Page 45 of Unveiled

I take my coffee and a plate of pastries and walk over to them, rolling my eyes. “Oh yes, Semyon Kopolov, the ultimate checkers tyrant. Crushing the dreams of children one king at a time.”

The remark slips out before I can stop myself, but to my shock, Semyon laughs.

It’s soft, barely audible, but it’s there—a quiet chuckle that rumbles from his chest. His lips curve into a genuine smile.

I freeze, my cup halfway to my lips.

I thought he’d forgotten how to laugh. He looks… different. The sharp lines of his face soften, the cold mask momentarily slipping aside.

For one moment, I see the boy I grew up with. The boy I loved. The boy who broke my heart.

And for a reason I can’t explain, I want to see it again.

The thought hits me like a punch to the stomach. What is wrong with me?

I bury my face in the coffee, trying to get a grip on myself. I still have such vivid memories. I wonder if he does too.

“You should always make sure you watch your opponent,” Semyon says to Stefan. I've almost forgotten that he's the second eldest in his family, with two younger sisters now. He takes to this role kind of naturally, and I love that. But I can't forget who he is or what he wants. Right now, mybrother is safe, and I made the decision I had to, to keep my family together. I suppose… so did he.

I take a bite of pastry and drink the coffee. "My god, this coffee is delicious.”

“It’s a high-quality brew. Ethiopian beans.”

“Well, I'll have to introduce you to the French press," I tell him. "You know our most popular recipes at the bakery are always the simplest."

Why am I telling him this? Like he cares?

"I know. We have a spreadsheet we’ll go over later when we discuss it with your new business manager.”

I blink at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?”

“I want to build a detailed catalog,” Semyon says, his voice steady but focused. “Inventory, profit margins, the items that generate the most revenue.”

I blink, momentarily caught off guard. He’s actually talking about the bakery’s operations? I thought he only cared about the location, just another strategic asset to him. But he’s talking about profit margins like he’s genuinely… invested.

His gaze shifts to the coffee in his hand. “If you know which item drives the most profit, you can optimize production and reduce waste. The right adjustments could increase revenue by at least thirty percent.”

I lean forward slightly, reluctantly intrigued. “You’ve thought about this a lot.”

“Of course,” he replies, his expression neutral. “It’s a business. Every detail matters.” He tilts his head. “What?" he asks when he catches me staring, and it's the first time he seems curious about what my thought process is.

I shake my head. "Nothing."

Thankfully, Stefan is oblivious to the tension between the two of us and eagerly makes his move on the board without batting an eyelash. Semyon shakes his head, lifts his checker, and easily jumps two of Stefan's checkers.

Stefan's face falls, and Semyon leans in. "No. This game is not over. And even if it were, you have to know that I'm not going to take it easy on you. Your sister can mock me all she wants, but I am never going to let you win a game. When you win, you will know that you've won fair and square."

For some reason, it feels like he's talking to me.

They continue to play as my younger brother’s tongue pokes out of his mouth in concentration.

"Are you upset that I was poking around in your finances?” Semyon asks with genuine curiosity.

Stefan looks at him and then to me before he focuses back on the board.

"I guess I didn't consider the fact that you'd actually care about the bakery. I just thought you wanted the location."

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