Chapter 8 - The Showdown in the East Wing
By 8:00 PM that evening, the storm had broken over Lake Forest. Heavy sheets of rain lashed against the bulletproof windows of the Petrov estate, turning the sprawling lawns into a dark, churning sea of mud.
Inside the east wing, the atmosphere was thick with a volatile, electric tension.
Alexei sat at a mahogany table in the center of the secure suite, examining the data displayed on a rugged laptop connected to the flash drive Maria had retrieved. Beside him, Dmitri stood with his arms crossed, his face carved from granite.
Maria paced near the doorway, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"It’s all here," Alexei said quietly, his voice dangerously smooth. He looked up from the screen, his dark slate eyes locking onto Maria. "Every shell company, every fraudulent wire transfer, and every record of the payoff to the chef who let Viktor into the pantry."
"He’s going to bring it to the board tomorrow morning," Dmitri noted grimly. "He thinks he’s checkmated the boss."
"Let him," Alexei replied, a dark, dangerous smirk touching the corners of his lips. "Viktor has scheduled an emergency midnight meeting in the main library to force an early proxy vote while he thinks I’m incapacitated upstairs. He’s walking right into the trap."
"And us?" Maria asked, stepping forward. "What happens to me and Sophie?"
Alexei stood up, walking slowly across the room until he stood directly in front of her. The raw, imposing masculinity of the man was overwhelming, but the look in his eyes was entirely steady, completely protective.
"You stay right here," Alexei said softly. "Locked behind these doors with a full security detail outside. Once Viktor plays his hand in the library tonight, this war ends permanently."
Before Maria could reply, the security console near the door shrieked a high-pitched, piercing alarm.
WARNING: PERIMETER BREACH. SECTOR 4 - MAIN LIBRARY ACCESSWAY.
Dmitri’s hand flew to his gun in a microsecond. "Boss. Someone’s overriding the electronic locks on the library wing."
"Viktor," Alexei muttered, his eyes flashing with ice. "He didn't wait for morning. He’s coming for the physical signature seals kept in the library safe."
Alexei turned sharply to Dmitri. "Secure the east wing. Do not let anyone through these doors."
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"Boss, you're not going down there alone," Dmitri protested.
"I’m not alone," Alexei said, his gaze locking onto Maria one last time. "I have a doctor on my side."
