In the quiet of the morning, Victor's sudden mischief caught Alia completely off guard. As she was fixing her hair in front of the mirror, Victor finished his call and turned his full attention toward her.
Victor locked eyes with her and suddenly winked (Victor winks at Alia). Even a hardened Mafia Godmother like Alia was stunned by this small, playful gesture. She was surprised (Shocked), as Victor was usually so stoic in front of others, yet in private, he was a different man altogether.
But Alia felt no shyness (No shyness). Instead, her bold spirit rose to meet his challenge. She stepped toward him, closing the distance until she could feel his breath. She reached out and grabbed his shirt collar (Alia grabs his collar) firmly.
Pulling him down toward her, Alia silenced him with a passionate lip kiss (Lip kiss). The room, which had been peaceful moments ago, suddenly flared with tension once more. Her boldness surprised even Victor, who wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
Alia: (Whispering after the kiss) "Did you think you were the only one who could surprise me? Ruling over the Don is an old habit of the Godmother, don't forget that."
Victor let out a triumphant chuckle. He knew that living with this Queen was as thrilling as it was dangerous. His collar was crumpled in her grip, but neither cared. This small yet intense moment proved that no enemy could ever pierce the fortress of their love. Victor responded to Alia's boldness with an even more overwhelming surge of passion. He didn't let her step away for even a second. As she tried to pull back after her kiss, he caught her, wrapping his arms around her with an iron grip.
Their lips met again in a long and intense lip kiss (Long and intense lip kiss). The primal hunger from the night before seemed to persist even in the light of dawn.
The intensity was so fierce that it felt as if their very essences were melting together. The color of passion and the heat of their bodies made it feel like the two were blending into a single crimson soul (Their souls blend into crimson passion). Victor was in a complete trance; he refused to let go (Victor refuses to let go) of her.
Alia: (Whispering breathlessly between kisses) "Victor... the children... they're waiting downstairs..."
Victor didn't listen. He stroked her back, pressing her even closer to his chest. His ice-blue eyes were now closed, heavy with desire. He wanted time to stop right here. Let the world outside crumble; at this moment, he wanted nothing but the warmth of Alia's touch.
Alia realized that the Mafia Don was now a complete prisoner of her love. Finally, with great effort, she managed to pull back slightly, though Victor kept his forehead pressed against hers, his breathing heavy and ragged.
Victor: (In a deep, raspy voice) "Leaving you to go downstairs feels like the hardest task in the world right now, Alia."As Alia tried to pull away and head toward the door with a playful smile, Victor wasn't ready to let her go so easily. The scent of her skin and the addiction of the moment held him like a magnet.
Just as Alia took a few steps, Victor closed the distance and grabbed her from behind (Victor grabs her from behind). His powerful arms locked around her waist. Alia froze, her back pressing against the firm warmth of his chest.
Victor leaned down and pressed a deep kiss onto her neck (Victor kisses her neck). That warm touch sent another electric shiver through Alia's entire body. She closed her eyes, letting her head fall back against his shoulder.
Alia: (In a trembling voice) "Victor... if this continues, we won't make it downstairs today. The children are waiting."
Victor didn't reply; instead, he continued to nuzzle against her neck, as if trying to imprint her essence into his soul. The red string on his wrist stood out in stark contrast against the white fabric of her outfit.
Victor: "Let them wait a little longer. This moment is just for us. The whole world on one side, and your presence on the other."
Alia gently squeezed his hands with hers. She knew that Victor's possessiveness was exactly what made her feel like the most protected woman on earth. With one last playful nip just below her ear, Victor finally let her go.As Victor and Alia entered the dining hall, a sudden silence fell over the five children. Alia had tried to hide the mark on her neck with her hair, but it wasn't enough to escape the sharp eyes of her eldest children.
Zarin, the eldest daughter, and Isrovon, the eldest son, were watching them closely. Isrovon was the spitting image of his father—the same cold yet intelligent blue eyes. Suddenly, Zarin spotted the distinct red mark or 'love bite' on the side of Alia's neck.
Zarin smirked and glanced at Isrovon. Isrovon, mimicking his father's trademark crooked smile, looked down and took a sip of his coffee. They both understood exactly what had happened (Zarin and Isrovon understand everything).
Zarin: (Whispering to Isrovon) "Looks like the Godmother and the Don had a very interesting night, didn't they?"
Isrovon smiled with a maturity beyond his years. He was just like his father (Babber moto same)—sharing Victor's looks and his sharp wit. He looked at Alia with a meaningful glint in his eyes.
Isrovon: "Mother, you look especially radiant this morning. Did Father share some very good news with you?"
Alia realized she was caught. Even the fierce Godmother couldn't help but feel deeply shy (Alia feels shy) in front of her eldest children. She tried in vain to pull her hair over the mark and took a quick sip of water, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson.
Victor sat beside her, taking it all in. He wasn't shy at all; instead, he felt a sense of pride in his son's sharp observation. He squeezed Alia's hand under the table and looked at Zarin and Isrovon with a triumphant smile in his blue eyes.As Alia turned red under the smirks of Zarin and Isrovon, the younger ones—who didn't understand subtle hints—erupted with curiosity. They attacked the situation with brutal innocence.
Aloha, the youngest, leaned across the table, getting dangerously close to Alia's neck.
Aloha: (In a tiny, innocent voice) "Mama! What's that on your neck? Did a bug bite you? It looks so red!"
A dead silence fell over the table. Victor tried to hide his grin behind his coffee cup. Alia was speechless, searching for an explanation.
Arin: (Cutting in) "No Aloha, that's not a bug bite. It probably happened in the kitchen last night. Maybe some hot oil splashed on her? Mama, were you cooking something for yourself last night? Why didn't you call us?"
Alia felt like she wanted to disappear into the floor under these awkward, innocent questions (Innocent yet awkward questions). She shot a desperate look at Victor for help, but Victor was enjoying every second of it.
Victor: (Pretaining to be serious) "Yes Aloha, Mama was 'working hard' in the kitchen last night, so she got that mark. Don't worry, it'll heal soon."
Zarin and Isrovon couldn't hold it back anymore; they were clutching their sides, trying to muffle their laughter. Alia picked up an apple and pointed it toward Victor, her eyes saying—"Stop it, or you're dead!"
Alia: (Managing her shyness) "Enough! Everyone finish your breakfast. It's time for school. Aloha, sit back in your seat!"
The children went back to eating at her firm command, but the mischief in their eyes remained. Alia realized that in this mansion, nothing remained a secret for long especially with five sharp-witted children watching their every move.As soon as the children left for school, the massive dining hall fell silent. Alia, who had been playing the role of the strict mother, instantly reverted to her fierce self. She crossed her arms and glared at Victor.
Alia: (Through gritted teeth) "You were enjoying that, weren't you? 'Mama was working hard in the kitchen'—was that really necessary? You embarrassed me in front of the kids!"
Victor tried to pull her close as he finished his coffee, but Alia stepped back. She grabbed his tie and yanked him toward her. Her pale cheeks were still flushed with a mix of anger and shyness.
Alia: "You laughed along with everyone else, now you have to face the punishment, Mr. Don."
Victor, with a mysterious glint in his ice-blue eyes, whispered, "What's the punishment, Godmother? Imprisonment? Or..."
Alia took his tie and firmly tied his hands to the back of the chair (Alia ties his hands with his tie). Victor didn't resist; in fact, he was thoroughly enjoying this turn of events. Alia leaned in close and whispered into his ear—
Alia: "Your punishment is that you can't move from this chair for the next half hour. I'm going to my room to relax, and you'll sit here and think about all that 'hard work' you mentioned."
Before leaving, Alia gave his cheek a playful nip, exactly like he had done earlier. With a mischievous smirk, she walked out of the hall. Victor remained tied to the chair, not with anger, but with a deep, obsessive madness for his wife.Tying up Victor Romanov with a tie was like trying to cage a hungry lion with a piece of string. As Alia walked down the corridor toward her room with a triumphant smirk, she had no idea that her 'punishment' had only fueled Victor's obsession.
Alia had just opened her bedroom door when she heard rapid footsteps behind her. Before she could turn around, the door slammed shut with a bang, and someone pinned her against the wall.
She looked up—it was Victor. The expensive silk tie hung torn from his wrist. His ice-blue eyes weren't burning with anger, but with a primal madness.
Alia: (Shocked) "Victor! You... you broke the tie? I told you to sit there for half an hour!"
Victor pinned both her hands above her head against the wall. The heat radiating from his body was making her weak again. He leaned into her ear, his heavy breath hitting her neck.
Victor: (In a deep, intoxicating voice) "Did the Godmother forget that no bond can hold this Don? You wanted to punish me, Alia? Now you'll pay double the price."
With a sudden move, Victor pulled her off the wall and pounced on her (Victor pounces on her) onto the bed. He loomed over her, making it impossible for her to move. He nudged her shirt collar aside with his teeth, claiming the same spot on her neck where the red mark already sat.
Alia: (Panting) "Victor... you really are a beast! Ugh... let me go!"
Victor: "This is what happens when you try to cage a beast. The whole day belongs to us now, and there's no way out of this room."
Victor reclaimed her lips with a feverish kiss. In the soft morning light, the bedroom transformed once again into a private battlefield. Alia realized that punishing Victor only meant putting herself in even deeper trouble.