Chapter 7: The Deal
Victor led Yelena and Ethan through a maze of hallways, each more opulent than the last. The sounds of the gathering faded behind them, replaced by an eerie silence that made Yelena’s skin prickle. Finally, they reached a set of double doors, which Victor pushed open to reveal a lavish study.
The room was dimly lit, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a massive oak desk at its center. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the walls. Victor gestured for them to sit in the plush chairs opposite the desk, then took his own seat, his gaze never leaving Yelena.
“So,” Victor began, steepling his fingers, “what brings you to my humble abode, Yelena? I assume it’s not just for the champagne.”
Yelena glanced at Ethan, who gave her a subtle nod. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. “I’m looking for answers,” she said, her voice firm. “About my father. About my mother. About why I was sent away.”
Victor’s lips curved into a faint smile, but his eyes remained cold. “Ah, the eternal quest for truth. Admirable, but dangerous. Are you sure you’re ready for what you might find?”
Yelena met his gaze without flinching. “I’ve spent my whole life in the dark. I’m ready for the light, no matter how harsh it is.”
Victor leaned back in his chair, studying her with an unreadable expression. “Your father was a remarkable man,” he said after a moment. “Brilliant, resourceful, and fiercely loyal to those he cared about. But he was also a man who made enemies. Powerful ones.”
“Who were they?” Yelena asked.
Victor’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s the question, isn’t it? The truth is, your father’s enemies were everywhere. In the government, in the underworld, even among his so-called allies. He played a dangerous game, and in the end, it cost him everything.”
Yelena’s heart ached at the thought of her father’s sacrifices, but she pushed the emotion aside. “What about my mother? Do you know what happened to her?”
Victor’s expression darkened, and for a moment, he looked almost… sympathetic. “Your mother was a complicated woman,” he said. “She loved your father, but she couldn’t handle the life he led. When things got too dangerous, she left. But not before making a deal.”
Yelena’s breath caught in her throat. “A deal? With who?”
Victor leaned forward, his gaze piercing. “With me.”
The room seemed to grow colder, the fire’s warmth doing little to dispel the chill that settled over Yelena. She glanced at Ethan, who looked just as surprised as she was.
“What kind of deal?” Yelena asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Victor’s smile was slow and deliberate. “Your mother came to me when she realized she couldn’t protect you on her own. She knew your father’s enemies would stop at nothing to destroy him—and anyone connected to him. So she made a deal to ensure your safety.”
Yelena’s mind raced. “What did she offer you?”
Victor’s eyes gleamed with something Yelena couldn’t quite place. “Something valuable. Something that, in the right hands, could change the course of history.”
Yelena’s heart pounded. “What was it?”
Victor leaned back again, his expression unreadable. “That’s the thing about deals, Yelena. They’re built on trust. And trust is something I don’t give lightly. If you want to know what your mother offered, you’ll have to give me something in return.”
Yelena’s stomach twisted. She had expected Victor to demand a price, but she hadn’t expected it to feel so… personal. “What do you want?”
Victor’s smile turned predatory. “Information. Your father had something—a ledger, filled with names, dates, and transactions. It’s the kind of information that could bring down empires. If you can find it and bring it to me, I’ll tell you everything I know about your mother.”
Yelena’s mind raced. A ledger? What kind of secrets could it contain? And more importantly, where could it be?
Ethan, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. “That ledger is dangerous, Victor. If it falls into the wrong hands—”
“It already has,” Victor interrupted, his voice sharp. “Your father’s enemies have been searching for it for years. If they find it before we do, it won’t just be your family’s secrets at risk. It’ll be your lives.”
Yelena felt a chill run down her spine. She had come to Victor looking for answers, but now she was being pulled into a game far more dangerous than she had anticipated.
“How do we find it?” she asked.
Victor’s smile returned, but it was colder now, more calculating. “Your father was a clever man. He wouldn’t have left something so valuable unprotected. Start with his old contacts, his hiding places. And be careful. You’re not the only ones looking for it.”
Yelena nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. She didn’t know where to start, but she knew one thing for certain—she wasn’t going to back down.
“We’ll find it,” she said, her voice steady.
Victor’s smile widened. “I hope so, Yelena. For your sake.”
As they left the study and made their way back through the mansion, Yelena couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. The weight of Victor’s words hung over her, a constant reminder of the danger they were in.
But she wasn’t afraid. She had spent her life in the dark, but now she had a chance to uncover the truth—no matter the cost.