“Sir, we need to discuss the Petrov cleanup.”
“What about it?”
“There are questions. Other families asking why the Petrovs suddenly disappeared. Speculation about whether we’re consolidating too aggressively.”
“Let them speculate.”
“What if they investigate? If they uncover—”
“They won’t.” I don’t look up from my work. “I’ve covered every trail. Burned every connection. There’s nothing to find.”
“Except Artyom. He’s still out there.”
My jaw tightens. “Not for long.”
“If he moves against us? If he knows what you discovered, it could be bad.”
“Then he dies faster than planned.” I finally meet Viktor’s eyes. “I want every resource focused on finding him. Every informant, every contact, every surveillance asset. He doesn’t get to disappear after what he’s done.”
“Understood.” Viktor hesitates. “Mrs. Sharov? She should be informed about the threat level.”
“No.”
“Sir?”
“She doesn’t need to know. Increased security is already in place. Telling her accomplishes nothing except adding to her stress.”
“With respect, she’s already stressed. Telling her the truth about her family might help.”
“Might what? Make her forgive me? Thank me for destroying her family based on bad intelligence?” I slam my hand on the desk. “The truth doesn’t fix this, Viktor. It just shifts the blame from her father to me. And that helps no one.”
“It helps her understand.”
“Understand that I’m fallible? That I make mistakes? That the man controlling her life fucked up catastrophically and she suffered for it?” I stand, anger barely controlled. “How exactly does that improve her situation?”
“It gives her context.”
“It gives her ammunition. Against me, against the organization, against everything I’ve built to keep her safe.” I move to the window, stare out at grounds where Elena walkswith guards I assigned. “She hates me now for things I actually did. Adding things I did by mistake just makes the hatred more justified. It doesn’t make anything better.”
“So you’ll just… carry this alone?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not sustainable, Aleksandr.”
“It’s necessary.” I turn back to him. “The truth endangers her more than the lie. If other families learn I was manipulated, they’ll see weakness. They’ll test boundaries, probe for other vulnerabilities, and Elena becomes the most obvious target.”
“She’s already a target.”
“She’s my wife. That’s manageable. If they learn she’s my wifeandthe reason I discovered how deeply I was compromised? She becomes leverage and liability combined.” I shake my head. “I won’t put her at more risk just to ease my conscience.”
Viktor studies me. “You care about her.”
“She’s my responsibility.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“It’s all I’m willing to admit.”
