“Oh, yeah? And whose fault was that?” I frowned at him for daring to reopen my wound.
He plucked off his glasses and let out a soft sigh. “Look, all I’m saying is that you and I are on the same page. You don’t like the family, and I’m interested in their affairs. We can work together.”
I couldn’t believe my ears right now.
“Help me with the information I need, and I’ll make sure that your contract ends in exactly one year. Not a second longer.”
Silence.
My heart was racing in my chest because I couldn’t imagine myself turning against Adrik. A few weeks ago, I would’ve been okay with the plan. But after everything that had happened recently, something just didn’t seem right.
Each time I was starting to feel comfortable with my so-called grandfather, he would always remind me of the monster he was. This old man was using me for his own selfish gain.
That was when it just dawned on me that this had been part of his plan all along. I wasn’t sure what he wanted with the Tarasov family businesses, but I knew he was up to no good.
Adrik and his family weren’t saints either; they were just as evil as my grandfather. The only difference was that Adrik cared about me in his own twisted way. The thought of betrayingthe man who had dedicated himself to keeping me safe made my stomach turn.
What was I going to do now: Be my grandfather’s spy, or refuse to play his game?
Chapter 16 – Adrik
She’d been unusually quiet since her visit to her grandfather’s three days ago. At first, I wanted to brush it off as nothing, but then I couldn’t ignore her unease around me.
Lately, her smile seemed forced, and the light in her eyes was dimmer than before. I had no idea why she was so distant and gloomy almost all the time.
I could tell she was processing something in her head. But what could she possibly be processing that was taking her attention away from me? Although I told myself I wasn’t going to think much of it, it ended up being the only thing I could think of.
This sudden switch in her behavior was affecting me more than I cared to admit. And I hated it. I loathed not being able to focus on being productive.
Instead of asking her what was on her mind, I’d decided to just keep watching.
Two more days passed, and still nothing had changed. Nothing significant, anyway. By now, she was already trying to slither out of her shell, but to me, she was still distant.
I didn’t think a day would come when I’d miss our banter—our silly arguments and those tiny moments of pure bliss. Yet that day came sooner than I could blink.
However, as the days blurred by, another matter arose at work. Sergei brought my attention to some shady activities that needed to be investigated.
There has been a series of strange delays in our shipments over the past couple of days. Some important names were omitted from a report.
And that wasn’t all.
Sergei suspected there was a mole within the inner ranks feeding information to our enemies. We hadn’t identified theunfortunate individual. Yet. But rest assured, we’d find them, and they’d face the full consequences of their actions.
This organization operated on fierce loyalty with zero tolerance for traitors. Whoever the mole was, they would wish they never crossed the line.
That morning, while having breakfast with my wife, the dining area was awkwardly quiet. Only the occasional faint sounds of clinking cutlery punctuated the air.
We sat at both ends of the table like two strangers, and I despised the graveyard silence that lay between us.
She had her head lowered and had barely touched her food. Emika was distracted, lost in her own thoughts.
Unable to keep silent anymore, I decided to address the elephant in the room.
I looked right at her with a blank expression. “Is there something on your mind?”
She froze, her eyes darting side to side for a moment before she raised her head. “What’re you talking about?”
I leaned back in my chair, analyzing the look on her face and the hint of fear in her voice. “You’ve been distant lately. Quiet. Unusually quiet.”
