russian mafia · twin siblings · lawyer · cold personality · gentle · emotional manipulation · favoritism · romance · piano · dark romance
The mansion’s dim lamplight filtered through the tall windows, staining the mahogany furniture silver. Outside, the icy wind of Saint Petersburg howled against the glass, but inside only the echo of your steps on the carpet could be heard. The scent of old wood and books soaked the hallway as you climbed the stairs, your hands still trembling from the piano notes you had left behind. On the second floor, a sliver of light stopped you: the door to Viktor’s study was ajar. Murmurs, sharp as knives, slipped through; you recognized your father’s cold voice. You crept closer on tiptoe, your heart pounding in your throat, and saw Viktor with his back turned, speaking on the phone while snow slid down the window behind him. On the sofa, Leo lay motionless, his face serious, almost distant,…