Chapter Forty-five
Alessia
I had packed a few necessities that Rodion would need for his stay in the hospital, especially now that he was going into surgery.
I only came to grab his things, take a shower, and catch my breath.
Since yesterday, I’d stayed by his side, dozing off in a chair beside his bed.
If it had been anyone else, they would never have allowed me to remain there so long.
Having everything I needed, I left Rodion’s quarters. Viktor was waiting outside to drive me back to the hospital, where I would also meet Carina. She had left the mansion this morning, promising to stop by.
Halfway to the exit, I saw Clara coming from the west wing, a bucket in her hand. She looked in a hurry, and from somewhere deeper in the mansion behind her came noises I couldn’t place. The house was too big to know what was happening in every room.
“Clara?”
She turned to face me and managed a faint smile. “Hey.”
I walked over. “Is everything okay? What’s that noise?”
Her shoulders lifted with a sharp breath. “I have to clean up a mess in the boss’s office.”
That caught my attention. I couldn’t help but wonder who was in Rodion’s office and what kind of mess Clara was referring to.
“Wait.” I stopped her before she could move. “What mess? Who’s in the office?”
“Matvet,” she said, and walked off.
He wasn’t in the hospital when I left this morning, so I headed toward the office. His voice echoed through the hallway as I approached. The door was ajar, just enough for me to hear him giving orders in a cold, furious tone.
I edged closer to the door. Through the gap, I caught sight of someone’s feet, stretched out on the office floor.
I pushed the door a little wider, and the scene came into view.
A man sprawled across the carpet, blood spreading beneath him, seeping into a slow pool.
A gasp tore from me, my hand flying to my mouth as panic gripped me.
“Make it quick!” Matvet barked and tossed the phone onto the table before cursing under his breath. His eyes met mine again as he tightened his grip on the walking stick and started forward.
“What…what happened?” I asked.
He didn’t answer. His phone rang again, and he picked up.
He listened in silence, then said, “Introduce another dialysis.” My brows pulled together.
His voice stayed colder. “Someone in that damn hospital leaked information. Until I find them, no one goes into that room except you. Not the doctors. Not the nurses. Am I clear?”
Okay, what was happening? Everything was fine when I left the hospital.
He continued. “If we have to move the boss, then we will. Let me remind you, he is the boss. And if anything happens to him, you’d better believe a lot will happen to you.” He warned before he ended the call.
Fear settled in my chest. I had never seen Matvet like this. And if Rodion was the subject, the situation was serious.
“Matvet?”
He lifted his head from the phone, his stare locking on me as though he just remembered I was still standing there.
“I don’t want anyone in that hospital for now.” He declared.
“Why? What happened?”
He sighed. “Someone murdered the donor along with the men who were guarding her. Someone knows what’s happening.”
The words rang in my head. My knees almost gave, but I caught myself. If I were right, that meant Rodion wouldn’t get his transplant. “You mean… he’s not getting the surgery today?”
“No.” He raised the phone to his ear again, but I was already stepping closer, ignoring the corpse on the floor.
“How did it happen?” I whispered, hope slipping out of reach. “What do we do? Dorothy said Rodion could slip into a coma.”
Matvet lowered the phone from his ear. “I’ll find another way. He must get a transplant.”
“Let me help. Tell me what I can do. Aren’t there other hospitals with a match?”
He gave me full attention. “When it comes to organs, some people have a hand in it. But I’ll get one, even if I have to start a war.”
“This is bad. I need to get to the hospital.”
“I said no one goes there, for now. Not until I find who leaked the information.”
“And you think I did?” I asked, bristling at the accusation.
“Someone could see you. Fewer people in the hospital means safer.”
“Come on, Matvet, I can’t—” My words caught as I remembered that Leonid saw me yesterday. My chest sank. “Leonid.”
“Sorry?”
“I met Leonid yesterday when I was walking in.” Matvet’s brows pulled together. “He was leaving the hospital,” I added quickly, “and he stopped me.”
Matvet watched me for a moment before he asked, “And you didn’t think of telling me?” His voice dropped low but cold. “You are telling me this now?”
“It… it slipped. I swear.”
His jaw tightened. “What did you tell him?”
“Nothing. I lied to him that I was there for a checkup, and I left.”
“Fuck.” He ran a hand down his face. He studied me for a long moment, then let out a slow breath. “Leonid’s reach in the black market is tight. If he knows it’s the boss who needs that kidney, he will block every distribution and source until he gets what he wants.”
My stomach sank. Leonid wanted me. I was the bargaining chip. “He wants me.”
“No.” Matvet gritted his teeth. “The boss closed that deal. It’s in the past. Stay here. I’ll handle everything. Am I clear?”
“You said it yourself that Leonid will block all distribution.”
“And I said, I’ll handle it. Look at me.” His hand landed on my shoulder. I blinked through tears and looked into his eyes. “I’m protecting you and the boss. If there’s anyone the boss wants to be safe, it’s you.”
A tear slid down my cheek. The truth was that Rodion’s condition would worsen without the kidney, and I was the solution no one dared admit.
“I’ll go to the hospital. I’m tracking the leak. Until it’s closed, you stay here, and no one goes near the boss.”
I nodded, but my mind had already drifted. Matvet gave me a final look before moving toward the door. I trusted him, but he was injured, and managing everything alone would be difficult.
Before he could step out, a name slipped from my lips. “Luigi.” The air shifted. I turned slowly, noticing Matvet had stopped. “Since the situation is a mess, and you’re injured, it would be best if you called him.”
“No,” he declared. “And this conversation ends here.” He leaned on his walking stick and left.
I stayed in the office, my heart still racing.
I needed Dmitri’s number. Matvet wouldn’t admit how close Rodion was to real danger, but I could see it now.
Especially in the way he said Leonid had connections in hospitals everywhere.
Even if a kidney could be found, it would take time.
And the longer Rodion stayed in that hospital, the higher the risk.
Two men walked in, Clara trailing behind.
I had already forgotten the soldier who was killed.
Why was he killed? I let them move around as my eyes scanned the desk.
Anything left open here wasn’t confidential.
Could I find a phone number? If anyone could help, it would be Dorothy, but asking her would be a risky move.
She would tell Matvet. I rifled through the names and numbers on the files, most of them going over my head.
I tried a few drawers, but none would open. Even if one had, I probably wouldn’t have found anything useful.
After a few minutes of searching, Clara caught my attention. “Are you going somewhere?”
I looked up. The men had left, with the body and the bloodstained carpet no longer in sight. Clara was kneeling on the floor, scrubbing.
“Yes… But I’ve changed my mind. Maybe later.”
“Is everything okay? I’m noticing something’s off.”
“No,” I lied because she was clearly fishing for information. I couldn’t risk telling her about Rodion. “Not really. Look… can we talk later?”
She nodded. “Sure.” And went back to finishing her work. After she finished, she left the office.
I stayed, staring at the desk and the useless files.
I needed that number, but searching felt pointless.
Dorothy was my only option, but what if she told Matvet?
Rodion needed protection. Matvet couldn’t move security to the hospital.
If he did, the soldiers would find out their boss was sick.
So, someone close and dangerous had to help.
I dialed Dorothy. The line rang longer than I expected before she answered. “Alessia, I can’t talk right now.”
“I’ll be quick. Can you send me Dmitri’s number?”
“Sorry?” She sounded confused.
“I’ll explain later. Please just send it.”
“Alessia—”
I cut her off. “We can’t leave the boss exposed there. A family member has to know. I trust Matvet, but he’s still not well.”
“I told Matvet we should inform the family,” Dorothy said, “but he’s strongly opposed. The boss would feel the same.”
“It’ll be on me. Don’t tell Matvet yet.”
She agreed, and that relieved me. Now it was up to Dmitri. I knew he was Rodion’s enemy, but clearly, he wasn’t against him. Complicated as he was, he was the best person to help.
A minute later, Dorothy sent the number. I stared at it, my stomach sinking. One call could ruin everything or change it all. But knowing he was Rodion’s brother gave me a sliver of hope.
I hesitated to call him, lost in my thoughts as I weighed every option. When Carina’s call came through, I almost dropped the phone in shock. I remembered she was to go to the hospital, but Matvet had changed the plans.
“Hey,” I answered quickly.
“Which hospital is it?”
“Come back to the mansion. Something came up.”
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yes. Yes,” I said.
“Okay. On my way then.”
I hung up and tapped Dmitri’s number. My pulse thudded as the first ring echoed. I wanted to hang up, to stop and trust Matvet, but I forced myself to wait until the call went to voicemail.
He didn’t answer. I bit the inside of my cheek and stared at the dark screen, thinking. He could ignore it because it was an unknown number. A message would work, so he would know it was me.