Chapter TwoNikolai stood there, his mind racing as he tried to process the situation."Under arrest?" The words echoed in his head. Confusion swept over him like a tidal wave. Why were the police arresting him? He wasn’t the one behind the wheel last night—Olivia was. Yet, here they were, accusing him of murder. His jaw tightened as his thoughts spiraled. Was this some kind of mistake?“I don’t get what you mean, officers," he said finally, forcing himself to stay composed. "Under arrest? What murder?” His voice carried a mix of confusion and authority, as though trying to remind them who they were dealing with.The lead officer stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. “Last night at approximately 7 p.m., there was a hit-and-run incident. The victim, Jose Williams, was struck and killed by an Audi R8 that intentionally ran him over. My team has conducted a thorough investigation. The tire marks and the license plate both match your vehicle, Mr. Ivanov.”The explanation hit Nikolai like

Chapter four(Five years later)The clanging of the prison gates was a sound Nikolai would never forget. It was the sound of freedom, of finally stepping back into the world after years of confinement. The sky was a clear, brilliant blue, a stark contrast to the gray walls that had surrounded him for so long.Nikolai paused at the threshold, taking a deep breath of the fresh air that felt almost new to him now. He adjusted the collar of the shirt Jeff had sent him for his release—a crisp white button-up, a reminder of the man he used to be.As he walked out into the open, he spotted Jeff waiting for him, leaning against a blue sedan. His lawyer was dressed in his usual sharp suit, but there was a new tension in his posture, a seriousness that hadn’t been there before.“Nik,” Jeff called out, standing up straight as his old friend approached.Nikolai’s face broke into a genuine smile as he reached out to shake Jeff’s hand. “Jeff. It’s good to see you.”“Likewise,” Jeff replied, thou

Chapter sixWhen dawn finally broke, Nikolai sat up, his body aching from a restless night on Jeff’s worn-out couch. The faint light streaming through the blinds did little to dispel the heaviness in his chest. Exhaustion clung to him—not just from lack of sleep, but from the weight of his reality. Everything he had once worked for, everything he had built, was gone. The empire he had ruled was now just a distant memory, and all that remained was a deep, burning desire for redemption and revenge.He pushed himself upright and rubbed his face, trying to shake off the fog of despair. The air was thick with silence, save for the faint clinking of Jeff in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Nikolai had been holed up here for too long, wallowing in his misery, replaying the betrayal of his brother and Olivia over and over again. It was time to act. Time to rebuild. Time to fight back.Over breakfast, Nikolai stared at the plate of eggs Jeff had placed in front of him. He barely touched the fo

Chapter 8The faint sound of birds chirping drifted through the air, blending with the crashing waves that echoed from the shoreline. The sky stretched in a brilliant color of pale blue, the sunlight glimmering over the gentle ripples of the ocean. The world felt alive, like a painting brought to life. On a wooden bench near the beach’s edge, Nikolai sat with Olivia, the woman who once was the center of his universe.It wasn’t just any bench. Months ago, shortly after Nikolai had gone down on one knee and offered Olivia a ring with trembling hands and a hopeful heart, this place became their sanctuary. They had stumbled upon it by chance on one of their long walks along the shore. The moment they sat down, with the salty breeze touching their faces and the ocean stretching endlessly before them, they knew it was special.Nikolai loved it so much that he’d gone out of his way to ensure it remained theirs and theirs alone. Through a friend with connections to the senator in charge of th