Vengeance

CHAPTER 11

It would be an understatement to say that the trip with Tabitha was the best vacation he had ever had. Though they hadn’t traveled outside the state or visited an extravagant destination, every moment spent with her felt like a precious gift. He had never realized how much beauty could be found in the simplest of things until she came into his life. She embodied a new definition of living meaningfully rather than succumbing to society's greed.

The vacation had ended to his utmost displeasure, and they had to return home. As much as he longed to bring her home with him, he knew he couldn’t. She had her own life and commitments, which he had no right to disrupt. She had to return to her world, but Mikhail was certain he would be seeing her again rather soon.

Despite their temporary parting, he felt a sense of contentment when he returned home. That is until his mood shifted dramatically the moment he walked into his apartment and saw his mother sitting on the couch, waiting for him.

“What the hell are you doing here? How did you get in?” Mikhail asked, his voice laced with anger. He had no intention of letting his mood be ruined by his mother.

"This is my son Anatoly’s place. So it’s obvious he gave me his keys,” Anastasia replied, her tone calm and collected, but there was an underlying firmness in her words.

Mikhail could tell that she had a reason for showing up, and she was not backing down. Her calm, composed demeanor was something he had never seen before, and it unsettled him. The respect he once had for her was beginning to erode. He didn't tolerate nonsense from anyone, and his mother was no exception.

"Well, your son Anatoly isn't here, so you're no longer welcome," he stated firmly, his voice cold as he gestured toward the door. "It's time for you to leave.”

"Mikhail!" Anastasia sighed. "Please be reasonable. It’s been a really long time since I've seen my son. I need to know if he is okay. You might not know, but he has mysophobia." She tried to play a sympathy card, which only made him roll his eyes.

“I am well aware of his condition. How do you think I found him?”

“What do you mean?” Anastasia asked him with a frown.

“He had a panic attack. The doctor who was treating him is my best friend. That is how I found your son." Mikhail’s voice was steady, but there was an underlying edge as he spoke.

“Is he alright? Please let me meet him, Mikhail. I am his mother, and he needs me.” Anastasia pleaded, her voice cracking as tears welled up in her eyes.

Mikhail’s jaw clenched, his anger flaring. He wanted to give in, to let her see Anatoly, but the bitterness inside him was too great.

"Where were you when I needed my mother? I screamed for you, but you weren’t there. You left me alone at that place, crying for you. I held your hand so tightly, and you pushed me away."

She flinched, but her resolve remained firm. "It’s not always about you, Mikhail. This is about your brother. For once, stop thinking about yourself."

"And once in your life, remember that you have two sons, mother. Not just one. But I guess I am nothing but a dead person to you. And to others, a dangerous existence."

"Mikhail, please. If not a meeting, at least let me speak to him. I can’t reach him, and I need to know he’s alright. I just want to hear his voice, that’s all I ask. Please." Anastasia tried to negotiate, but Mikhail was not an easy person to budge. He was firm in his decision.

"If you don't stop harassing me, the only voice you'll hear will be his cry of anguish," Mikhail said coldly and devoid of emotion. He'd had enough with his mother.

All that mattered now was Tabitha and winning the bet. After that, he would sever all ties with his brother and mother. He didn’t need their chaos in his life. He didn’t care about why he was abandoned. He didn’t care about finding closure. As long as Tabitha was by his side, nothing else mattered.

For the first time in his life, Mikhail saw the possibility of building a family of his own. A quiet, modest life with Tabitha, far away from the toxic chaos of his bloodline. He no longer wanted anything to do with his biological family. Peace was his goal, and Tabitha was the only person who could help him find it.

“Mikhail!” Anastasia’s voice shook in disbelief. “That is your brother. How could you be so cruel to him?”

Mikhail almost laughed at the absurdity of her words. “Cruelty runs in the family. Like mother, like son. One thing I’ve definitely inherited from you is cruelty. So, you should thank yourself, because it's your own actions that are going to make your second son the victim, too.”

Anastasia’s hand twitched, wanting to slap him, but she forced herself to calm down, taking deep breaths. "Mikhail, I beg you. Please let me talk to him."

Mikhail’s voice was cold, unyielding. "Look, Mother, you’re wasting your time. Here’s what I’ll do for you. Don’t bother me for one month, and then I’ll let you see your only son. How does that sound?"

"One month? That’s not fair," Anastasia protested.

"Well, it is more than fair in my world. Look, I have got important matters to deal with. Give me a month, and I’ll return your Anatoly, and I promise not to bother you again. It’ll be as if I were never here. Out of your hair forever. But if you keep pushing me, your son will suffer. His safety is in your hands. Choose wisely."

Anastasia took a step forward, her face a twisted mix of anger and vulnerability. "Moments like this make me sure that I made the right decision to leave you at the gate of that orphanage. You’re no son of mine."

Mikhail let out a bitter chuckle. "I know. Because I’m not your son. You gave birth to me, but most of my life was spent yearning for you. Not anymore. I've accepted the truth that I’m the son of a vindictive woman, a hypocrite. I’d rather live a lonely life than ever try to make a place for you in mine."

A tense silence stretched between them before he spoke again, his tone firm. "Leave my place now. You’ve already ruined my day."

Having left with no other choice, she left. Mikhail was a hard man to bargain with, but that's what happens when the Mafia's ruler adopts her son. She knew it wasn't the best decision to leave her eldest kid behind without even looking back, but she wouldn't regret it. She never regretted it in the first place.

Mikhail could never be her son, despite the fact that she gave birth to him. Anatoly has always needed her, and she could not risk neglecting her younger child by spending time with Mikhail, especially after her first husband passed away.

But not anymore.

Leaving Mikhail in the orphanage was the right decision she made for Anatoly. Mikhail doesn't deserve her time and love, and she won't share it with him or anyone else when Anatoly is all she needs.

He was her baby.

She refuses to give up, even now. Mikhail's reappearance in their lives was a curse, and she would be damned if she allowed him to build a barrier between herself and her son. He may have been a powerful man, but she wasn't foolish. Every single person on the face of the earth has a flaw. A weakness.

And she would find his.

Her greatest weakness was Anatoly, but right now, she needed to figure out what would break Mikhail. There had to be something, one thing that could shatter him into a million pieces. She would get her son back once she found it, and she would make sure her elder son paid for his sins.

Anastasia knew no other way but to keep a close watch on him. Some may call it stalking, but she didn’t care. In dire circumstances, drastic measures were necessary. So, she spent the next week quietly following Mikhail, and it didn’t take long for her to figure out the truth.

Mikhail was madly in love with Tabitha.

She was taken aback when she saw the relationship between the two of them. It wasn’t part of her plan at all. Anatoly was supposed to be with this naive, foolish girl. She would be ideal for him, nursing him and acting like a doting wife. She was perfect for her younger son.

Not once had she considered that Tabitha could fall for Mikhail, someone so different from Anatoly. The two men were worlds apart, and yet, here was this idiotic girl, blind to the truth. She didn't even see that the man she was with wasn’t Anatoly at all, but someone in disguise.

Mikhail was ruining everything, and she couldn’t allow that to happen. She could see now that he worshipped that young girl. She hadn’t known he had a tender bone in his body, but apparently, he did. This man would do anything for Tabitha, and that was no less than a blessing in disguise.

Anastasia’s lips curled into a sly grin. Tabitha would be the key to getting her son back.

She was certain that Tabitha would leave Mikhail the moment she discovered the truth. The young girl was an emotional fool, too easily swayed by guilt. Four years of her life had been invested in Anatoly, and Tabitha had no backbone to stand up for herself.

If Anastasia played her cards right, she knew that Tabitha would soon be crawling back to her and Anatoly. The girl would beg for mercy, for love, making her choice painfully clear. And that would shatter Mikhail because Anastasia knew that Tabitha would never choose him over her son.

It was going to be perfect because the outcome was inevitably going to be in her favor. Anatoly would return to her, and Mikhail would be destroyed. All she needed was one conversation with Tabitha.

She called her future daughter-in-law and invited her for lunch. She was pleased when Tabitha agreed, signaling that everything was going according to her plan.

When Tabitha arrived at her home, Anastasia greeted her with a warm, motherly hug. They exchanged pleasantries, and after a light lunch, Anastasia led the young girl to the couch. It was time to talk, to set the stage for her masterstroke.

"Thank you so much for the lunch, Anastasia. It was delicious," Tabitha said, her voice warm with gratitude.

Anastasia smiled softly, her fingers lightly brushing against Tabitha's hand. "Anything for you, darling," she replied, her tone unexpectedly tender. "Especially after you've been so kind to take care of my other son... despite the sick game he's playing."

Tabitha furrowed her brows, a confused scowl crossing her face. "Another son? I don’t understand. I thought Mikhail was your only son."

Anastasia’s eyes welled up with tears as she spoke, her voice trembling. "How I wish I could say that... but no. I do love both my children, but there are so many things you don’t know. I was blessed with twins, but due to unfortunate events, I lost Mikhail. Mikhail Russo, the man you're spending time with is my older son. The man you’ve fallen in love with... is Anatoly Petrov. My youngest son."

Tabitha’s eyes widened, her expression a mix of disbelief and shock. "Mikhail Russo? Mikhail and Anatoly... they’re not the same person?"