Clara ran her cloth over the nightstand. “Usually quiet. Only the family and a few of the high-ranking men attend. But it depends on who died and how much noise they want to make about it.”
“Will it be something big? For Renat?”
Clara paused, then shrugged. “Maybe. He was part of this family, but his mother’s funeral was quiet. It might be the same.” I said nothing, and she added, “I heard he betrayed the boss. I don’t know the details, just whispers.”
I nodded and moved to the next dresser. “He did.”
Clara’s eyes lingered on me, but she didn’t ask. “Strange how fast things turn.”
“Yeah,” I kept my voice low. “They always do.”
I didn’t mention Dmitri. Clara didn’t seem to know, and that was telling. If no one had pieced together who Luigi really was, then Rodion was keeping it buried on purpose.
Clara smoothed out the corners of the blanket. “I feel bad for Matvet.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Some men attacked him the same day he drove you out of themansion. It was bad.”
“What?”
“Yeah. They found him unconscious near the south entrance. Someone left him there. Doc said he was lucky to survive.”
My stomach twisted. That timing wasn’t random. It had Renat’s name all over it, or Dmitri. Either way, it had something to do with me.
Clara didn’t notice the sharp breath I took. Before I could speak, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, and my heart jolted when I saw Carina calling.
“I need to answer this,” I murmured, already stepping away.
Clara moved to the next room as I slipped out the back door onto the balcony, the wooden door thudding shut behind me.
I answered. “What took you so long? I was so worried.”
Carina’s voice came through light, yet edged with fatigue. “You have your phone back?”
“Yeah. Rodion gave it to me.” I smiled while glancing toward the main entrance, where the gates had opened. But I forced myself to stay focused. “Are you still with papa and mamma?”
Carina hesitated before asking, “You didn’t know?”
The shift in her voice made me clench my fingers around the railing. “Know what?”
“They left the apartment and returned home.”
“Oh.” That was unexpected. “No one told me, and I even spoke to Mamma. Is everything okay?”
My eyes caught the black car that had pulled in and parked at the front of the mansion. The back door opened, and an aged woman stepped out, a walking stick in one hand and a cap pulled low over her head. She wore a white suit skirt that spoke volumes. Even from here, her posture radiated authority.
“Yes. At least they’re back home,” Carina said, though her voice lacked conviction. “How are you there? I miss you.”
“Me too. I have a lot to tell you.” My thoughts were tangled.“I can’t tell you over the phone.” A smile tugged at my lips. The memories of everything that had happened between Rodion and me warmed my heart.
“You should come home. We really need to catch up.”
“Right?” My eyes flicked downward, and I froze. Rodion had stepped out and fisted a man’s collar, slamming him against the side of the car. A jolt of heat shot through me, and the first name that crashed into my mind was Dmitri.
The woman stood nearby, speaking, her hands moving as if to break them apart. I couldn’t hear her, but she was trying to stop Rodion. The man didn’t fight back. Rodion finally stepped away, raking his fingers through his hair.
My grip on the phone tightened. “Carina, let me call you back.”