Chapter 143

Vladimir:

I woke up deep in the forest after my run last night.

It’s been a long time since I shifted in Russia, and I couldn’t remember when the last time I ran as much as I have, freely, without worrying about people catching sight of me.

Russians were mostly used to the wild life around them, provided that we neither attacked them and they didn't end up shooting us.

I smiled and got up from the floor, getting dressed with the pair of shorts that I had hid there a long while before shifting. I had to admit, I missed home, my family and peace, but it was times like this when I knew that this was something that we needed. As a family, we needed to both grow and find out what’s been hidden right in front our eyes and behind our backs. And that was what we intended to do.

My chest and stomach churned as I found myself missing my mate, but I knew that I was here with a task in hand, and with a fucked up maid following her around like a plague, I was going to have a problem reaching her without getting caught.

“You are back,” She, Yigrette, said, and I smirked.

“Yes, you can go and report back to your boss,” I said, rolling my eyes at the woman. She was one of Konstantin’s protégés, and though I didn’t understand the reason why he chose HER. I didn’t bother complaining and right now, I didn’t bother caring to ask. I just knew that she was going to be on the bucket list of people that I was going to have to get rid of.

“I doubt that it concerns you what I report back.” She said, and I shrugged.

“If it concerns me, I think that you are going to be amazed by what does concern me, but I am going to leave you to your stupid ego of thinking that you have something that you never will.” I said, and she frowned in confusion. The woman was far too naïve if she believed that she was going to be anything more than the maid that she was in Konstantin’s eyes. Whatever she was doing, she was just bidding on her own life as she made more enemies than friends, and that was exactly what Konstantin wanted for her. A slave for himself, one he could control as he knew that she had no one by her side. 

“It means that those you serve will easily get rid of you the second you become less beneficial for them.” I said, and she frowned. “When you keep that in mind, you are going to know to make more friends than enemies with those who you think are weaker than you are.”

“He won’t kill me.” She said, and I scoffed, shaking my head at her. 

“I never said HE,” I said, leaning in to her shoulder, lowering my voice to above a whisper as I spoke my next words. I knew that I already had half her attention, and even if she was going to deny it now, it would be playing in her head, and that was something that I knew very well. It was what I wanted. “But it seems to me that you already know that. You are just trying to please enough not to be killed.”

“You are lying,”

“You can believe me or not, I don’t mind.” I said, taking a step back. Her heart raced, and I saw her clenching and unclenching her fists. “My one, kind, advice to you would be to choose your words, actions, and be smart in doing them. You don’t want to find yourself sinking alone in mud with no one to save you. And believe me, with the way that you’re going, that’s what’s going to happen.”

I walked away without saying a word, knowing that I’ve told her enough to play in her mind. One word after the other, filling her mind with what I want. Who knows? Maybe I could even spare her life in the end. It would be a shame for a trained young woman like herself to just die because she was serving the wrong side, wasn’t it?

I walked up to my room to find Beatrice, one of the other maids in the house, by the door, waiting for me. Her eyes met mine and I nodded at her to follow me inside, knowing that she wasn’t going to be there because she was willing to come and drink tea. The woman was assigned by the headmistress with Claire, and though I never did touch her or look her way, I was surprised to find her lurking under my feet since yesterday. 

“What do you want this time?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She looked down at her feet, avoiding my eyes, and I could see her fear in her eyes as she hesitated for a moment. I turned to walk to the dresser, not saying a word as I waited for her response,

“My sister is dying, Mr. Ivanov.” She said, and I frowned in confusion before turning around to face her. Her eyes held more pain for her to be lying, and I shook my head in question.

“How do you know?” I asked, knowing for fact that most didn’t have phones to be able to contact their families. She looked me in the eye, hesitating for a second, before she put her hand under her shirt. She pulled a phone out, and I shook my head as I realized that she was hiding one. 

“She has a bad fever, and the doctors can’t seem to treat it at all. If I ask him, he is going to ask me how I knew, especially since calling families was strictly only allowed on Sundays.” She said, and I nodded in understanding. “I just want to get this envelope of money to mama. It would help her buy her a little medication, something warm to eat and drink in this cold weather.”

She stayed quiet for a few minutes before she looked up at me. Her heart raced against her chest, and I could tell that she was scared that I would say no. But I wasn’t inhuman, I knew what it was to be frightened for my family. I knew what it was to be doing something that was risky for the family. I was here, doing this for MY family. 

“Is there a way for me to reach them?” I asked, looking the woman in the eye. Her eyes widened in surprise, and though still afraid, I saw a spec of hope in her eyes. 

“Yes, I can write the address and give you my mother’s number.” She said, and I nodded. I walked to my desk and pulled out a pen and paper for her to write with. Her heart raced, and her hands shook, but she forced herself to stay both quiet and calm as she looked at me.

She wrote the address and number, but just as she was about to give me the money, I shook my head. I didn’t know how much she was having in that envelope, but I knew that whatever it was, I could give it ten times the number. I put my hand on hers, wrapping it around her money before looking her in the eye.

“I am going to see to it that she is treated in the best hospital, and that she receives the medical attention that she needs. Keep your money for another cold day.” I said, giving her a small smile before letting her hand go. 

“Mr. Ivanov…”

“I said a word, Beatrice.” I said, shaking my head at her. “I’ll let you know how they are when I’m back.”

She nodded in thanks and I watched as the woman walked out of the room in a hurry, leaving me alone with my thoughts before I shook my head as I sat on the edge of the bed, getting lost in a few thoughts that I had. 

Well, for starters, I believe that it’s time for me to get the loyalty of these people, isn’t it…?