A Beauty So Cursed by Beena Khan

Extended Epilogue 1

One month later

This was a mistake.

I shouldn’t have come here.

Decades had gone by, but now that I had returned to New York, I needed to see him. My eyes lifted across the long table in the empty gray visitor’s room, meeting his dark steel ones. At least six feet of distance between us. His eyes had hardened over the years and no longer held the softness I had glimpsed in them.

No one was present besides us. We were all alone.

Miran and Kaya had refused me entry, but I was a grown woman, and I fought to be here. I didn’t belong here though. I’d already said goodbye years ago, but he was being transferred to another city in two days. I had to see him one last time.

“Hello, wife.”

His voice.

His deep, masculine, edgy voice.

It was harsher and colder now.

How I had longed to hear it over the years.

My husband.

Enzo Vitalli.

My pulse quickened, and anxiety shot through me. My throat ran dry, and my hands trembled. I gripped them tightly to stop the quivering. Dropping them, I clutched my chair’s handles, and I rose halfway, intending to leave. I couldn’t do this. It was so stupid of me to come see him in prison.

“You’re leaving already?” the beast spoke.

I closed my eyes at the sound of his voice. Forcing myself to breathe, I rose fully to my feet and turned around to leave.

“Why don’t you bring Miran in here?”

I paused.

“He is very protective of you. He has your spirit.”

I collapsed back into my chair, and my hand clutched my chest. The pounding increased, and I was afraid I had misheard. I blinked slowly as my breaths came out ragged. Gripping the edge of the tables, I stared open-mouthed, wanting him to clarify.

Enzo’s lip twitched.

“You know, wife,” he began, “Vladimir might look like me, but his entire life he has never been like me. He inherited your soul. He is like you. He’s soft sometimes. I used to give him a ton of shit for that, but he carries that softness from you.”

I blew out a ragged breath.

“Miran,” he chuckled. “He carries your fighting spirit, and he would destroy everything for you, for his family.” He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, don’t look so shocked, Roza. I know he is your son.”

My world came crashing down.

Was he going to hurt him?

My lower lip trembled, and I held in a cry.

Enzo glanced at my eyes, taking the tears in them, noting my unspoken questions.

“I’ve known about him since he was two-years-old. If I wanted to hurt him, I would have already.”

I exhaled a shaky breath of relief, but I still stared in disbelief.

I realized I hadn’t spoken a single word.

“H… How?” I stammered.

“How did I know?” he prompted.

I only nodded, dumbfounded.

“One of my men saw you in Turkey, and he reported back to me.” I stared wide-eyed, my voice deserting me. His eyes were dimmer now. “A child. You were holding a child.”

I was breathing harder, and I tried not to stifle a cry.

His eyes became glassier as his gaze held mine. “I flew out to Turkey the same day, believing that child was mine. I came to take you home. I returned.”

My heart almost dropped out of my chest. I could only listen as he spoke.

“But then I saw that child… he looked more like Kaya than me.” His jaw ticked. “And I knew he wasn’t mine. You were with… him,” he seethed out before exhaling, “You were laughing in a way you’ve never laughed with me. I’ve never heard you laugh like that.”

My husband broke off eye contact.

“If I had brought you back with me, your laughter would have been gone… again.”

I shut my eyes, and the tears I’d been holding fell out of them.

“So, I left just like I came.”

I opened my eyes, and he was looking at me again.

His steel eyes pierced me all over again.

“I’ve always known where you were, and I’ve known Miran’s identity. Now, why don’t you bring your son inside?”

I furrowed my eyebrows, and tears still rolled down my face.

Noticing my confused face, he clarified, “Your son fears for your safety. He believes that I will harm you once I’m released from prison now that you’re back in the city.”

I opened my mouth to protest, that Miran would understand now that he’d told me everything, but he spoke over me, “Even if you tell him what I just told you, it will never be enough for him.” His voice dropped low when he added, “The need to get vengeance for your mother’s pain can’t easily be fulfilled.”

My eyes watered at his own pain. I fell silent and tucked a tendril behind my ear. Dropping my eyes to my lap, I folded my hands across the table.

“I have a confession to make.”

My eyes jerked up.

“I’ll confess to my crimes.”

My heart cracked all over again.

He slowly smirked. “But only to the ones I’ve done to you… No one else.”

He didn’t regret what he did to my mother, Galina, and Irina. The brute was still cold.

“Why wait for him to… to…” I glanced at the brown burn marks on his once unblemished face and neck, and I knew that was the work of Miran, “hurt you when you could have admitted the truth all along?”

Enzo smiled darkly, and my heart twisted at the familiarity.

“Maybe I was waiting for you to come find me first.”

I looked away from his burning gaze, afraid the feelings I had buried a long time ago would resurface again.

“He’s a good son,” Enzo murmured. “He is loyal to you. You raised him well, whereas Vlad,” he bitterly smiled, “turned against me. Maybe rightfully so.”

I needed to get out of here.

I would send Miran to him shortly after.

Standing up quickly, the chair behind me fell with a clang.

“Before you go, bring something for me tomorrow.”

My eyes flew to him.

His steel eyes darkened.

“Divorce papers.”

My hands gripped the edge of the table.

“You will finally be free of me at last.”

❖

I brought the papers with me the next day.

With my trembling hands, I sat across Enzo. The large table between us like a boundary.

“You go first?” I asked.

He smirked. “Requesting favors again?”

I frowned and glanced nervously at the ground.

“Alright,” he murmured, “Bring the papers here.”

With my wobbling feet, I stood up and moved toward him in hesitant steps. Clutching the papers tightly against my chest, I felt like a schoolgirl meeting with her professor for a poor grade she’d received. I kept my gaze low, avoiding his stare because it confused me. The walk to him went on forever, and I almost stumbled on my feet. Once I reached, I maintained a distance between us even though he was handcuffed.

“Perky little tits.”

My head flew toward him, and the familiar memory hit me.

I think I was hallucinating.

He was smirking as he gazed up at me.

Oh Lord… he was still so handsome even after all these years. Even with the graying in his beard, he was still beautiful. Not even that orange uniform could hide his Italian beauty. Not even those recent scars on his face and neck could hide it. He was still striking till this day. His silky raven head was full of dark, tousled hair.

His wolf-like edgy eyes returned my stare, burning into me. A wicked, predatory glint still lurked in them, making a shiver run down my spine. He was still all intensity and control. His prominent jaw was clean-shaven and even sharper now, and I hated that I was checking him out again.

I wondered if he thought I was aged with wrinkles.

“They seem a little bigger now,” he said, dropping his gaze from my face to my breasts. My body wasn’t the same anymore. It was still thin, but I was older now.

Feeling insulted all over again, I glanced down, and my hands lifted to my breasts that were covered in the red fabric of my dress. Out of all colors, I picked this color today. His favorite color on me. A few inches from impact, I paused, realizing what I was going to do, and turned wide-eyed at Enzo.

He continued to smirk.

Ugh… this beast and his games.

I hated that my soul thrashed inside of me, remembering the past.

My hands dropped limply by my side, and I edged away from him. His hands were shackled to the table, and his legs were shackled to the floor, but he was still dangerous. I was forced into proximity, and his woodsmoke smell hit me. I inhaled deeply, remembering the familiar smell, and my eyes watered. Exhaling slowly, with trembling hands I reached out for the paper and pen and placed them on the table in front of him.

I hated that he still affected me to this day.

I couldn’t think straight around him.

I could feel his gaze burning into me every time.

“Here, sign,” I mumbled, stepping back from him.

I held my breath, and my heartbeat rapidly increased, waiting for his response. Would he really sign it?

He didn’t even glance at the paper and kept staring, holding my eyes the entire time.

“You go first.”

I blinked, confusion filling my mind.

“Y-you said…” My voice trailed off.

“I want to see you sign first,” he murmured.

I hated how relaxed and comfortable he looked when I was falling apart inside. Every inch of me had tried to prepare myself for meeting him again, but it wasn’t enough. Setting my jaw tight, I flashed angry eyes.

“Then what was the point of me telling me you will sign first?” I huffed, my shaky hands reaching out and grabbing the papers and pen. I glared daggers again.

“Maybe I just wanted you to come close to me… one last time.”

I froze, and I trained my eyes on the table. My heart hammered in my chest at the sound of his low voice. I refused to look at him or play any more of his sick games. I grabbed the pen and papers, spinning around, and moving away from his overwhelming presence. His gaze bore holes into my back the entire time.

Sitting down, I gripped the pen in my hand, but I couldn’t get my fingers to move and sign now… which was exactly why I’d hoped he would sign first. A shaking tremor ran through me as I fought for control. All my life, I’d been wondering when I would dissolve my marriage. When I would finally be free from it. And now that the moment was here, my fingers stopped working.

His steel gaze scorched my skin, and I avoided his eyes. I didn’t want him to see any emotion. I didn’t want him to have power over me anymore. I was in control now. I had healed through the years, and I wouldn’t fall back into the same trap.

He was the trap.

Clutching my pen, I begged my finger to move, but my soul had wrapped itself around it, keeping it captive. It didn’t want to part with its other half.

Its soulmate.

Exhaling slowly, I looked up and met his eyes.

My husband.

My tormentor.

My monster.

His fingers rapped against the table as he tilted his head and studied me.

My breath caught in my throat. I had missed that familiar movement. I hated myself for even missing him. I didn’t think I could go through this at all. I should have never agreed to it. It should have ended yesterday.

He couldn’t ever break my spirit, but my soul was… broken.

It was still broken to this day.

And now that I was with him, it came alive.

It reconnected to me.

“You look conflicted,” he said at last.

My eyes burned, blurring my vision, and I reached up to wipe my eyes. He’d already seen the tears in them. There was no point in trying to hide them from him.

Enzo leaned back and questioned, “You want to stay married to a criminal for the rest of your life?”

I hated he smirked when I was dying inside.

It was so easy for him to detach himself and taunt me.

Was he enjoying it? Maybe he was getting a kick out of it.

“Don’t you want to marry Kaya?”

He glanced at the promise ring on my finger that had long replaced the wedding ring I used to wear.

My chin quivered, but I held his gaze this time.

His gaze lowered to my neck.

“I see you still have the tattoo.”

“I hate you,” I mustered as much venom as I could in my voice.

Roza, don’t hate me.

Too late. In that moment, I did.

He lost his smirk immediately, and I was pleased inside.

“I never want to see your face ever again. Now, you will live your life like the way I once did.” I held eye contact, and my voice was clear and so icy as I spoke. “As a prisoner. It’s called atoning for your sins.”

He stared at me, losing the dimness in his eyes.

Let him burn the way my soul had burned throughout these years. Let him hurt like I was hurting.

“You think this punishment is greater than the one I have lived… away from you?” he murmured.

My eyes watered, and I looked away. Without breaking eye contact, I forced myself to sign my name. Then, I stood up and marched, enraged, and filled with adrenaline running through my veins. I slammed the papers and the pen in front of him and crossed my arms over my chest as I waited impatiently.

My husband glanced at the divorce papers before his gaze narrowed, then he turned and looked up in surprise. He reached for the pen, and I wanted to snatch it out of his hands. A part of me hoped he wouldn’t sign.

In less than five seconds, he signed his name.

It was done. The deed was finalized.

I reached for the papers and pen, holding it tight. I peered up, meeting his gaze. My eyes fell on the scars engraved deep into his skin. I didn’t like them on him. My itchy, trembling fingers lifted, wanting to touch those imperfections. When my fingers were just a few inches away from his face, I paused, realizing what I was doing before I snatched my hand back.

I had Kaya.

Kaya was the love of my life.

Kaya was my home.

Enzo watched me the entire time, not saying anything.

“You have scars,” I mumbled under my breath.

He smirked. “Maybe I’m Scarface.”

My lip twitched, and a smile wanted to peek out of me. The fury left my body. Before I did something crazy like smile at him, I turned to leave the room without a backward glance. I needed out now, otherwise, I might just suffocate.

When I was almost to the door, he spoke, “You never could hate me, Roza Vitalli.”

I paused in my footsteps and turned to stare at him, confused. His eyes twinkled and he grinned. He freaking smiled at me instead, dazzling me all over again. It wasn’t one of his serial killer smiles. He’d never fully smiled at me like that, joyfully and so blissfully, and it made my soul come to life again.

“It’s okay,” Enzo murmured, “Just remember that you’re the only woman I have loved in this lifetime.”

My heart dropped to my chest, and tears still brimmed in my eyes. He’d finally admitted the one thing I longed to hear the entire time I’d been with him in the past. So many years had gone by. I had learned to heal, yet his darkness always called out to me. He was right. I couldn’t hate him, even after everything that had happened.

To hate him, would be like hating myself.

I took one long, desperate look at the man who was once my everything because I would never visit him again.

He looked like someone different now, almost like Vlad. Our son. His steel eyes twinkled, and he was still smiling. A different emotion he unveiled to me. A persona of what he could have been. I still believed in my soul, if he hadn’t been tainted as a child, he would be this man in front of me.

“I wish you well. I don’t want to say goodbye on bad terms,” he added. My chest swelled, and I sniffled, still lingering in the room. “I lived a lonely life… without you. It’s been difficult. In this lifetime, we were separated. In another lifetime, if I’m a better man, I’m never letting you go again.”

I was so shocked.

I sagged against the door, blinking rapidly.

“A… A-re you playing with me?” I whispered hoarsely. Tears ran down my face. “If you are, it’s very mean.”

His smile dimmed. “No. I can’t promise that I won’t kidnap you again,” he raised his eyebrows, “But I won’t do anything that can cause me to risk losing you again.”

I reached up to wipe my eyes, sniffling at his confession.

“You’re smiling,” I accused in a whimper.

“Maybe I’m tired of fighting all the time. I can let go in prison,” he tilted his head, “Maybe I’m just glad to see you, my queen,” he murmured.

“It’s been thirty-three years,” I whispered.

“Thirty-three years, eight months, and ten days.”

He counted. I closed my eyes, and I wished he would stop talking now. I needed to leave, but I still wanted to linger, longing to hear the things he’d never said once to me before.

I was meeting a man who came to terms with the life he was going to live now. He seemed carefree like he’d unburdened himself from his past.

His lip twitched again, and it squeezed my soul.

“In this lifetime, you are with Kaya, but in the next, you’re mine in every way,” he drawled, “You owe me.”

My breath hitched. Back then, those same words hurt me. It didn’t today. They made me want to smile instead. We made eye contact for a few painful moments. His ashy eyes softened.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he said, at last.

I looked at him puzzled. “Why?”

My voice came out in a whisper.

“Because you’ll fall in love with me again,” then he added slyly, “wife.”

My soul dared to jump out of me, toward him, to its soulmate. Our eyes took an eyeful of each other, memorizing each other for the last time.

It was time to go.

I exited the room, closing it behind me, wishing him goodbye and peace inside my heart.

I hoped he found it one day like I had.

Leaning against the door, I exhaled slowly and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. My eyes popped open when I sensed a movement in front of me.

Warm honey brown eyes greeted me.

My lips formed a trembling smile at Kaya.

My heart.

My life partner.

My peace.

“You doing alright?” his deep voice asked.

I nodded, too weak to say anything. He towered above me and rested an arm over my head. Leaning in, he rested his forehead against mine, pressing his soft lips against mine. I squeezed my eyes shut and returned the kiss. My heart was too full now that he was near me. I leaned against his chest, into his comfort. He smelled like home.

“How did it go?” Kaya asked.

It was chaotic in the beginning, but in the last moments, it was more peaceful, and that’s exactly what I told him.

“Let’s go home,” he murmured against my forehead.

I only nodded, gripping the azure fabric he wore.

My favorite color on him.

We had bought a house for ourselves recently, settling back into our New York lives. Kaya had used his savings, and I used some of the trust fund I still had. This city was always my home. I loved living in Turkey with Kaya, but my true place was my original home. I didn’t have to leave it in fear again.

Kaya and I didn’t have to be afraid anymore.

This city belonged to us.

When he pulled away from me, I glanced at the divorce papers. Enzo had signed it. It was clear as day. I almost dropped the papers when I noticed my signature next to his. Sucking in a sharp breath, I skimmed the pages again, re-reading the name again and again, hoping that it was a mistake.

Roza Vitalli.

No. I’d signed that name instead.

I should have signed Roza Ivanova, my legal name.

I signed the wrong name.

The divorce wasn’t valid.

He never changed my surname officially during my captivity, even though he always called me a Vitalli.

Enzo Vitalli hadn’t tricked me this time. In my hasty movements, I blew it. Now, I couldn’t return inside and face him again. I needed new divorce papers, and that was a pain I couldn’t go through with again.

Later that day, Miran stopped the transfer of Enzo after the confession. He would get life imprisonment for the maximum of years. He would never see the outside world again. He took everything away from me, now he wouldn’t have anything. He would be alone and lonely with no friends or family. He would be held captive for the rest of his life like I once was.

A prisoner.

Justice had been delivered at last.

He would have nothing but time in there, and I knew he would think of me again.

I had told Kaya that the papers had my wrong signature and he understood. He wasn’t upset at all. He was always understanding. No one understood me better than him.

My heart still pounded, but my soul was calm. So calm and serene. It was content. It was still connected to its soulmate. I couldn’t fight fate on this one. Maybe this was the universe’s way of telling me that we were bound forever.

The monster’s smile made sense now.

He’d signed his name after he’d seen my signature.

He called me his wife.

Even though he would be alone in prison, and he would have no visitors, he would be at peace in his final years because I called myself by his name. I called myself a Vitalli.

I always hated being called Roza Vitalli, but my fingers had signed that same name.

He was still my husband.

I couldn’t deny that.

The fight and anger in me vanished.

My eyes fell on Kaya smiling sweetly. His familiar honey eyes lit up before reaching out to graze my face with his gentle fingers. I closed my eyes under his softness, and I lost all the tension in my body.

We had planned on marrying one day, but it wasn’t in our destiny. We made it so far together.

Our partnership was more than enough.

I did feel better that I’d come to the prison though. My last goodbye to the monster felt incomplete. He’d never told me he loved me until now. He’d let me go the last time, and this time, he’d confessed to the pain he’d caused me.

He made it more real.

Official.

A declaration.

My soul was calm, and my heart was content.

I had received the things that were missing before.

I was finally free of him.

Our goodbye was complete.

A final chapter was closed forever.

My name would still be attached to him, but he wasn’t the man I walked with, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, equal to equal.

Now I only moved forward.

“I’m going to make you a flower crown once we reach home, hayatim,” came Kaya’s voice.

My life.

I smiled. “Yes, you will.”

I relaxed and leaned against my rock. I could feel his gaze on me again, and I called him out, “You’re staring, guard.”

I lifted my head, and he flashed his beautiful smile.

“You love my eyes.”

True. I was obsessed with them.

I smiled because I still had him in my life.

My protector.

My companion.

My heart.

My prince.