Chapter 219: I was wrong

Viktor stayed where he was for another second. His eyes went back to his phone. The red dot showing Sienna’s location was still there. He touched the screen with his thumb. He wanted to call her. He wanted to hear her voice. But he knew she didn’t want to hear from him. So he put the phone away.

Then he walked upstairs. The bedroom door was slightly open. Viktor pushed it gently. The room was dark as he stepped inside, everything smelled like Sienna, her perfume, her shampoo, and even the soft smell of her clothes. Her pillow was still on the bed.

One side of the bed was untouched. Viktor stood beside it. He reached down and touched the pillow, his fingers stayed there for a moment. He could almost imagine his wife lying there. Sleeping peacefully, he closed his eyes.

"I should have told you." His voice was low, no one was there to hear him. "I should have just told you." He walked into the bathroom, and it was no different her towel was hanging where she had left it. A small bottle of her body wash sat beside the shower. Viktor turned on the water. It began to fall, he stepped under it, fully dressed at first.

Then he slowly removed his shirt. The warm water ran over his face, he didn’t move. He simply stood there, the water ran down his hair and over his shoulders. He lowered his head, he had thought he was doing the right thing.

He had told himself that Sienna was already carrying too much with the AW01 virus and with Aria. Then he had discovered who she really was. He had seen the fear that came into her eyes when she realized Don Konstantin was her father.

He had wanted to protect her from that pain. So he waited. He told himself he needed time. He told himself he would find the right moment. But there was never a perfect moment. And now she was gone.

Viktor placed both hands against the wall. His head lowered. He breathed slowly. "How do I make you forgive me?" The water kept falling, he had lost people, money, but none frightened him like losing Sienna’s trust. It felt different because he could fight an enemy, he could protect her from danger, but he could not force her to trust him again. And that was the part that hurt.

Now he understood something else. Maybe the truth had never been the thing that would break her. Maybe it was the fact that he had chosen to keep it from her. Viktor shut his eyes. He let the water run over his face.

"I was wrong." The words were almost too quiet to hear. "I was wrong, Sienna." He stayed there for a long time. Then he turned off the water.

The bathroom became silent. Viktor picked up a towel and dried his face. He looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were red from lack of sleep. His face looked tired. He barely recognized the man staring back at him.

His phone vibrated. Viktor immediately picked it up, it was a message from Marcus. We’re ready. Viktor looked once more toward the empty bedroom, then he walked out. He didn’t know who had been watching Sienna or why they wanted her.

And he still didn’t know how he was going to fix what he had broken between them. But one thing was clear, he was going to be close to her and make sure she was safe. And this time, he would not hide anything from her again.

The cars had barely left the Kessler mansion when Viktor’s phone rang. He looked at the screen. Carina. For a second, he simply stared at her name then he answered.

"Carina." Her voice came immediately. "Seriously, Viktor? I thought you were a smart man." Viktor said nothing. Carina continued before he could answer.

"I have heard many things about you, seem they are all lies. I still cannot understand why you allowed that Aria girl to send a threatening message to Don Konstantin."

Viktor’s eyes narrowed. He looked through the car window at the dark road ahead.

"That was very stupid of her," Carina said. "And not long after that, the Don discovered that someone had hacked his phone." Viktor’s fingers tightened around his phone. Carina lowered her voice.

"He still does not know who did it. But I have a good idea." She paused. "Your wife." Viktor’s face became still. "Or that little friend of hers." His eyes moved to Marcus, who was sitting in the front. Neither Marcus nor Manuel spoke.

Carina took a breath. "Did she find out the truth?" Silence. Viktor did not answer. He could hear Carina breathing on the other side. The silence between them lasted only a few seconds. But it was enough. Carina understood.

"Oh." Her voice changed. "She knows." Viktor kept looking ahead. Carina let out a slow breath.

"Then listen to me carefully. If you or your wife are planning to reach out to Don Konstantin with the truth, warn me first." Viktor finally spoke.

"Carina..."

"No." Her voice was firm. "You need to understand what this means for me. If the Don finds out that I knew his daughter was alive and did not tell him, he will kill me." Viktor’s jaw tightened.

Carina continued. "I am going to move alone from now on," she said. "Anything I do will be to protect the line of succession." Viktor looked down at his phone.

"Carina, what the hell does that mean?" The call ended. He lowered the phone slowly. Normally, he would have called her back. He would have questioned every word.

But his mind was already somewhere else. With Sienna. She was angry with him. And maybe she needed that anger. Maybe she needed time to let everything inside her come out. Viktor stared at the dark screen. He had no right to take that away from her too.

"Boss." Manuel’s voice pulled him back. Viktor looked up. "The signal." Manuel was watching the device in his hand. "It is getting closer." Viktor turned toward him.

"What do you mean?"