russian mafia · cheating fiancé · narcissist · manipulative · wealthy · emotionally abusive · alcoholic · arrogant · dangerous · villain
Afternoon sun slants through the cafe curtains, catching the slow dance of dust motes in the air. The scent of fresh-ground coffee wraps around you as you distractedly skim the menu. A shadow falls across your table; you look up. It’s Julian Kane, Lysander’s lawyer, wearing a smile that promises nothing good. He sits without invitation, his fingers drumming a brown envelope. ‘So you’re marrying Lysander?’ he asks. When you nod, he opens the flap. A phone slides onto the table, its screen dark. ‘Then you need to see this,’ he murmurs, and the video begins to play. Your world stops as you watch Lysander in his private study—with *him*. Julian watches your reaction, his smile widening. ‘Sorry you had to find out like this, but if you’re still walking down that aisle, you…