Hey everyone! I'm a few hours late on the update (I totally forgot what day it was lol). This is the continuation to the previous chapter! I wonder what Gavriil was up to hmm... We'll see;)

This week's vote goal is 1550! We are currently at 1389 so I know you guys can reach this, happy reading!

Lots of love <3

Chapter 20

Tatiana

Beside her, her father swore expletives in Italian, running his hand through his greying hair stressfully.

"That's Gavriil Orlov, Agnieska?" He asked her. "You're certain?"

"Yes I'm sure." Her mother said as if she couldn't believe it herself. "He looks exactly like him."

"Who's Gavriil?" Tatiana asked, confused. She looked at both of her parents for an explanation.

"Yeah, who is this guy?" Charlie asked while she played with her hair shoulder length blonde hair. "I only recognized him because I saw him once on the Vasiliev's estate." She said.

Tatiana turned to her parents, giving them a pointed look.

"Gavriil Orlov is one of Pavel's closest and top advisers, detka." Her mother said in explanation.

A faint memory suddenly surfaced behind her eyes. The night of the exchange with the Vasilievs, she could briefly recall passing by Pavel who was stood conversing with another man who was around his age. She didn't see the other man's face but she could faintly remember Pavel referring to the man as 'Orlov'.

"Top adviser, hmm..." Charlie pondered, crossing her arms. "So he must have a lot of authority in the organization. He must even have access to the security cameras and feed."

"It's possible." Her father said.

"I can't believe that Gavriil is responsible for this." Her mother said, lips pursed. "Gavriil hates technology, he can't keep up with the times. His phone is still one of those keypad phones so I can't bring myself to believe that he would've taken the time to learn so much about computers let alone entering Pavel's security feed."

"Nonetheless, it's quite suspicious how he was seen with one of the men who shot at the Vasiliev's estate days before the party." Her father speculated, gritting his teeth in agitation before turning to Charlie. "Inform Pavel of this immediately. He needs to know what his top advisers are getting up to." Father said before turning away and leaving the room, slamming the door behind him.

"What have we got ourselves into?" Her mother sighed, rubbing her temple. Tatiana couldn't help but agree with her.

Something big was happening, something bigger than anything they had ever dealt with before and she couldn't help but feel like she was caught up right in the middle of it all.

Zeke

"I hope nothing terrible has happened." Verratti commiserated, taking a sip of his glass of Chardonnay.

"I'm sure it is nothing, Sir." Zeke replied respectfully. Verratti was an intimidating man with an air that just made you feel that he was the man in charge. His green eyes, specifically, irked him, as if a memory was trying to make their way to the surface of his mind yet he couldn't seem to grasp it.

"Alright." His father said into the phone as he walked back to their table. "I understand. Thank you telling me, Ms. Brooks. Let me know if you find anything else." He said before hanging up.

"That was Ms. Brooks." His father said in explanation as he sat back down on his seat.

They were in an upscale restaurant in downtown New York. The restaurant had high ceilings, a glass bar, and a private table at their outdoor balcony where they were currently sat. The waiters who waited on them kept a respectable distance, far enough that they couldn't hear their conversation but close enough to be called.

"Charlotte Brooks?" Verratti raised an eyebrow. "She is quite a talented young woman, the best hacker out there I hear. My daughter has actually met her once when Ms. Brooks tried to hack into her school's database. I believe they went to the same school. I didn't know that you had working relations with her."

Zeke tensed slightly but almost immediately relaxed, thankfully not drawing neither of the two's attention. Any mention of Verratti's daughter, the woman he was engaged to, made him feel all the more guilty. He's been kicking himself, trying with all his might not to think about Tatiana and trying to stay away from her. For the past two weeks, he had been successful on the latter, but he couldn't keep her from almost every waking moment of his thoughts ever since he left her standing there in front of her apartment, tears streaming down her face.

He clenched his fist slightly, gritting his teeth. He never wanted to be the reason that she cried ever again.

Father waved him off as if it was no big deal. "Belluchi lent her assistance to us in light of the recent attack on my property. She has been very helpful thus far, an invaluable asset."

"I see." Verratti said, taking his table napkin and dabbing at the corner of his mouth. "I've been trying to contact her to enlist her services but alas no such luck."

"I shall put in a good word for you with Antonio. She seems to be working under the Belluchi's exclusively since Ms. Brooks is rather close with his daughter."

"Oh?" Verratti raised an eyebrow. "Which daughter might this be?"

"His older daughter Tatiana." Father said, looking to Zeke briefly before focusing his attention once again on Verratti. Zeke tensed at the casual mention of her name but shrugged it off when Verratti's own eyes glanced to his side, scrutinizing him.

"Interesting..." Verratti trailed off. "But you need not put in a good word for me, I will find some other way. My thanks, however, for the offer nonetheless. I'm not fond of being indebted to someone you see."

His father nodded. "Fair enough."

"Shall we get down to business?" Verratti asked, gesturing to the waiters a few meters away. They approached them and cleared their table of the remains of the decadent meal that they had just enjoyed.

Father nodded in agreement, placing his napkin on his plate as it was cleared away by the waiter.

Verratti called to one of his associates who was carrying a small briefcase and was standing not too far away. The man approached, pulling out a thin folder and placing it in Verratti's open hand before retreating back to the shadows.

"Here is the agreement, your uncle has already signed and I believe you've read through the first copy." Verratti said, pulling out a few documents and handing a copy to father and son each. "Everything has been retained except for one detail."

Zeke downed the remainder of his drink before picking up the papers. "Uncle was in agreement with this changed detail?" He asked, going through the paper work.

"He most certainly was." Verratti replied, amusement dancing in his eyes. "The change states that once I retire, all of my business assets, legal or otherwise, are automatically transferred to my eldest daughter. She will have full power over my business and do with it as she sees fit."

"And by extension, Zeke will have equal share in it." His father said. His father said it in such a calm tone but he was sure that he was internally just as stunned as he was.

Verratti nodded. "If she wishes." He added, raising a finger and waving it in a no-no gesture. "You will have no control over the assets unless she wishes it. It will be all up to her."

Zeke breathed slowly, trying to go through all the possibilities calmly. He was a businessman after all, this would be good for his group and future business ventures. Verratti had a lot of connections and land, if he was able to join these with what he inherits from his father and his uncle, he'd have power that rivalled even the five godfathers.

This was, of course, assuming that Angelica Verratti would even share her assets and combine them with his. So far, the issue of a prenup hasn't been brought up but it might be tomorrow at their engagement party.

And yet, even with all the possibilities, the power that he could obtain by going through this marriage, he would drop it all in a second if it meant he didn't have to marry Angelica, he thought as once again he thought of Tatiana. He'd give it all up for a chance to be with her, for a life where he wasn't an heir to a crime family and wasn't obligated to marry for power.

A chance to marry for love he mused sadly as he leaned back in his chair. It was a wonderful dream, one that wasn't granted to the likes of him.

"Why the sudden change?" Zeke asked, suspicious. This was too good a deal. Always check and look at a gift horse in the mouth.

"There have been some... new things to consider, in light of some recent events." Verratti said with an impassive expression, staring at the glass in his hand as he swirled his drink around. "Trust me, this benefits me just as much as it does you." He said as if to assure us that this was not some hoax.

"We will go over this once again and be sure to return them to you tomorrow signed." His father said from beside him, tucking the paperwork into his coat.

"Of course, please make sure that it is to your liking." Verratti said, standing up, Zeke and his father standing as well. "I shall receive you tomorrow in high spirits, celebrating the union of our two families at your engagement party." He said, looking to Zeke and holding out a hand to shake.

Zeke took his hand and clasped it in his own. "We will see you tomorrow." He nodded.

Verratti looked into his eyes as if he was searching for something, his eyebrows pursed as if he was analyzing him to see if he was worthy. Of what, he'll never know as Verratti blinked, clearing his thoughts and smiling back at him.

"Until tomorrow." He said in farewell before nodding to Pavel in respect and turning to leave, his coat sweeping behind him as a substantial number of men in various spots of the restaurant stood to attention and followed after their Don as they left the premises.

"Until tomorrow..." Zeke murmured into nothing, dreading the day ahead.

Translations:

detka: baby (Russian)

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