Empire of Sin(Empire #2)(86)

My trembling hand falls to my side and I swallow thickly.

“You have some explaining to do,” he says without masking the coldness in his voice.

“Granduncle…” Rai starts in a placating tone. “She just came back.”

“When she shouldn’t have left in the first place.”

Vladimir closes the door and locks it, trapping the four of us inside, then starts inspecting the room, for bugs, I presume.

We all remain silent until he finishes his thorough checkup and nods at us to proceed.

It’s Papa who says, “You have one minute to explain why you stole funds from V Corp and disappeared.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, hanging my head. “I didn’t think the three of you would cover up for me.”

“Then what did you think? That I would paint my own daughter as a criminal and risk losing the leader position? Did I or did I not tell you that you needed to think about who you are before making a single move? It’s not only about you anymore. It’s about the Sokolov name. So why don’t you tell us what made you betray it.”

“I didn’t betray you…”

“You left with funds and without telling any of us.” Vladimir crosses his arms. “That’s the definition of betrayal.”

“That’s not what I intended.”

“Then what did you intend?” It’s Rai who speaks, her voice softer but no less firm than Vladimir’s. “Tell us, Ana.”

I let out a breath. “I wanted to protect Babushka.”

Rai frowns. “You don’t have a grandmother.”

“I do. She’s not my real grandmother, but she raised me and protected me. But Papa expelled her back to Russia, where no one can help her, because he said she’s a bad influence. She has dementia and is suffering, but he forbade me to see her, so I had to come up with this plan.” I don’t miss the way I’m talking about my father in third person in his presence.

I can’t even look at him, because I know his wrath won’t be easy to handle.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Rai asks.

“I wanted to, but you were so busy with your marriage and the Bratva, and I couldn’t add more to it. Besides, I wanted to do something myself for once instead of always relying on you.”

“That was foolish, Anastasia.” Vladimir steps from the door, his bulk eating up half the space. “Even though we covered for you and returned the funds out of our own pockets, Adrian found out about what you’ve done and that nearly cost your father his position and life. Ours, too. He pulled a huge favor from the Pakhan in exchange for not harming you or exposing what you did.”

My head whips up. “I…didn’t think it’d come to this. I’m so sorry.”

“Apologies don’t fix what’s already broken.” Papa is still not looking at me, his face closed off and his expression dark. “You’ll not leave the house until you receive further instructions.”

“But…”

“That is final.”

“Please don’t hurt Babushka. Please.”

“That depends on how you act from now on.” Papa looks at me and I wish he hadn’t. He appears so much older, so much sadder. “You’ve disappointed me, Anastasia.”

He stands up and leaves, and I finally let the tears loose.

Home sweet home.





35





ANASTASIA





It’s been three days since I came back to Papa’s house and it feels like two months.

Maybe two years.

Being in the unknown about Babushka’s and my fate is slowly killing me. Rai promised that she won’t let anyone hurt her, but even she has no say whatsoever when Papa decides how things will go.

I have no access to my phone, which I predicted, and I threw away the one I used as Jane, so no one can retrieve it. Also, since Papa found out that the way I got all those funds was through hacking, he had Vladimir confiscate my laptop as well.

So I’m sort of cut off from the world, but I’ve figured out a way to follow Sandra’s case, and it’s through the most traditional way possible. TV.

I don’t want to watch it in the main hall since anyone can walk in, so I sneak into the staff’s quarters.

Distinct chatter in Russian reaches me from the kitchen, where many guards sit down for snacks or meals.

I slip into the adjoining room and leave the door ajar so I can continue listening to the rumble of their voices. The moment they stop talking, I’ll know I have to leave. The last thing I want is for them to report my sneaking around to Vladimir. Or worse, Papa.

He’d really lock me up in my room this time.

I turn on the TV and scroll to the local news channel, keeping the sound as low as possible.

My heart pounds when images of the Bell case fill the screen. Sandra is mobbed by reporters, but Knox singlehandedly pushes them off her and tells them his client has no statements to make.

This was during yesterday’s hearing. The reporter says that they’re being backed into a corner and the testimony of an important witness from Switzerland is very likely to be rejected. That leaves Sandra’s side with fewer options and their mission is starting to look impossible.

My feet tremble and it takes all my strength to remain standing. I know, I just know that the Bratva has something to do with it.