Inside the corridor, Mr. Viktor Spiridonov walked with measured steps, exuding the confidence of an educated and prepared man.
When he reached the double doors, he extended his hand and smoothed back his brown hair, streaked delicately with gray a reflection of an old, ingrained habit.
He knocked lightly on the polished wood with his fingertips, then opened the door with deliberate calm.
Behind the door, the head of the family, Agafonov, sat relaxed in a luxurious leather chair. His red hair was neatly styled, and a tobacco stick glowed between his fingers. He raised it slowly to his lips, then gestured for his lawyer to enter and close the door behind him without uttering a word.
"Did you meet him?"
He asked in a low voice.
"No, I left before he arrived,"
Viktor replied calmly.
"Hmm... I see."
Agafonov slowly placed the tobacco stick on the smoking table, then turned toward the servant sitting on the floor.
His body was covered in bruises, and his face bore clear signs of a beating.
This servant was none other than the one who had given "Kaiser" information about the household's secrets during his master's absence.
Viktor noticed Agafonov's murderous gaze and cleared his throat, speaking cautiously:
"About this servant… what do you intend to do?"
"Get rid of him."
Agafonov said it in a flat tone, not a single muscle in his face twitching.
The servant trembled and suddenly prostrated himself, his voice shaking:
"Please, Head of the Family! Have mercy! I couldn't do anything against the young master! Please!"
Agafonov did not look at him. Instead, he said coldly:
"Viktor, handle it immediately. I don't want to hear his voice."
Viktor bowed his head and said,
"As you wish."
"No! Please!"
The servant screamed hysterically, trying to escape from the two men Viktor had signaled in with a slight nod once the door opened.
Despite the pain, he crawled across the floor toward Agafonov's feet, pleading, his voice cracking:
"I was only following orders…"
"And what orders were those?"
Agafonov asked harshly. The servant looked up at him and quickly replied:
"Forcing the young master Ivan to take drugs. Believe me, sir, if I had refused, I would've been dead long ago! Sir… you already know how insane… terrifying… and unhinged the young master is!"
He cried, his tears mixing with the blood trickling from his trembling chin.
Agafonov lowered his icy blue eyes and stared at him in deadly silence, then raised his hand stopping his men from advancing.
He spoke coldly:
"Since you knew the truth, you should have run… not betrayed me."
"Please, sir!"
The servant cried, clinging to his feet.
Agafonov raised an eyebrow in disdain, then, with a swift motion, grabbed the smoking table and smashed it against the servant's head without hesitation.
The blow landed hard, crushing the side of his skull, and blood splattered across the luxurious office floor.
Silence fell, and the sound of begging vanished forever.
"Throw his corpse into the hunting dogs' cage… and clean the office."
He said this with a steady tone and stood up calmly, dropping the table to the floor before walking off to wash the bloodstains that had soiled his custom-tailored suit.
Behind him, Viktor followed with hesitant steps, his eyes clouded with confusion.
After a few short steps, he muttered:
"Sir… wasn't that a bit excessive?"
"Yes."
Agafonov replied with the same coldness, then stopped and looked at him.
"But I had to do what was necessary. How do you expect me to let someone live after delivering drugs to my son?"
Viktor hesitated, then said:
"But sir… that servant was just following orders. He wasn't to blame."
"I know."
Agafonov replied curtly, then added:
"And that's precisely the point. In any case, compensate his family. If they ask… tell them he died while feeding our dogs."
"As you wish."
Viktor lowered his head while Agafonov turned and walked off alone.
He knew his eldest son was spiraling toward ruin, intent on destroying the family without mercy.
And he had done nothing to stop him other than yell or throw things during pointless fits of rage.
Worse still… he wasn't capable of doing more.
Ever since his second wife had dared insult Arseny, the boy had nursed a resentment no words could soothe and no apologies could mend.
To make matters worse, Arseny's mother Marina, Agafonov's first wife had signed over all her properties to him before her death.
And so, Arseny who now insisted on being called "Kaiser" became the heir to a merciless vendetta and a power his father believed he never truly deserved.
After sunset, Kaiser stepped out of his office with sluggish steps, lazily holding a paper bag in his hand.
He had taken a short nap after his coffee… but apparently, it lasted longer than expected, for the sun had already set.
"Young master, are you alright?"
Alex rushed toward him, eyes filled with concern. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Kaiser was at his best at least after getting enough sleep.
"Are you asking because of this?"
Kaiser gestured vaguely to the paper bag, then continued in a relaxed tone:
"Actually, I expected this to happen… hmm, how do I explain it all at once?"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then suddenly said:
"It was a trap. I wanted him to catch that servant red-handed. And honestly? He's probably a corpse by now. In any case, I no longer needed him, and this was the best way to silence him."
He shrugged indifferently and started walking, with Alex quickly following behind.
"A corpse?! Young master… aren't you afraid the head of the family will be furious again?"
Kaiser stopped in front of the elevator and calmly pressed the button.
"And why should I fear that old man?"
Then he turned to him with a sly smile:
"He brought it upon himself. I'm just a merchant… looking for a profitable deal. And that's exactly what I'm doing."
"Young master… your confidence is excessive, as usual."
Kaiser chuckled while examining his reflection on the metallic elevator doors:
"Believe me, Alex… the worst he can do is scream or throw something at me. And as you know, I don't mind his tantrums, as long as they don't scar my charming face."
The elevator chimed and the doors opened. Kaiser stepped inside lightly and waved his hand as if bidding farewell to an audience on stage:
"Catch you later~"
Alex stood still, silently watching him, then nodded faintly with a respectful, though quietly anxious, expression.
Kaiser drove his luxurious car toward the residential building, parked it with his usual precision, then got out calmly, holding the paper bag in hand.
As he approached the gate, a sharp scent of tobacco pierced his nose… that foul smell he had always despised.
He stopped for a moment, frowning unintentionally, then swept the area with a displeased glance.
And there, by the gate, stood Leonid, smoking calmly. His cigarette glowed faintly under the dim light, and his icy blue eyes watched Kaiser in heavy silence.
"Seriously… I was in such a good mood, and now I feel like crap."
Kaiser muttered bitterly, turning his head to the side in an attempt to suppress his annoyance before walking toward the gate, already bracing for a confrontation.
Leonid, on the other hand, remained in place, leaning against the wall, exhaling smoke from his nose with a deadly calm as he waited for Kaiser to come closer.
Since the moment he closed the door of his apartment behind him, Leonid's conscience hadn't stopped tormenting him over what had happened to Charlotte at Kaiser's hands.
If he had known back then at that very moment that Kaiser had kissed her and nearly assaulted her, he would've torn him apart without hesitation and erased him from existence.
Leonid clenched his free hand into a fist as Kaiser stopped in front of him, eyeing him with heavy disdain.
"You bastard…"
Kaiser said with a frustrated breath before adding in disgust:
"Why are you smoking next to the gate? Haven't you learned anything about manners or decency?"
Leonid slowly raised an eyebrow, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said calmly:
"Bastard? Decency? … Strange. Were you talking about yourself?"
Kaiser let out a short, humorless laugh, then stepped closer until there was barely any distance left between them.
"Are you trying to provoke me?"
He asked in a low voice, almost a whisper, but sharp as a whip.
Leonid didn't move. On the contrary, he seemed amused by Kaiser's closeness. He tilted his head slightly and asked:
"What do you think?"
Then he added coldly:
"And if you do feel provoked… show me how strong your fist really is."
Kaiser chuckled lightly and said:
"Ah… so you are trying to provoke me."
His smile vanished quickly as he took another step forward, their breaths now mingling.
"So be it."
And in the very next instant, his fist shot out like an arrow, slamming into Leonid's face with sudden force.
On the way, Daniel was walking slowly, staring at his phone screen as he sent message after message:
[Daniel: Tomorrow morning we'll head to the camp.]
[Daniel: At seven o'clock, I'll be waiting for you at the parking lot.]
[Daniel: We'll go in Lyudmila's father's car. There will be four of us.]
[Daniel: Aren't you going to ask who the fourth person is?]
[Daniel: By the way… Kaiser and Natalia won't be coming.]
Despite all those messages, Charlotte didn't even bother to read them.
Daniel sighed and nervously ran his hand through his blond hair.
"I can't stop thinking about what you're doing right now…"
He muttered anxiously:
"Charlotte…"
Then he put his phone away and looked ahead… only to freeze in place.
Leonid and Kaiser were fighting with their fists. Despite the bruise on Leonid's cheek, he seemed to have the upper hand.
"Get up. Show me more."
Leonid said coldly, dropping his cigar to the ground and pointing at Kaiser with contempt.
"Trying to look strong and in control? You're nothing but a bastard."
Kaiser staggered slightly, a clear mark of a hard blow on his cheek, and his stance showed he had taken a painful punch to the stomach as well.
Without hesitation, Daniel rushed forward and stood between them, raising his hands to prevent escalation.
"Guys, what are you doing? Stop!"
He knew the reason for the fight.
Leonid was avenging Charlotte, no doubt.
But he also knew Charlotte's promise: to stop this madness.
"Leonid, please… stop. It's worth it, yes, but not now."
Leonid stopped and stared silently at Daniel. He looked calm, but his eyes said something else. He sighed slowly, adjusted his suit collar, then turned to Kaiser with a sly sideways smile.
"We'll meet again."
"You damn bastard."
Kaiser muttered disgustedly, then spat dry blood from his mouth.
"Let's go."
Leonid nodded at Daniel and headed inside.
Before moving, Daniel gave Kaiser a sharp, narrowed look. Kaiser met it coldly, then asked hoarsely:
"Have you become his follower? Or is he threatening you?"
"No. We're friends."
Daniel replied simply, then followed Leonid without looking back.
In the elevator, Leonid leaned against the wall, silently staring at his fist. Luckily, he had succeeded in provoking Kaiser to strike first, giving him the perfect excuse to retaliate without consequences… no firing, no petty punishment.
"Does it hurt?"
"Hmm?"
Leonid slowly raised an eyebrow, then relaxed his hand and looked at Daniel with a calm smile, pointing to his cheek.
"You mean this?"
He chuckled lightly and said:
"Just a touch… not even a punch."
Daniel sighed, then muttered with a half-smile:
"Trying to look strong? Or are you really a gangster?"
"Me?"
Leonid answered confidently.
"I'm not a gangster… and I'm not trying to look strong. I'm simply strong."
He crossed his arms and leaned his shoulder against the wall, then turned to Daniel.
"By the way, about what we agreed on… did Charlotte reply?"
Daniel slowly took out his phone and opened it. He was almost sure he wouldn't find anything, but the surprise came in the form of a small notification that had just appeared.
[Charlotte: Okay, I'll be there exactly on time.]
"Just one reply…"
Daniel muttered with frustration as he closed the phone, then exhaled quietly.
Leonid replied with a slight smile creeping onto his lips and a warm tone:
"At least… she answered."
In the bright bedroom, Charlotte closed her phone and tossed it aside, then lay back down on her stomach with a heavy sigh.
She had to prepare her bag… to prepare herself too, but she was still drowning in deep sorrow.