Chapter 20
CHAPTER 20
Viktor
T he weight of betrayal was present, like a suffocating cloud, and Viktor couldn’t shake the feeling that the storm was drawing closer. He stood in the middle of the dimly lit room, his hands resting on the map spread out before him. Alexei was coming for him. He could feel it in his gut—the sense of impending conflict, the way everything seemed to be slowly aligning to bring them face-to-face in a final confrontation.
Sofia stood beside him, her presence both a comfort and a complication. She had made her choice, and Viktor had reluctantly agreed to let her be a part of this twisted game. It was hard to admit it, but he needed her in a way he didn’t want to. There was no denying it anymore—her loyalty, her value as an asset in the coming war, her willingness to walk into the fire for her brother. But trust? Trust was a different matter.
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was quiet, focused, as if she could feel the weight of his thoughts pressing down on her. Viktor clenched his jaw. There were too many risks, too many unknowns. But he had no choice.
“This is it,” he said, his tone low, the edge of finality to it. “We move when he does. Sofia, you know your role.”
“I’ll do what I have to do,” she said firmly, but there was something in her eyes—a flicker of something Viktor couldn’t quite place. Perhaps regret. Or guilt. He ignored it, focusing on the task ahead. “Just make sure Ivan is safe,” she added, the plea buried beneath her words.
Viktor didn’t answer immediately. His eyes moved over the plan again, his mind running through the contingencies, the ways he could make sure this move was irreversible. Once Alexei made his play, he would be trapped. Viktor would make sure of it. There would be no way out for him this time.
“I’ll handle Ivan,” Viktor finally said. “But don’t mistake this for a favor. You’re still just a pawn in this game, Sofia. You’re playing a part and nothing more.”
She met his look, her expression unreadable. “I’m not your pawn, Viktor,” she said quietly. But there was no anger in her words, just a steady determination. “And I’m not your enemy.”
Viktor didn’t respond. He didn’t know what to say to that. There was so much between them, so many things unsaid, and most of them were dangerous. But there was no time to deal with them now.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. It was Kat—one of his most trusted lieutenants. She walked inside without waiting for an invitation, her sharp eyes scanning the room before settling on Viktor.
“We have a problem,” Kat said, her tone clipped. “Andrei’s made his move. He’s with Alexei now—fully committed.”
Viktor’s fist slammed down onto the table, sending papers scattering across the surface. He had suspected it, of course, but hearing the words out loud made the betrayal hit harder. Andrei had been more than just an ally—he had been Viktor’s closest confidant, a man he trusted implicitly. Or so he had thought.
“Where is he?” Viktor’s sounded deadly, the anger that had been simmering beneath the surface now bubbling over. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his mind already calculating the best way to deal with the situation.
“Trying to go behind your back, just like we feared,” Kat answered, colder than usual. “He’s with Alexei right now, coordinating plans. They’re moving quickly. You don’t have much time.”
Viktor nodded, his mind already racing. He’d let Andrei stay too long. Too much had been forgiven, too many chances given. This was no longer a game. Viktor wasn’t going to let Andrei take what was rightfully his.
He turned to Sofia, his eyes narrowing. “Stay here. I need to handle this.”
Sofia nodded, though there was something in her expression—something like fear or hesitation. Viktor couldn’t tell. He didn’t have time to care. He left the room without another word, his mind focused on the task at hand.
Viktor stormed through the corridors, his pace quickening as the anger pulsed through his veins. Each step felt heavier than the last. Andrei had betrayed him. The man who had stood by his side for years, the one who knew every secret, every weakness Viktor had ever shown, had turned against him. It wasn’t just a betrayal of trust; it was a personal attack, one that cut deeper than anything Alexei could ever do.
The door to Andrei’s office slammed open, and Viktor entered without a word, his eyes locking on the burly man who had once been his closest ally. Andrei was sitting behind a large wooden desk, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he glanced up from the papers in front of him.
“You,” Viktor spat, seething with fury. “I should’ve known.”
Andrei didn’t flinch. He slowly stood, pushing the chair back as he did. His face, normally a mask of loyalty and respect, was now a twisted version of itself, a cruel imitation of the man Viktor had once trusted.
“You should’ve, Viktor,” Andrei said, too calm for Viktor’s liking. “But you were too blinded by your own ambition to see what was right in front of you.”
Viktor took a step forward, bubbling with the urge to lash out. He could feel the rage building inside him, a storm threatening to tear everything apart.
“Tell me, Andrei,” Viktor sounded cold, dangerously calm, “how does it feel to sell your soul to the very man who wants to destroy everything I’ve built?”
Andrei smiled, that same smirk playing on his lips. “I didn’t sell anything, Viktor. I saw the truth. Alexei offers something you never could—real power. Not just scraps and empty promises.”
The words hit Viktor like a slap to the face. He wanted to scream, to strike Andrei down where he stood, but he had to maintain his stoic expression. The plan. The bigger picture.
“You’re a fool,” Viktor said quietly. But in that whisper, there was venom.
“I was a fool,” Andrei replied, his pitch increasing, “but I’m not anymore.”
Without warning, Viktor lunged. The sound of his fist connecting with Andrei’s face echoed in the room. Andrei staggered back, his nose bleeding, but the smirk didn’t fade. In fact, it only grew.
“You really think you can take me down that easily?” Andrei sneered, wiping blood from his lip. “You’re losing control, Viktor. And when you do, it’s over.”
The words were like a spark in dry tinder. Viktor didn’t think; he acted. His hands shot out, grabbing Andrei by the throat, lifting him off the ground with a strength that came from years of pent-up rage.
Andrei’s hands grasped at Viktor’s, trying to pry them away, but it was useless. Viktor was unyielding, his eyes blazing with fury. Andrei gasped, but Viktor didn’t release him. He needed him to feel the weight of betrayal. He needed to see Andrei understand what would happen when you crossed Viktor Ivanov.
“Tell me,” Viktor growled, “was it worth it? Was it worth losing everything?”
Andrei’s eyes shone with a mix of defiance and fear, but the fear was starting to show through. “You don’t get it, do you?” Andrei rasped, his breath shallow. “You’re the one who’s lost. You just don’t know it yet.”
Viktor’s fingers strained around his throat, his anger burning brighter. “You’re nothing. A traitor. A coward. And I’m going to make sure you regret this.”
And with that, Viktor slammed Andrei’s body to the ground. The force of the impact reverberated through the room, but Andrei was still breathing. Viktor wasn’t done.
His foot connected with Andrei’s side, the sound of bone cracking filling the space. Andrei groaned, his hand clutching at his ribs, but still, he didn’t beg. He didn’t plead. That was the worst part.
“You think you’re better than me,” Viktor said, his voice thick with disdain. “You think Alexei will save you? You’re just a pawn to him, Andrei. And when he’s done with you, you’ll be just as useless as you are now.”
Andrei’s laugh was weak, but it still carried an edge of spite. “I don’t need saving,” he whispered. “You’re the one who needs saving, Viktor. You’ve already lost. You just don’t know it yet.”
Viktor stood over him, breathing heavily, his fists clenched at his sides. Andrei had always been a dangerous man, but now he was a liability. And Viktor had no place for that in his world.
With one final, brutal blow, Viktor ended it. Andrei’s body went limp, crumpling to the ground like a ragdoll. Viktor took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from his brow, his anger slowly simmering down.
But there was no time for grief, no time for reflection. Viktor knew what had to come next.
He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, his mind already on the next move. Alexei would pay for this.