Ivan's POV

Thunder rumbled as rain streaked down the glass, drops clinging stubbornly to the surface. Inside the car was foggy, with the window slightly rolled down.

The ember on the cigarette burned, smoke wrapping around me. My mind kept wandering back that night.

The look in her eyes haunted me: sharp, unyielding, nothing like the scared little Betty who used to blush at Kyle’s every move.

These past decades had been a haze. I don't know when the change happened, but still, my gut told me something was wrong. Lately, her actions had been off like she’d given up, like she had nothing left to lose.

A groan slipped past my lips before I drew in a drag, then slowly puffed out. I had bigger problems on my plate to have the luxury to think about her.

I scoffed. My hand stretched towards the gap in the window to let the smoke leave.

"Have there been any incidents in the Rivers family recently?" I asked my assistant Karl, seated in the passenger's seat. He sat upright and adjusted his glass before he spoke.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Mrs Rivers just made a big investment in Genesis." He informed me, and my brows furrowed, the name was familiar.

"Genesis," the name rolled off my tongue. Mrs Rivers was smart; she led a corporation on her own for years after her husband's death. She knew what she was doing.

The car came to a halt, and I glanced outside. My frown deepened, realising we were at the gates.

"Sir we have a situation on our hands," Karl mentioned, his gaze focused ahead. I followed the direction of his eyes and quickly found the cause of the ruckus.

"Bertha," my eyes narrowed. What was she doing here? I knew my dear fiancé wasn't that affectionate to wait for me in the rain. She should have waited in the car or in the villa. The guards would have let her in after I was informed but she chose to block the gate with her car, standing under the rain.

I could feel her glare all the way from here. "How long has she been here?" I asked Karl who was communicating with the security. "Close to an hour. She refused to move and no one touched her." He explained.

.

I sighed, not in the mood for her drama.

The car door was pulled open. Karl stood at the door holding an umbrella over my head. I stepped out of the car and my gaze instantly found her icy blue eyes. She was fuming.

I took the umbrella from Karl, "No one should interfere." I relayed before walking towards the gate. She trembled in the rain, legs barely holding her weight, yet her glare stayed razor-sharp.

Her golden blond hair, drenched and darkened, clung to her frame. The night breeze blew carrying the rain, she looked like a deserted soldier.

“Keep this up, and I might start believing you’re in love with me.” I teased, her face instantly flushed, the same look her eyes had in the past.

She gritted her teeth, her small fist clenched by herself. "Not even in your wildest dreams." She retorted. My gaze scanned her small frame still standing under the rain. My brow raised, "That's an endearing thing to say to your fiancé."

Bertha scoffed, she took two steps backwards, her eyes unwavering. Her lips parted and she accused me like the devil I was in her eyes. "Where is she?"

Her accusations left me confused, although I had an idea of who she was talking about. I still asked. "Who are you talking about? I am not a psychic to read your mind."

Her expression twisted, her movements sudden and calculated. She pulled out a gun from her purse and aimed it directly at me.

She trembled, breath ragged, but the barrel never wavered. My men aimed at her instantly, yet I lifted a hand. I wanted to see how far she’d go.

The Orlov family were one of the biggest weapons manufacturers in the country and she thought a single gun could threaten me. "You have indeed grown horns, Bertha," I said coldly, my face turned serious, not because I was scared.

Her finger curled the trigger, her focus slipping, but she held on like this was her only hope. Bertha drew in a deep breath, then clenched her jaw. "Where is Esther?! You agreed to the deal and yet went behind my back to kidnap her." She barked at me, her eyes fighting back tears.

Confused, I glanced at Karl, trying to get answers. The look on his face said it all. Poor little Betty.

I turned back to her, then took a step close, and she cocked her gun threateningly. "One more step then I fire. Even if I die, we go down together."

I scoffed, then took another step, then the next. I continued walking, enjoying the way she shrank back, her body shaking because of fear and anger until.

I bent over pressing my head against the barrel. My men were probably dumbfounded by my brazen action but I knew Bertha more than she knew herself. "Pull the trigger." I urged her with a smirk pushing her to the end.

A sweet laugh slipped from her lips. Her eyes looked like a maniac's. "Do you think I can't?" She challenged pressing the gun against my skull.

My hand grabbed her hand holding the gun to steady it. "Your hands lack determination," I said, then locked eyes with her. The sharp hatred in them made me smile bitterly.

"You can't kill me with these trembling hands." Her eyes went wide but she refused to lower her weapon. Someone like her would not easily stain her hands with blood.

"Lies.." she barked. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. "I can kill you, Ivan, and I will....."

"Where did you take her? I thought you would keep your word." She added in a trembling voice. I straightened up then sighed. ..

"I didn't take her, why would I go after less?" I asked back using her former words. "Our engagement party date will soon be picked, Bertha. I didn't do it."

"You are lying." She cried, then accidentally released a shot. She missed and fell back on her butt, even scared of her own gun. My gaze turned cold, I kicked away the gun then squatted to her level. They yanked her off the ground.

Her wet body presses against me. She was trembling. Her face was already flushed heated up with a slight fever

"I am not lying. Do you want me to read out the facts to your face?" I tried to reason with her. She was too emotional to think. She loved her cousin like a little sister. It wasn't too surprising that she agreed to be a substitute; that was how close they were.

Honestly, I never planned on marrying Esther. Although she would have been my wife in name there were many ways she could pay back her debt

Bertha squirmed trying to break my hold. My grip only tightened. She drummed her hand against my chest, her broken cries filled the night. "Let go of me you monster. Bring her back."

I hugged her tight with one hand and shielded us from the rain with the other. I let her calm down a bit before my unfiltered words broke her again. "I didn't take her, she ran away."

My words were like a bucket of cold water doused on her. Bertha froze then slowly glanced at me. Her eyes blinked slowly in disbelief. "What do you mean?" Her lips were quivering.

She didn't refute immediately; she was in a state of self-doubt. "Your dear sister ran away with her lover after tricking you into taking her place. You're so oblivious."

"No..no... Esther won't do that." She snapped, her hand clutching my shirt. "That's not Esther." She was desperately trying to convince herself.

"Think about it, she sensed she was in danger. Instead of calling the police or your mother, she called you. Did you ever wonder why?" I asked her, and she started breathing heavily, like a weight was on her chest.

" They wanted to use you to pay their debts in a sick way, when that didn't work, she tricked you into this marriage." I paused to let my words sink in.

"Esther was never in danger, you were. You got played, Bertha Rivers." That was her final straw. She shoved me off with all her strength, then stumbled to the ground, her hand covered her face, and she cried.

"You are lying. Just say you are lying and bring Esther back." She desperately cried.

I could not help but smile. Her cries were like music to my ears. I went down to her level once more. "Wake up from your delusion. "

Her nails scrape asphalt, voice cracking like it’s tearing her throat. "The engagement is off." She said on her last breath. My smile grew, "You seem to be forgetting. Once the deal was made there was no way out. Only death can break it.."

"... I warned you."

Her chest started rising fast. She pointed at me, trying to find the words, but none were on her lips.

Bertha's eyes rolled, her hand fell and she went cold. Falling into my arms.