Sara ran through the mansion like the devil was chasing her.
Past the library. Past the dining room. Past the guards who called after her in confusion. Up the stairs. Down the hallway. Into her room.
She slammed the door and locked it.
Then she slid down to the floor and cried.
All of it was a lie.
The contract. The marriage. The way he looked at her.
A lie.
A soft knock came at the door.
"Sara." Adrian's voice. "Please open the door."
"Go away."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Then stand there forever. I don't care."
Silence.
Then Adrian spoke again, his voice quieter.
"I know you're hurt. I know you're angry. You have every right to be. But please—give me five minutes. Then if you want me to go, I'll go."
Sara wanted to say no. Wanted to scream at him to leave her alone.
But her heart betrayed her.
She unlocked the door.
Adrian stood in the hallway, looking more broken than she had ever seen him. The mafia king was gone. In his place stood a man—terrified, desperate, human.
He stepped inside slowly.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Sara backed away from him. "Five minutes. Start talking."
Adrian took a deep breath.
"Everything I told you just now was true. I did target your father. I did plan for you to come to me. I did choose you before you ever walked into my office."
Sara flinched.
"But everything that happened after—" His voice broke. "Sara, I didn't plan to love you. I didn't plan to need you. I didn't plan for you to become the center of my entire world."
Sara shook her head. "How can I believe that?"
"Because I'm standing here begging." His eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Because I've never begged for anything in my life. Because the thought of losing you is worse than any wound Dimitri could give me."
He took a step toward her.
"The night of the warehouse, I didn't take that bullet for your father because of some plan. I took it because he's part of you. Because hurting him would hurt you. Because I would rather die than see you in pain."
Another step.
"When I woke up in the hospital and saw you there—tired, scared, beautiful—I knew I would burn the world down to keep you safe."
Another step.
"Sara, I love you. Not because I planned to. Not because you're convenient. I love you because you're brave and stubborn and kind. I love you because you looked at a monster and saw a man. I love you because you're the best thing that ever happened to me."
He stopped inches from her.
"And if you can't forgive me—if you want me to let you go—I will. I'll sign papers. I'll give you money. I'll make sure you and Tom are safe for the rest of your lives." His voice dropped to barely a whisper. "But I'll never stop loving you. Not for a single second."
Sara stood frozen, tears streaming down her face.
Everything in her wanted to believe him.
But the betrayal was too fresh. Too painful.
"I need time," she whispered. "I need to think."
Adrian nodded slowly. "Take all the time you need."
He turned toward the door.
"Adrian."
He stopped.
Sara's voice was barely audible. "Did you mean it? When you said you'd let me go?"
Adrian didn't turn around. His shoulders stiffened.
"Yes."
"And Tom? You'd protect him?"
"With my life."
Sara took a shaky breath.
"What if I don't want to go?"
Adrian turned slowly. His eyes were wet.
"What?"
Sara wrapped her arms around herself. "I said I need time. I need to think. I need to process the fact that the man I love destroyed my father to get to me." She met his eyes. "But I didn't say I was leaving."
Adrian stared at her like she had just given him the sun.
"Sara..."
"I love you." Her voice broke. "God help me, I love you. And that terrifies me more than any of this."
Adrian crossed the distance between them in two strides. He didn't touch her—just stood close, close enough to feel his warmth.
"Then let me spend the rest of my life proving I deserve you."
Sara looked up at him.
"What if you can't?"
"Then I'll die trying."
Sara laughed through her tears. It was broken and shaky and probably insane.
"You're impossible."
"So you've mentioned."
She reached out and took his hand.
"One chance, Adrian Volkov. One chance to prove this is real. Don't waste it."
Adrian lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it gently.
"I won't. I swear."
Later that night, Sara sat alone in her room, staring at the photograph of her brother on her nightstand.
She had made a choice.
A dangerous, terrifying choice.
But somewhere deep inside, she knew it was the right one.
A soft buzz made her look down.
Her phone—the one Adrian had given her—lit up with a message.
She picked it up and read it.
Her blood turned to ice.
You think you know him. You don't. Ask him about his mother. Ask him who really killed her. Then decide if he's worth loving. — D
Sara stared at the screen.
Ask him about his mother.
Ask him who really killed her.
Her hands shook.
Adrian had mentioned his mother once—the photograph on his dresser, the woman with kind eyes. But he had never told her what happened. Never explained.
And now Dimitri was hinting at something darker.
Something Adrian had hidden.
Sara looked toward the door.
Adrian was in his study. Working. Probably thinking she was asleep.
She could wait until morning. Could pretend she never saw the message.
But she knew she wouldn't.
Because Dimitri was right about one thing.
She needed to know the truth.
Even if it destroyed everything.
If you liked these chapters, please comment and vote! Your support keeps the story alive. Will Sara ask Adrian about his mother? What secret is Dimitri hiding? And can their love survive the truth? Let me know in the comments!