Ivan’s silence hung heavy in the air, and he could feel the weight of Charles’s smug gaze boring into him.
His hands itched to fight, to take back control of the situation, but he knew that any wrong move could endanger Arisha and Sisi. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to maintain his composure, though the frustration burned in his eyes.
Charles’s smirk remained, his confidence growing. “See, Ivan? You come here making claims, but without proof, they mean nothing.” He took a step closer, the soldiers behind him standing at attention, ready to act at a moment’s notice. “Now, if you’re done making up stories, I’ll be taking my fiancée and her daughter back.”
Arisha’s breath quickened as she held onto Sisi, her eyes darting between Ivan and Charles, her face pale with fear. She seem
