I grip the handle and yank it open, my annoyance already climbing. Anya stands there, looking far less polished than usual. Her face is pale, and her lips press into a tight line, as if she’s holding something back. Her hand twitches, squeezing the edge of her uniform before smoothing it out again, a nervous tell I don’t miss.
“What is it?” My tone is clipped, and her gaze flicks up to mine like she’s bracing for impact.
“Ms. Caldwell…” She hesitates, and for a second, I think she might bolt. Then she clears her throat, her voice quieter than usual. “She wants to see you. Right now.”
I arc an eyebrow. “And?”
She looks guilty, like she’s the one who interrupted the meeting. Her lips part, but no words come out. Just silence.
From behind me, Vic’s voice cuts in, smooth as ever. “I’d say this sounds urgent, my friend. Romantic entanglements often are.”
“It’s not romantic,” I snap, turning just enough to glare at him. “It’s… business.” The words feel forced, even to me, but I keep my tone firm.
Vic’s smirk deepens, his blue-gray eyes gleaming with amusement. “If you say so, Leonid.”
My jaw tightens as I turn back to Anya. Her expression hasn’t changed—still pale, still nervous—but I catch the faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth, as if she’s trying to keep herself invisible.
I inhale slowly through my nose, forcing the anger to settle, even though it’s crawling under my skin.
That woman.
“Fine,” I say, the word sharp but contained. My gaze stays locked on Anya. “Take me to her.”
Blyat.Whatever this is, I already hate it.
50
Maksim
"Yob tvoyu mat’, suka blyat’.” The string of curses slips out like a reflex. “I fucking knew it!” I laugh under my breath, shaking my head as I look at the paper in my hand. Of course, I was right. It’s always funnier when you’re right and no one else sees it coming.
The report feels heavier than it should, the words staring back at me with a kind of smugness that matches my mood.
DNA TEST RESULTS: 99.99% POSITIVE.The kid is Leonid’s. No room for doubt. No room for error.
I let out a low whistle, shaking my head as a grin tugs at the corner of my mouth. It’s not often you get to be right in a way that’s this satisfying.
Yob tvoyu mat’, Leonid. You’ve really outdone yourself this time.
I lean back against the cold steel counter, the sterile smell of the lab almost overpowering. The place isn’t much to look at—white walls, gleaming equipment, and screens flashing more numbers and graphs than I care to decipher. But it’s fast. Swiss efficiency at its peak. Anything you need tested—blood, hair, the mystery meat from a bad dinner—three hours, tops. It’s like a crime syndicate’s version of Amazon Prime.
“Fast, huh?” I say aloud, mostly to myself but loud enough for the doctor to hear. “You people test everything this quick? Or do I get the VIP package because I’m so charming?”
The lab doctor—no, lab technician? No,geneticist,that’s the word—doesn’t even look up. A wiry man with glasses that slip halfway down his nose and a face carved from stone. His lab coat is pristine, not a wrinkle or stain, like he’s afraid chaos might kill him.
“You paid for speed,” he says flatly, tapping away at a keyboard. “And crypto transferred instantly. That’s all I care about.” His voice could put caffeine to sleep. Eyes glued to the screen. “VIP package,” he mutters under his breath, almost like he’s amused. But I’m not sure.
I snort, folding the paper and slipping it into my jacket pocket. This guy wouldn’t be curious if I rolled a severed head in here.
“You ever wonder about the people behind these tests? Who they’re for?”
“Not once,” he says, deadpan, not missing a beat. “You want wonder, try art school.”
Smartass.I like him.
I push off the counter, glancing around one last time. The place hums with quiet efficiency, a world of microscopes, centrifuges, and machines I can’t name. It’s the kind of place where you could drop a bombshell, and no one would flinch—as long as the crypto keeps coming.
Just as I’m about to leave, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out, Leonid’s name flashing across the screen. I already know it’s not a friendly check-in.
