Page 71 of Vendetta Crown

And now these tangible proofs of their existence in my hands.

The tears come without warning, hot and fast. Seven years of running, seven years of telling myself that Jamie Fields was dead along with any chance of a normal life.

And now here I am, looking at pictures of my babies—babies that Ruslan gave me—growing inside me.

"I never thought—" My voice breaks. "I never thought I'd have this."

Ruslan gathers me in his arms, pulling me against his chest. His warmth surrounds me as I sob into his shirt, clutching the sonogram pictures between us.

"You deserve this happiness,zarechka," he murmurs into my hair, his strong arms holding me like I'm something precious. "We both do."

Dr. Reyes gathers her equipment and smiles at us. "I'll give you both some time alone to process. Congratulations again."

The door closes with a soft click, leaving Ruslan and me alone in the makeshift examination room. I'm still clutching the sonogram photos, unable to tear my eyes away from the tiny shapes of our son and daughter.

"I need to tell the girls," I say, finally looking up at Ruslan.

"The girls?" His brow furrows slightly. "My nieces?"

"No." I laugh lightly, shaking my head. "I meant Eleonora and the other wives." I rub my belly gently, still in awe that there are two babies growing inside me. "They'll want to throw a baby shower, and honestly, it gives them another excuse to get out of their houses and away from their husbands for a while."

Ruslan's face softens. He cups my cheek, his golden eyes warm with pride. "Look at what you've done,zarechka. You've given these women hope when they felt hopeless. You've built something meaningful for them."

"I just treated them like people," I whisper, leaning into his touch. "Not possessions."

"And with that simple act." His thumb traces my cheekbone. "You've completely upended their world. They never expected someone like you in our world."

I look down at the sonogram photos again, at our two tiny miracles.

"Is that what you love about me?" I ask softly. "That I can bring power back to the powerless?"

Ruslan tips my chin up, making sure I'm looking into his eyes when he answers.

"No, Aurora. I don't love parts of you. I loveyou." He presses his forehead against mine. "Every single thing that makes you who you are."

"I love you too," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. "So much it scares me sometimes."

He slides down onto his knees before me, placing both hands reverently on my still flat belly. "And I already love them as well."

Then, he presses two gentle kisses, one on the left side, and another on the right. One for each baby.

19

AURORA

TWO WEEKS LATER

I takea deep breath as our car pulls up to the studio. Ruslan's hand finds mine, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Are you ready to do this?" he asks softly.

I shake my head, resting my hand protectively over my belly. "I don't think I'll ever really be ready. But I know I need to do this."

"I'll be right here next to you,zarechka," Ruslan says, and then opens the door.

The studio entrance looks innocuous enough—just another nondescript building in LA. But my heart hammers in my chest, knowing what waits for me inside.

As we walk through the parking lot, memories of the last time I was on a set come flooding back: Mikhail's body crumpling as the bullet tore through him, the chaos that followed, and my own desperate escape.

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