The pitiful look on her face wouldn’t fool me anymore. She was an actress, and she’d proven to be an excellent one. Chances were, she was pretending to be sorry. I could see fear in her eyes, and her lips were quivering as she tried to speak, probably wanting to explain herself.

I couldn’t help that rage, that jealousy that she’d been with another man after me. With a swift movement, I lunged at her, grabbing her by the neck.

Her eyes widened in absolute fear of what I was about to do.

“Please, I’m sorry. Daniil, I’m begging you, please,” she coughed out as I slammed her back against the car.

“You’re sorry?” I repeated in disbelief. “You're sorry?!” I barked at her, pulling out my gun.

Her hands were raised in surrender while she whimpered, nodding in a hysterical manner.

“What are you sorry about, Vivian?” I glared at her, aiming at her head. “For running away, or for fucking another man?!” I raised my voice on the last statement.

Her lips were moving, but no words were coming out. I saw the terror in her gaze as she pleaded with her eyes.

“Answer me!” I pressed the barrel of my gun against her temple.

“Please….” Her voice was barely audible. “I have kids that I need to take care of, Daniil…. I’m all they have. I’m begging you.”

The mention of those children infuriated me to my bones and marrow. I was so hurt that my heart ached.

Telling me she had kids in an attempt to save her own skin was pathetic, given the smart woman that she was. But watching her beg sent a mix of different emotions and different signals to my brain. But one stood out amongst the others: the fact that she’d slept with another man.

Frowning, I growled at her, “Who the hell did you fuck?”

“Daniil…I—”

“Was it the man who ran away with, huh? Tell me!” I interrupted whatever flimsy excuse was about to come out of her mouth.

“I haven’t been with anyone!” she cried out amidst tears.

I paused for a second, a little bit relieved; then, I remembered; she was a very good actress. Plus it didn’t make any sense to me.

“What?” I asked, bewildered.

“I’ve not slept with any man since I left you, Daniil,” she said to me.

With the look in her eyes, she actually believed what she was saying. Vivian believed her own lie.

“And you expect me to believe that?” I asked, still pointing my gun at her.

“Why would I lie?”

“Because I could pull this trigger at any time and end your life. This is your way of saving your own skin,” I replied, my voice dripping with the resentment that threatened to consume me.

“I’m telling you the truth, Daniil.” She looked me dead in the eyes, her lips thinning as her expression turned serious. “My kids are yours.”

This statement hit me like a bullet, and I didn’t realize I’d taken a couple of steps away from her.

This was unbelievable, but could it be true?

I cast a rather stern glare at her, but she didn’t flinch. She really believed what she was saying. Her acting skills had either grown off the charts, or she was indeed telling the truth. I couldn’t draw any conclusions yet. Nothing was certain. With Vivian, I had learned to question everything because the last time that I’d believed her, she tricked me.

Andrei was staring at me; I could feel it.

When the argument with Vivian was swelling, he had commanded the other guys to drive off. They had no business here anymore. He was the only one standing by the car, watching the whole thing. He must be thinking to himself that I should give the girl the chance to prove her claims.

“You’re lying,” I said to her.