The mere thought of the whole incident made her soul shiver. Her heart ached for him.
Juliana placed her hand on his cheeks and buried her face on his neck as she hugged him tightly.
Owen did not say anything, instead he hugged her back. He felt a sense of comfort and weird satisfaction when she held him tightly.
It was an overwhelming feeling, something he had never felt before. But instead of overthinking, he decided to embrace the occasion.
"Do you feel bad for me?" He smiled as he gently caressed her back.
She did not say anything, she just embraced him.
"Don't feel bad for me—" When she looked at him, he added, "I killed him."
After their mothers funeral, Javier took Owen and Elsa to Russia as he had planned.
Though he continued to listen to his grandfather and father, the resentment and hatred he had for them kept growing.
For him, Javier was nothing but his mother's murderer. The one who had taken away the only person who loved him selflessly.
Owen knew that if he tried to rebel or say anything, they would shut him down. He was helpless and more than that, he was powerless. He didn't have anything in his hand. So staying silent was the only option he had in his hand.
For a whole year, he continued doing everything he was asked to silently. He also made sure no one dared to force his little sister to get involved in any kind of mess. He protected her from everyone, especially Javier.
Things became a little easy when Andrew came into the picture.
When Owen learnt that Andrew had also been through a similar thing, his heart also opened up for him.
The two of them immediately formed a secret alliance and started doing everything together.
They grasped every opportunity that was thrown towards them till the very end.
Initially their plan was to slowly take away everything that belonged to Semion and Javier. But things took a different turn and they were forced to rush things.
When Elsa turned seventeen, Javier started introducing her to the sons of their business partners. Semion started taking her to parties where she was forced to talk to strangers who were considered as her potential match.
Initially Owen and Andrew asked Elsa to go with it as they had their own plans but when things started getting out of hand, they had to take a major step.
Javier fixed Elsa's marriage with a man twice her age in order to crack a deal.
And unlike the other times, Owen and Andrew raised their voices over the matter. They refused to let Javier use their sister as bait.
But Javier tried to play dirty again. He drugged Elsa and handed her to their business partner.
If not for Owen and Andrew's quick actions, things would have taken a different turn.
This incident was a turning point and the last string of patience Owen had. He understood that as long as Javier was alive and breathing, he wouldn't let them, especially Elsa, live in peace.
When they ambushed the mansion Semion and Javier were residing in, the first person Owen went looking for was his father.
As their men gunned down all of Semion's men one by one, Owen was fully focused on finding the monster who has ruined his life.
But when he found him, Javier managed to stab a knife straight into his chest.
Luckily Andrew stopped him before he could plunge the entire knife in Owen's chest.
Initially, Owen had no plans of killing him. He wanted to torture the guy for the rest of his life. He wanted to make his life a living hell.
But as soon as he saw Javier, all he could think about was his mother's lifeless body and how he had killed him right in front of his eyes.
All he could think about was how he had tortured her both mentally and physically for so many years.
His mother's tear stained face, the bruises in her body, the pain and suffering she had been through because of him, flashed in front of his eyes.
And the fact that his sister was also suffering because of Javier, made his blood boil.
He had already ruined his mother's life and now he was trying to run his sister's life as well.
When Owen pointed his gun towards Javier, he mockingly smirked at him.
"What are you thinking? You want to kill me?" Javier mockingly laughed. "You cannot kill me no matter how badly you want to. And you know why?"
He smirked. "Because you are just like your mother. A coward. You would rather live in the hell I offer you than to kill me or anyone."
He helplessly shook his head and chuckled, "That woman was so dumb. She chose to die rather than listen to me."
"That woman hesitated to even kill an insect." Javier added, "You are her son, aren't you? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
Tightening his grip around the gun, Owen looked at Andrew. "I am sorry bro, I have to."
Andrew did not say anything but he also did not stop him. No one better than him understood the pain Owen had been through.
Both Javier and Semion were responsible for his parents death. Even he wanted them dead.
Without wasting any more time, Owen pulled the trigger.
The bullet pierced straight into Javier's shoulders. He groaned and collapsed on the floor. The excruciating pain made him scream.
Owen slowly made his way towards him. He squatted in front of him and lifted his chin up with the tip of the gun.
"You are right, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." He smirked. "But you forgot something. I am your son too."
Owen looked at Semion who was standing right next to Javier. "Remember grandpa, you always told Andrew and me that we are Volkov's. And Volkov's never show any mercy to people they feel are a threat to them, even if that person is your own father or son."
...