Page 13 of Beautiful Agony

"There's a reason your mother never spoke of this place," he continues more gently. "A reason she built a new life far fromhere. The memories within these walls..." He draws a deep breath. "They're better left in darkness."

I feel Vadim's grip tighten as Serena's voice rises, sharp with anger and fear.

“Better left in darkness?” Her storm-gray eyes flash. "I was shoved into a shipping container with thirty other people. They shot one of them right in front of us just to make a point!" Her voice cracks. "And that woman. She made uslistenwhile..." She swallows hard. "While her men hurt them upstairs."

Vadim's hand trembles in mine. I squeeze it gently, trying to give him strength for what must come next.

"Don't you think I deserve to know why Mom never told me about this? About you?" Serena demands. "What terrible thing happened here that made her choose to erase it completely?"

The silence stretches between them. I watch Vadim's throat work as he struggles to find the words. Finally, he speaks, his voice rough with pain.

"Thirty-six years ago, Mom was brought to this house against her will as a slave." His words come slowly, as if each one costs him dearly. "And I was the result."

Despite the weight of Vadim's revelation, Serena doesn't recoil. Her chin lifts slightly, reminding me of the way Vadim squares his shoulders before facing difficult truths. Maybe it's because she just witnessed the depths of human cruelty in that concrete building, or maybe this strength runs deeper—an inheritance of strength from Polina, passed down to both her children.

Those same storm-gray eyes drift to me, studying my face. Her brow furrows as her gaze catches on my neck. I resist the urgeto cover the marks there, knowing it would only draw more attention to them. The bruises from where Vadim's fingers pressed into my flesh during our confrontation on the stairs feel like they're burning under her scrutiny.

Her gaze travels down to my wrists where similar marks peek out from beneath my sleeves. The silence grows heavy as understanding dawns on her face.

"The bruises around your neck." Her voice trembles slightly. "Who did that to you?"

"I did." Vadim's admission is quiet but firm beside me.

The alarm that flashes across Serena's features makes my heart clench. She takes a small step back, looking between us with growing horror.

Before she can say anything else, I step forward.

"Serena, wait." My voice comes out gentler than I intended. "Your brother and I... it's complicated. But you need to understand. He never did anything I didn't explicitly ask for. Want, even."

She looks at me with eyes far too knowing for her sixteen years. Of course she would be perceptive beyond her age.

She's Polina's daughter, raised to see the darkness lurking beneath polite surfaces. To question everything, and trust no one.

"You don't have to defend him," she says quietly, and the protectiveness in her tone makes my chest ache.

"I'm not. I'm simply telling you the truth." I meet her searching gaze steadily. "Your brother is a complex man. In time, you'llcome to see that. But please believe me when I say these marks aren't what you think they are."

The skepticism doesn't leave her face, but something in her posture softens slightly. She's still watching us both carefully, weighing my words against her own instincts.

"I can have a car take you home," Vadim says, his voice softening. "Mom is worried about you."

My heart squeezes at the tenderness in his tone. It's the same gentle cadence he used with me in the shower, when his touches turned from brutal to healing.

Serena's eyes drift between us again, lingering on the protective way Vadim's hand rests at the small of my back. I can see the questions in her eyes.

But she doesn't talk. Instead, she just nods slowly, processing everything she's learned in the past few hours.

"Okay," she says finally. "I'll go home." She pauses, then adds. "For now."

"For now." Vadim's voice is rough with emotion. "When the time comes, the doors to this place will always be open, and I'll answer what I can. I promise."

I watchas Serena climbs into the back of the black SUV. She gives me a small wave before they drive off, leaving Vadim and me alone in the circular driveway.

"You should go with them," I say softly. "She's your sister."

Vadim shakes his head. "I've caused enough pain in Polina's life. She doesn't want to see me. Not when I've become just like him."

"That's not true." The words burst from me before I can stop them.

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