Down in the kitchen, Clara was losing it. She had stord straight to the counter, grabbed the first plate she saw, and thrown it at the wall. It shattered into a hundred pieces.
Then another.
And another.
"How could he?!" she scread. "In front of ! With that... that nobody! HOW COULD HE?!"
She grabbed a glass next. Smash.
Viktor walked in just as a fourth plate hit the floor.
"Clara," he said calmly.
She spun around, hair wild, mascara already running.
She scread. "Clara? Did... did you just call ? Don’t you dare say my na like nothing happened!"
She reached for her phone on the counter as she placed the plate she was about to break on the counter near her purse.
"I’m calling my father right now. This engagent is over!"
Viktor stepped forward and gently took the phone from her hand before she could unlock it.
She stared at him, breathing hard.
"Let go!" she yelled, trying to grab it back.
Viktor held it out of reach. "You don’t need to do this. We’re adults and we can reason with each other."
"There’s nothing to talk about!" Clara shouted. "You humiliated ! You kissed him! In front of like so cheap..."
"Stop." Viktor’s voice was quiet, but it cut through her words like a knife.
Clara stopped.
Viktor set her phone down on the counter, far from her reach.
"This was never real," he said. "You know that. Your father decided it because of what happened to your brother. We never loved each other. We barely liked each other."
Clara let out a sharp laugh.
"So what? That’s how it works in our world! We don’t marry for love, Viktor! We marry for power!"
"I don’t want that," Viktor said. "Not anymore."
Clara wiped her eyes angrily. "You think you can just throw away years of planning because of so oga nanny?"
"His na is Elias," Viktor said. "And yes. Yes, I would do it even a million tis."
Clara stared at him for a long ti, biting her lower lip as she shook her head. Then she smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile.
"You’re going to regret this," she said. "I’m not letting so commoner win. I will be Mrs Drago. . Not him."
Viktor sighed. "It’s not a competition, Clara."
"Oh, it is now," she said. She stepped closer, in a low and cold voice. "Nathan warned . My father warned . They both said stay away from Elias, dealing with him would get into trouble. Nathan even promised to end my life if I lay a finger on him. But I didn’t listen. I won’t listen. Now? I’m going to make his life hell. I will ruin him till he’s beyond recognition. You’ll see."
She grabbed her purse and walked out, heels clicking like bullets.
Viktor didn’t stop her.
He just stood there, rubbing his forehead as he had just gone through sothing deadly, and yes, he just did.
Gerald walked in slowly, stepping over broken glass. He looked over the ssy kitchen and blinked repeatedly, lifting his head to look at Viktor’s tired face.
"I’m so sorry, sir," he said. "I tried to stop her. She ca in screaming your na. I couldn’t..."
"It’s not your fault, Gerald," Viktor said. "Soone told her Elias was here."
Gerald nodded slowly. "Milo. I’m sure it’s definitely him."
Viktor frowned. "Who’s Milo?"
Gerald tried not to look disappointed. "The chef you hired. The young one. The one who works breakfast and dinner."
Viktor thought for a second.
"Oh. The one who makes good pancakes?"
Gerald almost smiled. "Yes, sir."
He was relieved that Viktor rembered him. After all, Viktor was never interested in the lives of his employees. Gerald was the one in charge of managing them. After the incident of Elias’ gender accident, he has been screening every employee who walks through that gate, and that’s when he found out about Milo.
Viktor rubbed his chin, snapping Gerald out of his thoughts.
"Should I fire him?"
"I already checked his background after Elias left," Gerald said. "He used to work for Clara’s family as a chef. He’s definitely her spy. I told everyone this morning not to ntion Elias’s na around her. He must have texted her the second I made that announcent."
Viktor nodded. "I guess we should let him stay."
Gerald blinked. "Sir?"
"As long as he doesn’t poison anyone, he’s free to stay," Viktor said. "If he leaves, Elias will have to cook again. And I don’t want things to get difficult for my Elias."
Gerald smiled a little.
"True. I guess you’re right, Master."
Viktor looked around at the broken plates.
"When are they moving to the safe house?"
"Tonight, if everything is ready," Gerald said. "The trucks are loaded. The twins finish school at three."
Viktor shook his head.
"Delay it one day. I still need more food stocked. And my n need extra training. The safe house is safe, but that doesn’t an it’s untouchable. There could be spies."
Gerald’s eyes widened. "You think soone would..."
"I think I need to buy Elias a gun," Viktor said.
"Oh yes, sir... wait, what?" Gerald stared. "A... gun?"
Viktor smiled suddenly, not allowing Gerald to think. "Get the training room ready before the end of today."
"For the n?"
"No," Viktor said, already walking out. "For Elias. I’m teaching him how to shoot."
He left before Gerald could say another word. Gerald stood in the kitchen, surrounded by broken glass, and smiled at nothing.
"Ha... I’m getting old," he said to the empty room. "But I hope I live long enough to see those two get married and maybe get a kid,"
Gerald got rid of his smile and cleared his throat as he called the maids inside the kitchen to clean up.
He walked out as he watched the maids swing into action. They were careful not to cut themselves and his eyes suddenly t with Milo, who was by the door. He was wearing his apron and his hair was tied like the chef that he was.
’I have to find another chef since I can’t let Milo follow them to the safe house,’
He thought to himself as he walked away with his hands behind his back.
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