8: The monthly reports

VIKTOR

Money was a language. The only language I understand. Most people think that having power is most important but they're wrong. Money is the most important to have because with money comes power.

And unlike people, money barely lied.

Every dollar had a trail. You're looking for someone? Track their credit or debit cards. Go to gas stations where they probably used cash.

It is so easy to find someone with their paper trail, except that someone was me.

I sat behind my desk, scrolling through reports as the morning sunlight spilled into my office.

Investments.

Construction projects.

Shipping routes.

Hospitals.

The hospital caught my attention immediately so I flipped through the reports again and again.

The numbers were unusually low.

Most people in my position would have ignored small problems like this but not me.

A drop of water can make a river.

A knock came in through the door before it opened.

Romanov.

"You have a meeting in an hour" he said briefly.

I nodded then closed the folder.

"Cancel it"

"It's very important" he pushed.

"I feel like taking a walk Romanov"

He looked at me suspiciously but I just ignored him.

Romanov has been working with me for many years ever since I saved him from some Russian gang.

He owed me his life. Literally.

__________

The hospital smelled like antiseptic and bad news.

I hated hospitals. They reminded me of so much. But I couldn't let myself get carried away in such trivial things.

I came to the hospital for a reason.

I owned pieces of the hospital the way I owned pieces of half this city. This might not be Russia but this city was mine.

I quickly came to understand that no matter how powerful you are, there are some people who won't just know their place.

For example, Evan. He was the CEO of the hospital but even he worked directly under me.

Romanov, Sasha and me were about to go into Evan's office when I caught a glance of long brunette hair.

I took a quick look and there she was.

Katherine Bishop.

The girl I was with just yesterday morning.

She was sitting in the corner of the waiting room alone. Her head slightly rested on the wall and there were dark circles around her eyes.

Her hair was a mess and she looked scared.

She didn't see me. She was just in her own thoughts, in her own head.

Something in me wanted to go over there and ask what the problem was. But I didn't really care.

Her business not mine. And I don't care about anything that is not my money.

But the more I stared at her, the more the sight of her unsettled me.

So I walked over to her, leaving Romanov and Sasha at the door.

"Katherine"

Her eyes came into focus immediately. For a second she was confused as if she didn't know who I was or how I got here.

Then irritation crossed her face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked involuntarily.

"Visiting" she replied with hesitation.

"I can see that" I raised a brow.

She rolled her eyes. Good.

Some light was coming into her again and I didn't know why that excited me.

I sat beside her but she looked away. She looked like she hadn't slept the whole night.

"Who are you visiting?" I asked.

I didn't even know why I was trying to have a conversation with this woman who was going to stab me in the back if I let her in. Someone hired to take me down.

Yet...

I couldn't help but be intrigued by her.

"My grandmother" she finally said.

"The one who raised you?"

She looked at me with suspicion immediately. I slipped. I was already giving too much away.

She sighed and nodded before speaking.

"She had a heart attack yesterday"

She seemed so vulnerable, so small. The great detective Katherine Bishop who caught criminals.

"Will she recover?"

She stared at me. She didn't expect me to be concerned. Not that I was anyways. I was just creating conversation.

She opened her mouth to speak but a nurse came and handed her some paperwork.

She looked at it for a moment and went very still.

"Is there a problem?"

"No problem" she folded the papers.

There was obviously some kind of problem but I doubt she will ever tell me what it was judging from how stubborn she was.

I stood up ready to leave but she didn't even give me a glance so I went back to Romanov and Sasha who looked shocked like I had committed a crime by talking to a girl.

"Boss" Romanov started but I stopped him.

"Is Evan still in?"

"Yes boss" Sasha replied.

I went inside the office without knocking.

A few people turned their heads towards me but I ignored them. I looked straight at Evan and his face paled.

"Please excuse me for a moment" Evan said in his stupid American accent.

The other people in the office all left, leaving me and Evan, Romanov and Sasha in the office alone.

I sat accross from him, putting both legs on his very expensive table and he looked disgusted.

"I wasn't aware that you were coming Viktor" he said.

"Me neither" I shrugged, lacing my fingers together. "I was checking the monthly reports today and something seemed off. You wouldn't happen to know what that is, would you?"

"No. I'm not sure" he stuttered.

I jerked my head at Sasha and he dropped some papers in front of Evan.

Everyone was easily intimidated by Sasha. Tall and packed with muscle, his face had many healed slashes and his voice could make an average man pee himself.

Evan looked scared. He already knew were all of this was going.

"You dare steal from me Evan" I said with a small smile, my voice low.

"No. No. It's not what you think Viktor, I didn't..."

Before he could finish Sasha gave him a punch which immediately bruised his lying lips.

I hated theives and liars.

"50 thousand dollars. 5 fingers would do" I said and Sasha brought out a knife.

Evan rushed out of his chair begging.

"No. Please. It was a mistake. Please Viktor. I'll pay everything back in full immediately"

"Of course you will, after you've been punished"

He put his hand together to plead and I saw a ring on his middle finger worth over $50k.

"I love that ring on your finger" I said gesturing to Romanov.

Before Evan could plead any more, Sasha held him down and Romanov cut off his middle finger.