As Alia walked away into the darkness of the corridor, she suddenly stopped. Her voice, cold as a whip, struck Viktor's back through the rainy gloom. Without turning around, she spoke sharply, "Viktor... do you remember? You once had such long hair. It suited you quite well. But why is your hair so short now? Did you dare to change yourself in my absence?"
Viktor, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, was stunned by the sudden question. He froze, his heartbeat skipping a beat. Internally, he thought, 'Oh no! I've been caught!' He knew that nothing could ever escape Alia's sharp observation. His blood turned to ice; he realized this wasn't just a simple observation, but a testament to Alia's complete control over him.
Alia turned around. There was that familiar, dangerous steadiness in her eyes. With deliberate slowness, she pulled a sharp knife from beneath her black cloak. The silvery glint of the metal looked terrifyingly beautiful in the dim light of the rain. Tracing a circle in the air with the tip of the blade, she began to walk toward Viktor. The cruel smile on her lips told him that this night was no longer about a war, but about penance for his own mistake.
In a calm yet harsh tone, Alia said, "Did you really think you could avoid my notice with this short hair? You're in for it tonight, Viktor. You must pay the price for changing your appearance without my permission."
Viktor offered no protest. He realized how helpless he was before the Godmother. His stature as a Russian Mafia Lord faded instantly beneath the sharp edge of Alia's blade. He knew that the darkness of this night and this side of Alia were pulling him toward a terrifying yet inevitable fateAlia snapped out of her trance at Viktor's words. The cold intensity in her eyes faltered for a moment, and though her grip on the knife remained steady, her sharp demeanor softened. She blinked, looking at Viktor, and murmured, "Oh... sorry, Viktor. I think I was lost in another world for a moment."
She tucked the knife away beneath her cloak. Her memories rushed back, and with them, her keen powers of observation. She looked at Viktor's short hair again, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Stepping closer, she brushed her fingers against the ends of his hair and said, "I was just wondering—our intimate moments felt so different when your hair was long and silky. Why is it so short now?"
Alia gave a sly, knowing smirk, as if she had just solved a grand mystery. Looking deep into his eyes, she continued, "Wait, I just calculated. Hair doesn't grow or shorten that drastically in just 20 days. That means, Viktor Alexeyevich... were you wearing extensions or a wig to keep up with a certain look?"
Viktor froze for a heartbeat. He had hoped that in her Godmother-like fury, Alia would have overlooked such details, but her sharp mind had pierced right through his secret. He laughed awkwardly, clearly embarrassed at being caught, looking absolutely helpless under her piercing gaze. Viktor couldn't help but admire Alia's sharp intellect, even as he was caught red-handed. He burst into a hearty laugh, a sound filled with deep satisfaction and genuine admiration for her. Placing a hand on Alia's shoulder, he said, "You are incredible, Alia! Nothing escapes your eyes. Yes, you caught me—I was using extensions. Because I knew how much you liked the way I looked with long hair."
Viktor's laughter became even more relaxed and natural. Taking her chin in his hand, he added, "My masquerade lost today before your Godmother-like observation skills. Honestly, seeing you question me about my short hair like that was quite thrilling. My madness and your sharp focus—that is where the true beauty of our relationship lies."
Alia joined him in his laughter. The cruel smirk on her lips softened into an enchanting, affectionate smile. She knew that no matter how powerful a Mafia Lord Viktor was, to her, he would always remain the man who accepted every one of her commands and observations with profound devotion. Viktor looked into Alia's eyes and offered a faint smile, as if all his power had bowed down before an infinite love. He picked Alia up very gently, with immense care. The faint fragrance of her skin calmed his nerves. He walked quickly to the luxury car, opened the door, and placed Alia in her seat, as if he were guarding a queen's throne. Then, Viktor himself took the driver's seat and started the engine. The low growl of the engine pierced through the silent darkness.
As the car began to speed along the highway, leaving the abandoned area of the city behind, Alia looked out the window. The scenery outside was blurred by the rain. She looked at Viktor and asked in a low voice, "Viktor... where are we going now? What is this place?"
Viktor tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He increased the car's speed slightly, looking ahead into the darkness, and said, "This is a place where no rules of the outside world apply. This is a secret boundary of our empire, Alia. As you said, the night is deep and tonight, the only safe shelter is inside this car of mine. Tonight, there is only one destination, where no one can disturb us."
Alia leaned back in her seat. The tone of Viktor's voice made it clear that he was following Alia's command, yet he was also maintaining his own authority over her. The sound of the rain created a silence inside the car that felt like another world entirely. Viktor slowed the car and pulled over to the side of the road. The rain had intensified, and the surroundings were blanketed in thick fog. Taking his hands off the steering wheel, Viktor turned toward Alia. In the dim light, a deep, mysterious glow flickered in his blue eyes.
Answering Alia's question, Viktor said in a low, grave voice, "You are right, Alia. This is no ordinary road. We are now on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg, near one of those old Russian landmarks that only people like us know of."
Viktor rolled the window down slightly, letting the cold air permeate the car. He pointed toward a faint, blurry structure in the distance and said, "Look, do you see that old church spire? It is a witness to the ancient history of our family. For Russian Mafia Lords, this place is not just territory; it is our sacred sanctuary. Outsiders are forbidden from setting foot here. Only those who own this darkness are permitted to enter."
Alia gazed out the window at the misty spire. With a strange sense of tranquility, she said, "Saint Petersburg... the heart of Russia. So, you have brought us back to that old address, Viktor?"
Viktor took Alia's hand in his and replied, "Yes. Tonight is not for war, but for rediscovering our roots. You are the Godmother, and I am your loyal Lord standing here on Russian soil, we shall define the rules of our empire anew."
In the silence of the car, Alia's quiet smile and Viktor's admission transformed the atmosphere into something regal and enigmatic. They were now at that secret Russian boundary where history and the present bled together into the complexity of their relationship. Alia held onto that mysterious smile as she looked into Viktor's eyes. Her laughter held the satisfaction of secret knowledge, which took Viktor by surprise. Knitting his brows, Viktor asked with a mix of hesitation and curiosity, "Why are you laughing, Alia? I am telling you so seriously about our sacred sanctuary, and you are finding amusement in my words?"
Alia gently let go of Viktor's hand and reached toward the dashboard, her tone filled with cold confidence. She replied in a calm voice, "I am laughing because I know exactly where this is. Viktor, have you forgotten? I am not just your Godmother; the veins and arteries of this entire Russian territory of Moscow are known to me. The area you are speaking of—it is real, and this is the very secret part of Moscow where the blood of the mafia has been intertwined for ages."
Viktor listened in astonishment as Alia effortlessly unveiled the mystery of the area. Pointing toward the church spire, Alia added, "This area is not on the map of ordinary people, Viktor. It is that ancient Russian sector of Moscow that has been buried in the pages of history. You brought me here because you know that I am the true owner of this place. My laughter is not of disdain, but a recognition of the secret history of our empire."
As Alia finished speaking, the atmosphere inside the car grew heavier. Viktor realized that while he had tried to surprise Alia by taking her to a hidden location, she already possessed true dominion over the place. Viktor fell silent for a moment, then a faint smile of concession appeared on his lips. He knew that nothing was unknown to this Russian Godmother. The busyness of the office reached its peak from the early morning. Viktor Alexeyevich sat in his luxurious office reviewing files, but his attention was entirely on Alia. Alia sat at another desk across from him, working. Every so often, Viktor would lift his icy blue eyes to gaze at her; Alia noticed but offered no comment. The silence of the office only served to heighten the invisible tension between them.
The routine work of the morning stretched into the afternoon. As the city sky darkened and the office lights flickered on, the exhaustion of the workday created a strange sense of intimacy between them. Viktor left his chair and walked slowly toward Alia's desk. Alia was finishing up her files, sipping from a coffee mug; she looked up at the sound of Viktor's footsteps.
"Is there still work left, Alia?" Viktor's voice held a dark depth that seemed to warm even the cool air of the office.
Alia smiled faintly and closed her laptop. "Everything is finished, Viktor. But is a Mafia Lord like you thinking of leaving the office and returning home so soon?"
Viktor stepped closer, leaning over Alia's desk until their faces were inches apart. "The night is growing, Alia. The city outside is becoming far more dangerous, and I do not want to leave my Godmother alone within these four walls."
Alia stood up and adjusted her black blazer. The familiar, intense pull between them ignited once more. They left the office and walked straight to the parking garage. In the dim, flickering light, Viktor stopped Alia near the door of his luxury car. Their conversation was no longer professional; it had shifted into a primal attraction.
Alia brushed Viktor's chin with her fingers and whispered, "Are you truly afraid that someone will steal your Godmother once night falls?"
Viktor locked his gaze into hers and replied in a low, resonant tone, "I give no one that opportunity, Alia. You are mine, and I will not let anyone claim a share of this dark night that belongs to you."
In the silence of the night-time garage, a new equation formed between them, where Viktor's power and Alia's authority blended into one. As the daylight hours of the office faded, the real game of their underworld began. They climbed into the car; their destination was no longer the office, but the secret sanctuary of their empire a place where the night never ends, but only begins. Viktor suddenly grabbed Alia's hand and pulled her close. With a gaze full of intense admiration, he said, "What are you doing? You are getting more beautiful day by day, Alia."
Alia stood still. Viktor placed his hands on her cheeks and said with deep affection, "I love you, Alia." Looking into his eyes, Alia smiled gently and replied, "Me too, Viktor." Viktor then kissed her forehead softly, lifted her into his arms, and kissed her lips deeply.
The scene shifted inside their luxurious Rolls-Royce. Looking into Alia's eyes with a concerned tone, Viktor said, "Alia Isrovona. My mommy. My wife. What happened to you?"
Alia then ruffled Viktor's hair with her hand and said with a sweet smile, "My daddy, sexy husband, Viktor Alexeyevich. Nothing else is happening, crazy. Haaaaa." They then embraced each other in another deep kiss.
A moment later, something crossed Alia's mind, and she felt shy. She instructed the driver to stop the car and stepped out. Standing a short distance away, she murmured, "I... I am going, Viktor."
Viktor called out in surprise, "Hey, mommy!" He quickly stepped out of the car as well. Alia stood by the corner of the car, smiling to herself. She thought, 'Haaaa, I feel like a clown when I see him smiling.'
Viktor approached her and asked, "Are you kidding me?"
Alia replied with a laugh, "Yes, haaa."
Viktor then leaned in and said, "Kiss me, Alia."
Alia, acting a bit shy and pulling away, said, "Not sure, Viktor. I am going home."