Page 34 of Tainted Empire
My heart sinks, trepidation setting heavy in the pit of my stomach. What has Mikhail done now? Why is Lee so upset? The questions tumble through my mind, each more unsettling than the last.
I slip back upstairs, my mind racing. Whatever’s going on, I need to get out of here, to confront Mikhail and get some answers. I can’t keep lurking in the shadows, piecing together half-truths and whispers.
Pulling out my phone with trembling hands, I decide to take this up with the person she just mentioned. I need answers, and the only person who can give them to me is Mikhail himself.
My fingers hover over the screen before I type out a quick message: ‘I need to see you. Can you come get me?’
It doesn’t take long for him to reply, saying he’ll be here shortly and I wait, anxiety knotting in my stomach. What am I walking into? What has Mikhail stirred up now? And why does it feel like I’m about to step into a storm that’s been brewing just beyond my sight?
My phone buzzes in my hand again – it’s Mikhail.
‘I’m outside.’
As I hastily don my coat, a sense of urgency propelling my movements, I shout towards the living room, “Lee, Mikhail’s here. I’m heading out but will be back later!” There’s no response, only the lingering tension in the air, like the calm before a storm.
Grabbing my keys, I rush out of the safehouse, the cool evening air hitting my face. The sleek, black Phantom parked outside is a beacon in the growing darkness. Mikhail leans against the car, his expression one of concern mixed with a hint of confusion.
He holds open the door and I slide into the back of the Phantom, pulling up the partition for privacy.
“Mikhail,” I start, my voice trembling slightly. “I need you to be completely honest with me. No half-truths, no omissions.”
He looks at me, his eyes searching mine. “I was going to wait until it was safe to tell you,” he says slowly, and I frown, a sense of unease growing within me.
“Safe to tell me what?” My voice is sharp, tinged with growing anxiety.
Mikhail takes a deep breath before he starts. “Your father... and what I’ve found out.” He relays everything - about Emma and Lucy being sent to spy on me, their role in drugging him, the manipulated video, and the fact that my parents are missing.
I feel my world spinning as he speaks, each revelation hitting me like a physical blow. “You... what?” I gasp, struggling to process the enormity of his words.
“Is this not what you meant?” Mikhail asks, his brows furrowed in confusion.
“No, I... I was going to ask if Lee had just called you.” I shake my head, trying to make sense of everything. “I overheard her talking on the phone, saying something about not barging in, and how you two should have waited. She seemed upset, and said you were playing with fire.”
Mikhail’s expression turns to one of puzzlement. “I haven’t spoken to Lee since our date, Gabriette,” he replies, his voice firm.
My mind races as I relay the bits of conversation I overheard, my voice quivering with a mix of fear and confusion. The pieces don’t fit together, and the more I speak, the more I realize something bigger is at play, something we’re both not seeing.
Mikhail listens intently, his expression turning graver with every word. “This... this doesn’t make any sense,” he murmurs, his hand running through his hair in frustration.
We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of everything hanging heavily between us. The revelations about my father, the mysterious conversation Lee had, it’s all too much to take in at once.
My confusion escalates into frustration. “Who was she talking to? And what were they discussing?” The questions tumble out, each more perplexing than the last.
Mikhail shakes his head, a look of frustration mirroring my own. “I don’t know, but this is exactly the reason why I’ve kept things from those even close to me. I can’t trust anyone, and now it seems my decision might just have been the right one.”
Mikhail’s words send a shiver down my spine. The realization that even those closest to us could be a part of this convoluted web of deceit is unsettling. I can see the internal conflict playing out in his eyes, the constant battle between trust and caution.
I lean back against the leather seat, feeling the weight of everything that’s unfolded.
“Where do you want to go?” he asks, his voice carrying a hint of concern.
I pause, considering. The safehouse no longer feels like a refuge, not with this cloud of uncertainty hanging over it.
“Home,” I finally say, the word feeling more like a wish than a destination. “I want to go home.”
Mikhail nods, understanding the unspoken longing in my voice. He relays the instructions to Alexei, and the car changes direction, heading towards our penthouse, the place where all this started.
As the city lights pass by in a blur, I find myself enveloped in a mix of emotions. There’s fear, certainly, but also a growing resolve.