Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 66: Rager's Growl

Victor whistled as he exited the elevator on the 54th floor, turning right toward his cabin. He glanced at his brother's cabin, grinning to himself, fully aware of what was coming. Whistling a more cheerful tune, Victor lazily strolled toward his destination. Victor's smile widened as his eyes met those of his assistant, his own glass of fine Italian merlot, Beatrice Elise Lombardi. She glared at him, anger palpable on her face, her thick red locks making her look even redder than usual.

"Ah, this is the best day," Victor muttered to himself. Not only had he managed to upset his rarely expressive brother, but he also successfully provoked Beatrice. Having encountered the two girls dominating his brother's thoughts lately, he realized the day was only halfway through. Giving Beatrice a wink that seemed to intensify her anger, Victor chuckled and entered his cabin. Seated comfortably, he faced the door, anticipating the arrival of his larger-than-life brother any moment now.

He didn't have to wait long as his door burst open, and in stormed his brother. Anger etched on his face, Victor felt a hint of fear. He knew his brother wouldn't go as far as killing him, but the fate of his bones or his nose was uncertain. His brother could break them without a second thought. Realizing this, Victor stood up from his chair, prepared for the worst. Their strengths differed; his brother was stronger, but he was faster. He couldn't outmatch him in strength, but if he could create enough distance, his brother wouldn't catch him. It would be challenging, but escape remained a possibility.

"Chto ty sdelal?" (What did you do?) roared Maximilian. The roar was so loud that Victor heard something fall in Beatrice's office. Victor stifled a laugh and said with the most innocent expression, "Chto ya sdelal, brat? YA sdelal chto-to, chto tebya razozlilo?" (What did I do, brother? Did I do something to piss you off?)

Victor had never heard a growl, a human growl that is. But he had heard a wolf's growl, his brother's pet wolf, Rager. The sound that his brother emitted right now was quite similar. Victor took another step back and said, "Chto sluchilos', brat?" (What's wrong, brother?) Maximilian roared again. "Ty poshel k ney, za moyey spinoy." (You went to see her, behind my back)

"Uvidet', kto?"(See who?) asked Victor, again playing innocent. His brother picked up the pen stand in his vicinity and threw it in Victor's general direction. Victor ducked, saying, "Moy chertov shef-povar, ty poshel navestit' moyego malen'kogo shef-povara." (My fucking chef, you went to see my little chef.)

"Oh!" said Victor, "You mean Seher? Yes, I just wanted to eat something different and see what other dishes her cafe offered. Why, what's wrong?" Victor said again innocently. "Ty ne proiznosish' yeye imya" (You do not take her name) said Maximilian angrily. Then he asked, a little composed, "What did you say to her?"

"Nothing," said Victor nonchalantly, even though on the inside he was shivering a little. He continued, "I just met her, and you must know she had some sort of an event yesterday, so the cafe was shut down. The poor thing was preparing lunch only for us, had opened the kitchen just for us. How nice, she's such a nice girl," Victor said.

Maximilian gritted his teeth. Victor pushed his luck a little further, adding, "I krasivaya, ona takaya krasivaya, Maksim. Ty dolzhen uvidet' yeye (And beautiful, she's so beautiful, Maxim. You must see her); but you must have seen her already, right?" Victor asked, already knowing the answer from Seher's conversation.

He was anything but shocked, as the woman told him that she had never met Maximilian in person, only Meher had. Victor was edging his brother on to the point where Maximilian would become feral and try to kill him. But then he would use the ammunition he had, where he would say that Meher had told Victor to his face that her Maxi was prettier. Victor knew that would calm his brother down. Up until that point, he just wanted to have fun. And that's what happened.