Chapter 239: The invitation

"Viktor..." He pulled her closer, his arms settling around her waist. "It wasn’t." She shook her head, trying not to laugh. He pressed a soft kiss against her cheek.

Sienna’s smile widened. Another kiss followed, closer to her jaw this time, and she instinctively turned her face away, trying to hide the warmth creeping into her cheeks.

"Viktor, we’re in the hallway."

"I noticed."

"Someone could see us."

"I don’t care." He leaned closer, his voice dropping into a teasing whisper. "So why are you blushing?" Before she could answer, Viktor kissed her cheek again, then rested his forehead against hers.

For a moment, the teasing faded. His hands remained gently around her waist. "I really do miss you," he murmured. Sienna’s expression softened. "I’ve been right beside you."

"It’s not the same." She smiled. A quiet clearing of the throat came from behind them. They both froze. Sienna slowly turned.

Marcus stood a few steps away, looking everywhere except directly at them. "Sorry," he said, his face perfectly straight. "I didn’t mean to interrupt." Sienna immediately covered her face with one hand.

His mouth twitched. "I didn’t say anything."

"You didn’t have to." Viktor, meanwhile, looked completely unbothered. "What do you need?" Marcus cleared his throat again.

"This just came from the Ivanou family." Marcus hesitated for a second before continuing. "Mr. Konstantin would like to invite both of you to dinner tomorrow night."

"Dinner?" The word came from Sienna and Viktor at almost exactly the same time. They looked at each other. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

It was the kind of silence that came when something was so unexpected that the mind needed a second to catch up. Marcus cleared his throat. "He only said it was a family dinner." Sienna slowly turned toward him.

"A family dinner?"

"Yes, ma’am." She gave a short, disbelieving laugh. "What the hell?" Viktor’s expression had already hardened. Sienna folded her arms.

"This is the same man who wanted me dead. The same man who wanted you to divorce me. And now, suddenly, his family wants me sitting at their dinner table?" Marcus wisely said nothing.

Sienna shook her head. "He wants me dead one minute, and the next he wants me to join his family for dinner?" Her eyes moved to Viktor.

"He doesn’t know, right?" Viktor knew exactly what she meant. "There is no way he could have found out you’re his daughter."

Sienna’s voice dropped. "He can’t know." Viktor stared at the invitation. "We can’t be certain."

He pulled it from his pocket. "Carina has been calling me all day." Sienna’s expression changed.

"Carina?"

"Yes." He immediately tried calling her back. The call didn’t connect. Viktor frowned and tried again. Nothing. He lowered the phone slowly. "She’s not reachable." Sienna stared at him.

For several seconds, the only sound in the room was the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. Then she smiled. "Well..." Viktor looked at her.

"This dinner might turn out to be pretty expensive." Marcus lowered his eyes, hiding the faintest reaction. Viktor didn’t smile. "Would you like me to decline?" Marcus asked carefully. Viktor looked at him.

"We don’t have to go." His voice was firm now. "In fact, we’re not going." Sienna turned toward him. "Viktor."

"No." He looked directly at her. "I’m not walking you into the Ivanou family’s territory when we don’t know what Konstantin knows." Sienna remained quiet.

"Your mother will probably handle it," Viktor continued. "She managed to keep Marcel’s mouth shut. She can deal with this." Sienna’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Why shouldn’t we go?"

"Because it could be a trap."

"So?" Viktor stared at her. "Sienna."

"I’m tired." She stepped closer.

"I’m tired of running. I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of wondering when the next person is going to discover the truth." Her fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve. "If they want us there, then let’s go."

Viktor’s jaw tightened. "You know exactly why they’re suddenly inviting us."

"I know."

"And you’re still going?" Sienna looked at him. There was fear somewhere behind her eyes, but it wasn’t enough to make her step back. "Of course." A small smile touched her lips. "It’s not every day a daughter gets the chance to meet her father."

Viktor’s eyes darkened. "Sienna..." "How could I possibly turn down such a heartfelt invitation?" For a second, Viktor simply stared at her. Then he exhaled heavily.

"Fine." Sienna’s smile grew. "If this is what you want, I’ll get everything ready." He stepped closer and took her hand.

"We’re going to face Don Konstantin together. And we’re going to find out why he suddenly wants us at his dinner table." Marcus shifted uncomfortably.

"There is one more thing." Both of them looked at him. "The Don has sent a private jet." Viktor’s expression immediately changed.

"For us?" Marcus nodded. "For the two of you. Just the two of you." Silence. Sienna slowly raised an eyebrow.

"A private jet?"

"Yes, ma’am." Viktor’s fingers tightened around hers. Marcus didn’t dare offer his opinion.

He wanted to tell them this was dangerous. He wanted to tell them that walking into Don Konstantin’s territory was different from facing him from a distance. If Konstantin already knew Sienna’s identity, there was nowhere left for her to hide. They could fight.

They could resist. But inside the Don’s own territory, against his own people, their options would be painfully limited. And if the invitation wasn’t about family at all...

Marcus didn’t want to imagine what it was about. Sienna, however, looked almost amused.

"This will be fun." Viktor turned toward her. She smiled. He didn’t. Instead, he looked toward the invitation again. Then toward the phone that still refused to connect to Carina. "Damn it."

Sienna’s smile faded slightly. She squeezed his hand. "What?" Viktor looked at her. "I have a very bad feeling about this." Sienna held his gaze for a moment. Then she smiled again.

"So do I." She slipped her fingers between his. "That’s exactly why we’re going."