Zoya’s POV
“Sit your buttocks down, Zoya!” Father commanded, scowling deeply.
I shook my head in disbelief, begging mother with my eyes to help me. She was perched docile behind father’s swivel chair and couldn’t even bring herself to look at me, she lowered her head, looked everywhere else but me.
My father was a tough man but I couldn’t believe he’d ever betray me like this.
“Don’t make me repeat myself, young lady.” Nestor barked again, slamming a fist against his office table, the tip of his ears glowing red in anger.
Fear slipped in my veins and pumped through my body. I cowered and slouched in my sit, my hands shivering on my black plaid skirt.
“Good.” Father continued, fixing his tie, his eyes crinkling on the corners with seriousness. “You will do as you are told Zoya and be a good wife to Rasputin Ivankov. He is a powerful, ruthless boss of the prestigious Ivankov bravta. He will provide for you and protect you. You will in turn will warm his bed and bear him strong sons and daughters while keeping your pretty mouth shut and eyes down. You will bring honor to our family through this highly important marriage. Your union will not only stop a war but secure a good future for your sisters. Have I made myself clear?”
I shivered violently, angrily swiping the tears that slipped down my cheeks. Sniffing. I kept my head down and my mouth shut.
My father signed a contract to marry me off to a coldblooded killer. Rapist. Woman-beater. Child trafficker. The absolute worst. The list went on and on. Rasputin Ivankov was the boogie-man and everyone knew it.
He was the horror story that was told to get rebellious children to behave.
If you don’t brush your teeth, Rasputin Ivankov will adopt you and make you sleep in his hound cage.
Eat your veggies or else Rasputin Ivankov will give command to his hell-hound to come eat you alive.
Stay in the bed or else Rasputin Ivankov will grab your foot from under your bed and make you live in a dark closet with him and his nasty flesh eating family.
He was a tyrant and cruel man just like my father.
Only worst.
I had never seen him before but his ruthless reputation presides him.
Last year Rasputin killed my dearest cousin, Stepan, when he went to war with my father.
How could I marry such an evil man?
Father didn’t know this but I’d rather kill myself than live in a loveless marriage like my mother.
I cleared my throat. “W-wh-what about Yuri?”
Yuri was the man I was betrothed to marry right from childhood.
Yuri never yelled at me. When Dad wasn’t watching, he’d dismiss my bodyguards and sneak me out of the house for ice cream or hold my hand for a walk in the park, risks be damned.
He made me smile and gave me butterflies. He was good looking too. Incredibly. And his kind green eyes smiled whenever he made me blush. And he had this freckle beside his nose I adored.
I-I loved him.
Dad waved Yuri off. “He’s not a good enough match for you. He will settle for one of your younger sisters.”
“But father –” I started to retort.
“ZOYA!” Father impatiently slammed his hand against the table again and this time I jerk with it.
“Nestor, perhaps, if you gave Zoya more time to process this – ” Mum calmly started to lighten the tension but father cuts her off.
“Olga, know your place, woman! Unless you’re in the kitchen or in our bedroom, you don’t talk unless you’re spoken to. I blame you for your daughter’s insolence! If you did wifely duties and raise her right, she would have been more receptive to orders!” Dad huffed.
Like everyone else, mum cowered too and kept her mouth shut and eyes lowered in submission. From the corner of my eyes, I caught her peering at me with sympathy. I didn’t need her sympathy… I needed something else. Something I couldn’t place my hand on, something like a low fire humming inside me. Something that begged to be released.
Father’s gray eyes glared at me as he handed over a white document and a pen. His voice is finally when he said. “Sign the contract. Your wedding is next week.”
Women had no place in my world. We had no rights. No power.
Left with no choice, with shaky hands and watery eyes, I reached for the contract.
Through my blurry eyes, I saw that my husband-to-be has already signed. I angrily scribbled my signature as a tear dropped on the white document.
Father smiled cunningly when he saw that the deal has already been done. He took the document from me and examined it.
“Good.” He nodded with approval. “Good.” He reached for his drawer and fetched a huge expensive diamond ring and handed it to me. “Put it on. Now wear your engagement ring with pride and go share the good news with your sisters.”
I did as told and ran out of the office with the shinny heavy ring weighing me down on my finger.
I heard Mum calling after me but I paid no heed as I slammed the door after me.
I ran and ran sobbing my frustration through the corridors of our mansion until I hit a wall.
When I looked up, I met Yuri’s concerned eyes. “Yuri?”
He held me tight on my waist, shaking me slightly. “What is it, Zoya?”
“Yuri?” I called, cupping his jaw. His concerned beautiful green eyes swallowing me with concern.
“I’m here Zoya boya.”
“We have to run away.” I told him urgently, tears sliding down my cheeks.
As if on clue, he caught the glinting ring on my finger, his face darkening with rage and confusion. “Whose ring is marking your finger, boya?.” His eyes darkened, a snarl forming at the corner of his lips.
“He betrayed you. Nestor betrayed you. He betrayed all of us.” I panted.
As he fought for compulsion, his fingers inched up and gently thumbed away my tears.
“Please,” I begged with desperate eyes, clutching the sleeve of his suit tightly. “Let us run away and start our family together without my father’s blessings.”