AN1 I'm excited to share this new story with you all today. As soon as the idea came to me: I knew I had to write it. The format will be a long story and likely at least 80 chapters or more (most people who read my stuff by now will know that I don't do short tales). The story will contain multiple dark elements, but non strong enough that will pass the T-rated barrier. During extended Ukrainian dialogue scenes, I will underline the English translation to make it easier to read. I'm casting Sarah as Ukrainian in this story. Yes, I already know that Yvonne is Polish. But it matters not because Poland, Russia, and Ukraine are all Slavic nations, and Slavs have relatively similar features :) All mistakes are mine and mine alone; I've harmed no betas; I have no ownership of Chuck; and all of that stuff!

AN2 In terms of impact this new long-format story may have on my existing ones already ongoing: Who Dares Wins will be relatively unimpacted. I plan to complete the counter-terrorist deployment arc (20-30 chapters to go) side-by-side with updates to this new story. I will also soon be picking up Redemption again. I'm hoping to complete it by early 2023 at the latest. Concerning the rest of my stories, for one reason or another, they are on hold (except Second Chance), with an explanation for why they are on pause on my fanfiction profile. Well, that's all, and away we go!

Ukrainian Beauty

Prologue: The World Waits

February 17, 2022

41 Cadogan Square

Knightsbridge

London

United Kingdom

Chuck pauses from graphic designing for his upcoming video game, taking a break to listen to the evening news playing on a TV in his office room in his home residence.

This is Sky News at Six. I'm Mark Austin live with you from Kharkiv in Freedom Square. We are now months into Russia's buildup of its Armed Forces on its border with Ukraine. Western and Ukrainian intelligence officials assess that Russia has amassed more than two hundred thousand troops in Russia and Belarus. Top US and NATO officials have consistently warned, with new warnings today, that an invasion remains as highly likely as it is imminent and that a ground offensive could likely occur in just a matter of days. If President Putin does proceed with armed confrontation in Ukraine, Western and Ukrainian officials are warning that potential casualties could range from eight thousand to thirty-five thousand military casualties. The prediction for civilian casualties stands much higher, with estimates from twenty-five thousand to more than fifty thousand. The war, if it does break out, which Western officials deem a certainty because they believe Putin to have made up his mind, will be the most significant conflict Europe has seen since the Second World War. One can only imagine the horrific suffering and devastation that the invasion will bring to Ukraine. As well as the devastation that may be brought to Ukraine, we are faced with the looming prospect of another refugee crisis in Europe so soon after the Syrian refugee crisis seven years ago. A little earlier, I spoke with a local official in Kharkiv about the situation. While I also talked to a family living close to the border about their preparations in the event of armed conflict. I will bring both of those interviews to you now…

"That's so terrible!" Chuck interrupts the news anchor, pausing from listening to the presenter as he zones out, now gazing with a distracted mind at the TV as he allows the concerning evening news to enter his mind. The dire situation that the peaceful country is faced with from Russian aggression quickly touches his heart as his lips crease in heartfelt sadness towards the people of Ukraine—who do not deserve what will almost certainly be unleashed on them very soon—as he studies the pictures on the screen.

He soon breaks his gaze from the TV, lowering his glance to his thighs, unable to listen to any more of the evening report—his shoulders now sagging in despondence over yet more distressing world news. The grim news of life has been non-stop for several years now.

It's 2022… When will we stop killing each other for petty things like greed, religion, culture, and oil? I wish we could all learn to live with each other in peace and happiness, in a world without guns, violence, and murder. I just want every last human to be able to make our own choices rather than have choices dictated to us by power-hungry politicians wanting to insert their will onto people who just want to get on with our lives… But I know that's never gonna happen… And it sucks…

Chuck draws out a sigh, now feeling a complete loss of spirits over the present state of the world, before he glances up at the clock in his office, which reads: 6.03pm.

"Oh crap!" he exclaims, quickly flinging a hand to slap against and then rest on his forehead post-action.

I'm meeting Ellie and Captain Awesome for dinner at her home at 6.30! With the evening traffic the way it is in London, I'm gonna be late! I've been working so hard with game design for several hours, and I lost all sense of time! I'd better hurry!

Chuck climbs out of his office chair and sets about to ensure he has backed up all of his work.

Once his progress is safely secured, he turns off the four computer systems inside the office.

After shutting everything down, which, combined with backing up his work, had taken him a few minutes, he hastily turns and heads to exit the office room.

Now out in the lower ground floor hallway, he paces along it for a few seconds until arriving at the staircase of his home. Wasting no time, he ascends to the raised ground floor level.

Entering the upper level of his large three-story apartment, he pauses to check his person for his flat and car keys, which he quickly finds inside his jeans.

Thank heavens for that! This apartment is so huge that it usually takes me at least thirty minutes to find something I've placed down and can't remember where!

Now having everything he needs to head to meet up with his sister at her home, Chuck starts walking as he passes through the dining area and quickly through the enormous forty-foot reception room until he enters the entrance hall.

With just a few steps left until arriving outside, he completes them until coming to a large reinforced metal security door that you would need a tank to break down.

Exiting his apartment into the cold winter, open air, he closes the door and jogs down the apartment steps until he is on street level.

His white BMW X5 car is parked just in front of his apartment. Knowing he's going to be late for dinner with Ellie, he rushes around to the driver's side, where he enters inside.

Closing the door after him, he puts on his seatbelt and fires up the engine.

Taking a brief pause to check there's no incoming traffic behind him, he soon sets his vehicle in motion and departs the street to head to his sister's home.

Park Crescent Mews East, Marylebone, London

Thirty-five minutes later

Chuck arrives outside Ellie's home—a cozy mews townhouse in central London—where he pulls his car to a stop. The three-mile journey had taken longer than the usual twenty minutes on a good day, but it's evening rush hour in London which always adds extra minutes—even for short journeys.

Departing his vehicle, he locks it after him and walks quickly to greet his sister, who is standing outside her home waiting for his arrival.

"I'm so sorry!" he says in shame as he moves to hug her. "I got distracted working from home and lost all sense of time for a while."

Ellie softly strokes his cheek as they pull back from the hug. "It's ok," she assures him. "So, how is work?"

"It's great," he says as an immediate grin lights up his face. "I won't bore you with the technicalities, but video game development is as good as everything I thought it would be and more. The game engine I spent all of my free time working on while studying at Oxford is also working amazingly well. It gets a couple of problems here and there from time to time, which is normal, but I have a great team of developers working with me in my studio. I think we're around a year from our full release."

Ellie emits a warm gaze towards him, feeling immensely proud of her little brother, who has made something extraordinary of himself. "Aces, Charles. You're aces."

Chuck suppresses a laugh, gazing fondly at a woman who means more to him than every other woman on the planet combined. "A Dad quote, I'm impressed."

Ellie holds her smile at her sibling. "Mum and Dad would be so proud of you if they were still here, Chuck. Graduating from Oxford with your 1st, founding your own company before reaching twenty, and running it successfully since leaving Oxford too."

Chuck grins at the praise she'd bestowed on him. "Thanks, but I'm not so sure they would approve of the home I purchased. I bought it almost a year ago, but it has been on my mind lately. I'm starting to think more and more that I may have gone a bit overboard, too flashy and too expensive," he says as his smile fades, instead now grimacing at his sister, hoping for her to reassure him over a decision that had cost him £25,000,000, but gave him a fantastic home that he intended to reside in for the rest of his life in making that decision…

Ellie's brows narrow as she becomes lost in thought over the sudden change of topic. With her confusion clearing a brief few seconds later, she says, "After everything that happened to us, losing our parents the way we did in that horrible car crash when you were fifteen, and I was eighteen; plus the way Jill and your best friend betrayed you when I caught them together, you deserved some luxury: as did I when I purchased my home a few years ago. You had barely purchased anything since you received your inheritance on your eighteenth birthday. Your accommodation off-campus in Oxford was modest, with a capital M. So no, Chuck, they would approve of your purchase because you deserve it. It was a reward for your bachelor's degree from Oxford, and the reasons you gave to me at the time for buying it were good. But as I also told you at the time, I will again now, so it's fresh in your memory: indulging in such an expensive purchase one time only is fine, especially purchasing a home for your future, which you can later sell for a similar value anyway. But indulging ten or twenty times in less productive things than a home for yourself will lose you that future very quickly."

Chuck nods multiple times, fully agreeing with every word of her caution. "You're right, El, and it was a one-time thing. The existing money I have left, just over a hundred million, plus all future money, I will dedicate to setting myself up for the rest of my life."

"Then I stand by what I told you at the time, Chuck. It's now your money. You deserve a nice home and a nice home you have. Actually, you have a great home!" she says while muting laughter.

Chuck shares the suppressed chuckles with her. "Thanks. So do you."

"Then let's go inside it. We've been out here long enough," she says.

Chuck nods as the siblings turn and promptly enter Ellie's home.

"Dinner is almost ready. I hope you have an appetite," she says.

Grinning, he says, "I always do when it's your cooking, El…."

x-x-x-x-x-x

February 17, 2022

Odesa

Ukraine

Sarah exits the hospital she's been working at in Odesa city centre for the past year.

As soon as Sarah had left education, she had almost instantly found employment in the IT department at the hospital.

The salary isn't the greatest, but she'd not entered employment in search of great pay—at least not right now anyway.

Instead, she'd sought employment in the hope of gaining independence from her controlling father—and the Mayor of Odesa—Alexei Volkoff.

Not wanting his daughter to enter modest employment when she could live a life of luxury at his expense, Alexei had wanted Sarah to attend university abroad, either in the United States or the United Kingdom. Sarah's grades were unquestionably good enough for such an undertaking, plus her father had the money to pay for her education and a life abroad for her a thousand times over.

But for Sarah Lisa Volkoff, that is precisely the problem.

Her father's money is illicit, money which he had gained from—and still is—blood, drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, human trafficking, and murder.

Because aside from her father's political life as the Mayor, he also lives a side life as the most powerful boss of the most prominent Mafia organisation in Ukraine.

Sarah doesn't want his blood money, nor does she wish to be associated with that part of her father. She does love her father—a great deal too. However, she hates almost everything about him and what he stands for. She will never stand trial against him nor expose his criminal activities, etc... Nevertheless, the very last thing she wants on her conscience is him paying for a life of luxury for her, for she has already suffered great personal tragedy as a consequence of her father's chosen life as one of the most powerful Mafia bosses in the entire world.

Walking to her car in the hospital car park, she enters inside, soon departing the hospital grounds in her vehicle to return to her apartment two miles from the hospital. She'd left work two hours early tonight. Nevertheless, with the impending invasion looming over the nation and Russian warships positioned all around the Black Sea—with some as little as seventy-five kilometres away—she didn't want to be caught at work if the bombs started dropping.

Fifteen minutes later

Sarah exits her car outside the tower block containing her apartment, which she shares with her boyfriend, Roman Poroshenko.

She'd met Roman three years ago when she was sixteen. He was twenty-two at the time. She'd met him through of her best friend, Antonina Predko. Tonya is a year older than Sarah and has an apartment in the same block Roman used to live in before he moved in with her, which is how Tonya introduced Sarah to him.

In terms of what Roman offers her as a boyfriend, he was everything Sarah wanted for the first year. Being older than her, he provided stability and had secure prospects with a job in construction, which gave Sarah independence from her father. His looks were well above average; he was muscular, stood at six-feet-two, had close-cropped blonde hair, was always clean-shaven, had light blue eyes, and his facial features were rugged, which brought out the man within him instead of a boyish appearance, which was not really her type.

However, for Sarah, Roman's exceptionally good looks are all that he now brings to their relationship.

Because after a year of being together, her father managed to get his claws into Roman just as she had feared.

And Roman, keen to impress one of the most powerful men in the country, willingly allowed Alexei Volkoff to guide him into the world of organised crime and became a close associate of Sarah's dad, with Alexei giving Roman better status because of his relationship with his daughter.

Just as soon as Sarah discovered more than a year ago that Roman was now an associate of her father, she'd attempted to end their relationship, unwilling to continue to date somebody now part of an entity she loathed with all of her passion. However, Roman had taken no notice of her, and worse: he now had the backing of her father, who became very impressed by Roman's eagerness to work for and prove himself to Alexei Volkoff, which Roman did in the hope of gaining Alexei's blessing for Sarah's hand in marriage, which he now has.

Drawing out a sigh because she doesn't want to continue to live with Roman anymore—as she has felt most days for the past year now—Sarah enters her apartment block.

She makes her way to the elevator and enters inside before she turns and clicks the button of the number for her floor.

The elevator ascends for a brief period until coming to a stop on Sarah's floor.

Exiting the lift, Sarah walks along the corridor until she stops outside her apartment.

I hope he's not here and is out working for my father instead. I don't know why he won't just leave. He knows I'm unhappy and won't marry him, no matter how much he asks me. He certainly won't get any further sex from me, no matter how much he tries. I can never be with somebody blinded by power and willing to commit acts of violence against other people. Being a goon of my father now, he can easily find another woman instead of me. It's pissing me off that he won't just leave me! But I should have known he wouldn't, as that's just the way things are here...

Sarah draws out another sigh in despondence over the shit life she finds herself living before she puts her key into the lock on the door, turning her key as she does so until the door opens.

Entering inside, she gently closes the door behind her before she makes for the bedroom.

Arriving outside the bedroom, she enters but quickly pauses as her eyes lock fixedly onto the bed.

Sarah's blood quickly starts boiling, and she fills up with immense rage because her eyes are staring at Roman, who is naked and engaging in sex with a woman she does not recognise.

To be cheated on is bad enough.

But in her own apartment...

In her own bed...

"МУДАК!" MOTHERFUCKER! Sarah exclaims in extreme anger as she rushes to the bed and starts frantically slapping away at Roman's face and body, constantly repeating her curse word at him over and over.

The attractive woman Roman was with quickly rushes off the bed away from Sarah and Roman, picking up her clothes before she hastily exits the bedroom.

Meanwhile, Sarah repeatedly continues to slap away at Roman, who is attempting to defend himself but will not hit her back because he knows if he does, then horrific things will happen to him because of who her father is.

"Кохана моя, вона для мене нічого не значила! Я хочу бути з тобою, але ти перестала дозволяти мені, так що я можу зробити?!" My love, she meant nothing to me! She was a simple whore! I want to be with you, but you stopped letting me, so what can I do?! he protests as he grabs her arms to stop her from attacking him.

Sarah shakes her head in disgust at him, still cursing endlessly at him while she hysterically attempts to free herself from the grip so she can continue to attack him. She soon spits in his face, which does cause the grip to loosen when suddenly, Sarah has a change of mind as she decides she wants to get far away from this cheating thug who she once loved a great deal but has now broken her heart in multiple ways. Turning, she rushes off the bed and scrambles for the exit.

"Куди ти йдеш?!" Where are you going?! he shouts, chasing after her.

"Далеко від тебя! МУДАК!" Far away from you! MOTHERFUCKER! she shouts back as she quickly exits the apartment and rushes for the stairs to get as far away from this miserable place as possible.

A short while later

Sarah arrives outside the apartment of her best friend, Tonya Predko.

Raising her hand, she knocks on the door.

Her stunning blonde-haired best friend, with by far the best set of eyes—alluring sapphire in colour—that Sarah has ever seen, answers after a few seconds.

"Я не очікував побачити вас сьогодні. Все в порядку?" I wasn't expecting to see you today. Is everything ok? Tonya asks, sensing Sarah is distressed.

"Він спав з жінками! Я щойно зловив його" He was sleeping with women! I just caught him!

Tonya's lips crease into a remorseful smile. "Мені дуже шкода. Ви заслуговуєте набагато кращого. Заходь всередину." I'm sorry. You deserve so much better. Come inside.

Sarah enters her best friend's apartment, and they close the door after them…

x-x-x-x-x-x

February 17, 2022

Park Crescent Mews East, Marylebone, London

20:50 hours

"So, how is medical school going for you both?" Chuck asks, glancing at Ellie and Captain Awesome as the three sit together in the reception room of Ellie's home. "Is it still everything you both want?"

"It is awesome, Chuck!" Devon exclaims in excitement.

Chuck suppresses laughter, nodding in approval of Devon's trademark expression.

Ellie merely shakes her head before she says, "It's our final few months of being foundation doctors, and then we'll become specialty registrars."

Chuck nods, fully aware of his sister and her fiance's career progression, having taken a vivid interest in the topic because of who they both are to him.

"And then it's another five years of additional training until we become consultants, Bro," Devon says.

Chuck nods again. "I know. Gosh, I feel bad for you both that you've worked hard for so long to reach your end goals, and you're only just over halfway done. But I'm proud of you, Ellie, because you received half of the inheritance too, and instead of living as an heiress, you chose a career involving very long hours and hard work."

Ellie smiles with affection at Chuck. "Thank you. But it's what we both want, Chuck. You could have continued much further with your education too, but I understood why you didn't, wanting to build up your own company you'd already formed while at Oxford."

Chuck emits a loving grin right at Ellie. "Exactly. I didn't need anything more than a bachelor's because I always intended to be my own employer."

"You gave most of your friends who left Oxford at the same time as you jobs too. That truly is awesome, Bro!" Devon says, feeling great pride at the success of his fiancee's younger brother, and of his great kindness.

Chuck shifts his loving grin onto Devon instead while Ellie says, "That's why my brother is so special, Devon. He has a heart better than anyone I know."

"You're both special, Babe," Devon says instantly.

"Aww!" Ellie exclaims in affection before she leaps into his proximity to kiss him.

Chuck can only hold his affectionate gaze as he looks fondly at two people who mean a lot to him.

Once Ellie and Devon break from their actions, they turn to give Chuck their full attention once more.

"So, Chuck, when do you think you might start dating again? I think you should. Your video game company is now very stable. You also have an amazing home. The last possible step you're missing is a new girlfriend," Ellie encourages.

Chuck suddenly becomes uncomfortable in his seat, losing his warm gaze as he does so. "I don't want to, El," he says, shaking his head. "I'm so focused on my work. It keeps me happy and is all I need. After what Jill and Bryce did to me… I don't think I will ever have it in me to date again. One barrage of having my heart broken was more than enough for me."

"Jill was one woman, Chuck. What she did to you was appalling, but she is one woman from several billion," Devon says.

Ellie nods furiously in agreement.

"But what if what she did to me wasn't a one-time occurrence? What if the next person does the same thing to me as she did? If that happens again, I'm finished and will sink into depression or worse... I was lucky to pull myself back together and continue functioning after what Jill and Bryce did to me, and you caught them in the act with your very own eyes at my apartment off-campus in Oxford... But if it happened to me again, this time, it would kill me. I respect both of you a lot, which is why I am asking both of you now if you respect me as much as I do the both of you, please don't force me to do something I don't want to do anymore because I would never force either of you to do anything either," Chuck says, sighing.

Devon nods in acceptance of Chuck's request while Ellie says, "You're right, Chuck. I only said it because I want you to be happy."

"And I am happy. I'm happy with my work, which is everything I've always wanted to be. It fulfils me immensely, and it's all I need," he assures, grinning. "Dating isn't for me anymore. I have zero interest in ever pursuing it again."

"Because I love you so much, Chuck, I will accept that, although I would still like you to be happy if the right woman comes along in the future. However, I'm immensely proud of you for not giving up after what they both did to you, after losing our parents how we did, and making something of yourself that you can be proud of, that I can, and that Mum and Dad can be too."

"Thanks," Chuck says.

There's a brief pause as the nine o'clock news starts to play out on the TV in the room, which the three companions tune in to listen to.

This is Sky News at Nine. I'm Mark Austin, live with you in Kharkiv at Freedom Square. We're receiving reports tonight of artillery fire exchanged in Donbas between separatists and Ukrainian Armed Forces. Our lead correspondent, Stuart Ramsay, is on the frontlines in Donbas, and here is his special report on the situation…

Ellie starts shaking her head over the report.

Chuck and Devon, likewise, are uncomfortable in their positions on the sofa themselves.

"I'm disgusted by this, Chuck," Ellie admits. "Violence and killing people is not the solution to problems. It only creates more."

Chuck nods furiously in agreement. "I couldn't agree more. What I'm most appalled by though, is the fact that the United Nations is a failed entity. I think most people worldwide know by now that Russia is going to invade Ukraine, and yet there will be zero consequences for Russia at the UN because Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. What is the freaking point of such an organisation whose mission states that it is to maintain international peace and security and develop friendly relations among nations if it allows its permanent Security Council member to just so brazenly to do whatever the heck it wants? Without consequence?"

"I agree, Chuck," Devon said. "The United Nations could do so much more if the countries a member of that organisation stood up and said: this is wrong. Standing up to dictators and thugs doesn't lead to World War Three. What leads to World War Three is appeasement and cowardice."

Ellie nods. "In times like these, everyone would do well to gain a little courage, some thick skin, and call out evil wherever it chooses to show its ugly face."

Chuck and Devon nod.

A few moments pass until Chuck says, "I should probably get on home. It's starting to get late, and I have a few things to do."

Devon nods while Ellie says, "Ok, Chuck. We'll have you over again in a few days, or we can come to you?"

"Either sounds great," Chuck says, grinning. "But dinner tonight was amazing as always. Thanks so much…."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

February 20, 2022

Odesa

Ukraine

09:00 hours

Sarah is standing inside her best friend's apartment. She'd spent the past three nights sleeping in Tonya's spare room.

She is unwilling to return to her apartment while the guy who cheated on her and the guy she wants gone from her life forever remains there.

Glancing at Sarah, Tonya says, "Незважаючи на те, що я сильно тебе люблю, ти не можеш провести зі мною решту свого життя. Ви це знаєте, правда?" Even though I love you very much, you cannot spend the rest of your life with me. You know that, right?"

Sarah nods, smiling with affection at her best friend. "Я знаю…" I know…

"Тоді що ти будеш робити?" Then what will you do?

Sarah shrugs. "Я не знаю… Я його ненавиджу. я його так ненавиджу!" I don't know… I hate him. I hate him so much!

Tonya smiles consolingly. "Мені дуже шкода, що я познайомив вас із ним." I'm so sorry I ever introduced you to him.

"Нічого страшного," It's ok Sarah says as she smiles in reassurance and moves to touch her best friend's arm. "Звідки ти міг знати?... Чоловіки... Вони всі однакові. Я ненавиджу чоловіків у цьому смердючому місці. Я хочу втекти від цієї фігні!" How could you have known? Men… They are all the same. I hate the men in this stinking place! I want to run away from this bullshit!

Tonya holds her smile in sorrow at the suffering of her longtime best friend. "Я ніколи не казав тобі цього раніше, але я заздрю тому, який багатий твій батько. Можливо, ви могли б використати його багатство, щоб втекти й піти кудись ще? Лондон? Чи Нью-Йорк?" I have never told you this before, but I'm jealous of how wealthy your father is. Maybe you could use his wealth to escape and go someplace else? London? Or New York?

Sarah sighs for a very long moment as she weighs up her best friend's suggestion. "Це криваві гроші. Я хочу бути незалежною від світу мого батька. Через його світ мою матір і Вівіан убили під час останньої боротьби за владу, де вони стали мішенями для використання проти нього за те, що просто спілкувалися з ним. Я ненавиджу все про мафію, Тоню. Я не хочу від цього нічого, і хочу бути подалі від цього: і від батька, і від Романа. Мій батько змінив і зіпсував його на свій шлях. Він ніколи б не зрадив мені, якби не батько вп'явся в нього своїми пазурами. Коли я його зустрів, він був чудовим хлопцем. Але тепер... Тепер він просто козел, як і всі вони!" It's dirty money. I want to be independent from my father's world. His world got my mother killed, and Vivian, during the last struggle for power where they became targets to use against him for simply associating with him. I hate everything about the Mafia, Tonya. I don't want anything from it, and I want to be far away from it: from my father, and from Roman. My father changed and corrupted Roman to his ways. He would never have cheated on me if not for father getting his claws into him. When I met him, he was a great guy. But now... Now he is just an asshole like the rest of them!

Tonya is still smiling with great sympathy towards a woman she admires greatly. She moves to touch Sarah's arm and jokes, "Може, загине на війні?" Maybe he will die in the war?

Sarah mutes laughter, gazing fondly at her best friend. "Мені не так пощастило... Батько вбереже всіх своїх людей від біди, якщо не позбудеться поганих яблук або якщо Одеса постраждає і всі руки на палубу. Моїм найкращим шансом буде чистий відрив, від'їзд подалі від України," I'm not so lucky… Father will keep all of his people from trouble if he doesn't get rid of the bad apples or if Odesa suffers and all hands are on deck. My best chance would be a clean separation, a departure away from Ukraine.

Tonya nods as she draws out a sigh. "Я б дуже сумував за тобою, але я буду підтримувати тебе як свого найкращого друга, тому що я люблю тебе. Якщо прийде вторгнення, можливо, ви можете виїхати як біженець?" I would miss you so much, but I will support you as my best friend because I love you. If an invasion comes, maybe you can leave as a refugee?

Sarah nods. "Це можливо. Я б зробив усе, щоб піти звідси..." Perhaps. Because I would do anything to get away from here...

A few hours later

Sarah and Tonya are still in Tonya's apartment. They'd recently returned to the apartment after shopping together.

The best friends are in pause when someone starts hammering on the door of the apartment.

They look at each other, having a fair idea of who it is.

"Що нам робити?" What should we do? Tonya asks.

Taking a second in thought, Sarah says, "Якщо ми не відповімо, він може здатися" If we don't answer, he might give up.

They pause for a few seconds as the hammering gets louder and louder until they hear Roman say, "Відчиніть двері, або я відчиню їх ногою!" Open the door, or I'll kick it open!

Not wanting any damage to happen to her best friend's home, Sarah says, "Ви повинні відповісти. Я не хочу тобі біди. Просто скажи йому, що я більше не хочу з ним розмовляти." You have to answer. I don't wish you any trouble. Just tell him I don't want to talk to him anymore.

Tonya nods before she turns away from Sarah to head to the apartment door.

Arriving at it, she composes herself before she opens it and says, "Вона більше не хоче з тобою спілкуватися. Будь ласка, залиште та йдіть" She doesn't want to talk to you anymore. Please leave and go.

However, Roman ignores her as he pushes Tonya, which causes her to tumble backwards, and he enters the apartment.

Sarah instantly fills up with rage, the attack on her best friend unleashing the fiery temper within her. She storms with purpose to Roman, gets into his face, and screams, "ИДИ НА ХУЙ! ПЕТУХ!" FUCK YOU! COCK!

Tonya turns awkward and grimaces, not knowing where to look because of the extreme insult, with the words together being one of the worst things you could say to an East Slavic male, especially the rooster part!

Sarah's insult has its desired effect on Roman, who turns angry and bites into his fist, but to lay one finger on Sarah will have the most severe consequences on him, and he knows it…

"Ти можеш сказати мені, що хочеш! Мені здається, ти такий привабливий, коли сердишся! Вона для мене нічого не значила, клянусь! Ти та, за кого я хочу одружитися. Ми можемо повернутися до того, щоб бути такими ж щасливими, якими були під час зустрічі. Будь ласка, дайте мені шанс показати вам, що я все той же хлопець, яким був, коли ми зустрілися. Я щойно зробив із себе щось набагато більше, і я зробив це все для вас." You can say what you want to me! I think you're so attractive when you're angry! She meant nothing to me, I swear! You are the one I want to marry. We can go back to being as happy as we were when we met. Please give me a chance to show you that I'm still the same guy I was when we met. I just made myself into something much bigger, and I made it all for you.

Sarah quickly fills up with more rage than she was already feeling before. Still in his face, she shouts, "Я за тебе не вийду! Ми закінчили! Залиш мене в спокої та знайди когось іншого, хто прийме тебе за покидька, яким ти є зараз!" I will not marry you! We are finished! Leave me the hell alone and find somebody else who will accept you for the scum you now are!

Roman suddenly laughs into her face, which causes her to unleash a mighty slap onto his face in extreme anger over his attempts to ridicule her anger, as he has been doing towards her for several months now.

Wincing from the slap, he quickly grabs her arms and says, "Моя любов, мені байдуже, що ти хочеш або думаєш! Я почав працювати на твого батька, щоб отримати твоє схвалення, а не заради чогось іншого. І я вже маю його дозвіл одружитися з тобою, як ти знаєш. Я ніколи не доторкнуся до вас пальцем, тому що якщо я це зроблю, то ваш батько вб'є мене і всю мою сім'ю. Та жінка для мене нічого не значила. Я з нею лише тому, що ти мене не чіпаєш. Але ми одружимося, і скоро. Я зроблю тебе щасливим і подбаю про тебе, якщо ти дозволиш." My love, I do not care what you want or think! I started working for your father to gain your approval, not for anything else. And I already have his blessing to marry you, and you know it. I will never lay one finger on you because if I do, then your father will have me and all of my family killed. That woman meant nothing to me. I only got with her because you will not touch me. But we will marry, and soon. I will make you happy and care for you if you let me.

And with that, Roman turns away from Sarah and departs Tonya's apartment, with Sarah shouting many explicit curses too insulting to put into words after him until he has long since left.

Once he is gone, Tonya moves to close the door to her apartment before she turns to face Sarah again.

Sarah, still seething with anger because she is trapped in a place she no longer wants to be, but with nerves starting to build inside her over what she's about to say, soon says, "Мені потрібно якнайшвидше забратися звідси. Якомога швидше. Можливо, зараз я вимагаю від вас занадто багато, але я в розпачі, і мені більше немає до кого звернутися... Ви допоможете мені знайти спосіб виїхати з України? I need to get out of here as quickly as possible. Maybe I'm asking too much of you right now, but I'm desperate and have no one else to turn to… Will you help me find a way to leave Ukraine?

Tonya nods, smiling affectionately at Sarah. "Так. Тому що ти зробив би те саме для мене без вагань." Yes. Because you would do the same for me without hesitation.

Joy lights up Sarah's face as she rushes to hug her best friend. "Я б і зроблю, якщо ти колись теж захочеш піти. Де б я не оселився, я міг би знайти спосіб привести вас. Велике спасибі! Я тебе люблю!" I would, and I will if you ever desire to leave too. Wherever I settle, I could find a way to bring you. Thank you so much! I love you!

End of Prologue

Thoughts on the opening? A comment would be great :) Next Chapter: The war begins. Sarah makes her escape. Chuck and Sarah meet for the first time. And then the story really starts.

AN3 I don't intend to use Chuck as a slapstick in any way in this story. I'm just stating that now. In terms of all AUs I've released so far, this story will be the closest he has ever been to his canon character, but in this story, he knows what his life plans are, and he pursues those ambitions with confidence.

AN4 I refused to change Sarah's first name, but no Ukrainian can be called Sarah Walker. So her surname had to be changed. To facilitate any realistic chance of Sarah taking her first name, I made her mother, Emma, British. So if there are any complaints about this or anything else, then please refer them to the complaints department at either 10 Downing Street or Kyiv Presidential Office :)

AN5 Alexei Volkoff as Sarah's father was a very late decision. I'd initially intended Jack to be (but he would have had to have been renamed). And then, once I started looking at Ukrainian surnames to give Sarah, I came across Volkoff, and then it just clicked. I know now that there was only ever one possible powerful mob boss father for Sarah, and that's Volkoff!

AN6 Roman's behaviour is typical of an alpha male (and a misogynist, which is ripe in the culture) who has become a gangster and has the blessing of Sarah's father (which, in that part of the world, matters a great deal, as it does in the organised crime world too). If anyone doubts or takes issue with that, I'll be happy to provide my expansive research I did on the topic before starting the story.

AN7 Chuck and Ellie's homes are real addresses. Chuck's apartment can easily be found, as can a tour of the location, same for Ellie's. I'm happy to help direct you to the right places if you might be interested in checking them out. If not, I'll do my best to describe Chuck's place anyway!