“But you need to understand something, Valeria.”
I look at him.
His eyes are steady now. Absolute.
“No one approaches you by accident anymore,” he says. “Not in this house. Not anywhere.”
A beat.
“We are past coincidences.”
My stomach tightens again—but this time, I’m fully awake to it.
He leans in slightly, voice dropping just enough that only I can hear it.
“We have to be careful from now on.”
His gaze hardens.
“Because whoever is doing this will stop at nothing to hurt you.”
Chapter 14 – Timofey
Nearly a month passes.
I spend most nights working late, coordinating security efforts as Anton’s presence within the city becomes increasingly obvious. The constant pressure leaves me exhausted—but never unfocused.
Because exhaustion is manageable.
Mistakes are not.
The estate changes in subtle ways over time.
Security rotations tightened.
Guest access restricted.
Staff vetted twice over.
Nothing moves through this house without being accounted for.
And still—I don’t relax. Not even for a second.
Not when Valeria is involved.
She adapts too. Quietly. Almost annoyingly well.
She attends meetings when she has to. Speaks when it’s necessary. Watches everything else like she’s trying to memorize the world before it turns on her again.
And what irritates me most is how quickly she learns.
How fast fear turns into awareness in her.
Because it means she’s changing.
And I don’t know if that’s protection…or damage.
I don’t want her to change.
