Chapter Four: The Dinner

Ivan Volkov's mansion was dark and cold, just like the man who owned it. The walls were covered in expensive art, but there was no warmth in any of it. Everything was calculated. Everything was a weapon.

In the master bedroom, Andrei lay beneath Ivan, his golden hair spread across the silk pillows. His moans were loud and theatrical, filling the room with fake pleasure. But Ivan didn't care. He knew Andrei was pretending. He knew Andrei was using him just like he was using Andrei.

Ivan looked down at the man beneath him. Andrei was beautiful, yes. But beauty was cheap. Loyalty was expensive. And Andrei had no loyalty to anyone but himself.

"Faster," Andrei moaned. "Please, Ivan. Faster."

Ivan smirked. He knew what Andrei really wanted. He wanted Marco's money. He wanted Marco's power. And Ivan was happy to help him get it—as long as it served his own purposes.

Andrei was a pawn. A pretty, greedy pawn.

Ivan thought about Marco. The mighty Marco Romanav. The man who thought he was untouchable. The man who had everything Ivan wanted.

But Marco was weak. He was blinded by love. He trusted Andrei like a fool. And that trust would be his downfall.

Ivan's eyes glittered with dark satisfaction.

Soon, Marco. Soon everything you have will be mine. And you won't even see it coming.

Andrei's moans grew louder. Ivan pushed harder. But his mind was far away, planning. Scheming.

Andrei was nothing but a tool. A toy.

And toys could be thrown away when they were no longer useful.

________________________________________

Days passed at the Romanav mansion. Each day felt like a year to Leo.

He stayed in his room. All day. Every day. He barely ate. The food the servants brought sat untouched on the tray. He had no appetite. No will to live.

He sat by the window and watched the world outside. The garden was beautiful. The flowers were blooming. But Leo felt nothing.

He was hollow. Empty.

Sometimes he would catch a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He barely recognized the person staring back at him.

Leo had soft brown eyes that used to sparkle with hope. Now they were dull and lifeless. His hair was dark and messy, falling over his forehead. He had delicate features—a small nose, full lips, pale skin. He was thin, too thin. His cheekbones were sharp and prominent. His body was weak from lack of food.

He looked like a ghost.

A ghost wearing expensive clothes that didn't belong to him.

Leo touched his face. His fingers were cold. "Is this me?" he whispered. "Is this what I've become?"

He thought about Marco. His husband. The man who hated him.

Marco was breathtakingly handsome. Sharp features. Dark skin. Eyes that could burn through steel. His body was strong and powerful. He walked like a king. He talked like a ruler. Everyone feared him.

But Leo had seen a different side of Marco. The cruel side. The angry side. The side that grabbed his hair and called him names.

And yet, despite everything, Leo felt something strange. It wasn't love. It wasn't even like. But Marco was his husband. His legal husband. And watching Marco go out every night with Andrei, laughing and smiling, hurt Leo in ways he couldn't explain.

"Why do I care?" Leo asked himself. "I don't love him. I don't even know him. But it hurts. It hurts so much."

He watched through the window as Marco's car pulled out of the driveway. Andrei was in the passenger seat, laughing. Marco was smiling.

Leo turned away. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I'm nothing," he whispered. "I'm no one."

________________________________________

The butler was an old man named Gregory. He had worked for the Romanav family for forty years. He had seen many things. He had kept many secrets.

But he had never seen anyone as broken as Leo.

Every day, Gregory brought food to Leo's room. Every day, the food came back untouched.

"Sir, you must eat," Gregory would say. "You'll make yourself sick."

Leo would just shake his head. "I'm not hungry."

Gregory watched Leo grow weaker. Thinner. The spark in his eyes was fading. If something didn't change soon, the boy would die.

So Gregory did the only thing he could do. He called Natalia.

"Mistress," he said on the phone. "The young master's husband... he isn't eating. He hasn't left his room in days. I'm worried. I don't know what to do."

Natalia's heart broke. "I'll come tonight. Don't tell Marco. I'll handle it."

________________________________________

Natalia arrived at the mansion that evening.

Leo was forced to come downstairs for dinner. He felt nervous and scared. He knew Marco would be there. He knew Marco would be angry.

He walked down the grand staircase, his legs shaking. He wore a simple white shirt and black pants. His hair was messy. His face was pale.

Marco was already at the dinner table. Andrei sat beside him, looking smug and satisfied. When Marco saw Leo, his eyes turned cold.

"Look who finally decided to leave his room," Marco said sarcastically. "The saint has arrived."

Leo lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to—"

"Don't," Marco snapped. "Don't act innocent in front of my mother. Stay in your limits. Do you understand?"

Leo nodded silently. He sat at the far end of the table, as far away from Marco as possible.

Natalia entered the room. She smiled when she saw Leo, but her smile faded when she saw how thin he was. How broken.

"Leo, darling," she said gently. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, ma'am," Leo lied. "I'm okay."

Natalia sat down next to him. She reached out and took his hand. His fingers were cold and bony.

"You're not eating," she said softly. "Gregory told me. Leo, you can't do this to yourself."

Marco scoffed. "He's fine. He's just playing the victim. It's what he does."

Natalia's eyes snapped to her son. "Marco, that's enough."

"It's the truth," Marco said. "He's a liar. He's a manipulator. He's—"

"I said that's enough!" Natalia slammed her hand on the table. The glasses rattled. Everyone froze.

Marco stared at his mother. He had never seen her so angry.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Natalia said coldly. "You have no idea who Leo really is. You've been blinded by that—that gold digger sitting next to you!"

Andrei's face went pale. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Natalia said. "You're a gold digger, Andrei. You don't love Marco. You love his money. You love his power. You're using him, and I know it."

Marco stood up. His face was red with fury. "Mother, how dare you—"

"Don't you dare defend him!" Natalia shouted. "You think you know everything, Marco. But you're a fool! A blind fool! Leo is innocent. He has done nothing wrong. And you treat him like trash while you run around with that snake!"

Marco's fists clenched. "Leo is the snake! He's working with Ivan Volkov! He's—"

"Lies!" Natalia screamed. "All lies! Andrei is the one working with Ivan! He's been feeding you poison, and you drink it like a fool!"

Marco's face went white. He turned to Andrei. "Is that true?"

Andrei's eyes darted around nervously. "Marco, of course not! She's lying! She's trying to protect him!"

Marco looked back at his mother. Then at Leo. Then at Andrei.

His mind was spinning.

"Get out," Marco said coldly. "All of you. Leave me alone."

Natalia stood up. She walked over to Leo and took his hands.

"Leo," she said softly. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to destroy your life. I only wanted to protect my son. But I was wrong. I was so wrong."

Leo shook his head. "It's okay, ma'am. I understand."

"No," Natalia said firmly. "If you can't bear this anymore, leave. I'll find a way. I'll help you. You don't deserve this."

Leo's eyes filled with tears. He didn't know what to say.

Natalia turned to Marco. "At least let him be free in the house," she said. "Don't trap him in that room. He's not a prisoner. He's your husband. Show some decency."

She walked out of the room without looking back.

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