Page 128 of Sinful Games

"Yep, he passed away yesterday morning in his sleep, all alone," Valeria said with a shrug, not looking up.

"I guess I'll have to call Alexsei and let him know…" I trailed off, dreading the difficult conversation ahead.It was heart-wrenching to think of telling my husband, hundreds of miles away, that his father was gone.

Valeria stood up, a yawn escaping her lips, then moved to sit beside me, gently rocking Lukyan's stroller. My little boy was fast asleep, his tiny red lips parted as soft snorts escaped. Lukyan was the spitting image of his daddy—Alexsei's nose, lips, and eyes, all wrapped up in this tiny version of him. With Alexsei so far away, my little boy was an even greater blessing.

"Already did. I called Alexsei yesterday and let him know," Valeria said, sinking into the couch, her head tilted back, eyes closed as she massaged her temples.

I arched an eyebrow. I’d spoken to Alexsei this morning, and he hadn’t said a word. "Oh, what did he say?" I asked, confused.

Valeria yawned, crossing her arms, her eyes still shut. "He thanked me for letting him know and said Silas would take care of the rest."

The rest?What’s that supposed to mean?

Valeria let out a sigh. "And then he hung up."

Over the past year, I’d tried a few times to ask Alexsei about his father and the odd difference in their surnames—Rovanski for him, Romaniev for my husband. Each time, Alexsei would deflect, unwilling to reopen wounds he'd spent years closing. Out of respect, I let it go, but the lingering curiosity remained, whispering like an unresolved mystery in the back of my mind.

Valeria yawned again.

"Didn’t sleep last night?" I chuckled.

"No," she sighed, her eyes shooting open with a smirk. "Dve did this thing?—"

"I don't need details," I cut in, shaking my head. "Especially not ones involving Dve."

I stood and unlocked the safety brake on Lukyan’s stroller.

Dve had swung by last night to drop off documents forAlexsei, but I couldn’t even meet his eyes. Terrified that if I did, I'd accidentally confront him about the hypocrisy—and we both knew how that would end.

Valeria rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. Go on, be the responsible mommy. Just remember, when Lukyan's older and asks about the birds and the bees, don't come to me for advice!"

I chuckled, pushing the stroller toward the door. "Thanks, Val. I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh wait!" Valeria exclaimed, suddenly alarmed. "I forgot to tell you! Your father stopped by last night to visit your grandmother, but she was asleep, so he only stayed for about ten minutes. He told me to remind you to visit him soon, or he'll, and I quote, 'take care of it himself.'” She blinked nervously. “He gave me the chills, Caia."

My heart sank. I had been avoiding my father, ignoring his texts and calls, hoping he'd just leave me alone. But he'd never visited Babushka while she was sick. For him to stop by now? Definitely a threat.

I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, my hands gripping the stroller so tightly my knuckles turned white. "He wants to meet Lukyan, but I refused. For the last year, he's been persistent. I don’t know what to do…"

Valeria walked over and put a hand on my shoulder. "What does Alexsei think about all of this?"

I rubbed my forehead, anxiety bubbling up. I hated keeping things from my husband.

"I didn’t tell him," I whispered, almost worried Alexsei could hear me all the way from New York.

Valeria gasped. "Oh no, Caia. This is bad. Like, really bad!"

"I know, but I thought Mankiev would drop it and go on with his miserable life," I grimaced. "But I forgot—his life is only good when mine is miserable."

That’s my freaking father. Twisted, reveling in my pain.Avoiding him has been therapeutic, but I’m still terrified—terrified of what he might do just to get my attention.

Valeria sighed. "I'm sorry, but you have to tell Alexsei."

"I will," I said, cutting her off as I placed my hand over hers. "But first, I've got somewhere I need to be."

With that, I kissed her cheek, quickly pushed the stroller out, and made my way to the car with determination, a fire spreading in my chest.

I stormed into my father’s office, my steps deliberate, my eyes narrowed like I was walking into a battlefield. Every muscle in my body was taut, ready for war.

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