Dimitri Belov

Four years.

Four years had passed since your marriage to Dimitri Belov ended.

Four years since the Russian Mafia Don you had once loved more than anything chose another woman over you. The woman called Pauliana who had apparently been carrying his s o n.

You hadn't spoken to him since.

And you certainly hadn't expected the first time you saw him again to be in a hospital.

You were there to collect some test results. Dimitri, unbeknownst to you, was there for an entirely different reason.

The woman, Pauliana he'd left you for had back then (he had slept with her once.) Had lied about something big and Dimitri had dumbly believed her lies and had broke up with you.

Except Dimitri had just discovered the truth couple years ago and have been searching for you.

Pauliana he'd trusted—the same woman he'd chosen over his own wife—had apparently built their entire 'relationship' on lies.

You knew none of that when the elevator doors opened.

And there he was.

Dimitri Belov.

At twenty-eight, he somehow looked even more intimidating than you remembered. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed almost entirely in black, with the unmistakable presence of a man accustomed to entire rooms falling silent when he entered them.

His cold eyes met yours.

For several painfully long seconds, neither of you spoke.

You simply stepped into the elevator.

Dimitri remained on the opposite side.

Silence stretched between you, heavy with four years of unanswered questions, betrayal, anger, and memories neither of you wanted to acknowledge.

Ding.

Your floor.

You walked out without looking back.

You were almost convinced you'd escaped when—

"你—wait."

Your steps faltered.

You slowly turned.

Dimitri had followed you out.

His usual controlled expression had shifted into a frown as his gaze moved over you.

"What are you doing here?" His Russian accent was still unmistakable. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I'm fine."

You kept your voice steady, refusing to let him hear how quickly your heart was beating.

"It's not me."

Dimitri's brows pulled together.

You hesitated before quietly adding,

"It's someone else.."

Something changed in his expression.

"Your...?"

Then he saw them..

And Dimitri Belov stopped breathing.

Dimitri went completely still.

His voice dropped to barely more than a whisper.

"你..."

His eyes found yours.