“Boss.” Matvet’s voice cut through the tension, and relief surged through me. His timing was perfect. “We’re ready.”
Artur gave me one last piercing glance before turning and walking away. I exhaled, my heart still racing, as Matvet grabbed my hand and we followed Artur.
We left the party. There was no drama between Artur and me on the flight home. He stayed glued to his phone while I sank into a sea of my thoughts. The silence between us was a relief. I wasn’t good at hiding things, and the less we spoke, the better.
I couldn’t shake the nerves from everything that happened back at the party. When Marco and I started dating, he was obsessed with me. He loved me. Even Carina knew that. But now, everything felt different. I realized I knew nothing about him.
When we arrived back at the territory, I had to serve Artur as required and perform whatever tasks he needed. After a quick shower and changing into my work attire, I left the girls’ quarters to begin my duties.
Things went smoothly. I had no run-ins with Renat. I went tothe kitchen to grab Artur’s dinner. Once I had it, I went to his wing and set his table. He wasn’t around, so I sat there waiting for him in case he needed something. The urge to let his dog out and play with it almost overwhelmed me. But I suppressed that thought, knowing it would only cause chaos.
Minutes turned into hours. Artur still didn’t come, and I lost count of how many times I looked up the stairs, hoping he would show up. His dog scratched at the door, a sign that it was hungry. Frustration boiled inside me. Was he sleeping while his dog starved? I paced back and forth, the constant scratching of the dog growing louder in my ears. The poor creature was suffering, and there was nothing I could do.
I had to do something, and Matvet could help. So, I left the east wing to find him. The mansion was eerily quiet. The usual hustle and bustle had vanished, likely because everyone else had taken the day off to rest.
As I made my way through the hallways of the mansion, I noticed the lights from Artur’s office were on. His wing had been silent for far too long. It meant that he was in his office. I headed in that direction, and Matvet appeared from the far end of a different hallway. His sudden presence forced me to stop and wait for him.
Salva mentioned they were close. If that was true, Matvet must know about the plan.
“Where are you supposed to be?” he asked, his voice casual but with a hint of curiosity. He had changed out of his suit and now wore jeans and a black T-shirt.
“Looking for the boss. His dog’s starving.”
Matvet started toward the office, and I followed. “Did you tell him his dinner’s ready?”
“No. I didn’t know where he was.”
Matvet sighed. “Go inform him, then. If he’s busy, I’ll feed the dog.”
“Better,” I said with a smile. “I knew someone here was in the wrong place.”
Matvet didn’t respond as he left, and I continued to Artur’s office. I knocked and got no answer. When I did it twice with no response, I pushed the door open.
Heavy pants met my ears, and I froze in place. For a moment, I stood still, unsure of what was happening. The sound of gasps filled the room.
Artur wasn’t at his desk. I could see that. But the panting didn’t stop. I shifted my gaze to the left side of the office, where the sound was coming from.
The three-seater sofa was occupied, and a head rested against the armrest. I walked around the couch. As I got closer, I saw Artur with his eyes tightly shut. He lay there, struggling to breathe.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his chest rose and fell quickly. I stood there watching him. The sight was both unsettling and strangely fascinating.
The powerful, ruthless man who controlled everything around him was now defeated, fighting for air. He looked vulnerable, broken, and for a fleeting moment, I couldn’t help but feel satisfied.
I wasn’t sure of anything anymore. His heavy breathing didn’t stop. It only worsened. What was happening? Something inside me relished his misery. It was as if life had finally turned the tables on him, and he was paying for all the pain he had caused.
Did someone poison him before I could? As I stood there, I realized I enjoyed watching him suffer. A twisted part of me savored the moment. But the larger part of me recoiled, reminding me I wasn’t like them. I had no hand in causing his suffering, but I couldn’t deny the sense of justice in his agony. He made me witness dark moments that still haunted me. There was so much anger buried deep within me, and now I let himsuffer.
He could taste the poison he had served me and countless others. Karma finally came for him, and it didn’t arrive with a whisper. It came like a hurricane.
Though I considered myself more human than him, watching him made my heart beat with a strange, malicious rhythm. I had to seize the moment and do something. A simple phone call could change something. So, I walked to his desk, determined to find a phone.
Artur’s desk was neat. A desk phone sat on the surface, its simplicity mocking the chaos I felt inside. I picked it up with trembling hands and dialed Papa’s number. As I waited for it to go through, the door creaked open. I froze, my heart slamming in my chest.
Someone was coming. I had a thousand excuses in my head, one of which was that I was calling for help. But then, I saw the dog. It bounded into the room, its tongue hanging out and eyes bright with energy. It ran straight to Artur, who still lay unmoving on the sofa.
By the time I could collect myself, the dog was already on Artur’s chest, his body pressing him down with urgency. The mournful whimper that escaped from the dog tore through me. I couldn’t let it stop Artur from dying. I couldn’t let anything interfere with fate’s design.
I ran to the dog and reached out to pull it away. But it fought me, its powerful paws pushing me back. The dog sprang back onto Artur, its mournful cries growing softer.