Chapter 63: Bitter Promises
Ivan walked through the long, dimly lit corridors just after leaving Vladimir’s study. His footsteps echoed loudly in the empty hallway. He had a mix of different emotions swirling inside him like a violent storm.
Anger came first - hot and burning, making his hands shake uncontrollably. Then bitterness, tasting sour in his mouth. The hate followed, dark and heavy, settling in his chest like a weight. And betrayal cut deepest of all, sharper than any blade. His own father had thrown him away like discarded trash.
But underneath all that seething anger, there was something else. Sadness and pain, so deep it made his chest ache with every breath. It felt like his whole world was collapsing around him. He wanted to cry. He wanted to fall to his knees right there and let all the tears come out.
But then he saw her.
Olga stood at the end of the long corridor like a venomous snake waiting to strike. Her dress was perfect, her l styled hair was perfect, but her eyes were cold and cruel as winter ice.
Immediately everything else disappeared. The sadness, the pain - all of it vanished like smoke. Now there was only hate and fear. Pure, undiluted hate for this woman who had made his life hell from the very beginning.
Back in Vladimir’s ornate study, Lydia still stood frozen, trying to recall what just happened. She could see how much raw pain Ivan was in. She had never seen him like that before - so vulnerable, so broken. He had looked like a lost little boy who just wanted his father to love him.
She snapped back out of her racing thoughts and decided to go meet him, to talk to him. Comfort him if she could, just like he had always comforted her during her darkest moments. She immediately bowed respectfully to Vladimir and left quickly to go meet Ivan.
Boris came in after her, looking a little confused and concerned about what had happened.