Page 42 of His Grip

Sofia’s hands trembled, her mind racing to piece together the fragments of truth she had just been handed. “You didn’t just ‘act,’” she accused. “You betrayed him. His whole family was slaughtered, and you stood by and let it happen!”

Konstantin’s face twisted with pain. “I did what I had to do to ensure your future. Do you think Viktor would’ve survived if I hadn’t intervened? He was just a boy!”

“Don’t you dare try to play the hero in this!” Sofia shouted, tears stinging her eyes. “You used him. Just like you’re using me.”

A heavy quiet fell between them, the weight of her accusation unwavering.

“You don’t understand,” Konstantin finally said, quieter now. “This life... it’s not black and white. Viktor’s father made enemies. I wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger, Sofia. But I didn’t stop it either.”

“That’s not an excuse,” she hissed, stepping back. “You let his entire family die because it was convenient for you. And now you’re using me to keep him in line, aren’t you?”

Konstantin didn’t respond, his silence confirming her suspicions. Sofia felt the room tilt, her legs wobbling under the weight of the revelation.

“You disgust me,” she whispered.

Her father’s expression shifted, anger flashing in his eyes. “Be careful, Sofia,” he warned. “You don’t know what you’re playing with. Viktor isn’t some innocent victim. He’s a man consumed by vengeance. You think you love him, but he’ll destroy you the moment he realizes you’re a liability.”

“And whose fault is that?” she shot back. “You made him this way.”

Konstantin sauntered closer. “You’re walking a dangerous path. If Viktor finds out the truth?—”

“I’ll decide when and how he finds out,” Sofia interrupted.

“You’ll get yourself killed,” Konstantin said coldly.

Sofia squared her shoulders, her resolve hardening. “Maybe. But at least I won’t be a coward like you.”

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, her heart pounding in her chest. As she stepped into the night, her mind swirled with thoughts of Viktor.

How could she tell him the truth?

The crisp night wind stung Sofia’s skin as she walked briskly down the townhouse steps, each step echoing the turmoil within her. Her father’s words replayed in her head, louder with every breath. “Collateral damage.” The phrase made her stomach churn. Viktor’s family, his entire life, torn apart by Konstantin’s decisions—and now she was tangled in the web he had spun.

The cab ride back to the penthouse was a blur. By the time she arrived, the gravity of her choice was sinking in. She needed clarity. But clarity wouldn’t come from pacing the opulent halls of Viktor’s domain.

Sofia dialed Nina’s number.

Nina picked up after two rings. “Sofia? It’s late. What’s going on?”

“I need to see you,” Sofia said, her tone cracking despite her effort to sound composed. “It’s important.”

Half an hour later, Sofia was seated in Nina’s cozy living room, the warmth of the space contrasting sharply with the cold chaos of her thoughts.

Nina set two steaming mugs of tea on the table before settling across from her. “All right. Spill it.”

Sofia took a deep breath, the weight of the secret clawing at her chest. “It’s about Viktor. And my father.”

Nina’s brows furrowed as she leaned forward. “What about them?”

“I confronted Konstantin tonight,” Sofia began, her words tumbling out in a rush. “About Viktor’s past. About what happened to his family. And he admitted it, Nina. He was involved in their deaths.”

Nina’s eyes widened, her mug forgotten in her hands. “What? Sofia, that’s—oh my God. Does Viktor know?”

“No,” Sofia said quickly, shaking her head. “And that’s the problem. I don’t know if I should tell him. What if it pushes him over the edge?”

Nina set her mug down with a deliberate clink, her expression grave. “Sofia, you can’t keep something like this from him. He deserves to know the truth.”

Sofia’s hands clenched into fists on her lap. “I know that. But you don’t understand how fragile things are between us right now. If I tell him, it could destroy everything.”

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