Page 74 of Married to the Bratva

“And? Are you happy about it?”

For a moment, there’s silence. Then his grip tightens—just slightly, but enough to make me look up. His eyes, though tired, are fiercely alive.

“We might have to rethink the whole thirty day thing,” he rasps, his voice stronger now.

“I was thinking that too. How does a lifetime sound?”

“Sounds like I’ll have to stock up on peanut butter.”

55

SOPHIE

Iglance up from Maxim’s bedside as the door creaks open. Victor steps inside, his imposing figure somehow managing to make even the sterile hospital room feel smaller.

“Should I call security?” I ask, my tone laced with sarcasm. “Pretty sure visiting hours include retired Bratva bosses.”

Victor smirks, his sharp eyes flicking to Maxim, who’s resting with his head propped up on pillows. Maxim is awake, though pale, and he gives Victor a faint nod of acknowledgment.

“You look like hell,” Victor says, his tone dry but with a hint of warmth that surprises me. “Though I suppose that’s to be expected when you insist on doing everything the hard way.”

“I’m still here, aren’t I?” Maxim replies, his voice steady despite the obvious strain.

Victor pulls up a chair, his movements slow and deliberate, like he’s trying not to disturb the fragile peace in the room. He glances at me briefly, then turns his full attention to Maxim.

“You’ve done it,” Victor says simply, leaning forward. “Federico’s dead. The city is yours.”

Maxim’s lips press into a thin line, his gaze dropping to the blanket covering his legs. “And the file?”

Victor’s expression softens, just a fraction. “I unlocked it.”

“You? But how?”

“Your wife is not the only one with cybersecurity skills,” he says with a glance at me.

Maxim groans. “This was a fucking test wasn’t it? The whole thing.”

“Isn’t everything in life?”

“You wanted to see if I could destroy Federico. You could have decrypted that file any time, couldn’t you? We would have been down two hundred million if Evan unlocked it first. I could have died. So could my wife. If I was strong enough, I’d strangle you right now.”

Victor smiles. “Leadership always comes with a cost, Maxim. But you’ve now proven you’re more than capable of paying it. You deserve to be king.”

“A hell of a gamble, old man.”

Victor pauses, his gaze flicking to me again before returning to Maxim. “I believed strength was the only thing that mattered. I ruled with an iron fist, and it worked—until it didn’t. I thought the strongest should survive, you or Federico. You’ve shown me something I never could understand.”

Maxim raises a brow, his voice edged with skepticism. “And what’s that?”

“Balance,” Victor says. “You didn’t just fight for power. You fought for people. For her.” He nods toward me, and I feel a blush creep up my neck.

“That’s what makes you stronger than your father ever was, than I ever was. Federico’s men are scattering. Most of them don’t have the stomach to fight anymore, not after they saw you kill their boss. I chose the right successor, that’s for sure.”

The room falls silent, Victor’s words hanging heavy in the air. Maxim doesn’t respond right away, his expression unreadable.But I see the faint shift in his eyes, the way his hand tightens slightly around the edge of the blanket.

Victor stands, smoothing his suit jacket. “Rest up. The city is yours, but keeping it will be the real test.”

He glances at me once more before heading for the door. “Take care of him,” he says, and though his tone is cool, there’s a sincerity in his words that catches me off guard.

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