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The following days passed in a haze for Rivka. Alec's presence lingered in her thoughts like a shadow, never quite leaving. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw the cold intensity in his gaze, the chilling certainty in his words. He wasn't just a man in a suit—he was an unrelenting force, a predator who had already marked her as his prey.
Rivka had always considered herself strong, independent. She had fought to carve out a life for herself despite her family's fall from grace. But Alec Fedorov was unlike anyone she had ever encountered. He wasn't interested in playing by the rules. He didn't need to.
She sat in the study of her family's apartment, the silence pressing in on her as she stared out the window. It was late in the evening, and the city lights stretched out before her like a sea of stars. Her reflection in the glass seemed distant, detached, as though she were looking at someone else. Someone who didn't have to deal with the looming shadow of Alec's threat hanging over her.
The door opened behind her, and she didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"Rivka," Daniel's voice was soft, but the unease in it was unmistakable. "You're still thinking about him, aren't you?"
She exhaled slowly, trying to steady herself. "I can't stop, Daniel. He's everywhere. His eyes, his voice, his power—it's suffocating."
Daniel moved to sit beside her, his presence comforting, but he could offer no solution to the problem Alec represented. He could never protect her from someone like Alec.
"I'm scared," Rivka admitted, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "What if he comes for me? What if he takes everything?"
Daniel's hand gently gripped her arm, his voice stern but filled with concern. "He won't, Rivka. He's playing a game, trying to intimidate us. He's not going to do anything. Not unless—"
"Not unless what?" Rivka interrupted, her voice rising with frustration. "He's already made it clear that nothing is off-limits for him. I've seen the power he wields. I've heard the stories."
"I know," Daniel replied quietly, his expression darkening. "But there's something more to him than just the rumors, Rivka. You don't understand. He doesn't take things—he takes control."
Rivka's heart sank at his words. She had heard the whispers, the rumors that Alec had built his empire by manipulating and controlling everything around him, bending people to his will. But it was one thing to hear it from others and another to face the reality of it.
"I don't know what to do anymore," she murmured, turning her gaze back to the city below. The lights blurred as tears welled in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away, unwilling to show any weakness.
Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're not alone, Rivka. We'll figure this out. We'll make it right."
But as his comforting words echoed in her mind, Rivka knew that the only person who could truly save her was herself. And if she was going to survive Alec Fedorov's world, she had to find a way to outsmart him, to turn the tables before he had the chance to destroy her.
The thought made her stomach twist, but she knew deep down that Alec would stop at nothing to break her. To break her family. And somehow, she was going to have to fight back.
---
The following evening, she found herself standing outside his office building. The tall glass structure loomed ahead of her like a fortress, the reflection of the city lights shimmering off its surface. Rivka hesitated at the entrance, her heart racing in her chest. She had never imagined herself here, in this place, with him.
But the message he had left for her earlier in the day was clear: Come to me, or else.
She clenched her fists, steeling herself for whatever awaited inside. The door opened before she had a chance to touch it, and there he was. Alec Fedorov, looking even more imposing than he had at the gala. His black suit gleamed under the harsh lighting of the lobby, his icy blue eyes narrowing as he looked down at her.
"Miss Rivka," he said smoothly, his voice like velvet but laced with authority. "I see you've decided to pay me a visit."
Her pulse skipped at the sound of her name on his lips. It wasn't an invitation. It wasn't a request. It was a command.
"I'm not here to play your games, Alec," Rivka said, standing her ground. Her voice shook, but she refused to let him see the fear he instilled in her. "I'm here because you gave me no choice."
His lips curled into a smile, but it was devoid of warmth. "You always have a choice, Rivka. The question is, which one will you choose?"
Her stomach twisted, the weight of his words sinking in like a stone. This wasn't just about family debts. This was about him taking control of her life—making her part of his world, his game.
"Why me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Why not someone else? Why make me part of your revenge?"
Alec stepped closer, his towering form blocking out the light from the hallway. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, and it made her skin prickle. He was a dangerous man—ruthless, cold, and calculating.
"Because you're the key, Rivka," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper now. "You're the one who can make everything right. You're the one who will finally give me what I've been waiting for."
She shook her head, her breath quickening. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Alec smirked, his gaze darkening with amusement. "You will. In time, you'll understand."
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