Fated by a Single Night
Ainsley
One unforgettable night. Two strangers. One secret that changes everything.
After the death of her beloved grandmother and a heartbreaking betrayal, Isabella Álvarez Volkov returns to Russia to start over. A drunken night with a mysterious stranger becomes a memory she tries to forget—until she discovers she's pregnant with twins.
Unaware that the father is Mikhail Petrov, one of Russia's most feared mafia bosses, Isabella chooses to raise her children alone. But fate has other plans. When they cross paths again, old memories resurface, dangerous enemies close in, and hidden truths threaten to tear them apart.
In a world ruled by power, betrayal, and bloodshed, can two broken hearts find love... before it's too late?
Chapter 14
MIKHAIL'S POV :
One month. That's all the doctor estimated before the twins would arrive. One month. Thirty days. Too long.
My enemies wouldn't wait that long. Neither would I. The study inside the mansion had become a war room.
Maps covered the walls while security camera feeds played across multiple monitors. Every entrance, every road, every blind spot—nothing escaped my attention.
Igor walked in carrying a folder. "Boss."
"Our men caught one of Viktor's scouts."
"And?"
"He confessed."
I slowly looked up. "When?"
Igor placed several photos on the table. "The attack is tomorrow night."
Silence. "The mansion?"
He nodded. "They're sending everyone."
---
ISABELLA'S POV :
I knew something was wrong.
Mikhail barely slept. He skipped meals, spent every hour talking to his men, checking weapons, and reviewing escape routes.
I found him standing alone on the balcony. "The babies miss you."
He turned toward me. "What?"
"They kick every time they hear your voice."
A small smile appeared on his lips. "I'll make it up to them."
I walked over and stood beside him. "Promise me something."
"Anything."
"If things get dangerous..."
"I want you to run."
His smile disappeared. "No."
"Mikhail—"
"No." He looked straight into my eyes.
"I'm done losing people."
"I'm not losing you too."
---
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT
Heavy snow blanketed Moscow. The mansion was unusually quiet. Almost too quiet. Every guard was in position. Every sniper waited on the rooftops.
Inside the nursery, I quietly folded tiny baby clothes. Blue ones. Pink ones. Little mittens. Tiny socks. The sight made me smile.
Footsteps echoed behind me. "Mikhail?"
No answer. I turned around. It wasn't him. A masked man stood in the doorway. A gun was pointed straight at me.
---
ISABELLA'S POV :
My heart stopped. "You..."
The man smiled beneath his mask. "The boss sends his regards."
Instinctively, I stepped backward, shielding my stomach with both hands. "No..."
He raised the gun. "Goodbye."
Before he could pull the trigger—
Bang!
The window beside him shattered. A sniper's bullet tore through his shoulder. He screamed. Then— The mansion alarms blared. Enemy vehicles crashed through the front gates as gunfire erupted across the estate.
The war had begun.
---
MIKHAIL'S POV :
"They're inside!"
One of my men shouted. I grabbed my rifle.
"Igor!"
"Already evacuating Isabella!"
"No."
I shook my head. "I'm going to her."
Bullets tore through the hallway as glass exploded around us. My men returned fire. Bodies fell. But I never slowed down. Only one thought echoed inside my head.
Please...
Let her be safe.
---
ISABELLA'S POV :
Despite his wounded shoulder, the masked man lunged toward me. He grabbed my wrist.
"Come with me!"
"No!" I struggled with all my strength. "Let me go!"
He slammed me against the wall. Pain shot through my back.
I gasped. "My babies..." His eyes dropped to my swollen stomach. A cruel smile spread across his face.
"So these are Petrov's heirs." He slowly aimed the gun at my belly.
My blood ran cold. "No..."
Please...
Not them...
---
MIKHAIL'S POV :
I reached the nursery just in time. "ISABELLA!" The man spun toward me.
Without hesitation—
He fired.
Bang!
Time seemed to slow. The bullet raced toward Isabella.
I threw myself in front of her, wrapping my arms around her body. The bullet slammed into the wall behind us. Another shot rang out.
Bang!
I fired back. The attacker collapsed. Before I could even breathe, several more armed men burst into the room.
"Damn it!"
The firefight continued. Bullets ricocheted off the walls. Furniture splintered into pieces.
The nursery we had lovingly prepared...
Was being destroyed before our eyes.
---
THIRD PERSON
Outside, the mansion had become a battlefield. Smoke filled the air. Snow mixed with blood. Explosions echoed through the night. One by one, Mikhail's men forced the attackers back. But Viktor Kuznetsov had yet to appear.
---
MIKHAIL'S POV :
A slow clap echoed through the hallway.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
I looked toward the entrance. A tall man stepped inside, removing his gloves. "Petrov."
Viktor Kuznetsov. At last. "I've waited a long time for this."
He smiled. "You've become weak."
I stepped in front of Isabella, shielding her with my body. "No."
"I finally found something worth fighting for."
Viktor laughed. "Family?"
"How pathetic." He raised his pistol. "I'll erase them first." Before he could pull the trigger—
"Mikhail!" I turned. Isabella suddenly clutched her stomach. Her face turned deathly pale as she doubled over.
"Aah..."
Cold fear shot through me. "Isa?" She looked at me with terrified eyes.
"My stomach..." Another wave of pain hit her. She cried out. "I..."
"I think..." Her breathing became uneven. "The babies..." Water pooled beneath her feet. My eyes widened.
No...
Not now.
Her water had broken. The doctor had warned us. Stress. Shock. Severe trauma. Any of them could trigger early labor. And now...
In the middle of a gunfight...
Our children had decided it was time.
---
ISABELLA'S POV :
The pain became unbearable. "Mikhail..." I clutched his sleeve with trembling hands. "I'm scared..."
He cupped my face, forcing me to look at him. "Look at me."
I did.
"You and our babies are leaving."
"What about you?"
"I'll finish this."
"No!"
Tears streamed down my face. "I don't want to lose you!"
He gently rested his forehead against mine. "You won't."
"I promised I'd meet our children."
"And I always keep my promises." He kissed my forehead one last time before turning to Igor.
"Take her."
"Boss—"
"That's an order."
Igor nodded without another word. "I'll protect her with my life." As Igor helped Isabella toward the armored vehicle waiting outside, she looked back one last time.
Mikhail stood alone in the mansion doorway. Gun in hand. Surrounded by enemies. Ready for the final battle.
One month. That's all the doctor estimated before the twins would arrive. One month. Thirty days. Too long.
My enemies wouldn't wait that long. Neither would I. The study inside the mansion had become a war room.
Maps covered the walls while security camera feeds played across multiple monitors. Every entrance, every road, every blind spot—nothing escaped my attention.
Igor walked in carrying a folder. "Boss."
"Our men caught one of Viktor's scouts."
"And?"
"He confessed."
I slowly looked up. "When?"
Igor placed several photos on the table. "The attack is tomorrow night."
Silence. "The mansion?"
He nodded. "They're sending everyone."
---
ISABELLA'S POV :
I knew something was wrong.
Mikhail barely slept. He skipped meals, spent every hour talking to his men, checking weapons, and reviewing escape routes.
I found him standing alone on the balcony. "The babies miss you."
He turned toward me. "What?"
"They kick every time they hear your voice."
A small smile appeared on his lips. "I'll make it up to them."
I walked over and stood beside him. "Promise me something."
"Anything."
"If things get dangerous..."
"I want you to run."
His smile disappeared. "No."
"Mikhail—"
"No." He looked straight into my eyes.
"I'm done losing people."
"I'm not losing you too."
---
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT
Heavy snow blanketed Moscow. The mansion was unusually quiet. Almost too quiet. Every guard was in position. Every sniper waited on the rooftops.
Inside the nursery, I quietly folded tiny baby clothes. Blue ones. Pink ones. Little mittens. Tiny socks. The sight made me smile.
Footsteps echoed behind me. "Mikhail?"
No answer. I turned around. It wasn't him. A masked man stood in the doorway. A gun was pointed straight at me.
---
ISABELLA'S POV :
My heart stopped. "You..."
The man smiled beneath his mask. "The boss sends his regards."
Instinctively, I stepped backward, shielding my stomach with both hands. "No..."
He raised the gun. "Goodbye."
Before he could pull the trigger—
Bang!
The window beside him shattered. A sniper's bullet tore through his shoulder. He screamed. Then— The mansion alarms blared. Enemy vehicles crashed through the front gates as gunfire erupted across the estate.
The war had begun.
---
MIKHAIL'S POV :
"They're inside!"
One of my men shouted. I grabbed my rifle.
"Igor!"
"Already evacuating Isabella!"
"No."
I shook my head. "I'm going to her."
Bullets tore through the hallway as glass exploded around us. My men returned fire. Bodies fell. But I never slowed down. Only one thought echoed inside my head.
Please...
Let her be safe.
---
ISABELLA'S POV :
Despite his wounded shoulder, the masked man lunged toward me. He grabbed my wrist.
"Come with me!"
"No!" I struggled with all my strength. "Let me go!"
He slammed me against the wall. Pain shot through my back.
I gasped. "My babies..." His eyes dropped to my swollen stomach. A cruel smile spread across his face.
"So these are Petrov's heirs." He slowly aimed the gun at my belly.
My blood ran cold. "No..."
Please...
Not them...
---
MIKHAIL'S POV :
I reached the nursery just in time. "ISABELLA!" The man spun toward me.
Without hesitation—
He fired.
Bang!
Time seemed to slow. The bullet raced toward Isabella.
I threw myself in front of her, wrapping my arms around her body. The bullet slammed into the wall behind us. Another shot rang out.
Bang!
I fired back. The attacker collapsed. Before I could even breathe, several more armed men burst into the room.
"Damn it!"
The firefight continued. Bullets ricocheted off the walls. Furniture splintered into pieces.
The nursery we had lovingly prepared...
Was being destroyed before our eyes.
---
THIRD PERSON
Outside, the mansion had become a battlefield. Smoke filled the air. Snow mixed with blood. Explosions echoed through the night. One by one, Mikhail's men forced the attackers back. But Viktor Kuznetsov had yet to appear.
---
MIKHAIL'S POV :
A slow clap echoed through the hallway.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
I looked toward the entrance. A tall man stepped inside, removing his gloves. "Petrov."
Viktor Kuznetsov. At last. "I've waited a long time for this."
He smiled. "You've become weak."
I stepped in front of Isabella, shielding her with my body. "No."
"I finally found something worth fighting for."
Viktor laughed. "Family?"
"How pathetic." He raised his pistol. "I'll erase them first." Before he could pull the trigger—
"Mikhail!" I turned. Isabella suddenly clutched her stomach. Her face turned deathly pale as she doubled over.
"Aah..."
Cold fear shot through me. "Isa?" She looked at me with terrified eyes.
"My stomach..." Another wave of pain hit her. She cried out. "I..."
"I think..." Her breathing became uneven. "The babies..." Water pooled beneath her feet. My eyes widened.
No...
Not now.
Her water had broken. The doctor had warned us. Stress. Shock. Severe trauma. Any of them could trigger early labor. And now...
In the middle of a gunfight...
Our children had decided it was time.
---
ISABELLA'S POV :
The pain became unbearable. "Mikhail..." I clutched his sleeve with trembling hands. "I'm scared..."
He cupped my face, forcing me to look at him. "Look at me."
I did.
"You and our babies are leaving."
"What about you?"
"I'll finish this."
"No!"
Tears streamed down my face. "I don't want to lose you!"
He gently rested his forehead against mine. "You won't."
"I promised I'd meet our children."
"And I always keep my promises." He kissed my forehead one last time before turning to Igor.
"Take her."
"Boss—"
"That's an order."
Igor nodded without another word. "I'll protect her with my life." As Igor helped Isabella toward the armored vehicle waiting outside, she looked back one last time.
Mikhail stood alone in the mansion doorway. Gun in hand. Surrounded by enemies. Ready for the final battle.
Chapter 14
— Chapter 14 of 16