Four years ago

The evening sun was setting, it wouldn't take long before the whole place became dark, the bird and crickets were making their usual sounds at that time of the day.

He was looking down at her with so much love and admiration, her auburn short hair was sitting atop her shoulder as she smiled up at him innocently.

"Uh are you guys gonna stop now, we won't make it back in time before nightfall" Ivan's annoying voice cut them off their little bubble they were in, Dimitri just glared at him, while she giggle looking over her shoulder.

"Stop being so jealous Ivan" Dimitri mocked his cousin while he stuck a tongue out at both of them. She just laughed and looked back at Dimitri with her beautiful Amber eyes.

"He's right you know" she whispered and he just hummed tucking her hair away

"I wish I could come with you baby" he muttered looking at her, she understood why he couldn't come with them, he had an important meeting to go over and would only have the opportunity tonight.

"I know Maxim, we'll be back soon" she reassured him before standing on her tipy toes and pressing her lips to his, he enjoyed the moment and didn't want to let her go, he pressed her firmly against him as his hands rested on her waist.

He loved her greatly and would do anything for her, even make her his Donna. He had proposed a few months back and she agreed to marry him, their wedding was to hold in three months, he couldn't wait for that day to finally come.

He didn't want to be parted from her even for a second but he needed to attend to this business very quickly

They finally let go of each other

"I love you" he whispered and she smiled

"I love you too" she told him before walking away from him and towards the car with Ivan.

"You're not going forever, geez you're just going to the mall for like 15 minutes tops" Ivan muttered and She just laughed, he also had a small smile on his face as the both got to the car and opened it.

"Take care of her Ivan" Dimitri yelled out to his cousin and he just mocked a salut before entering the car and shutting it.

Dimitri really wasn't okay with the fact that she insisted on going alone with Ivan without any guards with her, he was not settled at all but he'd do anything for her and if she didn't want anyone going with them, then so be it

With a smile on his face, he turned around and headed inside to prepare for the meeting, the people he was to meet would be here in minutes.

"So where to first"? Ivan asked as soon as they both drove out of the house, she made a thinking gesture before looking at him

"We'll go to the mall first, then maybe get some food, he'd probably be hungry when we get back" she said and Ivan just smiled, he loved what they have.

"Do you think he has eaten today" she asked, he hadn't been home much and she didn't think he'd eaten anything tangible all day

The kind of love they have, he knew how much Veronica loved his cousin and vise versa, he hoped he'd find something like that someday

"Vera relax okay, Dimitri is a big boy, he'll be fine" he reassured her. He liked her for his cousin, right from the moment they met, he knew she was the light to Dimitri's darkness.

He couldn't wait to finally be able to call her his sister. She brought out the best in Dimitri.

She relaxed back on the car not entirely okay, she was missing him badly, she didn't want to go out this evening but she had to go get some things at the mall and he was busy so he couldn't go with them

She looked at the big rock on her finger and smiled, soon she was going to be his wife, Mrs Volkov. She loved how it sounded, it had a nice ring to it.

But somehow she felt like everything wouldn't be so smooth down that road, for some odd reason she felt like there was something on the way coming, something that may stand in their way to happiness

She brushed it off as one of those feelings, she had Dimitri and she would enjoy every moment spent with him.

They had both met when they were in college back in DC, he was very young then, she didn't know his father, actually his family was one of the richest in Russia, not until the first time he brought her home.

The first time she'd met his father, although he welcomed her well, there was something unnerving about him, infact about the house.

With all the guards and men watching the place, why did they need so much security, she could understand that they were an influential family in these part of the world but was that much men necessary?

Even till now, she still wasn't really comfortable having the guards around, that was why she asked Dimitri not to bother sending anyone with them, she was okay with just Ivan.

And there was something about the kind of meetings Dimitri held sometimes, odd hours and at odd places.

She wasn't stupid, she knew there was something off about the family but she cared too much for Dimitri to let that keep her away from him

She'd take her chances with whatever it was that the family has to hide. That was how much she loved Dimitri

As promised they didn't stay long at the mall or even getting food, they were quick because it was already dark, Ivan knew the roads aren't that safe to be driving at night, especially since their mansion was kind of secluded from town a bit.

"Okay I got everything you asked for and extra" he said getting back into the car and dropping the stuff in the backseat of the car before starting the car and driving off.

Dimitri had texted him to ask when they'd be back and he whipped up a quick reply telling him they were in fact on their way.

It'll take another hour for them to drive back to the mansion, but Ivan was a fast and good driver so he may take less time.

The road back home was quiet and secluded, save for their car on the road. It was always like this but tonight felt different, both Ivan and Veronica felt something was off tonight but neither of them pointed it out.

All they had to do was just get home, it can't be that hard right? They were wrong?

Because while they were driving to get home, someone was watching and waiting for them patiently for the right time to strike.

The person had everything set out for them, a full fledged ambush had been set. She had been watching them for a while now, she knew the route they'd take while going home from the city and she had her orders on what to do.

While driving the dark roads, Ivan was drumming his fingers lightly on the steering wheel and nodding his head to an imaginary sound.

They had gotten to a corner and just as he took it, he saw another car headlight and it seemed like it was heading straight for them.

That was when he noticed that another was right behind them, where did these cars come from?

The car heading for them didn't sway, and neither did the one tailing them stop, he knew something was up and he had to act fast

"Vera take out your phone and call Dimitri now" he told her, she looked at him and saw the worried lines on his face, she was scared too.

She quickly went through her bag and brought out her phone, Ivan was trying to salvage the situation, and avoid both cars at all cost, he had even slowed down his own.

Vera dialed Dimitri and it rang for a few minutes before he picked it up "Hello babe, you guys back yet"? He asked, he had to quickly excuse himself from the meeting to answer the call

"Maxim, someone's tailing us.... And there's another car in front of us... We..." The conversation became static and the signal was bad but Dimitri had already lost it upon hearing that someone was tailing his fiance and Cousin

"Where are you? Where's Ivan"? He rushed out before walking outside and signalling two of his men to follow him

"He's here.... He's...." There was shuffling and a lot of background noises

"Baby stay on the phone, I'm coming to get you right now" he was losing his mind, she was in danger, he knew he shouldn't have let her leave without any protection, how stupid could he have been?.

The last thing he heard was a blood curling scream from the other end of the phone and it went dead

"Vera" he called "baby"!!! He yelled into the phone but got no reply

While on call with Dimitri and with Ivan still trying to salvage the whole situation, a car from nowhere out of the side rammed into Ivan's side of the car making him lose control.

His head hit the Steering and he was bleeding and dizzy at the same time, Vera had hit her head pretty bad too but their car was still standing.

"Vera" he moaned out painfully but got no answer, he looked at her to see that she'd passed out, probably from the impact.

Even with a blurry vision he saw a figure walk towards them from the other side of the car, the person was wearing all black, their face wasn't covered tho and as they got closer he could see that it was a woman, or rather a girl, couldn't be more than 19.

She opened the door to Vera's side and unstrapped her seatbelt. Ivan struggled to get out of his but it was jammed.

"Don't" he muttered, the girl just stopped for a second before looking him dead in the eyes, he took in her features, she was a brunette with brown eyes, she looked young but her eyes looked dead and empty.

"Who are you"? He croaked out, probably trying to stall for Dimitri to get here on time, a smirk tugged on her lips because she knew exactly what he was trying to do but she knew she'd be out of here before any help gets here.

She was taken aback though, by the fact that he didn't know her, she was a famous person in their world, a lot of people knew her but this man right here didn't.

This made her wonder the more who he was and why Fabio had sent her on this.

One word was all she said before grabbing the young girl passed out in the passenger seat and disappearing

"Cara"

Ivan kept trying to get out of the seat but it was useless, they'd taken Vera, and worse he didn't even know who.

All he got was a first name, nothing more. But he could recognize her anywhere, she'd let him see her face very well.

He was already getting weak and dizzy, Where was Dimitri by the way. He couldn't keep up with the amount of blood he had lost, so he gave in to the darkness.

He wanted the car to go faster than this but it was impossible, this was the fastest it could go. He was under pressure and scared. He'd never been this scared in his life, but knowing Vera was in danger had him shitting his pants.

While driving they came face to face to what looked like an accident.

"Stop the car" he barked out and without waiting for the car to stop he took off his seatbelt and jumped out of it..

He kept praying for Veronica to be okay, he wasn't a religious person but if praying would make his Vera be okay then he was ready to do it.

As he inched closer to the car, he saw the passenger door was open, he got closer and saw his cousin passed out in the driver seat, bleeding profusely, but Vera was nowhere to be found.

He looked back at the two men following him "Find her now"!!! He yelled before rushing towards his cousin and unstrapping him.

If there's anyone who'd tell him what happened here and where his Vera was, then it's definitely Ivan.

One thing kept ringing in his head, He shouldn't have left her to come out on her own, he should have gone with her or sent at least a guard or two with them. Now she's nowhere to be found and it's all his fault.

This was what happened four years ago.