The weight of Christoph's message hung heavy in the air. Liza stared at the glowing screen, her fingers trembling slightly. Her pulse pounded in her ears as the words echoed in her mind: *You're still mine.* It was a threat, a reminder that Christoph wasn't finished with her.
Liza quickly turned off her phone, not wanting to disturb Viktor, who was still fast asleep beside her. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside her. Fear, anger, and a dark resolve swirled in her chest. She couldn't let Christoph intimidate her. Not now. Not after everything she had been through.
She slipped out of bed quietly and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows, her eyes tracing the skyline of the city that had become her battlefield. The world outside looked peaceful, the distant lights twinkling in the night, but beneath the surface, she knew chaos was lurking. Christoph's message wasn't just a declaration—it was a warning. He was coming for her, and he wasn't going to stop until he had what he wanted.
But she wasn't that naive woman anymore. She had Viktor by her side, a man who would fight for her, who had already proven his loyalty and love. And she had herself—stronger, more determined, and more capable than she had ever been.
The thought of Viktor stirred something deep within her. In the short time they had been together, he had given her more than Christoph ever could—respect, trust, and a sense of belonging. She knew he wasn't just a protector or an ally. He was becoming something far more important to her.
Suddenly, Viktor stirred in the bed, his movements slow as he woke up. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, his gaze immediately finding her silhouette by the window.
"Liza?" he called softly, his voice still rough with sleep.
She turned toward him, a faint smile on her lips. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
Viktor got out of bed and walked over to her, his strong arms wrapping around her waist as he pulled her close. His warmth seeped into her, grounding her in the present, pulling her away from the dark thoughts that threatened to consume her.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice gentle but firm, as though sensing her turmoil.
Liza hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell him the truth. She reached for her phone and handed it to him, showing him the message from Christoph.
Viktor's face darkened as he read it, his jaw tightening in anger. "Bastard."
He tossed the phone onto the bed, his hands gripping her shoulders as he turned her to face him. His blue eyes blazed with a protective fire. "I won't let him get near you, Liza. I don't care what it takes. He'll never touch you again."
His words were fierce, and yet, there was an underlying tenderness in the way he held her, as if he were afraid she might break. Liza reached up, placing her hands on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her fingers.
"I know," she whispered, her voice steady despite the fear bubbling inside her. "But Christoph won't stop. He's not the kind of man who lets go easily."
Viktor's hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing over her skin as he leaned in, his lips a breath away from hers. "Then we make sure he can't touch you. Ever again."
His lips met hers in a slow, deliberate kiss, one that sent a shiver down her spine. It wasn't just a kiss of passion, though there was plenty of that between them—it was a kiss of promise, of commitment. In that moment, Liza knew that whatever came next, they would face it together.
---
The next morning, the atmosphere between them had shifted. Viktor was more protective, more intense, his focus entirely on keeping Liza safe. They worked side by side in his office, going over every detail of Christoph's network, planning their next move. The accounts were being frozen, and Viktor's men were setting up surveillance to track Christoph's every step.
But there was something else hanging in the air—something neither of them could ignore. The danger wasn't just external anymore. Christoph's message had reopened old wounds for Liza, and she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to come.
As the day went on, Viktor seemed to sense her unease. He came over to where she sat, resting a hand on her shoulder. "We need to get out of here. Take a break."
Liza looked up at him, surprised. "What do you mean?"
"I mean we need a moment away from all of this." He gestured to the stacks of documents and laptops spread across the table. "We're not going to solve everything in one day. Come with me."
She hesitated, but the warmth in Viktor's eyes pulled her in. "Where?"
"You'll see."
---
The drive took them out of the city and up into the hills. Liza watched as the towering buildings of the city faded behind them, replaced by rolling greenery and the open road. It was a stark contrast to the life they had been living—the violence, the constant danger. Up here, the world felt simpler, quieter.
Viktor pulled the car into a secluded driveway that led to a villa perched on the edge of a cliff. The ocean stretched out before them, vast and endless, the waves crashing against the rocks below. Liza stepped out of the car, her breath catching at the sight.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
Viktor came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I come here when I need to think. When the city feels too heavy."
Liza leaned into him, letting the peace of the moment wash over her. For the first time in weeks, she felt like she could breathe.
They spent the afternoon together in the villa, far removed from the chaos of their lives. Viktor took her to a private terrace that overlooked the ocean, where they shared a quiet lunch. The tension between them softened, replaced by a gentle intimacy that neither of them had expected.
As the sun began to set, casting the sky in shades of pink and gold, Viktor turned to her, his expression more serious than before. "Liza, I want you to know something."
She looked up at him, her heart pounding at the intensity in his gaze.
"I didn't plan on any of this," he said softly. "When I met you, it was supposed to be business. But somewhere along the way, that changed. You've become more important to me than I ever thought possible."
Liza's breath hitched at his words, her chest tightening. She had felt it too—the shift between them, the way their relationship had deepened into something real, something undeniable.
"I feel the same way," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.
Viktor reached out, cupping her face in his hands as he kissed her, slow and deep, filled with the kind of passion that left her dizzy. His hands slid down her body, pulling her closer, as the heat between them ignited once more.
This time, there were no walls between them—no fear, no doubt. Just the overwhelming need for each other. As they moved together, wrapped in the fading light of the sunset, Liza knew that whatever happened with Christoph, it wouldn't break them.
Because what she had with Viktor was stronger than that. It was real. It was love.