Page 20 of Taken By The Filthy Bratva

"Dmitry," she said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Dmitry asked, his jovial demeanour replaced by concern.

Without a word, she thrust the letter into his hands. He scanned the contents, his face losing colour.

"Bella, I…" he began, his voice unsteady.

“I need an explanation, Dmitry. Now!” she demanded, her eyes boring into his.

He took a deep breath and began to speak. "Those late-night meetings... they were to track down the threats, Bella. I... I wanted to protect you," he revealed, his voice pleading for her to believe him.

"I don’t work for Alexei, " he continued, " I work for Bratva and my soul lies with Bratva."

Bella felt her heart quiver, torn between her initial trust in Dmitry and the daunting accusations against him.

“I want to believe you, Dmitry. But how can I?” she said, her voice teetering on the edge of desperation.

Dmitry looked at her, his eyes reflecting his inner turmoil. "I understand your doubt, Bella. But I am not your enemy."

With a deep sigh, Bella nodded. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, Dmitry. But know this. If you're lying to me, it won’t end well.”

As Bella walked away, Dmitry was left standing, the weight of her words lingering in the air.

Chapter 11

The tension was palpable as Anton strode into the dimly lit room, his eyes locked on Dmitry, as he learned about the anonymous tip from Bella. A stony silence hung in the air as Anton stood before Dmitry, his face a mask of pain and betrayal.

"You lied to me, Dmitry," Anton's voice echoed in the silence, a mix of anguish and anger.

"I..." Dmitry stuttered, his face draining of colour.

"Save it," Anton cut him off, his voice ice-cold. "Explain to me why. Why you decided to betray us?"

"I had no choice, Anton," Dmitry pleaded, his voice shaking as he finally accepted. "Alexei, he threatened me. He promised to pay off my debts if I... if I betrayed you."

"So, you sold us out for money?" Anton roared, the fury in his voice sending shivers down Dmitry’s spine. "You chose your debts over our brotherhood!"

"I'm sorry, Anton," Dmitry croaked, tears welling up in his eyes. "I was desperate. I never wanted to hurt you."

Anton's expression softened slightly, but the anger in his eyes was far from gone. "You've not only hurt me, Dmitry, but you've also betrayed Bella, the family... everyone."

A heavy silence fell upon them, only interrupted by Dmitry's choked sobs. Anton sighed deeply, a look of anguish and disappointment crossing his face.

"I should kill you for this betrayal, Dmitry. But... I won't," Anton finally said, his voice barely a whisper. "Leave, Dmitry. If I ever see you again, I will not show you mercy."

The weight of Anton's words hit Dmitry hard. He nodded, his gaze falling to the floor, before turning on his heels and departing from the room.

The day closed with the image of a remorseful Dmitry and a heartbroken Anton, each battling with the consequences of their actions.

Anton sat heavily on the edge of the bed, his gaze lost in the distance. He looked defeated, a shell of the strong leader he usually projected , seemed to have cracks. Bella watched him from the doorway, her heart aching at his vulnerability.

Slowly, she approached him and sat beside him, her hand reaching out to gently squeeze his. "Anton?" she whispered, her voice soft and full of concern.

"I... I don't understand, Bella," Anton started, his voice barely audible, "How could Dmitry betray us like that? He was my friend... my brother."

Bella felt a lump form in her throat at Anton's confession. She had never seen him so broken, so lost. "Anton, sometimes, people make mistakes... terrible mistakes driven by fear and desperation. It doesn't mean you are at fault."

"But I trusted him, Bella. I put the lives of our family in his hands. And he... he just..." Anton choked on his words, his eyes welling up with unshed tears.

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