His piercing blue eyes were locked deep into hers, drowning in their depth. In a low, gravelly, and lethal tone, he whispered in Russian:
"Ты только моя, Алия. В этом аду есть только я и Бог, и кроме тебя нет никакой королевы."
(Translation: You are only mine, Alia. In this hell, there is only me and God, and there is no queen but you.)
The raw, masculine pull of Viktor's voice and the ancient weight of the Russian language sent a jolt of electricity through every nerve in Alia's body. Overwhelmed by the intense intoxication in his eyes and the strength of his touch, the expensive crystal wine glass slipped from her fingers.
The glass shattered into a thousand pieces with a sharp crash, but neither Alia nor Viktor spared it a glance. Their world was now entirely confined to that single, locked room.