The Russian Roulette [The Mafia Chronicles #2]

Chapter XVIII

Usually, taking some time alone clears doubts; but in Sophie's case, they only grew with her loneliness. The drive from her husband's house to her parent's house took an hour, and in that time, Sophie managed to contemplate most, if not all her life choices. Her moral compass usually guided her to a clear answer but as of recently, it started spinning undirectedly with no clear path to take. Usually that happened when it had to do with Alexi.

He was the pivot the compass spun around and simultaneously the pivot her brain's thoughts were circled around. It truly was exhausting.

In a moment of clearness, Sophie decided to throw her thoughts that surrounded morals, emotions, and a certain Russian man to the back of her mind, all because her childhood home came into view. She had a day to bask in her family's warmth and forget that she was legally bound to Alexi Dimitri.

Not that anyone can forget that they're married to the man who controlled the whole of Russia...

Ivan was tasked with protecting her during her stay, although there was security installed around her parents house previously by Alexi himself in order to keep his in-laws safe from being targeted. The head-of-guard parked the car and immediately jumped out to open his Donna's door, only to find that she beat him to it. He smiled with a hint of shame, she always opened her own door when Alexi wasn't there claiming that she has perfectly working hands that she was blessed with, so she might as well use them.

It was only when Ivan got back in the car, that Sophie turned around towards her home's door. Yes, that's it: home. Not in that mansion, surrounded by violence and blood money. Simply here with the kindest souls I have known, Sophie smiled to herself.

Tears soon followed as Igor and Katya rushed out the house's door towards their only child. They refrained themselves from breaking in a sprint and opted to simply holding in their choked sobs. Katya could not care less that she was wearing her slippers or that armed men surrounded them.

All she could see was her daughter with a bouquet of lilies in her hands.

The choked sob could no longer be contained as Katya wrapped her arms around her daughter. The women's tears ran down their cheeks, but they couldn't have bothered less when they were tears of Joy. "I missed you, детка." She breathed out.

[Baby.]

Sophie's sobs grew. It truly took a toll on her when she realized how much she relied on her parents. It's easy to take something as simple as their presence for granted, but now, she would trade all the riches the are now under her name to remain by their side till the world ends and mother nature takes over.

"I missed you more, мама." Sophie pulled back and peppered her mother's cheeks and forehead with kisses. Katya erupted in laughter when she felt Igor copy his daughters actions, but this time, he kissed the two women he cherished most in his life.

"Мы не осознали, что ваше отсутствие заставило нас чувствовать себя одиноким, пока дом больше не успокоился. Никто не играл в громкую музыку больше." Igor mumbled into his daughters hair, trying to hide his watery eyes and shaky voice.

[We did not realize that your absence made us feel lonely until the house calmed down. Nobody played loud music anymore.]

A pained laugh escaped Sophie's lips. "I don't know if that was a jab at me or a compliment." She hugged her father tightly, almost like she was trying to make sure he was real.

"A compliment, my raspberry cheesecake." Her father's thick Russian almost completely covered the English words that left his mouth. "Welcome home, детка." Her parents ushered her inside to the warmth inside their home and Sophie, for a second, forgot that she was the Donna of the Russian mafia.