Page 124 of Broken Empire

I’mon the verge of passing out when my mind goes back to the day my life changed, andIended up in this situation with my horrible stepmother ruling over me.

Numb…

That’sthe only feelingIcan comprehend asImake my way into the church.Idon’t remember the last timeIwas inside of a church, butIdidn’t think in my wildest dreams that this would be the reasonI’dneed to enter one again.

AllIwant to do is cry because of how unfair life is and because my heart shattered the dayIgot the news.Whydid this have to happen?

Ialways thought of him as someone who was invincible, even though in the back of my mindIalways knew someday we’d get to this point.Evenfrom a young age,Iknew the life we lived wasn’t a normal one.Nothingis impossible, and no one is invincible, as today proves to be.

Imake my way to the front of the church and sit in the first pew.Thisis whereI’mexpected to sit as the daughter ofVladimirRomanov.I’drather be away from all the people that will be here, but because of expectations,Ineed to be the perfect daughter.Forthe first time in my life,Ihate these expectations.

IfIdon’t go along with these expectations, she’ll make my life a living hell like she’s done this past week.Howhas it only been a week since tragedy struck my family again, when it feels like an eternity has passed?

RavannaRomanov… the devil in disguise.

God, howIhate that woman, and this past week, she’s shown me just how much she hates me as well.Today,Ileft the mansion early becauseIcouldn’t stand to be in her presence any longer.Howcan one week change your life so drastically?Mychildhood house no longer feels like a home and it’s all because of her.

Myheart hurts so fucking much.Iwant to scream and rage at him for leaving me, but there’s not a damn thingIcan do about it.Mymind wanders, soIdon’t have to think about what’s about to happen.Ilook around the church.It’sbeautiful, thoughIcan’t really bring myself to appreciate its beauty right now.What’sabout to happen isn’t beautiful.

Death…

Iguess it’s beautiful depending on who you ask, but when it comes to one of your own, it’s just depressing, and you’re left with nothing but pain.Amoment later,Ihear the quiet chattering from the people arriving.Timesure flies when your mind is being bombarded with a million different things at once.

It’sbeen over an hour sinceI’vebeen sitting here and the knowledge that it’s getting closer to saying goodbye has me on edge again.Inever thoughtI’dhave to do this at such a young age.Ithought we’d have years ahead of us, that maybe one day, he’d be able to play with his grandchildren or something.Inever thought it’d be today.

Howdo you say goodbye to the one person you loved unconditionally and the one who loved you for the entirety of your life?Ifeel that familiar pang in my chest at the thoughtI’man orphan.Ihave no one else in this world.

Lifejust got complicated andI’mnot sure how to navigate the new system.Ihave a stepmother, but she’s made her disdain for me quite clear, andI’minclined to sayIfeel the same about her.

Whenshe married my father,Ithought he would get another chance to find happiness, but she was just a snake lying in the grass, waiting to strike.Inever knew the extent of her hatred for me, at least not until this past week.

Myanxiety is through the roof.I’mnot sure what else she has in store for me, butIknow it’s not anything good.Rightnow, my dress is covering the bruises she’s given me, so yeah, life won’t ever be the same again.

Aslap to the face, a punch to the gut...

Themalicious glint in her eyes says that there’s more to come.Moreof what,I’mnot sure, butI’mhopingI’llbe able to survive this new lifeI’vebeen thrust into.Ipush those thoughts aside.Ineed to focus on the fact thatI’mabout to bury my father.

Shecomes to sit in the pew next to me, though she keeps some distance between us, which is perfectly fine with me.

“Goodafternoon, everyone.We’rehere today to pay homage and to celebrate what was once the life ofVladimirRomanov…” the priest starts, but it’s too much to bear, soItune him out and concentrate on the numbness taking over my body.Ihaven’t shed a tear sinceIgot the news, andIdon’t know if that’s normal or if something is wrong with me.Ido know ifIstart crying,I’llnever be able to stop.Ihave to be strong.

Istill haven’t come to terms with the fact that it’s my father lying in that casket at the front of the church.Howthe hell is this happening?Lifeis just so unfair… but you have to be prepared for anything when it comes to life in theBratva.Atleast that’s what he used to say.

Firstmy mother and now my father, though with my mother,Inever got the chance to know her.Shedied whenIwas just a few months old in a car accident, soInever knew her.

Todayhas been a cloudy day, but suddenly there’s a burst of sunlight that streams through the window that’s at the front of the church.Ilook up through the veil that’s covering my face, the oneIused as a barrier between me and everyone here today.Ihope it’ll keep them away becauseI’mnot in the mood to talk to anyone.

Thelight lands on the casket and directly on me.Isthat a sign?DoItake it as one?Thatmy father is letting me know he’s fine and supposedly in a better place?Whothe hell knows?

Thechurch is packed with people, andIknow it’s not because they really care.It’sbecause they want to see if he’s actually dead.Myfather was a man people feared because he was ruthless when he needed to be.Whatwould you expect from the don of theRomanovBratva, though?

Mostof them are here to see what information they can get regarding my father’s empire and who will take over.Fuckingvultures, all of them.

Whenthe service is finally over,I’mthe first one out of my seat, heading to the door.Ineed some air right now.Asdiscussed with my stepmother earlier,IknowIcan’t leave yet sinceIhave to stand at the door with her while we listen to everyone give their condolences and what not.

Shecomes to stand beside me a minute later without saying a word.Whywould she?Shethinks speaking to me is beneath her.Ina few years,I’llliterally have more power than she could ever dream of, and she thinksI’mbeneath her?Whata fucking joke.

Thisweek, my eyes have finally been open to the snake that’s been living with us all along.I’vehad a bad feeling all week.Somethingbad is on the horizon, andI’msure it has something to do with her.I’monly seventeen, soIknowIcan’t take her on, especially not on my own.

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