Craved by the Wrong Volkov-Chapter 242: Confrontation

Braelyn’s POV

The drive to the Volkov estate felt endless. I had a feeling about what was going to happen. The entire ride was silent. I was lost in my thoughts hung up on Lucien. The way he stared at me was like he was trying to tell me something. I glanced at Raphael, a thought sneaking into my mind...

The way he seemed like Killian, like he was done wearing a mask. I clutched my skirt to calm my nerves.

The ride continued as the evening light slowly gave way to night.

Raphael sat rigid beside me in the back seat, staring out the window like the city lights might give him answers. The silence between us was thick, heavy with everything unsaid. I kept my hands folded in my lap, fingers twisting the strap of my bag until the leather creased.

I glanced at him briefly, wondering what was going through his mind. It was the weekend. Raphael hadn’t gone to the office, so he was dressed a bit more casually in a T-shirt. My gaze flickered to his exposed upper arm. The ink of the tattoo on his forearm caught my attention.

The primroses. The B.R. was woven into the vines like a promise he’d broken a thousand times over. Raphael shifted, a bit unsettled by my gaze, but he didn’t comment. The longer I stared at that tattoo, the more bitter my mouth tasted.

The car slowed as we approached the gates. The estate loomed ahead, tall iron fences, perfectly manicured lawns, the same imposing stone façade I hadn’t seen in months. It looked exactly the same as the last time I was here. When we were still playing happy family.

My stomach twisted.

Raphael glanced at me. "You sure you want to do this?"

I met his eyes for the first time since the hospital. He was still hesitant, as if he knew what waited beyond those gates. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Yes," I said lightly. "It’s just meeting your parents. What can go wrong?" I chuckled, although the sound didn’t reach my eyes. His lips parted, then closed. In the end, he resigned himself to a simple nod, respecting my decision. The chauffeur pulled through the gates.

The car stopped at the entrance. For a moment, I didn’t move. Raphael came around to my side, opening the door. I had gathered my resolve, and yet at the last moment, I felt nervous.

When I didn’t step out immediately, concern flickered across his face. He lowered his voice. "If you’re nervous... You can wait in the car. I’ll handle it. You don’t have to push yourself, Lynn," he said softly.

I glanced up at him, studying his expression, before letting out a quiet breath and stepping out anyway. "I didn’t come this far to hide," I said sharply, then walked ahead before he could say anything else.

Raphael watched me for half a second, something conflicted flickering across his face before he quickly caught up and walked beside me.

The front doors opened before we could knock. The butler stood there, his posture straight as ever... but the surprise in his eyes when he saw me was impossible to hide. It flickered across his face before he masked it with professionalism.

"Master Raphael. Madam Lynn," he greeted politely, stepping aside. "Sir and Madam are already waiting in the drawing room," he informed us. Raphael nodded as we stepped inside.

The foyer smelled the same as I remembered; polished wood, old money, faint lavender from the vases. It evoked memories I wanted buried. I could hear voices before we even reached the drawing room. Loud, theatrical sobs that almost made me laugh.

I froze for a split second. Raphael reached for my hand, then stopped halfway. His fingers curled back into his palm before he stepped forward.

His stride faltered for half a second. Then he squared his shoulders and pushed the door open.

Inside, the scene looked exactly like something out of a tragic stage play.

Amelia sat on the sofa, face buried in her hands, shoulders shaking. Her eyes were swollen red, mascara faintly smudged. Natalia sat beside her, an arm around her shoulders, whispering comfort, while Natasha stood nearby, glaring daggers at me the second I walked in.

Ronan was already seated, his expression dark and unreadable. I almost smiled. I had expected this scene. Amelia had run to Raphael’s parents for backup.

Raphael stepped forward first. His expression remained unreadable. He didn’t even give Amelia a glance, whose sobs stopped halfway through the moment we stepped in.

"Father, Mother, we are here," he said calmly.

The moment Natalia heard his voice, she shot to her feet like a match had been lit under her. Her eyes landed on me, igniting with a gaze that burned.

"How dare you come here?!" she shrieked, storming forward, her voice trembling with rage. Before I could react, her hand flew toward my face. I froze.

In all the years I’d known his family, they had been cruel, manipulative and cold but never physical. I hadn’t braced myself for the slap. I waited for the sting.

The slap never landed.

A gasp ran through the room. I opened my eyes and saw Raphael, who had caught her wrist mid-air. At that moment, my heart should have skipped a beat seeing that he was protecting me, but something felt dead inside me.

Raphael’s face looked like a storm of emotions. The only other time I had seen him that angry was with Lucien.

"Mother. What do you think you’re doing?" he said in a low, controlled voice Natalia didn’t recognise.

She stared at him like she didn’t recognise her own son. She blinked before her face turned ugly. "You held my hand because of her...?" she gasped.

Raphael scoffed and released her arm. He stepped slightly in front of me like a barricade.

"Why did you call me here?" he asked, not even glancing at Amelia, whose crying only grew louder. "I’m sure it isn’t because you want to harass my wife."

Natalia’s anger faltered, replaced by something uglier, panic.

"Your wife?" she repeated as Amelia’s cries grew louder.

I stood quietly, hands relaxed at my sides, watching the spectacle like I wasn’t involved.

Natalia laughed bitterly. "You call her your wife?" she spat, pointing a finger at me.

"She can’t even give you a child! Do you want to lose your inheritance too? Do you want to throw away the Volkov legacy for someone barren?" she barked, seething with anger.

"If I could turn back time, I would have done everything in my power to stop you from marrying a woman like her," she spat, her eyes turning venomous. "She is as worthless as her mother.."

A slap rang across Natalia’s face, leaving her stunned in complete disbelief at who had struck her.