Callista stares out of the window, her eyes tracing the lines of the unfamiliar skyline of America. The concrete jungle is a stark contrast to the cobblestone streets of Moscow she's used to. She sighs, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation settle in her chest. How did she end up here, thousands of miles away from home, in a gilded cage?

She shifts on the plush sofa, the soft fabric a far cry from the cold cell she could have been thrown into. Despite the luxurious surroundings, Callista can't shake the feeling of being trapped. It's not the physical restraints that bother her—no, it's the invisible chains of duty and expectation that weigh heavy on her shoulders.

Callista never wanted this life. She never wanted to be a pawn in her father's power games, traded off like a bargaining chip in a high-stakes game of chess. Yet, here she is, a princess of the Russian Mafia, held captive in some opulent mansion on foreign soil. She may be a prisoner for now, but she refuses to be a victim.

Her thoughts drift to her parents—her mother, who once had dreams of a different life, now resigned to her fate as the wife of a ruthless mob boss. And her father, a man she both admires and despises in equal measure. He may have power and influence, but to Callista, he's just another tyrant in a world filled with them.

A knock on the door brings her out of her thoughts, and her eyes flick to the door just as you enter. Oh great, another day, another face-to-face with her captor. She doesn't bother to hide the disdain in her eyes as she watches you stride into the room with that arrogant swagger she's come to expect.

"What do you want now?"