Page 64 of Tainted Empire

I nod, my heart pounding in my chest. “Yes, Alexei. I need to see.”

As Alexei steps aside, I approach the box. What I see inside makes my blood run cold – the severed heads of my parents, their eyes closed, faces frozen in a haunting stillness. A scream lodges in my throat, and I stagger backward, my hand covering my mouth in horror.

“No...”

The word is a whisper, a denial of the gruesome reality before me. Tears blur my vision as I grapple with the shock and the profound sense of loss. My parents… How the hell did this happen?!

Alexei moves to support me, slipping his arms around my waist. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Baranova. We’ll find out who did this.”

I lean against him, my mind a whirlwind of grief and rage. Who could have done this? Why?

Through the haze of my shock, a cold realization settles in. This is a message, a gruesome warning meant to shake me, to show that no one I love is safe. But amidst the terror and sorrow, one thing is clear: they want to break me, to make me cower in fear.

But I won’t give them that satisfaction.

This isn’t just a threat; it’s personal, a direct attack on me.

“We need to increase security,” I manage to say, my voice steadier than I feel. “No one is safe until we find out who’s behind this.”

Alexei nods, his demeanor shifting to one of a protector. “I’ll take care of it. And we’ll start an investigation immediately. Whoever did this will pay.”

As he leaves to make arrangements, I’m left alone with the devastating reality of my loss. The brutality of this act is a stark reminder of the ruthlessness of our enemies.

My father went missing, presumably hiding from Mikhail and now both he and my mother turn up dead. What the hell is going on?

Trembling, I reach for my phone, dialing Kazimir’s number with unsteady fingers. The horror of what I’ve just seen is still raw, a searing image burned into my mind. The phone rings, and after a couple of tones, Kazimir’s voice comes through, steady and calm.

“Kazimir,” I start, my voice quivering with emotion. “There’s been... an incident at the penthouse.”

“What happened, Gabriette?” His tone shifts instantly, alert and concerned.

“My parents...” I pause, struggling to find the words, to convey the unimaginable horror in a few sentences. “In a box... their heads, someone–” I manage to say, the words tasting like bile in my mouth.

“Jesus Christ,” Kazimir mutters, knowing what I’m going to say without me even saying it. “I’m on my way. Don’t touch anything. We need to preserve the scene for investigation.”

His words barely register as I stare blankly ahead, the horror of what has happened consuming me.

“Kazimir,” I continue, my voice steadying with a growing sense of determination amidst the shock. “This is a message. Someone is targeting us, targeting me. We need to find out who is behind this.”

“I know, Gabriette, and we will,” Kazimir assures me, his voice firm. “This is an act of war. They’ve crossed a line, and they will pay for it. I’ll bring in our best people. We’ll tighten security around you and the hospital. Mikhail is still vulnerable.”

As I end the call, a cold resolve settles over me. This brutal act has changed everything. I wasn’t really that close to my parents, but knowing someone did this to get back at me…

I wipe away the tears that threaten to fall, knowing that now is not the time for grief. Now is the time for action.

As I wait for Kazimir to arrive, I sit in the silence of the penthouse, the weight of leadership and the thirst for retribution heavy upon me. First Mikhail, now my parents.

I will make them pay.

When Kazimir arrives, his presence is a sharp reminder of the cruel world we inhabit. He immediately speaks with Alexei, his voice low and urgent.

“Did anyone see the package being delivered?” Kazimir interrogates, his eyes scanning the faces of each man present.

Alexei shakes his head, his expression a mix of frustration and anger. “No, sir. It was already on the living room table when we entered. We had no reason to suspect anything out of the ordinary.”

Kazimir rubs his temple, deep in thought. “This was a professional job. They knew our routines, our security setup. This is a targeted strike.”

He then turns to Viktor, his orders brisk and direct. “Check the surveillance tapes. We need to see who’s behind this.”

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