Page 49 of Obsession of the Egoist
“You’re going to be a godfather.” Greg’s grin grew wider.
“Aren’t I already? Drive.”
“Her godfather.”
“Are you fucking trying to win me over?” Yugo frowned, head tilting to the side. Greg grinned, but Yugo’s anger subdued. “What the fuck is your agenda?”
“We chose the name. Wanna hear?”
“No,” Yugo said, glancing at the date the scan was taken. “You motherfucker… It’s from last week! When did you intend to tell me?”
Ignoring him, Greg finished, “It’s Milana.” Pride rang in his voice as his smile turned dreamy.
“I know what you’re doing,” Yugo said, passing the photo back. “I won’t change my mind. The woman dies.”
“It won’t make you happy, Boss.”
“You can’t know that.”
“I do. You do too. It won’t end well.”
“Let me get this right. She took what didn’t belong to her. She is about to take from me again, and you want me to sit back and watch? Are you out of your mind?” Yugo asked, incredulous, then added, imprinting the order into his words, “Solve my problem. Kill the woman. Make it look like an accident. You can spare the girl.”
“There’s got to be another way. If you kill her, Kuon will never forgive you.”
“There is no other way. I gave him my word. Now, shut the fuck up and drive,” Yugo ordered, his mood even darker than before.
“Okay,” Greg said and started the car.
THREE DAYS PASSED, BUT YUGO’Sdarkness didn’t disperse. It condensed, magnified, until only pitch-black hatred remained. Greg did everything to procrastinate the order until Yugo’s patience ran out. Sitting in the car, he watched the woman with a child enter the apartment building, wondering what Kuon saw in her. She was beautiful but Kuon couldn’t possibly know that. For some reason, Yugo refused to believe that Kuon could pick the first woman who crossed his life. He didn’t look that desperate. Even if Kuon wanted to have fun, why would he pick someone with a child?
Is it the way she talks? The way she laughs? Something in her words? What kind of woman she is? Smart? Dumb? What is he seeking? What does she have to pique his interest?
Unable to find the answer, he asked, “Why is she still alive?” Greg didn’t answer. “You don’t intend to do it, do you?”
“Boss…” The pleading notes in Greg’s voice made him cringe.
“Fine.” Yugo stepped out of the well-conditioned car into the afternoon sultriness.
“Boss, wait. Where are you going? Don’t do this!” Greg called from the driver’s seat, then got out. Yugo didn’t stop.
“Stay in the car. If you follow me, I’ll shoot you in the leg.” Striding toward the entrance, he yanked the front door open and entered the building.
Darkness blinded him as a misty smell washed over. Eyes accustoming, he made out steps. Following the weak light, trickling from above, he went upstairs. Four flights later, he froze in front of the cheap, shabby door.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
Yugo wasn’t sure why he came, but when the lock unlatched and the door opened, he pushed it with his shoulder and entered. Taking a step back, the woman yelped in surprise. Slamming the door closed, he studied the place. Women’s shoes lined up by the left wall, small children sandals taking half the space completed the second row. The ivory paint on the walls begged for refreshment, but the dozens of framed photographs on the wall had no dust on them. Yugo took a closer look: the woman hugging a smiling man, the woman with her daughter, all of them together in an aquarium, and many more.
Focus back to the woman, he squinted, eyeing her up and down. Fingers crumpling the hem of her summer dress with a flowery print, she peered up at him with alert eyes, but no obvious fear. Regret for not asking Greg to check her background washed over. Indicating the man on the nearest photo, he asked, “Who is that?”
“Who are you? What do you want?” she finally found her voice.
Yugo cocked his head, searching for fear in her timbre and features, but only the paleness betrayed her agitated state. Using the chance for close-up scrutiny, he examined her small face with a button nose, sprinkled with light freckles, bright blue eyes decorated with long lashes and dark, thick brows, and matte, colorless lips pressed together.
“Answer me,” Yugo pressed, bumping the knuckles of his index and middle fingers against the picture.
“I’m calling the police,” she warned, grabbing her phone from the small white stand behind her.
