Viktor pov.I sat in my study, the air heavy with the scent of cedarwood and leather. The desk lamp cast a dim glow, illuminating the papers in front of me. Numbers, routes, shipments—I knew these details inside and out, yet tonight they blurred together, meaningless. The quiet shuffle of footsteps pulled my attention. I looked up as Anya stepped into the room, carrying a tray with a teapot and a single cup. Her movements were deliberate, and precise, but I caught the slight tremble in her hands as she set the cup before me. “Chai, Kukolta” (Tea, doll)," I said, my voice calm but commanding. She flinched slightly at the nickname, a flicker of emotion crossing her face before she masked it. I leaned back in my chair, studying her. She had been with me for weeks now, her presence quiet but unsettling. She did everything right—too right. There was a carefulness to her that made me wonder. Was it fear? Or something more? “Tell me, Kukolta,” I b
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