In that luxury mansion nestled in the Seoul mountains, a sudden silence fell. Viktor had just entered the grand drawing room with their daughter, Elena. At that exact moment, Alia descended the staircase. Seeing her, both Viktor and Elena were momentarily breathless.
Alia was dressed in an incredibly bold and regal outfit. She wore a vibrant Spice-red bodysuit. The upper portion, designed in a high-shine bra-style, clung perfectly to her silhouette. The large cut-out below the bust added a rebellious yet sophisticated edge to her look.
The sides and lower parts of the bodysuit featured fine mesh fabric adorned with matching red embroidery. This mesh created a mysterious aura, accentuating her form. Over the bodysuit, she wore a long, net-like coat that swayed behind her like a royal train with every step. On her feet were matching strappy sandals with pencil heels, making her stride appear even more confident.
Viktor watched her from behind his glasses. Despite his composed demeanor and silvered hair, a hint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes. When Alia stood before Elena, the young girl was stunned by her mother's devastatingly beautiful transformation.
Viktor: (In a deep voice, eyeing her outfit) "You've always looked as beautiful as blood in red, Alia. This Seoul mansion is finally complete today, graced by your presence."
Alia remained silent. A melancholic smile played on her red-painted lips. She knew that this expensive attire and the billion-dollar mansion were nothing more than a beautiful cage. The contrast between Viktor's silver-haired elegance and Alia's fiery red bodysuit turned the room's atmosphere electric in an instant. Elena couldn't hold back anymore. More than her mother's devastatingly beautiful look or the luxury around them, it was the familiar warmth of her mother that mattered most. She ran to Alia and threw her arms around her. Burying her face in the crook of Alia's neck, she took a deep breath, filling her senses with her mother's scent.
Elena: (In a pampered tone) "Ammu... Oh, Ammu! Do you have any idea how scared I was without you?"
Alia wrapped her arms tightly around Elena. Beneath the bold, spice-red bodysuit, the protective mother within her surged to life. She kissed Elena's forehead. Elena is the youngest of five siblings—with two older sisters and three older brothers above her. Being the baby of the family, she had always been the most pampered. While her siblings might be scattered for now, as the youngest, Elena's bond with her mother was especially deep.
Viktor stood to the side, his silver hair catching the light, watching the scene with a cryptic smirk. He knew that this bond between mother and daughter was his greatest strength, yet also his greatest vulnerability.
Viktor: (Calmly) "Our little princess has had a rough day, Alia. But she is safe now. Her brothers and sisters will soon find out that their mother and father are together again."
Alia shot a quick glance at Viktor. Her eyes held a confusing mix of hatred and lingering emotion. As she stroked Elena's back, she vowed to herself that she would never let the darkness of the mafia world touch her youngest child. In that grand Seoul mansion, the elegance of the red bodysuit and the longing of a daughter merged into one poignant moment. Viktor placed his glasses on the table and spoke to Elena in a calm but firm voice, "Elena, go to the next room now. Food has been prepared for you. The adults have some urgent matters to discuss."
As soon as Elena left the room with some hesitation, the calm expression on Viktor's face vanished instantly. In one swift motion, he grabbed Alia's hand and pulled her toward him. His silver hair seemed to shimmer with his rising tension, and his gaze turned as hot as fire.
Viktor: (Gritting his teeth) "Tell me! What kind of relationship do you have with that Anashia again since coming to Seoul? Why am I seeing him by your side again after thirteen years? Is he still your 'soulmate'?"
Alia winced in pain and tried to pry her hand away, but Viktor's iron grip wouldn't budge. A look of defiance appeared on her red-painted lips. She stared directly into Viktor's eyes and screamed.
Alia: "Who are you to rule over me, Viktor? You're the one who ruined my life! At least Anashia isn't a beast like you. He knows how to respect me, something you never learned!"
Viktor: (Roaring) "Respect? That mafia brat respects you? He just wants to enjoy what belongs to me! As long as I am alive, I will never let anyone else lay a hand on what is mine!"
Alia: "I am not your property, Viktor! I am a human being! I hate the murderer hiding behind your sophistication and silver hair!"
A vicious argument broke out between them. In a fit of rage, Viktor smashed an expensive vase against the floor, glass shards flying everywhere. Alia didn't back down either; she shoved Viktor's chest, trying to push him away. Their screams shattered the silence of the billion-dollar mansion, echoing through the halls.
The contrast between Alia's red attire and Viktor's silver hair turned the room into a literal battlefield. Thirteen years of suppressed rage and suspicion were erupting like a volcano today. As the argument hit its peak, Viktor's patience snapped. Ignoring Alia's protests, he dragged her toward the bedroom. Despite her struggles, she was no match for his brute strength. Once inside, he kicked the door shut and locked it.
In the sudden silence of the room, Viktor began to close in on her. The look in his eyes was that of a predator. He tossed his expensive glasses aside; he was no longer the sophisticated businessman he was purely the terrifying Russian Mafia Lord. He leaned in close and began speaking in a low, heavy Russian.
Viktor: "Ty dumayesh, ya pozvolyu tebe uyti? Posle vsego, chto ya sdelal radi tebya?"। Do you think I'll let you leave? After everything I've done for you?")
Alia stood with her back against the wall. She had seen this side of him many times thirteen years ago. Hiding her fear, she looked him in the eye and countered in Russian.
Alia: "Ty nikogda ne lyubil menya, Viktor. Ty lyubil tolko sobstvennost!" : "You never loved me, Viktor. You only loved possession!")
Viktor placed his hand near her throat, his silver hair brushing against her forehead. His fingers moved slowly over the fabric of her red bodysuit.
Viktor: "Molchi! Tebe ne sleduyet proiznosit ego imya v moyem dome." "Shut up! Don't you dare utter his [Anashia's] name in my house.")
Alia: "Eto bolee ne tvoy dom. Ya privyazana zdes siloy!"। "This is no longer your home. I am kept here by force!")
In the dim light of the room, their conversation was filled with the heavy, guttural sounds of the Russian language. Viktor pulled her waist flush against him, crushing her to his body. Behind that locked door, the dark chapter from thirteen years ago began to repeat itself. Inside the bedroom, Viktor lowered his face to the crook of Alia's neck. His hot breath sent tremors across her skin. In a low, gravelly voice thickened by his Russian accent, he began to speak with a terrifying intimacy.
Viktor: "Do you truly think you can stand before me in this red dress, thinking of another man, and I would let you go? You are my addiction, Alia—now just as you were thirteen years ago. I know every curve of your body; every breath you take belongs to me. Without me, you are half a soul, and without you, I am nothing but a cruel monster."
He gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him, his eyes burning with the fire of absolute possession. Alia stood frozen, feeling as though she were suffocating in the web of his hypnotic yet poisonous words. The scene shifts to the busy streets of Seoul. Under the glow of neon lights, Alia is walking alone. She is now wearing a simple overcoat, her expression heavy with exhaustion. She walked aimlessly, lost in her own dark thoughts.
Suddenly, Anashia appeared from the opposite direction. He stopped in his tracks the moment he saw her, his face lighting up with relief and joy. He waved his hand to call out to her:Anashia: "Alia! What are you doing here? I've been looking everywhere for you. Why is your phone switched off?"
But Alia didn't even look up. Remembering Viktor's threats and his suffocating control, she felt herself shrink inward. She walked right past him, completely ignoring him as if he were a stranger. Her silence and blatant avoidance felt like a slap in the face to Anashia.
Anashia spun around and grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. His usually calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a flash of cold fury.
Anashia: (In a voice sharp with anger) "Why are you ignoring me, Alia? Did Viktor threaten you? Or are you choosing to go back to that royal lifestyle of his? Look at me and answer!"
Alia kept her head down, unable to meet his eyes. She didn't know who she was more afraid of Viktor's madness or Anashia's demands. In the middle of a Seoul street, caught between two mafia powers, Alia stood once again as a helpless prey. Anashia gave a twisted, sinister smirk. The devil hiding behind his polite facade finally crawled out. He leaned close to Alia's ear and began to speak in a vile, wicked manner.
Anashia: "Why so much attitude, Alia? Do you honestly think Viktor loves you? Or that I'm your great well-wisher? We both know exactly where you belong."
Alia shuddered in disgust at his words. She looked at Anashia with wide eyes and screamed.
Alia: "Crazy! You're all insane! None of you have a soul! Leave me alone!"
Without waiting another second, she turned and bolted away like a madwoman. Anashia stood back, watching her run, his sinister grin widening.
Flashback:
The scene shifts back thirteen years. In a dark underground club, Viktor and Anashia are sitting together, laughing. Back then, they weren't just partners; they were close friends. Sipping his drink, Anashia looked at Viktor and made a bizarre proposal.
Anashia: (Laughing) "Buddy, your wife is stunning. How about you give her to me for just one night? Friends share everything, don't they?"
Hearing such a derogatory comment about a woman like Alia didn't spark any rage in Viktor. He simply took a sip of his drink.
Viktor: (Calmly) "Why? Why the sudden interest in her?"
Anashia: "No reason, just curiosity. Tell me, is it a deal?"
Viktor raised his cold, indifferent eyes toward Anashia. To him, power and partnership were always more important than relationships.
Viktor: (In a detached tone) "Fine. Have it your way."
This brief conversation revealed the chilling truth Alia's life had been nothing more than a pawn in the games of these two monsters from the very beginning. The men who claimed to love her actually saw her as nothing more than an object.