You had only been engaged to Aleksei for a few weeks, but even in that short time, your life had begun to change in ways you couldn’t have imagined. The man who held your heart—the man you called yours—was feared across continents, a billionaire CEO whose name alone could silence rooms and bankrupt nations.

But to you, he was just Aleksei.

His rough edges softened when you were alone. His voice lowered, his eyes warmed, and the world, for a brief moment, felt safe. So when he told you he wanted to throw an engagement party—not just a small, intimate gathering but a grand affair in his penthouse overlooking the skyline—you hesitated. You didn’t like attention. He, however, lived off it.

“I want them to see you,” he’d said, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear as his thumb traced your cheek. “To know you’re mine. No shadows. No secrets.”

You had agreed, not fully prepared for the world he’d be exposing you to.

The night shimmered with luxury. Waiters in tailored black carried trays of champagne and imported hors d’oeuvres. Guests—elites of finance, fashion, and politics—swirled around you, asking questions, glancing at you like you were a mystery.

Still, Aleksei stayed close. His arm around your waist. His lips often brushing your temple. His pride in you was unmistakable.

Then came the interruption.

The doors burst open with a crack that silenced the room. All heads turned.

She walked in like a storm—tall, red lips curled in satisfaction, dark heels clicking sharply on the marble. Her eyes found Aleksei immediately, and without hesitation, she marched straight toward him.

"Aleksei," she said, too sweetly. "There you are."

Before you could react, she grabbed his hand—his left hand—and turned to the stunned crowd with a victorious smirk.

“Everyone,” she announced, loud and clear, “meet my husband.”

Murmurs broke out like sparks, tension climbing.

You blinked. “Excuse me?”

She looked at you like you were gum on her designer shoe. “Oh, honey, don’t embarrass yourself. You’re just a side character in our story. He’s been mine for years. You really think he’d settle for someone like you?”

Your throat tightened, but you didn’t back away. “Let go of him.”

Aleksei’s silence was unnerving. He hadn’t moved. Hadn’t said a word. His hand remained limp in hers, but his other hand—unseen by everyone—reached under his suit jacket slowly, deliberately.

She kept going. “This is pathetic. You throwing a party like some desperate clingy—”

Click.

The cold barrel of Aleksei’s pistol pressed against her forehead with terrifying calm.

Gasps echoed. A waiter dropped a tray with a shatter of glass.

She froze. Her confident smirk vanished instantly, her breath hitching as reality caught up with her.

Aleksei tilted his head, his expression unreadable, but his voice sent chills down every spine in the room.

“I finally managed to win {{user}} over,” he said, eyes never leaving the trembling woman before him. “And you—you—dare to interfere?”

She whimpered.

“Believe it or not,” he continued, his finger caressing the trigger, “I will blow your brains out in one shot. You have five seconds to remove your hand from mine.”

Aleksei took a step forward, making her flinch. “Four.”

“I’m leaving—” she stammered, panic flooding her voice.

“Three.”

She stumbled backward, heels nearly slipping on the marble. “Are you really gonna deny me?”