*This chapter contains sexual content so if you’re underage or uncomfortable with sexual acts, this is your warning, the book is also rated mature and has a warning in the prologue*
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As I stepped into the dimly lit corridors of the headquarters, the familiar scent of leather and smoke filled my lungs, grounding me. Lev walked beside me, his silent presence as steady as ever, like a shadow that never faltered. There was no need for words between us. The plans had already been made, the decisions were final.
As we approached the back quarter, I turned to him, my voice low but firm. “I’ll leave the meeting within the hour. Ensure everything is arranged accordingly.”
Lev nodded, his expression unreadable. “Understood, Chief.”
I didn’t wait for anything more. As I entered the meeting room, the members of the Bratva stood in unison, their eyes filled with the deference they always afforded their leader. They knew their place, and I did not need to remind them. The only two who didn’t stand were my cousin Jungkook and the Godfather, the man who had been in charge long before I ever set foot in this world.
I took my seat, positioned directly to the right of the Godfather, the seat I had claimed as my own. The heavy silence that followed my arrival was soon broken by the Godfather’s deep voice, a sound that carried the weight of years, of power, and of blood spilled in the name of loyalty.
“We are gathered here today,” he began, his eyes scanning the room, “to address matters that could affect the very core of our organization.” His gaze landed on Jungkook, who had been quietly watching me. “Jungkook, you’ve requested this meeting. Speak.”
Jungkook leaned forward, his posture respectful but his eyes full of intent. His words came smoothly, calculated as always. “Thank you, Godfather. My brother, Kim Taehyung and I,” he said, his voice carrying the formality of family ties, “has discovered something most troubling.”
He paused, glancing at me as if for confirmation. I gave him none. My gaze remained fixed ahead, the cold indifference I wore as a mask never faltering. Jungkook continued, the lie in his words beginning to form.
“Last night, we uncovered the truth about Bratva’s consigliere, Andrei Ivanov,” Jungkook said, his eyes now narrowing, his tone lowering to one of betrayal. “Andrei has failed us in numerous ways, committing unforgivable since has betrayed us. And last night, he crossed a line that cannot be ignored.”
Jungkook’s hand reached for a file, and he passed it to the Godfather. I caught a glimpse of the document as it passed between hands—another attempt to weave a web of deceit.
“The betrayal is unforgivable, Godfather,” Jungkook continued, his gaze now shifting toward me, his eyes burning with a lie that I knew all too well. “Andrei went as far as introducing our new queen, Kim Amelia, as the daughter of Marina Borisovna Povlova. A woman who, as you know, has killed many of Bratva’s children. Andrei even took matters into his own hands when he entered the queen’s property with the intent to kill her—though we know that Kim Amelia has no relation with Marina.”
