Page 33 of The Fixer
I choked on my own spit, the sound echoed in the empty, small lecture hall. Covering my mouth with both my hands, I stared at the old man through boggled eyes as I coughed again.
The lines around his mouth showed his graveness. “As you’ve said, Ophelia makes Aleksander look incapable. This is not true at all, as I’m sure you’ve already realized. He’s extremely capable. She’s just a deeper thinker. Ophelia doesn’t need to be both brains and brawn. Aleksander does.”
“What thefuck!” I squeaked like a fucking prepubescent boy, and
Vyachaslav even had the audacity to wince.
“W-why the fuck— what? Do you honestly think he’ll allow that?”
“Ophelia is a capable woman, Sascha. You more than anyone else understands exactly how perceptive and intuitive she is. She outclasses all my children combined, especially my daughters. Kiri attempting to seduce you is a perfect example of how far her perception delves. Ana has ambition but no drive. Julie, Izzy and Mila…they’ve got the collective mental acuity of a hamster, unable to see outside their cages at the entire room.”
If I wasn’t so damn shocked, I would’ve been impressed with the disdain in Vyachaslav’s voice.
He went on, “If I thought that I had a better chance for Ophelia to work for us, I would suggest that instead. However, I’m more than sympathetic to her situation.”
“No.” I stood. “You can ask her yourself, but that’ll be your answer. Ophelia isn’t going to stop. She’ll never admit it, but she likes her job. Or… you know, she likes the potential of the job. Considering all the power Aleksander handed her that she can dangle in front of him, I’d suggest waiting until that gets boring before making your proposal. You’ve got it backwards. Your best chance is to ask her to work for you, not let her go.
Casting me a curious glance, Vyachaslav frowned darkly.” “You’re going to just ignore the danger of having that power?”
I took a few steps down as I thought about this prospect. Ophelia being in danger made me sick to my stomach. But she, more than me, knew exactly how dangerous that was. Shrugging lightly, I shook my head with a sigh. “It’s not my issue to ignore, Vyachaslav. I will support what Ophelia wants, but I’m not going to convince her to do anything. If you’d like me to present the option…I’ll do that. Only Ophelia knows what’s best for her. I know what’s best for me. Together, we’ll know what’s best forus. Wedotalk to each other, unlike you and your son.” Heading back down to my podium, my brain worked so fast that I worried smoke would pour out of my ears. The ache behind my eyes intensified as I clenched my jaw hard.
“Lyov, my youngest son, wants me to kill her. Do you have any idea why?”
My skin crawled at the viciousness of Vyachaslav’s stare and the hairs on the back of my neck bristled. “She’s capable of handling herself. If he wants to try, he can fail, just like Aleksander failed when he let emotions get in the way. Ophelia takes emotion into account and she doesn’t let it drive her actions.”Is this really a conversation I just had? Why?Turning to him as he sat, stately and old and growing into the pew like a fungus, I frowned and stroked my beard thoughtfully. “You came to see me because you thought you’d be able to convince me easier than her? And you brought up all the women in your family as some way to make me think you’ve got experience with the mystery that is the gender? You know… it’s a good thing you’re old, or you’d look just about as stupid as Aleksander does right now… sir.”
“I’m afraid you put far too much faith in that girl. Things aren’t going to end well for either of you if you don’t, at theveryleast, attempt to—”
Closing my eyes, I sighed a terrible, rough sigh and ran my hands up my face into my hair. Twisting on my heel to face Vyachaslav fully, I stalked back up the aisle as his hawk like eyes locked on me. My irritation over the simple fact that he was here no doubt showed on my face, but I didn’t bother hiding it. “Maybe, just maybe…Ican’tconvince her of anything because I don’t know how dire the situation is. You come here to my work, to tell me about the shit job you did raising your kids. That your prodigal son feels threatened, and you fabricated an attempt on your life, and forwhat? Vyachaslav Makovich?Whydid you do that? Why are you here? Why are you avoiding Ophel—“ My barrage dried at the top of my tongue as what seemed like genuine worry flashed in his eyes. Almost too sharply, my brain skidded to a stop and my jaw threatened to flop right on the floor. “Y-you didn’t—you’re not…” Even the youngest of Vyachaslav’s children was older than Ophelia by a few years, I thought. Lyov ? Ophelia had a run in with him, and Malda showed up to save her from the guy.
The Patriarch’s face darkened like thunder clouds.
At his reaction, my brows rose as a bark of harsh laughter burst from my throat. “You’re avoiding her because you’re her biological father. Her digging…there’snoway she won’t find out.”
“… I was not necessarily a consenting party,” he barked out. “This was a long, long time ago, Sascha Matheson, when Ophelia’s parents’ still thought they could curry my favor. Cherinivsky…”
This is wild. I might pass out.Slinking into the seat across from him yet again, I stretched out my legs and flopped my head back to frown at the high ceiling. Vyachaslav obviously had demons and more than most, but this was just—mindboggling.
He went on, “My wife died, but I had to continue on. I’m not proud of what I did in my grief. It’s haunted me and I can never forgive myself. If Ophelia were to discover that she’s a Makovich…that her parents plotted that night with the intent to use her to burrow under my fingernails many years later…”
“It’d probably be a relief.” Ophelia’s image flashed behind my eyes when I closed them.
Vyachaslav’s eyes bored holes into my face.
“You should tell her. I guarantee you, sir… she’ll find it relieving to know those people aren’t her family. And before you ask, no I’m not going to do it. I know you’re worried about your family right now. They’ll hate you for Ophelia existing. But they’re young and they haven’t experienced the hardships of a life after love has been ripped away. I doubt any of your kids even remember the years directly following their mother’s death.”
“… I can see what Ophelia sees in you, Sascha Matheson.” His rasp bounced around inside my office before Vyachaslav stood up to quietly leave the lecture hall.
I cracked my eyes open, lifting my head.
Malda came bounding up the stairs as she shot me a wild, quizzical look.
I was too dazed from my conversation to say anything.
I had about an hour to decide if I wanted to bring this up with Ophelia or wait and see what the old man did. Chances were, Vyachaslav was dying and suspected ? or even knew for sure ? and that was why he was doing what he was doing. Chances were even better that hewasn’tdying, and he created this whole bullshit scenario simply because he couldn’t bring himself to say the words.
Vyachaslav was letting his emotions cloud his rationale when he felt threatened.Like father, like son.
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