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He could’ve killed me. He had the opportunity to, but he was the coward, not me. Ultimately, it the man who is willing to go the further who comes out on top.
And that man will always be me.
25
Viktor
What worries me the most, the one thing that makes it impossible to sleep at night, is knowing that Alex may not have acted alone. I need Ivan and Pasha to come over with more evidence that it was only Alex all along.
I don’t trust what was told to me right before I put a bullet through his head. The Levin family never were a trustworthy bunch. They lied and stole their way to the top, betraying everyone along the way.
While it’s obvious that Alex wasn’t able to be raised by his father because of me, I still think he retained some of the family traits. He may have made a businessman out of himself, but he still tried to interfere with my family, just like his father did.
Only this time, I was the more powerful one. I wasn’t the helpless child from the past. That was Alex’s role to play, and he paid dearly for it in the end.
But one man’s end is another’s beginning. With Alex out of the way, I have hope that I can rebuild my life in a better way. I’m not much of a spiritual person, but something inside of me says that Alex’s existence is what held me back from putting this all the rest for so many years.
I held onto the trauma because remnants of my past were still alive. Now, all I need is evidence from Ivan and Pasha that Alex was the only man behind this, and I’m willing to leave everything behind as I step into my new life.
It’s a good life, too, one I’m excited to live. To be a father is a blessing, but to have a loving wife and all the money I could ever hope for is even better. I will never utter another complaint once I embark on my new journey with Sage.
I have a dozen pairs of eyes on the surveillance tapes from the house, the casino, and every store I can think of ever walking into in the last few months. Something should turn up soon that will allow me to move on.
Something. At some point, but apparently not today.
I stare out the window as the sun sets, clutching a cigar I still haven’t smoked in my hand. Sage says it’s fine if it helps me with the stress, but I can’t justify it. I hold it out of habit, and that’s enough. I need to be healthier for our family.
A knock on the front door interrupts my thoughts. I place the cigar on the table and stand up, smoothing out the wrinkles in my shirt. The only people who can get on the property are my maid, gardener, and Ivan.
If it’s not something about the house, then it could be news about Alex.
I rush to the door, nearly tripping over a pair of Sage’s sneakers on the way. I bought her so many pairs of heels, but she always wears sneakers. I find it endearing when they’re not in the middle of the hallway, but maybe I should get used to stuff like that. The baby isn’t going to be the epitome of cleanliness, after all.
My mind quickly turns back to business when I reach the door, throwing it open and almost going for my gun when I see Pasha instead of Ivan. How the hell did he get onto my property?
“Sir,” Ivan says, stepping out from behind him.
I let out a sigh. “There you are. I assume you two have news for me.”
They nod at the same time, and I let them into the house. I almost want to conduct business in the hallway, but I also don’t want to reveal how impatient I feel. More weakness I’m not allowed to show.
When Ivan and Pasha step into the lounge, their expressions are unreadable. They exchange a glance before Ivan speaks.
“We have the evidence you asked for,” Ivan says, holding up a thick folder. “It’s all here. Every instance of Alex on every camera that is in a hundred miles of here. There’s nobody else.”
I exhale slowly, relief washing over me. “Show me.”
Ivan and Pasha sit down across from me, spreading the contents of the folder on the table. There are surveillance photos, financial records, and detailed reports, all pointing to Alex as the sole perpetrator.
Pasha points to a series of photos. “These were taken over the last few months. Alex was stalking you, as we suspected. He never met with anyone else. All his actions were solitary.”
I lean in, scrutinizing the images. They show Alex in various locations, always alone, always watching. It’s clear he was meticulous, almost obsessed. The financial records further cement his isolation. There are no suspicious transactions, no payments to accomplices.
“Are you sure?” I ask, needing to hear it again. “There’s no one else involved?”
Ivan nods firmly. “We’ve cross-referenced everything. Alex was acting on his own.”
I sit back, feeling the weight on my shoulders begin to lift. It’s over. Truly over. I can finally put this chapter behind me and focus on the future.
