My eyes widened in disbelief.
"That's not true," I said immediately. "Brent, listen to me. She's making it up."
"Enough."
Viktor's voice cracked through the room like a whip.
Before I could react, he yanked the IV from his arm and swung his legs off the hospital bed. Blood stained the tape wrapped around his wrist, but he didn't seem to notice. He crossed the room in seconds, fury radiating from him.
His fingers clamped around my arm.
The grip was so tight it felt like my skin was burning.
Then his hand struck my face.
The force sent me crashing to the floor.
For a moment, all I could hear was ringing.
Pain exploded through my cheek.
Something warm trickled down my upper lip.
I touched my face and stared at the blood coating my fingertips.
My nose was bleeding.
"Is this what you've become?" Viktor demanded, his voice rough with anger. "Trying to force Bianca into something like that? Couldn't you wait? Couldn't you think about anyone besides yourself for once?"
His breathing was uneven.
His eyes were filled with disappointment.
"You're not the woman I fell in love with anymore, Alina."
The words hit harder than the slap.
"You disgust me."
Behind him, Bianca pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
She looked fragile.
Heartbroken.
Innocent.
But through the curtain of tears, I caught it.
The slight curve at the corner of her lips.
She was enjoying every second of this.
I pressed my sleeve against my nose, trying to stop the bleeding.
Tears slipped down my face, mixing with the blood.
But I didn't defend myself.
What was the point?
Nothing I said would matter.
There was nothing left to explain.
Nothing left worth fighting for.
Slowly, I pushed myself to my feet.
My legs trembled beneath me.
Without another word, I walked toward the door.
Just before I stepped out of the room, I heard Viktor speak again.
This time his voice was gentle.
Patient.
Protective.
The same tone he used to reserve only for me.
"Bianca, don't cry."
The tenderness in his voice nearly broke me.
"I'm here now. No one's going to hurt you."
I paused.
His next words reached me before the door closed.
"Once I'm discharged, I'll deal with Alina."
I smiled.
A hollow, bitter smile.
Then I wiped my tears away and kept walking.
---
By the time I reached home, my cheek still stung.
My nose hadn't completely stopped bleeding either.
Every inch of me ached.
The moment I stepped inside, I collapsed onto the couch.
I pressed a towel against my face and closed my eyes, trying to breathe through the pain.
Then the doorbell rang.
The sound startled me.
For a brief, foolish second, I wondered if Viktor had come after me.
Slowly, I forced myself upright and shuffled toward the front door.
When I opened it, I froze.
A woman stood on the doorstep.
For a moment, I didn't recognize her.
Then realization hit.
My mother.
The woman who had abandoned me when I was still a baby.
She looked older than the version I'd imagined all these years.
Smaller too.
Life had clearly worn her down.
The second she saw me, her bag slipped from her shoulder and hit the ground.
Then she rushed forward.
Her arms wrapped around me so tightly that I nearly lost my balance.
"My baby," she sobbed.
Her voice broke completely.
"Alina... I finally found you."
My knees weakened.
The two of us sank onto the couch together.
Everything felt unreal.
She pulled back just enough to look at me.
The moment she noticed the blood and bruises, panic flooded her face.
"What happened to you?" she cried. "Why are you hurt?"
I pressed the towel more firmly against my nose.
"I have aplastic anemia."
The words came out barely above a whisper.
"I need a bone marrow transplant."
The color drained from her face.
She grabbed both my hands.
"I'll do it."
Her voice shook.
"I'll donate if I'm a match. We'll leave together. Come to Europe with me. Your brothers are there. You can live with us. Please, Alina. Come home with me."
My chest tightened painfully.
"You left me."
The words escaped before I could stop them.
"You left me and Bianca with Grandma. Then you disappeared."
I looked straight at her.
"How am I supposed to trust you now?"
Her expression changed instantly.
Confusion flickered across her face.
"Bianca?"
She blinked.
"Who's Bianca?"
I frowned.
"My twin sister."
The room suddenly felt too quiet.
"My fraternal twin. You left both of us behind."
Her grip loosened.
Then her hands started trembling.
"No."
She shook her head slowly.
"Alina... you don't have a twin."
My heart skipped a beat.
"What?"
"I only gave birth once."
Tears spilled down her cheeks.
"There was only one baby."
She squeezed her eyes shut.
"You."
The room seemed to tilt sideways.
My stomach dropped.
"No," I whispered. "Grandma always told us we were twins."
My mother's face crumpled.
"When I left, I left one child with your grandmother."
She was crying openly now.
"I swear to you. There was never another baby. Whoever that girl is, she's not your sister."
A cold sensation spread through my chest.
Like something rotten had been buried inside my life for years and had only now started surfacing.
My mother wiped at her tears.
"I worked overseas because I needed money," she said. "I sent everything home."
Her voice trembled.
"Then I got into an accident. I lost my memory."
I stared at her.
She continued.
"I only started remembering things last year. Ever since then, I've been looking for you. Everywhere. I never stopped being your mother, Alina. I never stopped loving you."
I wanted to believe her.
Part of me desperately wanted to.
But my entire life suddenly felt like a lie.
"I need time."
My voice sounded distant.
"I need to think."
She nodded immediately.
As though she'd expected that answer.
Leaning forward, she kissed my forehead.
Softly.
"I'll wait."
She slipped a piece of paper containing her number into my hand.
Then she stood and left.
---
I barely had time to process any of it.
A few minutes later, heavy footsteps echoed outside.
The back gate burst open.
Five men stormed into the yard.
I recognized them immediately.
Viktor's men.
Before I could react, they grabbed me.
I struggled.
Fought.
But my body was too weak.
Someone threw a blanket over my shoulders and dragged me outside.
Humiliation burned hotter than the bruises.
Rain began pouring from the sky.
Within seconds I was drenched.
Cold water soaked through my clothes.
Thunder rolled overhead.
Everything felt loud.
Chaotic.
Cruel.
One of the men crouched beside me.
"Boss says you're sleeping outside tonight."
His voice was emotionless.
"Punishment for what you did to Miss Bianca."
I pounded my fists against the door.
"Please."
My voice cracked.
"I'm sick."
Rainwater ran down my face.
"My medicine is inside. Please let me get it."
Nobody listened.
Someone shoved me backward.
Another man laughed.
The rain kept falling.
My body started shaking uncontrollably.
Then my phone rang.
Viktor.
For a moment, I simply stared at his name.
Then I answered.
"Listen carefully."
His voice was cold.
Emotionless.
"Your transplant was supposed to happen tomorrow."
My throat tightened.
"After what happened today, Bianca's refusing."
He paused.
"She's too traumatized."
The bitterness in his voice cut deep.
"Maybe spend tonight thinking about your actions."
The line disconnected.
Just like that.
I lowered the phone slowly.
Rain mixed with the tears on my face.
Curled up on the cold ground, I hugged the phone against my chest as though it was the only thing keeping me alive.
For several minutes, I simply sat there.
Shivering.
Alone.
Then I remembered the number my mother had left behind.
With numb fingers, I searched for it.
My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped the phone twice before managing to dial.
The call connected.
A sleepy voice answered after a few rings.
"Hello?"
My throat closed.
For a second, I couldn't speak.
Then the word finally came out.
"M-Mom..."
My teeth chattered from the cold.
Rain soaked my hair and clothes.
"P-please..."
My voice broke.
"Come get me."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Tears mixed with rainwater.
"I'll go with you."
The confession hurt more than it should have.
"I don't care where."
My voice cracked completely.
"Just... please get me out of here."
