Chapter 6 - Dimitri Romanov POV
I was working in my office.
Yes - being a mafia boss meant handling everything in detail. Every deal, every shipment, every alliance, every betrayal.
One wrong move, one missing piece, and everything could collapse.
Especially in New York.
Too many gangs. Too many mafias. Too many snakes pretending to be allies.
But that never stopped me.
It only made my men - my bratva - the most feared and powerful organization in the city.
I checked the time and smirked.
Any minute now, my men would bring Victoria Hartmann to me.
The ice-blonde CEO.
The princess of Averlyn - a massive, elite city inside New York where only filthy rich families lived. Power, influence, money... all gathered in one place.
And at the top of it?
The Hartmanns.
Hector Hartmann had built an empire.
But his daughter - Victoria - had turned it into a legend.
Kidnapping her would be the perfect revenge.
Without her, Hartmann Stahlwerke would crumble.
Slowly.
Painfully.
I chuckled darkly.
I had heard Hector had another daughter too.
I didn't even know her name.
Brad told me she was useless - sleeping, shopping, eating, living like a spoiled princess.
Pathetic.
The door opened.
Brad entered quickly. "Boss. They're here. Alex just messaged me. They're inside the mansion."
I stood up instantly, a slow dangerous smile forming on my lips.
"Perfect. Is she in the basement room?"
Brad shook his head. "No. They said she's in the living room."
My smile twitched. "Living room?"
I started walking. "Those idiots. I hope she's still unconscious."
As I descended the stairs, I suddenly heard a female voice.
"I don't like sushi. I'm allergic to seafood."
I froze mid-step.
...What?
She was awake?
And talking about food?
Then I heard her again.
"So where is your hot mafia boss?"
I closed my eyes for a second, pressing my fingers to my temple.
Alex.
That idiot.
He must have hit her head too hard.
Great. Now I'd have to pay for a doctor too.
I continued downstairs.
And that's when I saw her.
From behind.
Long blonde hair.
Pink jogging outfit.
Pink.
Jogging.
On a CEO.
...Interesting.
I straightened, masking my confusion, and said coldly,
"You're looking for me, Victoria?"
She turned.
Blue eyes.
Soft lips.
Delicate nose.
Exactly like Brad had described.
Beautiful.
I repeated calmly, "You're looking for me, Victoria?"
She stared at me from head to toe.
I was ready for fear.
For hatred.
For tears.
For anger.
Instead-
She ran toward me.
I stepped back instinctively.
Not from fear.
From pure confusion.
She stopped inches from me, tilted her head, smiled brightly and said,
"Hey, handsome."
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
What the hell?
Behind me, Brad arrived.
I jumped slightly - not from fear - and shot Alex a murderous look. Cause He was chuckling.
I would kill him later.
Slowly.
Painfully.
I turned to Brad. His eyes were wide, scanning her face like he'd seen a ghost.
"You didn't tell me Victoria Hartmann was this... friendly," I said coldly.
Brad stepped closer to her, staring intensely.
She laughed. "First one falling for me already."
Brad suddenly shouted, "IDIOT! She's not the woman whose photo I sent you!"
Silence crashed into the room.
My blood ran cold.
"What?" I snapped.
Brad pointed at her. "She's not Victoria Hartmann!"
I slowly turned back to the girl.
If she wasn't Victoria...
Then who the hell had my men kidnapped?
She smiled sweetly.
"Ohhh. That's why you keep calling me Victoria." She tilted her head. "You were close though."
She placed a hand on her chest dramatically.
"I'm Valeria Hartmann. Her older sister."
My world stopped.
"...What?"
She grinned wider. "Nice to meet you all."
Valeria Hartmann.
The useless sister.
The spoiled princess.
The one who sleeps and eats all day.
I stared at her in disbelief.
This chaotic, fearless, insane woman...
Was her?
Oh.
This was going to be a disaster.