Paola went very still.
"What about twins?" I kept my voice neutral.
His smile sharpened. "Two people, identical faces, but perhaps very different lives. Very different... choices."
The emphasis onchoiceswas deliberate.
"Get to your point, Viktor."
"How does one know they have married the right twin?"
The question hung between us like a blade.
Every instinct screamed danger.
"That's a strange question, Mr. Kozlov," Paola said steadily.
"Is it? Your bride seems quite different from the Bianca Lombardo I had heard so much about. Different interests, different... energy." Viktor's gaze traced her face. "I was told Bianca worked in finance consulting. Yet tonight, I hear you discussing Renaissance art. Curious, no?"
The specific detail made my blood run cold.
Viktor knew about Paola's real background.
"And the wedding itself. So sudden. Your twin sister traveling, unable to attend. Quite convenient."
"Get to your point, Viktor." I stepped forward slightly, putting myself between him and Paola.
"I wonder if Giovanni Lombardo sent the correct daughter to the altar. And I wonder what would happen if people discovered such a... substitution had occurred."
There it was.
Direct accusation. Threat laid bare.
The silence stretched—deadly, absolute.
"That's quite an accusation," I said, voice ice. "One wonders what evidence you base it on besides paranoid speculation."
"Let's call it... an educated observation. But you're right—observation is not proof. Not yet."
Not yet.
"You're making dangerous accusations without proof, Mr. Kozlov," Paola said, stronger than expected. "In our world, that could be seen as provocation."
Viktor acknowledged her move with a slight nod. "Or friendly warning. Better to address inconsistencies privately than have questions arise publicly. Don't you think?"
"What do you want, Viktor?" I cut through the games.
"Simple: cooperation. Your eastern territory access. Three shipping routes. Twenty percent of your legitimate import business."
Outrageous. Almost a quarter of my operation.
"In exchange for what? Your silence?"
"In exchange for my discretion. Think of it as insurance, Cesare. You keep your alliance, your reputation, your power. I get fair compensation for my silence. Everyone wins."
"Except me."
"You get to keep your beautiful bride. Surely she's worth the cost?"
