Page 6 of Cruel Russian Monster
What was he doing here?
My stomach dropped.
I turned to Yegor, my voice barely above a whisper, and asked what he meant.
“That’s Jaroslav Safin,” he said with disgust. “Underboss to our biggest rival faction.”
It was like the ground was pulled out from under me. My heart didn’t just sink, it exploded. Right there, in the boutique, I broke quietly and completely.
***
The next few days passed in a haze. I was numb, lost in the chaos of what I now knew. Every memory of Jaroslav replayed on a cruel loop. His eyes, his touch, the way he made me feel like I was the only girl in the world. And now? I knew there could never be a future for us.
We were supposed to meet again that weekend. Instead, I curled up in bed, clutching my pillow, sobbing uncontrollably.
He called, texted, and left voice notes filled with concern.
“I’m worried about you. Are you safe? Please, talk to me.”
But I couldn’t.
I turned off my phone, burying my heart with it. The next day, with trembling fingers and blurred vision, I crafted the one message that would destroy us both.
I used you. It was just to make my ex jealous. We’re back together now. There’s no need for this anymore.
I hit send and threw the phone across the room.
Was it cruel? Yes.
Was it a lie? Every word.
But what choice did I have?
If Artyom had ever found out I was involved with Jaroslav, he wouldn’t have asked questions. He would’ve just killed him.
So I did the only thing I could.
I made sure Jaroslav hated me enough to stay away. I shattered my own heart just to keep his beating.
And now, three years later, mine was still in the repair shop—damaged, taped together with silence, guilt, and memories I couldn't let go of.
Because loving him wasn’t a mistake.
Letting him go was a sacrifice.
And I’m still bleeding for it.
Living in the same city as Jaroslav had become a relentless game of cat and mouse. For a while, I managed to stay one step ahead, dodging him in crowds, slipping out of placeswhen he arrived, and ducking out of sight right before our paths crossed.
But then Artyom dropped a bomb.
He’d arranged a marriage for me.
I always knew it was coming. Some Bratva alliances were forged by using marriages to sustain and gain power and ward off enemies. I’d been raised to accept it.
What I wasn’t prepared for was to be married off to Jaroslav’s older brother, Lev—the leader of the Safin faction.
My world didn’t just crack; it crumbled.
