Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 53

Nik's POV:

The roar of the plane's engines had been a constant hum in the background of my thoughts, but now, as I stood outside the FBI building in Quantico, the noise seemed to fade into nothingness. My heart pounded in my chest, a steady, uneasy rhythm that matched the icy December air cutting through my jacket. I still couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had settled over me ever since my father's urgent call.

"Pack a bag and fly to Quantico. I've already booked your flight," he had said, his voice uncharacteristically tight, almost afraid. My father never sounded afraid.

I had finished my exams, so there was nothing keeping me in town, but that wasn't what had driven me to follow his instructions without question. It was the tone of his voice, the way he had said my aunt Kathryn's name. Kathryn, who worked for the FBI, who was always a shadowy figure in our family, present yet distant when it came to her job, her work never fully explained to me. I knew she was in the Behavioral Analysis Unit, but that was it. I never pried.

But now, as I pushed through the heavy glass doors of the FBI building, my mind raced with questions. What could possibly be so important that my father would drag me all the way here? Why now, after everything that had happened with Victoria? The last thing I wanted was another family mess, another catastrophe to sweep up.

The lobby was sterile, almost unnervingly clean, with its stark white walls and cold fluorescent lighting. My eyes scanned the room, searching for my father and Kathryn. I spotted them in a far corner, their heads bent close in conversation. My father's expression was grave, his usually commanding presence dimmed by something heavy, something I couldn't place. Kathryn's face was set in a determined line, her posture rigid with tension.

When they saw me approaching, they straightened up, their eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Nikolai," my father greeted me, his voice low and serious. "Thank you for coming so quickly."

"I didn't really have a choice, did I?" I shot back, my unease creeping into my tone. I wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. I wanted answers. "What's going on? Why am I here?"

Kathryn stepped forward, her gaze unwavering. "You're here because there's something you need to know, Nik. Something..important. It's about...Victoria."

I frowned, my stomach churning with anxiety. "What do you mean?"

She gestured for me to follow her, leading me down a series of hallways until we reached a small, windowless room. Inside, there was a table, a few chairs, and a stack of files that looked like they could crush a man if they fell the wrong way. Kathryn motioned for me to sit, and I did, my eyes flicking between her and my father as they took their seats across from me.

Kathryn didn't waste any time. "Nikolai, what I'm about to tell you is going to be hard to hear. But you need to listen carefully."

I nodded, my throat tightening. "I'm listening."

She took a deep breath, her hands steady as she reached for the top file. "Three years ago, during Vlad's trial, I was in the courtroom. I watched everything, every testimony, every piece of evidence. And from the moment I saw Ria on the stand, I knew something was wrong."

I blinked, confusion washing over me. "What do you mean, wrong? Vlad was acquitted. He had proof, that video-"

"That video," Kathryn interrupted, her voice cold and hard, "was a fake. It was a carefully crafted, manipulated piece of evidence designed to make Ria look like she was lying, like she was the one who wanted it. But she wasn't. She was telling the truth, Nikolai."