Despite Elena's attempt to hide it, Viktor's sharp eyes caught the glint of the Pink Color Ring on her finger. Viktor's jaw tightened, and his calm demeanor instantly transformed into a terrifying storm. He stepped toward Elena with heavy, deliberate strides. The temperature in the room seemed to drop to freezing in a second.
Viktor stood before Elena and, without a word, jerked her left hand up. Looking at the ring, a flame of rage appeared in his eyes.
Viktor: (In an extremely stern and heavy voice) "What is this, Elena? Where did this Pink Ring come from? I know the mark of the Dragon Family very well. Does this mean you surrendered yourself to them tonight?"
Elena was trembling in pain and fear. Viktor's grip on her wrist felt like iron shackles. Alia stood by, watching the scene with terrified eyes; she knew that when Viktor spoke in this tone, no one was spared.
Viktor: (Shouting) "Answer me! Did Min Jun put this ring on you? Do you not realize that wearing this ring means you are now outside my rule and bound by another Lord's contract? How did you, a Petrov by blood, find the audacity!"
Viktor yanked Elena closer to him. Elena's legs could no longer bear her weight, and she nearly collapsed. Viktor's angry breath crashed against her face.
Alia: (In a voice trembling with fear) "Viktor, please... let her go. She's sick, she can't even stand properly!"
Viktor shot a look of pure rage at Alia before turning back to Elena. His Mafia pride had been severely struck. He realized that in this city of Seoul, his daughter hadn't just become Min Jun's lover; she had signed a contract to become the permanent property of the Dragon Family. Elena's voice was choked with tears. She didn't dare look into Viktor's eyes, but she answered in a broken voice to defend herself.
Elena: (Sobbing) "Papa... believe me, I didn't want this. You were the one who said it's important to keep contact with Mafia families. You told me to maintain relations... I only wanted to keep your word."
Hearing this logic, Viktor's rage multiplied, but there was a touch of bitterness in it. He released Elena's wrist with a jerk and began pacing the room.
Viktor: (In an extremely stern voice) "Hey! I told you to maintain business and strategic contact! I told you to understand Mafia politics. But you haven't even turned 18 yet! I didn't have a headache about you having a crush or romance at this age, because I knew you were my daughter and you'd handle yourself. But what did you do by wearing this ring?"
Viktor suddenly stopped and turned back toward Elena. His gaze was as sharp as an arrow.
Viktor: "Romance is one thing, but wearing the Dragon Family's 'Union Ring' is another! Do you not know that wearing this ring means you are now legally and according to Mafia code, Min Jun's property? You went and sold yourself to someone else without my permission! How did you dare enter such a contract before turning 18?"
Alia stood aside, listening in stunned silence. She realized Viktor wasn't against the romance itself, but the fact that Elena had lost control and accepted Min Jun's dominance had severely struck Viktor's Mafia pride.
Viktor: "Do I need to have it explained why you can't walk properly? You didn't just wear a ring; you left the Petrov family's honor in that Korean boy's bed. This one moment of your mistake has weakened our empire, Elena!"
Elena remained silent, staring at the floor. The physical pain and her father's harsh words made her realize that that night in Seoul had changed everything in her life forever. Elena's helpless question pierced Viktor's stony heart. She looked at her father, tears streaming down her face, her entire body trembling with pain.
Elena: (In an extremely pitiful voice) "What should I do, Papa? I love him. I didn't know that wearing this ring meant I'd have to lose my rights like this. What do I do now?"
Viktor fell silent for a moment. He looked at his daughter—the girl who was his beloved princess until yesterday, now trapped in a forbidden contract. Viktor stepped closer and placed his hand on her head. But his touch lacked its former tenderness; it held the harsh reality of a Mafia Lord.
Viktor: (In a low but sharp voice) "There is only one way now, Elena. You have to prove that you aren't just Min Jun's property, but the heir to the Petrov family. You must endure this pain and stand tall. Show the Dragon Family that they can put a ring on you, but they cannot rule over you."
Alia gently embraced Elena and looked at Viktor.
Alia: "She's still a child, Viktor. She didn't realize how cruel they could be."
Viktor: (Turning to Alia) "The time for being a child is over, Alia. The moment she decided to go to Min Jun's bed, she grew up. Elena, tomorrow morning we will meet with Min Jun's father for a discussion. This 'Union Ring' is now an opportunity for us. We will turn this into a political alliance. But remember, if you show weakness before Min Jun again, you won't just lose yourself, you'll sink the entire Petrov Empire."
Viktor wiped Elena's tears and sat her down on the living room sofa.
Viktor: "Now go to your room. Clean yourself up. Let these scars remind you how cheap emotions are in the struggle for power. Tomorrow your new life begins where there will be love, but even more so, the struggle for dominance."
Elena stood up slowly without a word. Though her body cringed in pain, she composed herself seeing the sternness in her father's eyes. She realized that her adolescence had ended tonight. Alia's heart skipped a beat at Elena's words. She pulled Elena even closer to her chest, as if trying to absorb all her daughter's pain with her own maternal warmth. She lifted Elena's tear-streaked face in her palms.
Elena: (Sobbing) "I've become just like you, Mama! You left everything for Papa, and today I've lost everything for Min Jun too..."
Alia shook her head and wiped Elena's tears. Her voice held a strange mixture of firmness and melancholy.
Alia: "No, my child, not at all. You haven't become like me. There is a world of difference between my situation and yours. Mine was a story of a contract. There were massive political and family obligations behind my relationship with Viktor. The rules were different in my time."
Alia paused for a moment, as if stepping back into the past.
Alia: "Back then, things before or after marriage didn't create such a stir. If something happened even after marriage, it wasn't a major problem. But the rules now are completely New. The Mafia world has become much more cruel and calculating. By wearing this 'Union Ring' before you're eighteen, you've bound yourself to a contract a thousand times more dangerous than in our time."
Stroking Elena's back, Alia continued in a calm voice.
Alia: "Don't try to be like me, Elena. I became a prisoner of circumstances in this golden cage. But you are the daughter of the Russian Tsar, Viktor. You have power in your hands. Don't lose yourself in the net of these new rules. You can love Min Jun, but do not remain his slave."
As Alia spoke, Viktor watched them from the other side of the room with steady eyes. He knew Alia was right times had changed, and this new era of Mafia warfare was far bloodier. Elena's tears tonight seemed to sow the seeds of a new rebellion. Morning arrived, and a new turn unfolded in the power struggle between Moscow and Seoul. As Viktor and Alia entered the grand hall of the luxury penthouse in Seoul, Min Jun's father—the current head of the Dragon Family—was already waiting. Viktor realized immediately that he was no ordinary opponent. Min Jun's father was around the same age as Viktor, but his appearance carried a calm yet destructive elegance. He was also remarkably handsome.
As Viktor and Min Jun's father sat across from each other, discussing the serious implications of Elena's ring contract, Alia stood by. Min Jun's father had eyes like a predatory hawk. While he replied to Viktor, his sharp gaze repeatedly drifted toward Alia's body. Her beautiful silk dress and her noble aura seemed to stun him for a moment.
Suddenly, something fell from Alia's hand onto the floor. As Alia bent down to pick it up, her dress shifted slightly. Min Jun's father didn't miss the opportunity. He stared intently at Alia's waist as she leaned over.
Alia sensed his lingering gaze. She quickly picked up the item and stood straight. The atmosphere in the room filled with a strange tension. On one side was the power struggle with Viktor, and on the other, a forbidden attraction brewing in Min Jun's father toward Alia—making the situation even more complicated.
Viktor: (In a stern voice) "We are here to discuss the future of our children and the security of our Mafia empires, Dragon Lord. I hope your focus remains solely on the discussion."
Min Jun's father smirked, though his eyes still held a sense of satisfaction from the glimpse of Alia's waist.
Min Jun's father: "Of course, Viktor. But is it a crime to admire beauty? Your daughter is brave, and your wife possesses an exquisite nobility. Moscow's taste is truly commendable."
Alia felt a moment of discomfort, but she knew that in this world, beauty often becomes a key to power. Adjusting her shawl, she stood firmly beside Viktor. The battle between Moscow and Seoul was no longer limited to rings or marriage contracts; it had transformed into a game of forbidden desire. Viktor's jaw tightened. The lingering gaze of Min Jun's father and his comment toward Alia instantly awakened the Russian Tsar within him. He set his coffee cup on the table with a sharp thud and began to speak in a slow but ice-cold voice.
Viktor: "Watch your words, Dragon Lord. Moscow's nobility is not just for admiration; it knows how to command respect. If you think you can insult me by staring at my wife, you are mistaken. This is a negotiation table, not a club for you to describe beauty."
Viktor leaned forward slightly, his eyes boring directly into the eyes of Min Jun's father.
Viktor: "Your son insulted our blood by putting a ring on my underage daughter's finger. I am here to either take revenge for that insult or forge a powerful business treaty. If you want to protect this contract of Elena's, keep your gaze in check. Just as I know how to protect my empire, my hand will not tremble to turn the city of Seoul into ashes to protect the honor of my Queen."
Viktor's roar made the stifling atmosphere of the room even heavier. Min Jun's father kept his smile, but he realized Viktor's patience was wearing thin. Alia stood beside Viktor and placed her hand gently on his, as if trying to calm him.
Viktor: "Now, let's get straight to the point. In exchange for that Pink Ring on Elena's finger, the Dragon Family will not interfere in our Russian oil mines and gas lines—do you agree to this condition? And the future of your son with my daughter will only be secured when I believe it is profitable for the Petrov Empire."
Viktor's voice was now purely business-like and stern. He made it clear that he hadn't come into this room just as Elena's father; he had come as Russia's greatest Mafia Lord.