Chapter 705: Mastermind Behind-The-Scenes

[This isn’t me... I don’t get attached... I don’t care like this...]

[But I do... I care about him... More than I should...]

Natalya shook her head, trying to regain her composure, then snapped at Helen. "What are you looking at? Why don’t you give him his medicine? What kind of nurse are you? I should fire you for incompetence!"

Helen didn’t dare to talk back, just nodded quickly and took out two pills—one painkiller and one sleeping pill. She was about to feed them to me, but Natalya snatched them from her hand and came closer to me.

"Open your mouth," she commanded, her voice firm but her hand trembling slightly as she held out the pills.

I obeyed, opening my mouth as she placed the pills on my tongue. Her fingers brushed against my lips, sending a jolt through both of us. I could see the conflict in her eyes, the way her breath hitched as she pulled her hand back.

The glass trembled slightly in Natalya’s hand as she pressed it into mine. "Here, drink some water," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, cracked with something fragile and unnameable. Her fingers brushed against my skin, sending a current through both of us. I could see the storm in her eyes—confusion, terror, something so raw it made my chest ache.

As I swallowed the pills, I looked up at her. Her thoughts were a tempest of emotion, each one more vulnerable than the last:

[Maybe this... this ache in my chest... It’s because he saved my life... That must be it... Just gratitude...]

[Yes, that’s all it is... Gratitude...]

[I should leave... Before I do something stupid... Before I show him how weak I’ve become...]

[

But my feet won’t move... My heart won’t let me...]

She turned abruptly to Helen, her voice sharp with barely contained emotion. "Nurse Helen, you can stay in the next room."

Helen hesitated, her voice trembling. "Miss, I need to stay with the sir... If he needs anything... And to monitor his temperature..."

Natalya’s thoughts spiraled wildly, her internal voice a desperate whirlwind:

[No... NO... What if she touches him? What if she looks at him the way I do?]

[What if she sees him vulnerable and he looks at her with those damn eyes that make my stomach flip?]

[I can’t let them be alone... I can’t...]

[No... I can’t even think it...]

I lay down, pretending to fall asleep, my breathing slow and steady. Natalya’s panic was immediate and visceral.

"Viper! VIPER!" she called out, her voice breaking with terror. She grabbed my shoulder, shaking me gently, her touch desperate.

Helen quickly intervened, her voice calm but urgent. "Miss, he’s fine... It must be the sleeping pill. He must have fallen asleep."

Natalya didn’t respond. Instead, she moved to the other side of the bed and climbed up beside me.

The scent of her—jasmine and gunpowder and something uniquely her—filled my senses. My mind raced:

[She’s actually going to sleep beside me?]

[If she keeps this up, I won’t be able to control

myself...]

[But God, I don’t want her to stop...]

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Polina’s voice came through, cautious. "Boss..."

I could almost see her eyes flicking between Natalya and me. I kept pretending to be asleep, my breathing even.

Natalya made a shh sound, her footsteps light as she moved to the door. Polina entered quietly, her voice low and urgent.

"Boss... We’ve found out who was behind this attack."

Polina’s voice was grave, laced with urgency. "It was that Italian Mafia guy, Vito. He wanted to use Igor’s hand to kidnap you... and blackmail Boss Nikolai..."

Natalya’s entire body went rigid. Her thoughts were a storm of fury and terror:

[They wanted to kidnap me?]

[They wanted to use me against my father?]

[But they almost took Viper from me...]

[They almost killed the man who... who...]

She asked, her voice a deadly whisper. "Where is that guy Vito now?"

Polina’s response was immediate. "He is staying with Igor’s father, Sergie... They must have gotten the news of Igor’s death... and must be planning to take revenge on you, boss... At all costs..."

Natalya’s voice was a blade, sharp and lethal. "Revenge on me?" Her thoughts were a whirlwind of violence and heartbreaking vulnerability:

[Revenge?]

[They want revenge for that piece of trash, Igor?]

[They want to hurt me?]

[They have NO IDEA what I will do to them...]

[I will make them BEG for death...]

[Because they almost took Viper from me...]

[And if I lost him...]

[I don’t know what I would do...]

[I don’t know who I would be...]

[I can’t forgive myself for almost killing him...]

[The guilt is eating me alive...]

[So I need to kill them... I need to bathe in their blood...]

[Only then will this pain in my heart stop...]

[Only then will I be able to breathe again...]

[But what if something happens to me?]

[What if I don’t come back?]

[NO... I can’t think like that...]

[I have to come back...]

[I HAVE to...]

[Because he’s mine...]

[And I’m his...]

[Even if he doesn’t know it yet...]

[Even if I’m too scared to say it...]

She turned to Polina, her voice a command laced with desperate emotion. "Call our whole army. I am going to end them all now... And ask them to bring every weapon... Possible grenade launchers... machine guns... smoke bombs... Everything."

Polina hesitated, her voice cautious. "But boss... Shouldn’t we inform Boss Nikolai?"

Natalya’s eyes flashed dangerously, her thoughts a storm of conflict:

[I can’t tell my father...]

[He’ll try to stop me...]

[He’ll say it’s too dangerous...]

[But I don’t care...]

[I need to do this...]

She snapped at Polina, her voice a whip-crack of authority and fear. "Are you my subordinate or my dad’s? Just listen to my order or go back to my dad."

Polina nodded quickly, her voice firm. "I will... I will call everyone..."

I heard Helen gasp softly, clearly shocked by the sudden talk of weapons and revenge. Polina left the room, and I felt Natalya’s fingers tracing my face with heartbreaking tenderness. Her thoughts were a mix of guilt, love, and fierce determination:

[Viper... My Viper...]

[I will kill everyone who ever thought of hurting you...]

[Because of them, I almost lost you...]

[I don’t know why... We’ve only known each other for a day...]

[But it feels like my heart has known you forever...]

[Every time I close my eyes, I see you fighting for me...]

[I see you bleeding for me...]

[I can’t forgive myself for almost killing you...]

[So I need to kill them all...]

[I need to make sure you’re safe...]

[Because I can’t lose you...]

[I can’t lose the only person who makes me feel...]

[Who makes me feel like I’m worth something...]

[Who makes me feel like I’m not just a monster...]

[I know you don’t blame me...]

[But I blame myself...]

[And I will never forgive myself...]

[Unless I make sure no one can ever hurt you again...]