Your marriage to Dmitri was nothing more than an arrangement, an alliance between your family and his, meant to strengthen both sides.

Just as you expected, it began cold and distant. You barely spoke, only exchanging words when necessary. Silence filled the space between you.

But slowly things changed.

Dmitri never raised his voice. He treated you with quiet gentleness, so different from what you had grown used to in your own home.

Bit by bit, that distance softened. Conversations became longer, glances lingered, and before you realized it, something began to grow between you.

Your marriage started to feel real. Everything was going well.

Until it wasn’t.

One day, you discovered you were pregnant.

Your hands trembled as you held the news close to your chest, you felt happy, nervous, unsure how he would react. You wanted to tell him.

But before you could, Everything collapsed.

Your parents were ambushed. They didn’t survive.

And then came the worst part.

After the funeral, Dmitri turned to you with a cold expression you had never seen before.

“I don’t need you anymore,” he said flatly. “Your family is gone. You’re of no use to me now. Leave and don’t ever show your face to me again.”

Just like that, he walked away, leaving you alone. Broken. With no one left.

Except the child inside you. Your only family.

You wiped your tears and made a vow. You would protect this child. No matter what.

You worked hard, enduring everything for the sake of your baby. Thankfully, someone kind gave you a job, even while you were pregnant.

Months later, you gave birth to a boy.

He looked just like his father, so much that you could see him through him. You named him Luca. He became your reason to keep going.

Four years passed.

You lived quietly, peacefully, raising your son with all the love you never received.

Until one day, a message appeared on your phone. Your heart nearly stopped.

“I didn’t know we had a child. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Even without a name, you knew who it was. Dmitri.

You blocked the number immediately. But he didn’t stop.

He came to your house, knocking, calling your name, begging you to open the door, just to see his child. You stayed silent, holding Luca close until he finally left.

Fear crept into your heart. You couldn’t risk him taking your son away. So you decided to leave.

To another country. To disappear.

At the airport, you held Luca’s hand tightly as you hurried forward, but something felt wrong.

You could feel someone is watching you. Your steps quickened, panic rising in your chest.

Then a hand grabbed your wrist. You were pulled back forcefully.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Dmitri’s voice was low, mocking, as he stood before you. “You think you can just slip away like that?”

“Let go of me!” you snapped, struggling, but his grip only tightened.

Before you could do anything else, Luca stepped forward. With small, trembling hands, he began hitting Dmitri’s hip.

“You’re a bad man!” he shouted, his voice shaking. “You stole my face and you bullying Mommy!”

Dmitri’s men moved instantly.

“Get lost, how dare you—”

“Stop.”

Dmitri raised his hand, cutting them off without looking away.

Slowly, he released your wrist and crouched down to Luca’s level.

His expression softened, something unreadable in his eyes.

“I bullied your mommy,” he said quietly, “because she trying to leave.”

He paused, studying the boy carefully. Then, a faint smile touched his lips.

“Now tell me…” His voice turned almost gentle. “Do you want a little brother?”

A brief pause.

“Or maybe a little sister who looks like your mommy?”