Union

• the meaning of hell •

• Venus •

"How would you like a nice English breakfast today sweetheart?"

"Grandma Lena, I'm sure you have good intentions to stuff me until I look like that kid from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, but I must decline on the breakfast."

"Ok sweetheart I understand. Oh well, I guess this old woman's efforts are going to go to waste. It's alright, not like I'll live for much longer."

Damn that woman. Gets me every time.

After successfully making me eat enough food to last a starving man a week, I was off to my father's office.

It was the first time I'd been home in the last six years.
•
My parents had an interesting history. It was cliche at first, young beautiful girl bumps into ruthless Russian mafia man, they play a game of cat and mouse, she has a past, he has a past and then they get together. Of course, there's also the whole climax plot of the girl being taken away, the man becoming a mad man, saving her, yada yada yada.

Then things changed.

A close confidant of my father's betrayed him. The man fabricated a lie so well that the man who once went insane to protect his wife, caste her out of his life forever. We - my two siblings and I - were labeled as bastards of a long term affair my mother had with our underdog family's leader.

So my mother, my sweet, beautiful (terribly naive) mother left. She started from scratch. Even though the family sent money weekly, it just kept piling up in the bank after my mother found stability in her income.

Beginning as a receptionist, she made her way up the corporate ladder in a famous Nonprofit organization. Humanities of Tomorrow - once a small town nonprofit - is one of the biggest conglomerates today. And their Chief Management Officer? Madelenna Ayla Albizzi Vasilevsky, or as I refer to her, mother bear.

But it wasn't an overnight process. A "single mom" with 3 year old triplets faced more difficulties than most. For 15 years, she worked, and worked, and worked. On my 17th birthday, I threw my mom a promotion party.
And on my 18th birthday, I was forced to head back "home" with my father.
•
"Come in," okay good, he wasn't in one of his, moods.

"Uhh, hi, it's Venus," damn you Vee, can't even speak to your own father.

"Oh, Venus, uhh, hello. When did you get here? I mean, not that we don't want you but—"

He was stopped by my uncle and his right hand man, Erik.

I took the opportunity to clear my throat and start speaking.

"Yeah, I got back yesterday night. I got your email a few weeks ago asking me to come home. So, what's up?"

He stood up slowly. Every man in the room stiffened to their soldier stances. After all, when the Russian Bratva's King, Aleksandr Vasilevsky rises, so must his men.

A complete change in his tone, he spoke like the true authoritative figure he was, "Venus, this is very serious business. Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked you to come back. I understand you have completed your higher education and are stable in your career, yes?"

"Um yeah, I just transferred jobs to the Baker McKenzie firm in New York. But otherwise I'm pretty much set. Why? Is everything okay?"

There was not an ounce of emotion in his demeanor as he spoke his next words.

"A long time ago, we made a truce treaty with the Hungarians. Of course we've been at war with other mafia leaders, but it was key that we secured the Hungarians' alliance. They are powerful, and ruthless, almost as much as we are. Your grandfather struck the deal and ended our feud many years ago. They have completed their side of the bargain, unconditional support to us since Ahran Soros touched the paper with his pen. Now, it is our turn to return their loyalty."

"Okay? So, how do we do that?"

Something changed. He was still emotionless. But I could see a sliver of something in his frosty blue eyes. Something that I saw in my own eyes very often - uncertainty.

"Your grandfather pledged them our most valuable possession, whenever they called in our deal. They are calling in."

My brain was turning it's gears. I deducted a million different possibilities, but my father's next words left my mind reeling.

"They are calling in for us to give them our most valuable possession. You."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is when I learned the meaning of hell. Then, I burst out laughing.
•
Umm, hi?
This is my first official (not completely embarrassing) wattpad novel. I hope you enjoy this chapter. If you do, please like and comment away! Any feedback would be appreciated, but all constructively please. My heart is fragile ❤️

Ok cool I'm done now byeeeee