In that steamed-up washroom, time seemed to stand still. Through the blurred reflection of the mirror, the powerful, muscular build of the mysterious boy was faintly visible. Alia, completely caught in the haze of the drug, had lost all control over her senses.
The boy pulled her away from the wall and suddenly lifted her into his lap. Alia's two legs were wrapped around his waist, and despite her weakness, she instinctively grabbed his neck and nape with both hands, clinging to him for support.
Alia couldn't tell if this was a dream or reality. Pressing her face against his neck, she let out a low moan. The shower water continued to pour over them, her extraordinarily long hair tangling around his back and arms like silken threads. The boy whispered something into her ear that she couldn't quite catch, but the vibration of his voice made her heart race. He pulled her even closer, as if trying to merge her body with his own. Alia's nails dug into the nape of his neck not in pain, but in a surge of intense, primal longing.The intense and mysterious bathroom scene suddenly cuts to a luxurious hall in the mansion. Anna and Alia are seen sitting across from each other, a deceptive calm masking the underlying tension. Both are sipping on expensive wine, their movements slow and deliberate.
Haunted by the mysterious events of the previous night and the marks still burning on her skin, Alia decided she had to force the truth out of Anna. She played a clever trick, keeping her voice perfectly composed.
Alia: (Taking a casual sip of her wine) "You know, Anna, since Viktor is no longer with us... I've decided. I'm going to raise my son to be the next Mafia Lord of this empire. After all, Viktor's blood runs through his veins."
The words had barely left Alia's lips when Anna's hand trembled so violently her wine glass nearly slipped. A look of sheer panic and agitation washed over Anna's face.
Anna: (Protesting vehemently) "No! No! Alia, that is absolutely impossible! Why would you even think of such madness?"
Alia smiled inwardly at Anna's bizarre and frantic reaction. If Viktor were truly dead, Anna should have been pleased that someone of their lineage would take the throne. Her desperate "No" proved that the seat was not vacant—either someone else was already in line, or Viktor himself was still pulling the strings from the shadows.
Alia set her glass down and locked eyes with Anna, her gaze piercing.
Alia: (Thinking to herself) "So, there is definitely something fishy going on! Anna is only this unsettled because Viktor is alive. She doesn't want anyone taking his thronenot even his own son."
Alia decided to push a little further. She realized that the intricate web of lies surrounding her in this mansion was being spun by Anna's own hands.A strange mixture of haunting affection and that familiar, dominant shadow of Viktor flickered in Anna's eyes. At Alia's words, she rose from the sofa and stepped slowly toward her, the air in the room instantly growing heavy.
Suddenly, Anna reached out to touch Alia's chin. In the exact same way Viktor used to grip Alia's lips, Anna pressed her fingers against them—gentle yet firm. This gesture perfectly mirrored Viktor's signature style and temperament.
Alia shuddered for a moment. It felt as though it wasn't Anna standing before her, but Viktor himself in disguise. Their piercing blue eyes held the exact same gaze.
Anna: (In a low, grave voice while holding Alia's lips) "Give up the dream of becoming a Lord, Alia. The Petrov throne is no playground for children. Especially... when the true owner of that throne still surrounds us all with his shadow."
Alia tried to speak, but she remained silenced by the pressure of Anna's fingers. The scent of Anna's expensive perfume and the sensation of her touch left Alia utterly confused.
Alia: (Thinking to herself) "Is this Anna, or is Viktor sending me a message through his sister? Why does Anna's touch remind me of the touch I felt in the washroom?"
Releasing Alia's lips, Anna leaned in and whispered into her ear:
"Even if Viktor is dead, his authority does not end. You are to live only as his shadow, Alia. Leave the thoughts of running an empire to us."
As Anna stepped back, Alia caught that mysterious, cunning smirk on her face. She realized then that Anna was acting as a mirror image of Viktor, attempting to control her just as he once did. Every step and gesture made by Anna created a terrifying illusion in Alia's mind. Just as Anna was about to move away after finishing her sentence, she suddenly stopped. Seeing Alia's faint shock and paralysis, the mysterious smirk on Anna's face widened.
Suddenly, Anna leaned forward and embraced Alia tightly. Alia's body turned as rigid as stone. Anna rested her face on Alia's shoulder and, in the exact manner Viktor used to, gave her an intimate kiss on the neck.
A cold shiver ran through Alia's entire body. There was no feminine softness in Anna's touch; instead, it carried the same sense of possession and dominance as Viktor's. Then, Anna brought her lips right to Alia's ear. Her voice was no longer her own—it was the exact deep, raspy voice of Viktor.
Anna (Whispering in Viktor's voice):
"Don't you forget, Alia—your body and your soul, they are all mine. Even from beyond death, I will keep you this way. Do not dare to disobey me."
With those words, Anna released her. Her expression instantly shifted back to her usual self. With a detached air, as if she had done nothing at all, she walked out of the room with slow, steady steps.
Alia stood alone in the hall, trembling. She wondered had Viktor's soul possessed Anna? Or were Anna and Viktor two sides of the same coin, playing a cruel game with her? Those final words continued to echo in her ears, vibrating with the unmistakable sound of Viktor's voice. Behind the heavy, stifling atmosphere of the mansion, a dark truth was spreading its wings. As Anna stepped out of the hall, she headed straight for the secluded rooftop. Standing there, blending into the darkness, was a tall man whose mere presence was enough to make anyone tremble. He was none other than Viktor.
Upon seeing Anna, Viktor let out a mysterious smirk. Anna walked up to him, laughing, a demonic joy flashing in both their eyes.
Anna: (Resting a hand on Viktor's shoulder, laughing) "Oh, brother! When you whispered near her neck like that, she completely froze! Believe me, she was shaking with both fear and excitement. When you were intimate with her in the washroom, she must have been unable to tell if it was reality or a dream."
Anna leaned in further and teased:
"She was literally moaning 'Ahhh!' After what you did to her, she's on the verge of losing her mind!"
Viktor had been listening in silence, but hearing the description of that private moment made his jaw tighten. He shot a piercing, lethal glare at Anna.
Viktor: (In a grave, raspy voice) "Shut up!"
With that single command, Anna's laughter vanished instantly. Viktor turned his gaze toward the window overlooking the garden, where Alia's room was visible. His eyes held a mixture of twisted love and a terrifying sense of possession.
Viktor: (Muttering to himself) "Alia is mine... only mine. Whether she's in a drug-induced haze or in reality I control her every breath. Remember, Anna, she is my toy. I will play with her; you are only here to follow my orders."
In the cold wind atop the roof, the siblings' cruel scheme pushed Alia's life further into the abyss. While Alia wept alone downstairs, Viktor was above, weaving a new web for his next move.In the stillness of the roof, Anna's shrill laughter returned. Despite Viktor's reprimand, she seemed unable to stop herself. Still laughing, she stepped directly in front of him. In the dim moonlight, a chilling sight emerged—as Anna and Viktor stood side-by-side, their facial features were strikingly identical.
They were like two statues cast from the same mold—the same sharp nose, the same cold blue eyes, and the same cunning smirk. Anna was effectively a female version of Viktor.
Anna: (Stopping her laughter and locking eyes with Viktor) "Brother, you and I are of the same blood. Just as our faces are one, the devilry within our hearts is the same. That is why when she looked at me, she was actually seeing your shadow. I awakened in her the exact same sensations she feels when you touch her."
Anna reached out and straightened Viktor's coat. Their twin-like resemblance had become a terrifying trap for Alia. Half the time, Alia couldn't even distinguish if she was speaking to Anna or to Viktor himself.
Anna: "While you were in the washroom, I was guarding the door. The way the two of us are keeping her in this haze, she will lose her mental balance soon. And then, she will be entirely a puppet in our hands."
Viktor felt a twisted sense of satisfaction looking at Anna's face. He knew no one else could execute his diabolical plan as flawlessly as she could. Their identical faces had turned Alia's life into a psychological labyrinth.
Viktor pulled a small remote from his pocket. On a screen tucked away in the dark corner of the roof, the live footage of Alia's room flickered to life. Alia was lying on the bed, sobbing, her extraordinarily long hair splayed across the sheets like a dark silken web.
Viktor: (In a cold, detached voice) "Look, Anna she's crying. Her tears bring me a strange sense of peace. Last night, when she was in my arms, I could feel her heart racing. She still doesn't realize that her true angel of death is right beside her."Two days have passed. The suffocating atmosphere of the mansion and the twisted psychological games played by Anna and Viktor have pushed Alia to her absolute breaking point. Today, she resolved to uncover the truth with her own eyes.
Alia now stands before Viktor's grand, royal grave. The white marble of the headstone glitters under the sun, but inside Alia's mind, there is only a deep, consuming darkness. Her extraordinarily long hair hangs disheveled down her back, a perfect reflection of her inner turmoil.
Standing a few paces behind her is her maid, Maria. Maria's face is uncharacteristically calm today, devoid of any expression.
Alia: (Whispering as she stares at the grave) "Everyone says you are lying here, Viktor. But every night, I feel your breath. Every cell of my body still carries the phantom of your familiar touch. Am I going mad? Or are you simply not beneath this earth?"
Alia leaned down, her hands trembling as she brushed away the dried flowers from the cold marble. She turned back to look at Maria.
Alia: "Maria, you were with me that day. Tell me is there actually a person inside this grave? Or is this just a heap of stone and lies?"
Maria took a step forward, her voice sounding strangely mechanical.
Maria: "Madam, what is inside the grave is not the point. What matters is what you choose to believe. Sometimes, the shadows of the living are far more terrifying than the dead."
Alia couldn't grasp the true meaning of Maria's cryptic words. In a sudden surge of desperation, she made a decision she would dig up the grave. If Viktor wasn't there, she would tear the mansion and the entire city apart until she found him.
At that exact moment, a long, looming shadow fell across Alia. She looked up, startled but there was no person there. Only the Black Panther, watching her intently from a distance with its glowing eyes. The veil of fear lifted from Alia's eyes, replaced by a sudden, defiant stubbornness. She stepped away from the grave and moved toward the massive Black Panther. The wild, predatory beast—which usually obeyed only Viktor's commands—remained perfectly still and submissive before her today.
Alia leaned down and lifted the dangerously beautiful creature into her embrace. Surprisingly, far from attacking her, the panther rested its heavy head on her shoulder in an act of deep loyalty. Her extraordinarily long hair cascaded over the panther's sleek black fur, creating a hauntingly beautiful contrast.
Alia: (Whispering into the panther's ear) "You know everything, don't you? You know exactly where your master is hiding. Today, you are going to lead me to him."
She carried the panther directly toward her regal BMW M5 parked nearby. The engine roared to life with a fierce growl. Alia placed the panther in the passenger seat beside her. Before Maria could utter a word of protest, Alia accelerated, leaving a cloud of dust behind as she tore away from the graveyard.
As the speedometer climbed past 100, Alia caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror—someone was sitting in the back seat. A pair of cold blue eyes watched her from the shadows. The panther let out a low, rhythmic growl not out of aggression, but as a greeting to its true master's presence.
Alia gripped the steering wheel tight and screamed, "I know you're here, Viktor! Stop this game of hide-and-seek!"