chapter 4

Lena sat on the edge of the bed, her hands trembling as she clutched her phone. She hadn’t been able to close her eyes for more than a few minutes, haunted by the images from the previous night. Yet, beneath the surface, there was a strange exhilaration she couldn’t deny—a thrill that sent a shiver down her spine.

Victor’s voice broke through her thoughts, low and casual. “Morning, Lena,” he said, strolling into the bedroom, fully dressed and annoyingly composed. He leaned against the doorframe, watching her with an unreadable expression.

Lena looked up at him, her eyes slightly red from lack of sleep, but a wide, satisfied smile played on her lips. “Morning,” she muttered, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.

Victor moved closer, sitting beside her on the bed. “You didn’t sleep,” he observed, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“I couldn’t,” she admitted, her lips curving into a smirk as she leaned into his touch. “Too much on my mind, I guess.”

Victor chuckled, his hand trailing down her arm. “Jacob’s out of the picture now, Lena. You should be relieved. We’ve finally gotten rid of that obstacle.”

Lena’s pulse quickened at his words, a wicked smile spreading across her face as she looked into Victor’s eyes. There was no remorse, no regret—only a cold satisfaction that mirrored her own. “You’re right,” she whispered, leaning closer to him. “It’s exactly what I wanted.”

Victor’s eyes gleamed with approval, and he let out a low, triumphant laugh. “I knew you’d come around,” he said, his tone dripping with arrogance. “Jacob was nothing but a hindrance—a pathetic weakling who never deserved you.”

Lena felt a surge of exhilaration at his words. “He was a fool,” she said, her voice filled with contempt. “Always trying to hold me back, keep me in his shadow. But now…” She paused, her eyes gleaming with a dark satisfaction. “Now I’m free.”

Victor’s grin widened, his eyes narrowing with predatory satisfaction. “Free to do whatever you want,” he said, his voice low and conspiratorial. “And we can do it together without anyone standing in our way.”

Lena nodded, her heart racing with excitement. She felt powerful, like she had finally taken control of her life. “This is what I’ve always wanted,” she said, her voice firm and resolute. “And now, nothing can stop us.”

Victor’s hand tightened around hers, his eyes dark with intent. “You’re mine, Lena,” he said, his voice a possessive growl. “And I’m never letting you go.”

Lena’s smile widened as she squeezed his hand. “Good,” she replied, her voice filled with a dangerous excitement. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”

They shared a look of mutual understanding—a look that spoke of their shared ambition, their desire for power and control. Lena felt a rush of adrenaline as she imagined the future they would build together, free from the constraints that had held them back.

Victor’s phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking the charged silence between them. He reached for it, glancing at the screen before a slow, satisfied smile spread across his face.

“What is it?” Lena asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Looks like the news broke early,” Victor said, holding up the phone for her to see.

Lena’s breath caught in her throat as she read the headline: "Body Found by the River—Identified as Jacob Wright."

A thrill of excitement shot through her, mixed with a sense of finality. It was over. Jacob was gone.

“It’s done,” she whispered, her eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. “He’s really gone.”

Victor nodded, his smile mirroring hers. “He’s not coming back, Lena. And now, you and I can move forward without any loose ends.”

Lena felt a rush of exhilaration at his words, her mind racing with the possibilities that lay ahead. “This is what we wanted, isn’t it?” she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

Victor’s expression darkened with pleasure as he pulled her close, his breath warm against her ear. “It’s exactly what we wanted,” he murmured, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “And now, we can have everything we’ve ever dreamed of.”

Lena’s smile widened as she took in the gravity of the situation. Jacob was finally gone, out of her life for good. There was no longer any need for pretense. there was no need to tiptoe around his fragile ego. The future was wide open, and she could feel the power of that freedom coursing through her veins.

Victor’s hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space between them. He kissed her, hard and possessive, as if claiming her all over again. Lena melted into him, her body responding to his touch with a hunger she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Everything we’ve ever wanted, Lena,” Victor whispered against her lips, his voice thick with desire. “We can have it all.”

Lena moaned softly, her hands tangling in his hair as she kissed him back with equal fervour. The thrill of victory, the adrenaline, and the sheer intensity of the moment fueled her passion. She felt alive, more alive than she had in years.

“We’re unstoppable,” Victor declared, his tone laced with triumph as he pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. His gaze was fierce, full of raw ambition. “There’s nothing left to stand in our way.”

Lena nodded, her smile growing as she envisioned the life ahead of them. “This is just the beginning,” she agreed, her voice firm with conviction.

Victor’s grin was feral, his eyes blazing with ambition. “We’ve earned this, Lena. We’ve worked for it, and now it’s ours.”

Lena couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her, a sound of pure, unrestrained joy. She was finally free of Jacob, free to live the life she had always wanted. And it felt *good.*

Victor joined in her laughter, his eyes gleaming with a shared understanding. “We’re unstoppable,” he repeated, his voice filled with confidence as he emphasized the word. “There’s nothing left to stand in our way.”

Lena’s eyes sparkled with excitement, her mind racing with thoughts of the future. She was ready to take on the world, ready to embrace the life she had always dreamed of.

Lena’s phone buzzed loudly, breaking the moment between them. Victor glanced at the screen and smirked, holding it out to her. “It’s your phone. Here,” he said, passing it to her.

Lena’s heart raced as she saw the notification from Mark. She took the phone from Victor’s hand, her fingers trembling as she answered the call and rose away from him.

“Hello?”

“Lena, it’s Mark,” said a familiar voice, urgent and panicked. “You need to get out of there. Victor… he’s dangerous. More than you know.”

Lena’s excitement mixed with a sharp jolt of fear. “What are you talking about?”

“There’s no time to explain. Meet me at the old café by the subway in ten minutes. I’ll tell you everything.”

“Mark, I—” But before she could finish, the line went dead.

Lena turned back to see Victor watching her from the doorway, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

“Who was that?” he asked, his tone cold.

“Just a friend,” Lena said, forcing a casual tone as she tried to mask her nervousness. “I need to go out for a bit.”

Victor’s expression darkened. “You’re not going anywhere, Lena.”

A chill ran down her spine. She had to get out now. “I’ll be quick. It’s just a minor emergency with a friend. Remember the friend I’ll be going to Paris with next month? Her brother just called me that she’s ill,” she lied, forcing a smile.

Victor’s eyes bore into hers, but he eventually nodded. “Fine, but don’t be long.”

“I won’t,” she assured him with a smile as she stepped out. As soon as she was out of sight, Victor’s phone buzzed again, and his eyes narrowed as he scrolled through the notifications.

“Old café? Subway?” he muttered to himself, his expression darkening.