The situation erected a massive wall between them. After the intensity of their standoff, they went to sleep in separate rooms. Viktor knew the distance between them wasn't just caused by anger, but by their clashing power dynamics. Viktor managed to calm himself down enough to approach Alia, attempting to speak—perhaps realizing his mistake or simply wanting to de-escalate. But Alia remained as cold as stone. She didn't respond to a single word, nor did she even look his way. Alia held onto her pride and stubbornness, choosing to lie there in solitude.
The next few days passed in the exact same manner. The heavy, silent atmosphere returned to the dining table. Whenever Viktor tried to break the ice, Alia would only cast a freezing glance his way and remain silent. She would finish her meals alone and retreat to her room without a second glance at Viktor. This silence from Alia became more agonizing for Viktor than her words ever were. He realized that Alia was no longer the same person; she had learned to walk through her own darkness all by herself. This silent war rendered every corner of the mansion suffocatingly bleak.While Alia stood under the shower in the silence of the bathroom, trying to wash away her stubbornness and loneliness, she suddenly felt Viktor's presence. Without a word, Viktor wrapped his arms around her from behind. Under the warm spray of the shower, their embrace was intense and somewhat heavy. Alia remained steadfast in her silence; she neither protested nor responded. Her body remained rigid and cold.
After the shower, Alia turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. Breaking free from Viktor's embrace, she walked over to stand before the mirror. Her eyes still held that same coldness; she did not look at Viktor even once. She quietly went about her business and walked out of the room, as if speaking to him at that moment would be a waste of time. Her indifferent behavior made it clear that while Viktor's touch might have calmed her physically, the resentment or rebellion simmering within her was not so easily quelled.Viktor could no longer hold his patience in the face of Alia's icy demeanor. After Alia walked out of the bathroom, Viktor blocked her path. His eyes held a mix of restlessness and intense possessiveness, more so than simple affection. In a low, gravelly voice, Viktor said, "How long are you going to keep this up, Alia? This silence of yours is more agonizing than my patience. Do you think you're punishing me? No, you're only widening the chasm between us."
Viktor paused for a moment before continuing, "You were angry at me the other day because I questioned the blood you shed. But you fail to understand that I am only afraid of losing you. You chose this dark path alone, but remember, we are both parts of the same force now. You may try to push me away, but you do not have the power to sever the bond that ties us together."Alia did not say a word. She looked at Viktor without showing a single expression, as if she were completely denying his existence. Outside, the weather was freezing, and snow was falling heavily. Without asking any questions, Alia sat down in front of the dressing table.
She began to prepare herself with great care. She chose a deep black velvet gown that created a striking contrast against her pale skin. She applied a bold, dark red lipstick that further emphasized her inherent cruelty and resolve. Alia smoothed out her long hair and let it fall over her shoulders. Every movement of hers was slow, yet deliberate and precise.
As Alia prepared to walk out the door, she did not glance at Viktor even once. She was ready to head out into the snowy landscape for a new mission or to reach her own dark destination. Viktor stood in stunned silence as he watched Alia leave into the cold without caring about his presence she was no longer just a wife; she had become the symbol of an independent and invincible force.Viktor could no longer restrain himself. As Alia headed toward her destination through the cold, Viktor threw on a heavy black coat and followed her. He began to trail her along the snow-covered street.
Alia sensed that Viktor was following her, but she did not stop. In the silence of the falling snow, the sound of their footsteps was clearly audible. Finally, Viktor raised his voice slightly and said, "This stubbornness is not good, Alia! Going out alone in this cold is just inviting trouble."
Alia finally stopped. She turned slowly to face Viktor. Standing in the snow-covered square, her eyes held an icy disdain and fierce resolve. Looking directly into his eyes, she said in a steady voice, "Trouble? I am the trouble now, Viktor. Do you think following me will stop me? This is a path I walk alone. If you want to come with me, you must follow my rules and that is, no more talking."
Viktor stepped closer and stopped. The falling snow created an eerie silence between them. The warm steam from Viktor's breath vanished into the cold, but his eyes remained fixed on Alia, as if he were rediscovering this destructive side of her. Alia continued walking through the snow with slow, confident strides. In the flurry of the snowfall, her black gown looked even more mysterious. She didn't look back at Viktor even once, nor did she respond to a single word he uttered. It was as if she were leaving every sound in the world behind, rushing toward a destination that only she knew.
Viktor followed her at a short distance, walking quickly. He kept calling her name, his voice filled with anxiety and a sense of helplessness. "Alia! Stop! Where are you going in the middle of this storm at this hour?" Viktor's voice echoed through the freezing air, but Alia acted as if she couldn't even hear him.
Every step Alia took only made her resolve more apparent. Viktor realized that Alia had drifted far beyond his control. She was forging her own empire in the middle of this snow-white darkness a place where no permission was needed, where she herself was the sole judge. To Alia, Viktor's calls were nothing more than meaningless whispers in the wind, unable to divert her from her path even by a fraction.The surroundings were blurred by the flurry of snow. Alia continued moving at a steady pace, while Viktor followed her from a short distance his every step fueled by an intense yearning. Suddenly, without warning, Viktor reached her, wrapped his arms around her tightly from behind, and turned her around to press a deep, desperate kiss to her lips.
There was no sense of authority in this kiss; it was merely an end to their standoff and an outpouring of raw emotion. The rigid walls Alia had built around her heart shattered within Viktor's embrace. Tears streamed down her cheeks an outpouring of all the resentment and pride she had held inside. Viktor held her close and whispered softly into her ear, "Shhhhh... no more words. Let all the pain end here."
Alia felt alive again. She started to run, and Viktor, holding her hand, matched her pace. Losing their balance on the slippery, snow-covered path, they both tumbled over. Alia landed on the bottom, with Viktor over her. Their breathing was heavy in the freezing air. Looking up at the sky, the mysterious, beautiful blue-green lights of the Aurora Borealis danced above them. Beneath the enchanting glow of the Aurora, they lay on their bed of snow, gazing at each other completely at peace, completely alone. Under the hazy, snow-filled sky and the mysterious light of the Aurora Borealis, time seemed to stand still. In that incomparable silence, Viktor leaned down slowly toward Alia. Their breath mingled with the freezing air. Without a word, without a moment's hesitation, Viktor pressed a soft yet deep kiss to Alia's lips.
That kiss was the conclusion to their arduous standoff a form of surrender. Alia let go of all her resentment and pride, surrendering herself to Viktor's embrace. Even the intense cold around them could not touch the warmth they shared. In that moment, lying on the snow, the magical glow of the Aurora Borealis made them appear even more mysterious. They belonged only to each other, far beyond the rules of the world and the conflicts of power. The icy touch of the snow and the lingering intensity of Viktor's kiss still hung in the air. Alia slowly pulled her hands away from Viktor's chest. The trail of tears at the corners of her eyes shimmered under the faint glow of the Aurora Borealis. Her voice was broken and trembling.
Looking into Viktor's eyes, Alia burst into tears and whispered, "Viktor... take me home. I can't do this anymore."
Viktor remained silent for a moment, then, with immense tenderness, pulled Alia up. In that desolate place covered in a blanket of snow, he wrapped her within his coat, shielding her as if nothing from the biting cold or the outside world could touch her anymore. He kissed her forehead gently and said in a calm voice, "It's alright, we are going home. You don't have to go anywhere else."
Alia rested her head in the firm safety of Viktor's embrace. They began to walk slowly toward their home through the snowfall, as if returning to an uncertain peace after a long, grueling war.On the way home, there was no sound other than the falling snow. Sheltered by Viktor's coat, Alia regained some composure and looked up. In the faint light of the Aurora Borealis, Viktor's face looked solemn. In a low, hesitant voice, Alia asked, "Viktor... why were you so angry that day? Was it just because of my actions, or was there something else?"
Viktor remained silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts. Then, in a calm but tired voice, he replied, "The exams."
Alia furrowed her brows. Viktor sighed and continued, "I was under a lot of pressure. I had to deal with business issues along with preparation for my upcoming, difficult financial exams... it was all becoming overwhelming. That day, when I saw you stepping onto such a dangerous path, I couldn't control my anger or my anxiety. I was terrified that if you couldn't handle it, it would be impossible for me to protect you."
Viktor's confession seemed to wash away all of Alia's resentment. She realized that beneath her 'mafia' husband's harsh exterior lay a deep concern for his studies and the future of their relationship. Alia narrowed her eyes, looking at Viktor with curiosity and disbelief. Pulling her head away from the warmth of his coat, she said, "You are a Mafia Lord; why do you need to take exams? You are the one who creates the laws of your own empire."
Viktor gave a faint smile. There was no joy in it, only a deep complexity. Stroking Alia's forehead, he said in a calm yet mysterious voice, "It is not the kind of exam you think it is, Alia. As a Mafia Lord, I face many tests—where the price of blood and trust is higher than that of pen and paper. This exam is an invisible wall that only God knows about. It is not just a fight for survival; it is a test of the purity of my existence. If I fail this exam, then my empire, my power everything will crumble like a dam of sand."
His voice grew heavy, as if an ominous shadow was chasing him. Looking into Alia's eyes, he added, "Everything is hanging by a thread now, Alia. God knows how long it will take for that thread to snap." Under the magical light of the Aurora Borealis in that desolate, snow-covered expanse, Viktor's words planted a seed of unknown dread in Alia's heart. Shivering, she contemplated what dark force Viktor was truly referring to by this "test." After such a mysterious and somber confession, Alia didn't dare ask any more questions. The weight of his words pressed down on her, leaving her wordless.
Without a sound, she tucked herself deep against Viktor's chest, hiding her face, trying to listen to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Outside, the bone-chilling cold raged, but in the shelter of his embrace, Alia was desperately seeking a sense of security. The meaning of her silence had shifted it was no longer a sign of resentment, but of clinging to him in fear of an uncertain future. Viktor tightened his embrace, as if he, too, wanted to shield Alia within the rhythm of his own heart, bracing for an invisible storm.