Chapter 169
Vladimir:
“You are yet to answer my question, Vladimir.” Konstantin said, and I smiled at the man before pulling my phone out to show him where I was going.
It was a message from a friend, Han Yong, a Chinese ally of the family.
-The drinks that you’ve asked for are ready, Mr. Vladimir. Do you need us to deliver? -Han Yong.
-No, I’ll pick them up in a bit. Have the men stow them well, I don’t want the bottles to break. -Vladimir.
“You are going to get your drinks?” He asked, voicing out what he just read. I put the phone back inside my pocket. One of the things that were in the text was a picture of the bottles of wine, scotch, and vodka in a box.
“You are playing with trust, Konstantin. And I think that you should know, more than anyone, that this game does not often end well, especially not for a man like yourself.” I said, nodding at the door. “Can I leave? Or do you have other things that you need to investigate?”
“You are the heir of this whole family. Everything that I have belongs to you, and you go on ahead, paying for drinks that you can get for free from your own home? Vladimir, have I taught you nothing over the months that you’ve stayed here?” He asked, shaking his head in question at me.
“You seem to be challenging me more and more by the day. You can only assume that trust between us is not something for the two of us to be counting on, don’t you agree?” I asked, and he shook his head at me.
“Arguing amongst family members, especially men of our kind, is normal. What is not normal is for my one heir to be asking for drinks outside, to be the one to pick them up himself, and not to have others serving him as they should.” He said, and though I kept a straight face on, I knew that I was getting him where I wanted him to be. But I knew to thread my words and movements carefully. The man needed to think that I was still on their side despite my anger.
“Well, until you are able to trust that me going out doesn’t mean that I need you to put me through an investigation hall…”
“I had a son, Vladimir.” He said, stopping me. His eyes were fixed on mine and I crossed my arms over my chest. “My daughter, you know of the fate that she met, and she didn’t even know me as a father. If I treat you the way that I do, it is to feed the hunger of a father to a son. No matter how much one denies it, some things are often missing when it comes to losing that part.”
“Therefore, I need you to understand that if I treat you the way that I do, it is because I am treating you as a son.” He said, and I shook my head at him.
“Is that why you hurt the woman that you know I fancy?” I asked, and the man took a step back, clearly taken back by my question. “Would that be the way that you choose to treat the woman that your son brings home if he does?” I asked, and Konstantin looked away from me, avoiding my eyes for a second.
“Elena’s case is different. They have their own mistakes, and considering the fact that they did underestimate me, I am teaching them a lesson that they will never forget. Elena is just a tool to that.” He said, and I shook my head.
“You are going to get nowhere with me if you keep doing this, Konstantin. Do not get me wrong, my loyalty for the family is unwavering, but no one works for or with someone who has hurt a person who holds a special place to them. Put in mind that as a wolf, I am going to fight, ten times stronger than other men will, and you do not want to deal with a wolf’s wrath. Believe me, it is far worse than a human can ever think of inflicting, and I know that your kind can be twisted with what they have in their heads.” I said, taking a step back. “Think of my words, and if you can come to a term that says that I won’t hurt your woman whether or not you are around; the two of us can talk. Before then, do not call me heir, do not call my name, and I certainly do not want to find myself roaming around you, sitting on your table, or even representing you in a place that you will think to approach me.”
“You are putting her first? Over who you are, you are putting Elena?” He asked, and I shook my head.
“Not at all.” I said, and the man frowned. “I am putting her over me being an heir to the man who is hurting her.”
“Because one day, it might be another woman,” I said, ignoring the clench that I felt in my chest as I knew that he needed to believe that Elena was not going to be my one and only. Thankfully, Elena already knew of what I planned on doing and I didn’t need to be concerned about what they would try to do with what they learned. “Am I going to live, wondering, until your last breath, whether I would be seeing her safe, healthy, and alive when I come back? Do you think that I am going to be able to cope with that?”
“One must never attach themselves to a woman. You of all people should know what happens to a man when he does. And that is why your theory is right. Elena is today but tomorrow it will be another woman.” He said, smirking, nodding as he found himself growing pleased with what I said. “But that woman needs to be educated enough not to rebel.”
“Leave that up to me. But I won’t offer my services, my blood as an heir, and my help to a man who will not respect my boundaries.” I said, keeping my eyes on him, knowing that I already got what I wanted. “I will leave it up to you to decide. And when I am back, I will kindly request for an answer. Then we will determine whether or not we can proceed with our ‘family business’. Will that be okay with you, Konstantin?”
“You don’t need to wait for an answer.” He said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “You are my treasure, my heir, and the son that I never had. What you ask is my command. Your women, no matter how many they are, will not be touched as long as I breathe. That is a promise that I will make for you, son…”