"No... I didn't..."
"Still lying." I released her and turned to Dmitri. "Proceed as planned."
"No!" She screamed. "Kholod! Listen to me! I love you! I did all this because I love you!"
I laughed coldly. "You call this love?"
"Yes!" She sobbed. "I've loved you since the first time I saw you! But you only had eyes for Noelle! I was jealous of her! Hated her! Why should she get everything from you without lifting a finger?"
"Because she deserves it."
I leaned down and whispered in her ear.
"And you're nothing but a greedy fraud."
"No!"
"Take her away."
Isabella's screams gradually faded beyond the door.
I lit a cigar, standing in the empty factory. I'd originally planned to use every interrogation method to torture her, but now I felt only exhaustion, too drained even for anger.
Since escaping death and controlling Philadelphia—hell, half of America—I'd been confident everything was under my control. Only when it came to Noelle had I repeatedly lost my mind to suspicion and jealousy, easily believing fabricated evidence, forgetting the most basic Morozov family rule—evidence must be verified three times.
I'd even needed Anya to point out the obvious flaws.
Killing Allen, disposing of Isabella—it was just putting an end to this farce. Meaningless. Noelle had already left me, abandoned everything connected to me, vanished without a trace.
Now I didn't even know who to hate, except myself.
Back at the manor, I didn't enter the bedroom but went to the library instead. Her landscape paintings still hung on the walls, her art supplies sat by the fireplace. I picked up a charcoal pencil—so light, still bearing traces of her grip.
"Noelle..." I whispered.
Leaving the library, I pushed open the master bedroom door. Her scent hit me immediately—faint orange blossom mixed with something uniquely hers. I lay on the side where she used to sleep, her fragrance still lingering on the pillow.
Eyes closed, face buried in the pillow, suffocating regret completely overwhelmed me. Tears fell silently.
The next morning, Dmitri was already waiting in the study.
"Boss."
"Report."
"Kieran's remaining forces have been eliminated, all Philadelphia strongholds destroyed, key members confirmed dead, but Kieran escaped."
"Find him. Kill him."
"Our men are closing in. He headed northwest. Isabella has been dealt with as ordered."
I nodded.
"Next, except for those hunting Kieran, use every resource to find my wife. Remember—we're asking her to come back. No disturbance, no harm. Confirm her safety first. I'll see her myself."
"Yes, boss."
He turned to leave.
