Chapter 95

Lionel’s POV

I am as useless as a butterfly caught in storm winds.

Katya’s miraculous reveal completely threw my life off the rails. Seeing her alive was shocking. I was left blindsided.

Things moved too fast for me to keep hold of after that. My schedule became a flurry of lawyers, DNA testing, strategy meetings.

There was too much to do. So much left unsaid. Things lingering that I would have rather forgotten.

To everyone else, I was handling the situation with ease. I took control of the situation with my usual calm. Business as usual.

They were wrong.

My emotions are a knotted ball of twine. Confusion…relief…suspicion…doubt. It all heaved within me.

I was only going through the motions. Trying to untangle the mayhem of this situation. To decide the next move.

Everything I had been though with Katya bubbled in my head. The fights. The twisted games.

The relief and subsequent gut-wrenching guilt about that.

Even worse…the recent guilt I felt.

When I first saw Katya’s face…when I registered she was alive…I had hated her for it.

‘Once again,’ I had thought scornfully, ‘here she is to ruin my happiness.’

Some part of still raged every time I heard her voice. I want to push her out the door when she speaks to my daughters. To snarl like a beast whenever I saw her near Nan.

Then the guilt would hit me. Especially when I saw the joy radiated from Vera’s face every time she talked about Katya. Or the slow tolerance Patti had built toward her after multiple outings.

The sickening jumble of anger and guilt ripped at me until I did not know which way was up or down. Until I did not know what actions was right or wrong. My tight grip over every situation was my main lifeline.

Even that respite feels as though it is slipping through my fingers at Katya’s current urging.

“Joseph has abused every ounce of power and trust I have bequeathed to him.” I tell her severely. “He is going to reap the consequences of what he has sowed.”

Katya sighs. “I understand your perspective.”

“Then let’s say no more on the matter.” I reply bluntly. Irritated at the topic.

I should have known Katya would not acquiesce. She never has. Not when she really wanted something.

“You shouldn’t sue him, Lionel.” Katya continued.

She is rescued from my wrath by Nan’s rebuttal. “I’m sure you have good intentions, Katya. But Joseph has crossed the line too many times now.”

I squeeze Nan’s knee gratefully. She only leans further into my side once I do. Taking a moment to breathe in her intoxicating scent.

“I agree. But there are less publicly damaging ways to punish Josephs impertinence.” Katya countered calmly.

“Why should I spare him the humiliation?” I retorted with a slight growl. “He deserves for his disgusting actions to be known.”

“Maybe. But the company’s reputation should not have to suffer for one idiot’s sins…nor does our pack’s legacy.”

Katya stares at me meaningfully. Imploring me to see her point of view. To my annoyance, I do.

The first lessons heirs and heiress learn is to be aware of one’s image. Of the way our actions could reflect back on our pack or businesses. To keep a clean nose in public.

Most of all…we were taught that pack comes above all else.

“My own sister nearly murdered our pups.” Katya turns her attention to Nan. “It was horrible…but I forgave her.”

“You what?” Nan asks flatly.

“My time away has given me a new view on things. I’ve come to see that many of our actions have a rippling effect.” Katya responds nonsensically.

“How so?” Nan questions cynically.

“Irina and Joseph are terrible people. But they were shaped by the circumstances around them. As was I.”

Katya leans forward now. Hands clasped together imploringly. “I was a terrible, cruel, selfish woman.

I watch her expressionlessly. “You were.” I agree remorselessly.

Her face does not change. But I did not expect it too. Her poker face always was impeccable.

“Going through what I experienced…I learned so much about myself. It was only through adversity that I prospered in my character. Irina and Joseph are not hopeless.”

“You want me to let this go so they might become better people?” I snarl. “Ridiculous.”

“Not so. I agree they should be punished. But it should be handled in a well-thought-out manner.”

My outrage at her suggestion only heightens at her next words.

“Pack is everything. You should forgive each other.” Katya finishes.

“Lionel does not have to be forgiven for anything.” Nan defends me. My mouth twitches upwards.

Katya speaks as though Nan has never spoken. “I forgave Irina for her condemnable actions towards my children…surely you can forgive your own brother’s lesser crimes?”

“This discussion is over.” I announce coldly. I pull Nan along with me as I leave.

But something in her words makes the tangle within me worse.

The next time I see Katya is upsetting.

Out of everything…I never expected to see Irina again.

“What is she doing here?” I roar at Katya.

It is a mistake. I recognize the dark gleam of satisfaction in her expression. A sign that she is triumphant at goading a reaction out of me.

That little tick is the thing that actually allows me to snap out of my emotional turmoil.

I am able to view this little reunion in an analytical light.

The meeting is filled with babbling, useless apologies from Irina. The girl does not dare glance in my direction even once. I am too busy studying the dynamic I am witnessing before me to be pleased by this.

Irina is…cowed. All of the maniac desperation is gone. The insane jealousy and wrath absent from her countenance.

More strangely, her entire being is focused on her sister. A near reverence too her in the way she treats her. More so than she ever did as a child.

It’s odd coming from someone who previously claimed to be glad of Katya’s demise.

It sets my teeth on edge. Something about this entire situation is off. Little suspicions that had been silenced by everything else come back to me.

Then that day came.

Katya did what she always did when I did not agree. She forced me into a situation I did not care for. She had Joseph ambush me for a private meeting.

It took everything inside me not to lunge and tear out his throat.

“You have grossly overreached yourself this time!” I say dangerously to her.

Joseph’s scent is remarkedly unruffled for the rage pouring off me. It makes my defenses rise further. Katya’s attempt to soothe me only irk me more.

I ignore everything they say. Knowing nothing that they try to claim will change my mind. Until Jospeh says something that catches my attention.

“…little trip in wild country did not dampen your beauty. You should have returned soon.” He whispered to her when he thought I was not listening.

I narrow my eyes. ‘He knew…he knew she was alive.’ I pretend not to hear them.

It is only when I am left alone that I become resolved. Joseph knew Katya was alive…and was most likely in contact with her.

I did not care for the implications of that. I’d had enough deceptions from the people around me. Especially those so close to my loved ones.

It was time to dig deeper into Katya’s little story.

Nan’s POV

Lionel had not been acting like himself.

It worried me.

I was already worried enough from the stories he told of their past. I knew she was charismatic and manipulative. It was a different thing all together to witness it in person.

The Lionel I knew was assertive. Dominant. Self-assured.

She had him all in knots. A sense of guilt always present whenever she was around. It was baffling to me.

I could handle our lack of quality time together. I understand that life waited for no one. But this…

It is as though he is forgetting me. Forgetting us. I am not sure how to handle this.

It’s all gotten out of hand.

He seems to be letting Katya walk all over him. Pushing him into decisions he never would have made before. It’s like his family is getting their hooks back in him.

What kind of hold does this woman have on him?