Znakomstvo is alive

As the door slammed shut behind Chris and Lily, Avery remained sprawled on the cold floor, her perfect composure shattered. Mascara-stained tears streaked down her cheeks, her hair a disheveled mess.

The two bodyguards exchanged uncertain glances before approaching her cautiously. "Miss Sterling," one of them ventured, reaching out to help her up. "Are you alright?"

Avery's head snapped up, her eyes blazing with a mixture of humiliation and rage. "Don't touch me!" she shrieked, slapping away the offered hand.

Struggling to her feet, Avery stumbled, her designer heels catching on the plush carpet. She steadied herself against the wall, her entire body trembling with fury.

"How dare he?" she hissed, her voice rising with each word. "How dare Chris Eaton leave me like this? Push me away as if I'm nothing?!"

The bodyguards took a step back, clearly unsure how to handle their employer's meltdown.

Avery's fist slammed against the wall, her pain barely registering through her anger. "No one has ever treated me like this! Do you hear me? No one!"

Her voice echoed off the walls, hysterical and raw. "I am Avery Sterling! Men beg for my attention. They don't... they don't reject me!"

Whirling around, she fixed her wild gaze on the bodyguards. "This is your fault!" she accused, jabbing a finger at them. "You were supposed to protect me! To make sure everything went according to plan!"

The men exchanged alarmed glances as Avery's tirade continued, her carefully cultivated image of perfection crumbling with each passing second. The woman before them was a far cry from the poised, confident socialite they were used to seeing.

As Avery's shouts echoed down the hallway, it was clear that the events of the night had shaken her to her very core. The queen bee had been dethroned, and she was not taking it well.

The bodyguards shifted uncomfortably, their eyes fixed on the floor. "We tried our best, Miss Sterling," one of them mumbled. "But Chris Eaton... he was too strong."

Avery's eyes flashed with fury. "He was just one person!" she shrieked, her voice cracking. "You're two grown men, and you couldn't overpower him?!"

Shame painted their faces as they remained silent. Avery's chest heaved with each ragged breath, her mind racing.

"This is exactly why I needed that alliance with Chris," she spat, pacing the room like a caged animal. "But he backstabbed me. He chose that... that nobody over me!" Her fist slammed against the wall, pain barely registering through her rage. "I won't spare him. I'll destroy them both – Chris and Lily. They'll pay for this humiliation."

With trembling hands, Avery fished her phone from her purse. She dialed a number - her mysterious boss's number, her heart pounding as she waited for an answer.

"What happened?" a cold voice demanded.

Avery swallowed hard. "I... I failed again. Lily... I couldn't kill her this time too... Chris Eaton showed up at the last minute. He saved her."

Silence hung heavy on the line before the voice spoke again. "Pathetic. You're pathetic, Avery."

The words cut deep, but Avery couldn't disagree. Tears welled in her eyes as she sank to the floor. "I know," she whispered, her voice small and broken. "I know I'm pathetic now. But please... tell me what to do. How can I destroy them both? Chris Eaton and Lily – I want them dead."

She could almost hear the smirk in the voice's reply. "Lily? Easy enough to kill. But the Eatons... they're not so simple to eliminate. You know how powerful Eatons are?!"

Avery's grip tightened on the phone, determination steeling her resolve. "I know," she said, her voice growing stronger. "But I want to do it. I need to do it."

As she spoke the words, Avery felt a shift within herself. The pain of rejection, the humiliation she'd endured – it all crystallized into a burning desire for revenge. Chris Eaton had seen her at her weakest, and had rejected her so completely. And Lily... Lily had stolen everything from her.

"Whatever it takes," Avery continued, her voice low and dangerous. "I'll risk everything. My reputation, my future – none of it matters if I can make them suffer."

She stood, wiping away the last of her tears. The woman who looked back at her from the glass of the windows was someone new – someone hardened by pain and driven by an all-consuming need for vengeance.

"Guide me," she said into the phone, her voice steady now. "Tell me what to do, and I'll make it happen. Chris Eaton and Lily will regret the day they crossed Avery Sterling."

As she waited for a response, Avery felt a cold calm settle over her. The chaos of emotions that had overwhelmed her moments ago faded, replaced by a singular focus. She would have her revenge, no matter the cost.

"Then come to Russia now," the voice commanded, its tone brooking no argument.

Avery's heart leapt, a spark of excitement cutting through her despair. "Russia?!" she exclaimed, her voice brightening. "Really? Do you want me there?" A flutter of hope rose in her chest. "You're going to reveal your identity to me?"

For months, she'd been working for this mysterious Russian boss, following his orders without ever knowing his face. All she knew was that he was a powerful figure in the underworld, with connections that could make her wildest dreams – and darkest desires – come true.

The voice chuckled, a sound devoid of warmth. "Not at all... I'll never reveal my identity to you. Just come."

Disappointment crashed over Avery, but she pushed it aside. Even if she couldn't see his face, being summoned to Russia was a step forward. It meant she was valuable, that she still had a chance to prove herself. To get the help she needed to destroy Chris and Lily.

"I understand," she said, trying to keep the eagerness out of her voice. "I'll make arrangements immediately."

But as she thought about the journey ahead, a question nagged at her. "Boss," she ventured, "could I at least know your name? I've just been calling you 'boss' all this time."

There was a pause, long enough that Avery worried she'd overstepped. Then, the voice spoke a single word: "Znakomstvo."

Avery's breath caught in her throat. Her mind raced, connecting the dots. Znakomstvo – the infamous Russian gangster who had long been Liam Eaton's biggest rival in the underworld. Her hand trembled as she gripped the phone tighter. He was considered more powerful and deadly even than Liam Eaton himself—

"Mr. Znakomstvo," she breathed, awe and excitement coloring her voice. "I'm so honored to meet you, sir."

This was perfect. Better than perfect. What had seemed like the depths of bad luck had suddenly transformed into an incredible opportunity. She already had a powerful ally in her quest to destroy the Eatons – one who knew their weaknesses intimately.

"Don't get too excited," Znakomstvo's voice cut through her thoughts. "You still have much to prove."

Avery straightened her spine, determination flooding through her. "Of course, sir. I won't let you down. I'll do whatever it takes to bring down Chris Eaton and that girl."

Avery's heart raced, her mind reeling from the revelation. She couldn't let this opportunity slip away. "Mr. Znakomstvo," she blurted, "please, I have to know - are you really alive? Some say Liam Eaton killed you. Others claim you're in a secret American prison. How... how are you still speaking to me?!"

The line went quiet for a moment, and Avery held her breath, afraid she'd overstepped.

Finally, Znakomstvo's voice came through, cold and sharp as a blade. "I was always alive, girl. And I will be until I eradicate my rivals. Remember that."

The line went dead, leaving Avery staring at her phone in stunned silence. Her mind whirled with possibilities. Znakomstvo was alive, plotting his revenge. And she, Avery Sterling, was now part of that plan.

A slow, wicked smile spread across her face. Things were about to get very interesting indeed.