Page 57 of Forced By the Bratva

After she was discharged, Feliks suggested that she come to live with us to recover fully. However, from the moment she’d arrived, she’d insisted on helping around the house, even though there were housekeepers who could do it—even though I’d told her to rest and ask for anything she needed.

Tonight, I’d planned a small dinner for friends and family. The cooking was currently going on in the kitchen; I was trying to supervise, but my mother kept getting involved and trying to take over.

I sighed in relief when I finally succeeded in dragging her out of the kitchen after much persuasion.

As we walked back to the sitting room together, my attention was drawn to my son’s direction by his loud laughter. Violet was waving a toy in front of him, and I still couldn’t understand why that made him laugh so much, especially since I’d tried that on several occasions but never got the same result. Was she doing it differently from me?

He wasn’t even interested in the kid’s show on the TV, or he’d gotten tired of watching it and preferred playing with Violet instead.

As my attention was drawn to the TV, my mom picked up the remote control and switched it to a news channel.

“Call me old fashioned, but I prefer listening to the news in my leisure time.” My mom cast me a glance.

I smiled broadly and was about to return to the kitchen, but stopped when I heard my father’s name being mentioned on the news. His company had suffered a significant blow, and he was on the verge of going bankrupt.

The newscaster said, “How did one of the biggest and best-performing companies in the city end up being reduced to this?”

I swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. I looked over to my mom, who was watching the news, but she had no reaction and cleared my throat.

I felt a little uneasy, knowing that my husband was behind my father’s situation, even though I knew he deserved it. Feliks had told me that he was going to make all those who’d hurt me suffer. Only a few months ago, he’d given me that assurance, and I was beginning to see it.

Laura filed for a divorce the moment she learned that the company was going under and that nothing could be done to save it.

Veronica, on the other hand, was likely going through a hard time, too. A scandal capable of ruining her image forever had come out recently; I was sure she must be having a hard time dealing with it. Now, not only was her father about to go bankrupt, but her family was also breaking apart.

Whenever I would want to feel a little pity for her, though, I would remember everything she’d put me through and how she’d almost gotten me killed.

I swallowed hard as I walked to the kitchen, not because I needed anything from there but because I needed to be away from my mother while I got emotional about seeing my enemies get punished for my sake.

As for Leo, it had been effortless for Feliks to get rid of him. I knew that, in this case, it was more than punishing him for my sake; Feliks wanted to get him out of the picture because he couldn’t stand the thought of another man openly wanting his wife.

He wanted Leo to be castrated, but I thought that’d be too much. “Can’t you find a simpler punishment for him?” I’d asked Feliks while lying on his chest and running my fingers over his tattoos.

“Of course, there is something simpler; it’s just that I would prefer it if he no longer existed.”

I’d felt chills run down my spine at his words, but I had gradually accepted the kind of man I married—a ruthless man whose heart only beat for me.

Days later, I’d heard that Leo had been nabbed for drug trafficking and thrown behind bars. I’d immediately known that it was Feliks’ doing because, even though I knew Leo wasn’t the nicest of people, he’d never stoop to selling drugs.

I let out a deep sigh and rested on the kitchen counter.

When the news had broken out, and I’d realized that Leo was going to spend a very long time of his life behind bars for a crime he most likely didn’t commit, it had been challenging to get rid of the pang of guilt that sprang up in me whenever I thought of it.

Then again, I was glad that Leo would not bother me anymore now that he’d been taken care of.

I let out a deep sigh and leaned away from the kitchen counter when Emma walked into the kitchen and found me standing there, arms folded across my chest, staring into space.

“Are you okay?” She asked, and I nodded.

“You look stressed. You should go to the sitting room and rest while I finish.”

I didn’t argue; I dragged my feet out of the kitchen and let out another sigh. It was of acceptance of the man I had married. This was my life now, and I was glad I’d gotten married to a man who had my best interest at heart.

I entered the sitting room when Feliks arrived with some of his business associates and a few friends. A smile spread on my lips as he walked over to where Daniil had spent so much time with Violet and picked him up.

The way Daniil bounced around in his father’s arms made me smile. This was my life now, and I loved it. I’d never thought I deserved this happiness or would ever get it, but here I was.

Feliks’ eyes searched the sitting room as he played with our son, and I knew exactly what he was looking for. Soon, his eyes landed on me, and my smile broadened as he winked at me.

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