ed lettering gleaming under the bakery's warm light. The name "Nadia Petrova" sta

spers of the notorious Russo mafia danced through her mind. The world she knew - the comforting rhythm of

unexpected, yearned to unravel the mystery. The sensible part, however, urged caution. The Russo were not names casually asso

nd get on with her life. There are more pressing matters she needs to tend to inste

ssants on the display counter, her eyes kept drifting toward the pocket where the invitation resided. She could not sleep a wink th

hurt to lo

e itch in her curiosity anymo

, Elena. Elena, a whirlwind of vibrant energy and infectious laughter, was the antithesis of the world depicted in the unsettl

Elena announced, her voice ec

mismatched socks, she looked like a burst of color against

canvas. Their friendship, forged in the shared struggles of starting their o

ice hesitant, "I was thinking o

"Early? But you always

are a bit...slow today." It was a lie, but the truth, the unsett

inkling with mischief, "you have a

"A rendezvous? In this fl

b, she sent it spinning across the countertop. "Intrigued by the world of the rich and ruthless

ust in the good of the world, wouldn't understand the unsettling allure of the

'd recommend keeping, my dear. All glitz and glamor on the outside, darkness lurking b

alidated Nadia's apprehension. Yet, a strange defiance bubbled within her. "Maybe a litt

to recognize the uncharacteristic glint of defiance

invitation on the counter. It was a young woman, nervous and out of place, clutching a pristine white

he woman stammered, ho

Elena, her brow furrowed in confusion, shifted her gaze between the two envelopes and Nadia's flustere