Chapter 40


    St. Michael Hospital


    Niki fell to his knees in the hallway outside intensive care as Devon delivered the news to them.


    Alexei was fighting his way to see Belle but the General''s security prevented him to go inside the room.


    From not too far was Belle''s mother, sobbing on her husband''s chest.


    Matushka was calming Alexei down while the other brother was aghast- still on the floor, speechless.


    "I just want to see her! I want to see her! Belle!" Yelled Alexei.


    "Alexei please..."


    "Matushka! I need to see her. I am her husband! I have the right to see her!"


    "She doesn''t want to see you or Niki or anyone from your family. She needs to rest. You must


    leave." Said Devon with a hint of warning on his tone. He steps away and then instructed something to


    the Pwi security men.


    "We need to give her time, Alexei. Your wife is going through a very hard time. She needs to rest. We


    wille backter." Said Matushka, pleading to her son.


    Alexei clenches his jaw, eyes glistening with tears. He turns his back and pressed his fist to the wall. In


    his mind, there is no one to me but him. He knows how badly his actions had hurt Belle and how


    things they have done pushed their wife to miscarriage.


    Irene holds back her tears as she consoles Niki. He just lost his babies and he knows he is about to


    lose his wife as well. The Russian Mafia Boss has just made the biggest mistake and it cost him the


    lives of his unborn children and the woman to whom his world revolves around.


    The Volkov matriarch is afraid that Niki goes back into the rabbit hole. She has seen how destructive


    he was to himself and to everyone around him when he went through something like this in the past.


    She knows how much Belle means to the brothers. She is their world, she''s the air that they breathe


    and the sun that gives light into their lives. Irene can''t even begin to imagine what will happen if they


    lose Belle.


    Irene cups Niki''s face to force him to look her in the eye, "Look at me Niki. You have to pick


    yourself up. Belle needs a little breathing space right now but we wille back and get her. You still


    have a wife who needs you. You have to hold on."


    Niki wasn''t able to say a single word. In his mind, what he did to her was unforgivable. Belle was so


    convinced that his love for her was a sham. He recalls her face right before she bled. Her eyes said it


    all. He broke her heart. Worst of all, he broke her.


    -


    The Volkov Mansion


    Niki is standing by the window as he impatiently waits for news from the hospital. His brother went


    there despite the advice of Matushka to give Belle the time she needs. Niki and Alexei believe that


    the longer it takes for them to see her and talk to her, the more they will fall apart. They need to talk to


    her and exin everything. More importantly, they need to be with her as they go through the loss of


    their babies.


    The Russian Mafia Boss saw the SUVs pull over their driveway and so he hurriedly went to the grand


    foyer to meet Alexei.


    "What happened?" Asked Niki.


    Alexei just looked at him, not saying a single word. Boris, Andrey and Dimitri have the same look of


    hopelessness on their faces. They left the brothers to talk.


    "What happened? Did you see her?"


    "She''s gone." Alexei answered with a faint voice.


    "What do you mean she''s gone?" Niki asked as he grabs Alexei to meet his gaze.


    "She''s not in the hospital anymore. She was fetched by a helicopter right after we left."


    "Do you know where she was sent to?"


    "No. Hospital personnel and even the doctors were kept in the blind. Papa and Ma''s phones are


    untraceable. Amy would not talk to me. Pa pulled some strings to keep this all under the radar. I


    contacted our connections to get a location but it was a dead end."


    Niki cups Alexei''s face with his palms. "I will find another way. We will get our wife back. We will not


    stop until we find her and get her home."


    He already turned his back on him to go to the study when Alexei spoke again, "What if she doesn''t


    want to be found?"


    Niki was halted as his brother''s question hits close to home. He brushed off the thought because he


    knows that he is not prepared to face that one scary supposition, "What matters is she''s still our wife.


    Nothing and no one can ever take her away from us. I will make sure of that."


    -


    The only sound that can be heard in the middle of the night is the taped knuckles hitting the punchbag


    inside the gym. No one seems to be in the mood to sleep especially the Boss and the Underboss of the


    Russian Mafia. Niki hits the bag relentlessly, sweat dripping down his bare face and half-naked


    body. Boris is holding the bag tightly as his Boss punches his heartache away. Too bad for him


    however, this is only the first night that Belle is gone. Their future is still uncertain and that''s what


    makes Niki lose his mind.


    He managed to push away his wife, a woman with the purest of heart and did nothing but love him and


    his brother without any condition whatsoever. She epted him for who he really is. She was there at


    his worst. She knew his demons. She was his ride or die.


    Niki was deep in his thoughts when he heard amotion outside. When they came to check, they


    saw the two maids crying in front of Dimitri. Alexei is screaming from the master bedroom, obviously


    agitated about something.


    "It''s okay. Next time ask the butler before you go inside the Boss'' bedroom. From now on, never touch


    Madame''s things until you are told otherwise. Now go on." Said Dimitri to the maids.


    "What''s this about?" Asked Niki as he removes the tape from his hands. They can still hear Alexei


    scream from the second floor, obviously already inebriated.


    "The maids washed the duvet, the sheets and Madame''s clothes they took from your bedroom. And


    Alexei...well.."


    Dimitri did not even have to exin further. Niki knew why his brother got mad, as ridiculous as the


    reason may be.


    "I got this. You two may sleep." He said to Dimitri and Boris.


    When he got inside their bedroom, he saw Alexei holding a ss of vodka in one hand while his other


    hand is caressing Belle''s robe to his chest. He is already half asleep but is murmuring something,


    ''Princess, I miss you. I love you so much. I''m sorry. I love you. I need you.''


    Niki took the ss from his hand slowly and covered his brother with the duvet. He noticed that the


    maids certainly took and changed every single sheet and clothing that could have at least have Belle''s


    scent. Hepletely understands why his brother went crazy. The maids did their fucking jobs


    fantastically in wiping things clean. He started to get pissed as well when suddenly he remembered


    something.


    He went to the counter where they hide the stashes of Belle''s panties they used to collect. He took


    several pieces and put them right beside his brother. In his mind, this should be enough to put the


    fucker to a few hours of sleep.


    Right now, Niki knows that his brother needs him by his side as much as he needs Alexei. He saw


    what his brother went through for so many years just to save Yelena from herself. Niki was the sole


    witness to the fa?ade that his sister and Alexei were making in front of Vyachev, the Russian Mafia


    and the rest of the world. In the losing end was Alexei. He cared for her perhaps a little too much while


    she was in love with someone else.


    When Alexei finally found someone whom he fell in love with, Niki promised himself that his brother


    was going to get the love that he so deserves. A true and genuine love from a woman who openly gave


    her heart without regard to what the world will say. A love that was, without reservation, given by Belle


    to him and his brother.


    As to himself, Niki just realized how much he misses Belle terribly. No words can describe the pain


    in his heart right now, knowing that he might havepletely lost her.


    The dismal silence in the whole mansion is deafening. Looking at her portrait hanging on the wall, he


    started to think of what might have been their future. He was finally on his way to build his own family


    with a woman he''s madly in love with. They could have had the babies months from now and Belle


    would have been a great mother to his first born --a mother that he never had when he was a little boy.


    He recalls asking Vyachev about his mother at the dinner table one Christmas night. His little


    curious mind did not understand why Alexei and the other kids had mothers who hug, kiss and wipe


    their tears whenever they cry. He did not understand why he was allowed to y outside while his


    ssmates were making Mother''s day cards once every year. He did not understand why he found it


    hard to draw an image of his mother when Ms. Griffin asked them to show a drawing of his family to


    ss.


    Vyachev did not mince his words when he exined to Niki that his mother did not want him. She


    was going to get rid of him the moment she knew she was pregnant but Vyachev wants to take


    responsibility for his child. He paid her off to keep the baby until Niki was born. Vyachev flew to


    the United States, carrying the baby in his arms.


    His father then went on to say that whatever happened in the past, he must take it as it is and grow up


    to be a man for himself. It was not long enough when Yelena, Irene, Viktor and Alexei yed a role in


    his life. Until then, he was raised to be Vyachev''s heir. He was taught a lot of things that made him


    who he is in the present---dealing with heartbreak however was not one of them.


    -


    The next day and without any sleep, Niki arranged a secret meeting in a secluded area outside of


    the big city. They are inside their SUV as they wait for someone from the high ranks of one of the


    agencies of the US government to alight from an entourage of ck cars. The woman was in her mid-


    forties, blonde hair and has a frigid demeanor. She gets inside Niki''s SUV, all serious and business-


    like. She hands him a brown envelope containing pictures of Belle from inside the Pwian Embassy.


    W: They did not leave the US. Her father asked assistance from the State Department for their safe


    passage from the hospital to the embassy. Since then, the embassy is in the no-fly zone and security


    has tripled in size. The General hired private contractors mostly with Pwian ancestry as bodyguards.


    Niki: Is there a way in?


    W: It''s business as usual in the left-wing annex of the embassy. (Points at the part of the picture) It is


    connected to the main residence but expect it to be heavily guarded.


    Niki: And what about Sergey Yvanislov? I cannot afford someone like Sergey on the wind while my


    wife''s security is beyond my control. Someone out there is protecting that motherfucker. And you still


    don''t have intel about him until now.


    W: Mr. Volkov, I have eyes only in the outside world, I have little to no influence in the underworld. As


    far as the agency is concerned, Sergey is a ghost. He disappeared after his whole family was


    massacred by your people. We do not know if he is even alive. All we know is he has the money to pay


    people off for him to stay alive. I assure you, if his namees up in any chatter, you will be the first


    one to know.


    -


    Volkov Holdings (VH)


    Niki, Alexei, Dimitri and Andrey are inside the big Boss'' office nning their next move. Boris


    approached Niki to tell him that someone who imed to be working with Governor-General Galves


    wants to see him.


    He was searched by Boris for any weapons before letting him inside. He was basically forced to sit


    down right across Niki and Alexei even though the man was insisting that he need not sit because


    his business with Niki won''t take long.


    "Speak." Said Alexei.


    "Mr. Niki Vyachev Volkov?" Asked the man, all fidgety.


    "It depends. Why are you asking?" Inserted Dimitri.


    The man sighed in frustration, "If I can just have my cellphone and eyesses back, I have a picture of


    Mr. Volkov there. Please? So we can all go on with our day?" He was looking at the faces of the men in


    front of him giving particr attention to the man unbeknownst to him, is actually the one he''s looking


    for.


    "Why did the General send you here?" Asked Alexei.


    "I need to give some papers to Mr. Volkov."


    "What papers?" Asked Dimitri.


    "I just need Mr. Niki Vyachev Volkov please."


    Andrey took the envelope from him forcefully as Boris drags him out of Niki''s office. On his way out


    however, the man yelled something that rmed the brothers.


    "You''ve been served Mr. Niki Vyachev Volkov!"


    When they opened the envelope, it was then that they realized that they were divorce papers -- Niki


    as the defendant and Mary Arabe Galves Volkov as the intiff.


    Belle just filed for divorce to legally dissolve their marriage. The nightmare that Niki was scared of


    happening just became a reality.


    Not long enough, Alexei''s phone rang and it is the Cartel Boss.


    "This is not a good time Axel."


    "Having a bad day huh?"


    "What do you want?"


    "I just thought that you''d want to know that your name came up at the registrar and in one of the courts


    in Bogota. I had my people dig for information and they confirmed that it was filed bywyers hired by


    Mary Arabe Volkov."


    "She filed what?"


    "It''s a petition for divorce. Expect that you will be served within the week. And by that I mean, make


    sure that never happens."


    -


    Belle''s POV


    "It''s done Ara." Devon said as he got off the phone.


    "Thank you Devy." I said, looking at the window as the sun starts to set.


    "Are you sure about this?"


    I do not know what to respond. At this point, I am not sure about anything. All I know is that this must


    be done. From here on, I need to get used to not having Niki and Alexei beside me. I thought by


    now, after so many times those two broke my heart, that I''d get used to this feeling. I was wrong. One


    can never get used to the pain and the heartbreak.


    I had a feeling that my parents and Devon knew about my rtionship with both Niki and Alexei.


    Apparently, the two came clean to my father a long time ago. My father knew I was in a rtionship


    with the two and he also knew that Niki and Alexei are the Russian Mafia Boss and Underboss. My


    parents and I never really got the chance to talk about it, they did not even ask me why or what has


    gotten into my head for marrying two Mafia men. All my father said was that he trusted Niki and


    Alexei with my safety plus I think he did not really have much choice that time because I was already


    pregnant.


    I also found out from Devon that when my parents went back to the hotel the night before I bled, Niki


    and Alexei confessed to my father what really happened. That they forgot about my birthday and that


    we were having problems but they vowed to work things out with me. However, my father told them that


    after what they have done, the decision will ultimately be mine.


    "Ara."


    "Yah. I''m sorry Devy. I was just thinking about something."


    "It''s okay. Remember that I will always be here for you. You have us, Ma and Papa and Amy. We will be


    here for you and the..."


    "Omg! B! Devon! Come and see this!" Amy said rushing into the room, almost yelling at us. She''s now


    looking outside the window, utterly bbergasted.


    Something is happening at the embassy entrance. It''s the document process server that my father


    envelope containing the divorce papers are taped over his mouth and his hands are tied together as he


    begs the security personnel to let him in.


    That poor man. He was just doing his job.


    This means that Niki already knows that we are here at the Embassy. I am not surprised a single bit.


    With how vast hiswork and influence over New York, Niki can basically do everything he wants


    and get any information he needs. Even though my transfer from the Hospital to the embassy was


    considered ssified information, Niki still got a hold of it with no trouble.


    I knew that divorcing the two was not going to be easy. They have made it very clear a few times in the


    past that they are not having any of it. Even though at that time, it was only a joke. To them however, it


    was too damn real to a point that Niki threatened to kill anyone who will facilitate the divorce


    including thewyers. That is why I asked my father to hire the bestw firm hoping no Volkov has


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    influence over them.


    Devon just talked to one of our security. The process server has something to give me and he said that


    it is very important. The man is already begging like his life depended on it. Knowing fully well Niki


    and Alexei and what they are capable of, there is no doubt that his life actually depended on it.


    The man has bruises all over his face and his left eye is already swollen. His hands are shaking as he


    opens a paper he took from his jacket pocket.


    "Your husband is a very bad man and you are right to divorce him." He whispered before he handed


    over the paper.


    I did not even attempt to read it. I just ced it on top of the table in my room and try to forget about it.


    Right now, no matter what they say or do, there is no ce in my heart for any forgiveness.