The next morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains into the room. Alia was standing in front of the mirror, adjusting her hair, dressed in a black shirt. Just then, Viktor entered the room; he too was wearing a black shirt, matching Alia. Seeing them in the same color, the moment felt somewhat solemn yet mysterious.
Viktor stood silently behind Alia. Before she could realize it, Viktor leaned in and planted a warm, gentle kiss on her cheek, caressing her with tenderness. Surprised, Alia looked at Viktor through the mirror and said, "Have you gone mad, Viktor? After the cruelty you showed last night, this sudden affection?"
Viktor didn't answer. He hugged Alia tightly from behind, leaning his face into the nape of her neck, leaving a trail of affectionate kisses. He whispered into her ear, "Stay like this... please."
There was no boastfulness in Viktor's voice this time; rather, it held a deep yearning. He gripped Alia's waist firmly, pulling her against his chest as if he wanted to make this moment last forever. For a few moments, they distanced themselves from the outside world and the cruelty of their dark games. Alia stood frozen; Viktor's sudden tenderness left her in a state of strange indecision.Alia was momentarily stunned by Viktor's sudden tenderness. As she watched him in the mirror, Viktor took Alia's fingers into his palm and began to kiss each one of them gently. Each kiss held a deep yearning, a sharp contrast to the terrifying cruelty of the previous night.
Alia could understand the language of Viktor's silent yet intense affection. She realized that no matter how rough Viktor was in the outside world as a mafia lord, he wanted to strip away that armor in Alia's presence. Alia turned her gaze away from the mirror and slowly turned to face Viktor. Both of them dressed in black shirts—as if they were partners in the same darkness.
Alia pressed his hand against her cheek and whispered, "Viktor, do you really want to claim me in a way where there are no more conditions? Or is this just a new strategy for your old games?"
Viktor stared deep into Alia's eyes. His hand moved from her waist to rest tenderly on her cheek. Without a word, he pulled her hand toward him and pressed it against his heart, as if showing her the storm raging inside him. Alia smiled, her smile mysterious and slightly mocking. Looking directly into Viktor's eyes, she said softly, "You're a 'Moral Grey Alpha', Viktor. This duality of yours—sometimes cruel, sometimes so tender—will you be like this for your whole life?"
Viktor remained still for a moment. Alia's observation felt like she had placed him in front of a mirror. He realized that this battle between darkness and light within him had not escaped her notice. Viktor touched her chin and answered in a slow, firm voice, "Yes. My empire, my rule, and this madness of mine—everything is a part of who I am. I cannot change, and perhaps, I don't even want to."
Alia placed her hand over Viktor's and sighed. She knew that being involved with this man meant playing with fire. This divided nature of Viktor being a cruel mafia lord one moment and just a lover to Alia the next was exactly what was making her even more addicted to him. Viktor's mood shifted instantly back to the coldness of a mafia lord. Without any preamble, he pulled the pistol from his waistband and slowly brought it up to Alia's lips. The cold metal brushed against her skin, but Alia didn't show a hint of fear.
She kept staring into Viktor's eyes, that same mysterious smile playing on her lips. Even after feeling the barrel of the gun against her mouth, she didn't say a word, nor did she protest. Instead, she stood with such composure that even Viktor was taken aback. This silence from Alia was an unspoken victory over Viktor's dominance.
Viktor gritted his teeth and whispered, "Are you truly not afraid of death, Alia? Or do you know that I can never finish you?"
Alia only blinked, her wicked smile remaining intact. She seemed to view this display of ultimate power as just another part of the drama. Her silence multiplied Viktor's inner restlessness Alia was proving to be even more mysterious than he had anticipated.While Viktor held the gun to Alia's mouth, waiting for a reaction, Alia suddenly engaged in a strange game. She moved the barrel aside and leaned toward Viktor's neck. With each kiss, Viktor's neck muscles seemed to tremble with tension.
Suddenly, Alia picked up a glass of red wine from the side table. Without a second thought, she poured the entire glass over Viktor's head. The red wine began to drip down his black shirt and face. Viktor stood frozen, his eyes a strange mix of shock and rage.
Alia took a drop of wine on her finger, touched it to her lips, and gave a mischievous smile. She looked at Viktor and said in a very calm voice, "Tasty, isn't it?"
Viktor tasted the wine dripping down his chin. He didn't know if he should explode in rage or fall in love all over again with this madness of Alia. His entire body was drenched in red wine, and Alia stood before him like a nightmare, knowing exactly how to turn a powerful mafia lord like Viktor into a toy in an instant.The entire room was heavy with the scent of red wine. After finishing her daring act, Alia smiled steadily at Viktor and turned to walk out of the room. But before Alia could reach the door, Viktor grabbed her hand with lightning speed.
He pulled her close to his chest. Alia was right against him. Viktor leaned in towards Alia's neck and took a deep breath—as if he was absorbing the scent of her body and the sharp aroma of the wine into himself. His eyes were filled with extreme madness.
He brushed his lips against her neck and whispered in Russian, in a very low and gravelly voice: "Ты играешь с огнем, маленькая ведьма. Ты думаешь, я позволю тебе уйти после всего этого? Ты теперь моя собственность, и я заставлю тебя страдать за эту дерзость."
You are playing with fire, little witch. Do you think I will let you leave after all this? You are my property now, and I will make you suffer for this audacity.")
Viktor's voice felt like it had frozen the air in the room. He gripped her hand even tighter, as if he would not let her out of his reach under any circumstances today.