Page 146 of Konstantin

My blood runs cold.

Who sent this? Svolichy!

As I flick through everything, my mind races, struggling to make sense of it all. The room shrinks, the air thickening as my grip tightens on the papers, crumpling the edges. Grabbing my phone, I dial my cousin again.

“Bring her to me. Now!”

I hang up before he can reply, my eyes still fixed on the documents. Fury surges through me, coursing like a poison through my veins.

Tessa will answer for this. And if she thinks she can hide behind her secrets, she’s about to learn how far I’ll go to make sure that doesn’t happen.

EMILIA

I sit on the bench outside, my legs sore from the run, the sun warm against my skin. I try to lose myself in the pages of the book in my lap, but my mind keeps drifting, unable to focus.

Maksim’s and Dmitri’s shadows stretch across the stone path, andI look up to see their stern expressions.

“Konstantin needs you back home,” Maksim says, a sharp edge in his tone that sends unease crawling through me.

I close the book slowly, tucking it under my arm. “Is everything okay?”

Dmitri shrugs. “He just said to bring you in.”

A knot tightens in my gut.

Something’s wrong.

I force myself to walk calmly beside them, convincing myself that now is the right time to tell Konstantin everything, which is exactly what I had planned to do before he left.

Minutes later, we enter through the back door, and when I find Konstantin pacing in the foyer, a yellow envelope gripped tight in one hand, I stop short.

The second our eyes meet, my stomach drops.

He steps forward, taking my hand and pressing a kiss to my knuckles. His jaw is clenched, his touch gentle—too gentle. It’s as though he’s struggling to hold himself together, fighting not to snap.

“Let’s go take a drive.”

My pulse jumps. “Is everything okay?”

He doesn’t answer, guiding me to his red coupe and helping me in. He slides into the driver’s seat, the engine roaring to life as we drive in suffocating silence.

I glance at him, watching the sharp line of his jaw, the tension in his grip on the wheel. He won’t even look at me.

“Where are we going?”

“Shh.” He glances at me briefly, his mouth twitching in a way that only heightens my fear.

“Konstantin, you’re scaring me.”

Still, he says nothing, only lowers his hand to my thigh, squeezing until every muscle feels like it’s being torn apart. As we pull onto the dirt road leading to the farmhouse, a wave of dread washes over me.

Did he find out who I really am? Is this it?

Fuck, this wasn’t supposed to happen. I wanted to tell him. I should’ve told him sooner. But he could’ve killed me either way.

He parks the car, stepping out first and walking around to open my door. When he takes my hand, I shudder, his grip firm and almost deadly. Or maybe that’s just how it feels because I’m quite certain I’m about to die.

I brace myself, hoping he makes it quick, though I’ve heard rumors he can calmly skin a man alive with a smile on his face.