Page 42 of Between Power and Passion

"You are only alive because I allow it," he hisses, his face inches from mine. The smell of alcohol on his breath is overpowering.

Tears sting my eyes. I want to press a hand to my throbbing cheek, but I'm restrained. "Papa..."

"Don't call me that!" He storms around the room, knocking over furniture and throwing anything within reach. The sound of breaking glass and splintering wood fills the air.

"You should be glad Mikhail still wants you after you've... sullied yourself."

His words are like daggers, cutting deep into my soul. I close my eyes, trying to block out his voice, but it's impossible. The weight of his anger crushes me, leaving me breathless and terrified.

"You think you can defy me? You think you can live your life without my control?" His laughter is cruel and mocking. "You are nothing without me."

I feel a sob rise in my throat but swallow it down. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. But inside, I'm crumbling.

My head is spinning from the force of his slap. "If you hate me so much, why did you let me live all this while?" I ask, my voice trembling.

Sergei's laughter fills the room, a harsh, grating sound that sends shivers down my spine. "If something is not useful to you," he says, pacing back and forth like a caged animal, "you can trade it for something else. And that's what I'm doing."

"Is that what you did with Mama?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He stops pacing and turns to me, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "I killed your mother with my bare hands," he says, almost gleefully. "And I don't regret it for a second."

Tears stream down my face as his words sink in. My stomach churns with a mixture of grief and rage. "You're cruel," I sob. "You're wicked."

His eyes narrow as he looks at me with disdain. "You're just finding that out now?" He shakes his head. "You're a fool."

My chest tightens, and it's hard to breathe. The man who raised me, who I called father, is a monster beyond comprehension.

"You've always been blind," Sergei continues, his tone condescending. "Sheltered only by your own ignorance."

I clench my fists in my lap, the nails digging into my palms. My entire life has been dictated by his whims and power plays. Now I'm nothing more than a pawn in another one of his twisted games.

"You think love makes you strong?" His laugh is bitter. "It makes you weak."

My eyes meet his cold, steely gaze. Despite the fear clawing at my insides, I refuse to look away. I refuse to give him that power over me.

"I will never be like you," I say through gritted teeth.

He leans in close, his breath hot against my face. "No," he says softly but menacingly. "You'll never be as strong as me."

I barely manage to catch my breath when the door creaks open. Mikhail steps in, a smug smile playing on his lips. "I hate to cut this touching reunion short," he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "but I have a gift for you, Valentina."

I feel a knot form in my stomach as Mikhail gestures to his men. Two burly guards enter, dragging a figure between them. My heart sinks when I see who it is.

"Dmitri!" I scream, struggling against the ropes binding me to the chair. Dmitri’s face is bloodied and bruised, his body barely able to support itself. The sight of him in such a state makes my blood run cold.

"What did you do to him?" I demand, my voice shaking with a mixture of rage and fear.

Mikhail chuckles, clearly enjoying the spectacle. "Oh, this is better than any TV show," he says as he steps closer to Dmitri. He grabs Dmitri by the hair, lifting his head so that our eyes meet. Dmitri’s gaze is unfocused, pain evident in every line of his face.

"Look at your girl," Mikhail sneers at Dmitri. "Look hard because you won't be able to soon."

Tears blur my vision as I struggle harder against my restraints. "Dmitri!" I call out again, desperate for him to hear me, to know that I'm here with him.

Mikhail releases Dmitri's head, letting it slump forward as he laughs cruelly. The room feels like it's closing in around me.

"Dmitri," I whisper through my tears, hoping against hope that he can still hear me.

Chapter 20 – Dmitri

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