Chapter 426: Just A Small Favor With Office Secrets

[FROLO]

The Frolo news cycle was hot the following morning, with disbelief the only thing that many could voice. No one in their right mind could even process the first thing about the day, and frankly, it was not an easy feat.

"Bound by fate to burn down Frolo."

"The love story of two empires, a diabolical reality."

"You burn; we clean: Moskowsky group is joined by Romanov Steel in the most unexpected of alliances."

"Power and destruction, the families burning down Frolo and killing our children."

"Where is the government when two of the most powerful empires have united?"

"A confirmation of a war no one remembers how it began."

"Chief Zhenya Levin assigned to burn down Moskowsky operations. Will more people die, or will the president’s chief of security, along with the former senator, be the people who restore peace in Frolo?"

The headlines spoke of something forbidden.

Something that could have easily been considered impossible up until the previous week.

So huge. That no one had been prepared for.

In fact, many had long assumed that the kindness of the Romanovs was the only answer to reigning Sergei in, to keeping the mad man in check.

To making sure regardless of what happened in Frolo, there were lines that the Moskowskys would not be allowed to cross.

But now it was different.

The Moskowskys and the Romanovs were allied.

It was not a secret.

Not a distraction.

The presser had been done by both Mr. Romanov and Yaroslav Moskowsky. There was no room for denial.

Gradually the citizens of Frolo were left with nothing but worries. Hope that things would be alright. Desire for peace, because clearly peace had started becoming the most expensive commodity in the city itself.

The first day of the headlines had shaken so many people across Frolo, but as the second day of the confirmation passed and more Romanov and Moskowsky employees were seen across both companies, there was no denying it.

This was an alliance.

No one knew for what, though, because it couldn’t even be for Katya Romanov; at least that was what the public was concerned about.

Because if the war had just been for Katya Romanov, the Moskowskys wouldn’t have allied with the Romanovs.

Even better, the Romanovs were capable of protecting their own son with the resources they had. There was a reason the Romanovs were the most powerful family in Frolo after the Moskowsky psychos.

But then they were working together.

Which meant that this went far beyond Sergei loving Katya and being angry that Katya had been attacked.

This went beyond the possible normal reasons. And by the second week of the alliance, the president’s attention had been drawn to it.

The most uncanny alliance that was shaking up the stock markets and forcing investors to shift from other companies to either Romanov or Moskowsky Holdings.

Maybe because at the end of the day, no matter what happened, the stocks from both empires had always remained stable even during war.

Even when people were fighting their battles, the stocks could only drop by insignificant percentages, only to rise significantly.

It was a Tuesday when the president ordered his chief security officer to go to Moskowsky Holdings and arrest Sergei Moskowsky.

Chief Zhenya was known to do whatever the president of the nation asked of him. It was no secret. Because alone, Zhenya was efficient. He was powerful, and if he was out there, then maybe there would be peace in Frolo.

"You can’t go after Sergei, not yet," Aleksandr said in the briefing room before the mission began.

Zhenya had noticed the alpha had been trying to find every excuse to go against Sergei Moskowsky. And it wasn’t pleasing at all.

The man who had made hunting Sergei his entire personality was suddenly gaining a conscience at the worst of times, and it was intriguing to Zhenya.

Because he’d never thought it would be this easy to deal with Aleksandr.

"Are you scared of the barbarian?" Zhenya challenged, having had enough of Alek and his excuses.

"What? No," the alpha said defensively.

"Then why the fuck have you been having a second opinion every time anyone talks about going after Sergei Moskowsky?

"Are you in love with Sergei... or wait... Are you still in love with the Romanov omega? What the fuck, Aleksandr?" Zhenya asked like he didn’t know.

Like he hadn’t studied Aleksandr Petrov from the day the man had first mentioned Katya’s name on his lips. Like he didn’t know the obsession this man had with Sergei Moskowsky.

It was nothing new to him.

But he was here as Chief Zhenya.

The president’s head of security. And he had to do his job.

"Because Sergei is unpredictable. You think he hasn’t estimated over these past weeks that we might attack Romanov Steel? That we will be going directly after Katya Romanov because they are mates now?

"Think, Zhenya," Alek said, and Zhenya chuckled darkly.

"Chief Zhenya," Zhenya corrected, his voice stiff.

"What?" Alek asked, clearly not liking whatever the fuck this was.

"Think... Chief Zhenya," the alpha added, not bargaining.

"Fine. Chief Zhenya. Sergei Moskowsky is the greatest strategist I know. If we are going to go after him, the least we could do is use our brains, because that man sure as hell does use his," Alek said, grumbling as he paced inside the command centre.

"Your bratva couldn’t reach him, and you think you stand a chance?" Zhenya mocked.

"You’re out of order with your statements," Alek said, pissed.

"The plan goes as it was meant to. If you have a problem with what we are doing, step the fuck out and leave me to work with people who can do their damn jobs," Zhenya said, not mincing his words.

And Alek stared at the man.

Chief Zhenya Levin was buff and strong.

He looked like he could fold Aleksandr into a child even though their bodies were nearly the same size.

He was scary, and the way he was looking at Aleksandr, and the reputation he had earned over the years, made Alek know better than to think anything good would come out of fighting with Zhenya like this.

"I’m staying," Alek said after a few minutes.

"Then shut the fuck up and strap your gear on. The next time you start bitching, maybe do it when you’re with your second-in-command," Chief Zhenya warned.

Alek didn’t say a word.

He had been bested this time.

But deep down, he knew Rastenkin would not take this lightly. He knew Rastenkin was going to punish Smirnova for this. And Alek refused to let that woman suffer again.

He would sabotage the mission.

It was the only way to make things easy for Mrs. Smirnova. Because if this continued, if this went on, Alek would lose again. He couldn’t lose the only reminder of Joe he had finally gotten after so long.

He didn’t even know if there were others alive, because over the weeks that he had talked to Mrs. Smirnova, she always talked of Joe like he was the only dead member of her family.

Which meant that there was a chance others were alive and Rastenkin was holding them.

Alek was not willing to compromise.

So he stepped out to make a call.

"Gregorio, make sure the convoy does not reach Romanov Steel. I don’t care what the fuck you do. Doesn’t matter if I’m there or not. Blow that shit up, fire at us. Whatever it takes, Romanov Steel must not get attacked," Alek said before he walked in.

"You’re ready?" Chief Zhenya asked.

"Let’s get this over and done with."