Chapter 75: In my way
The dimly lit study smelled of aged whiskey and cigars, the air thick with tension. Philip stood near the grand mahogany desk, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass, his expression cold and unreadable. Across from him, his most trusted man, Victor, leaned against the bookshelf, arms crossed, waiting for instructions.
"We need to get Stefania out of the way," Philip said, his voice low but firm. "She’s becoming a problem."
Victor tilted his head slightly, studying his boss. "You think she has the evidence?"
Philip exhaled sharply, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "I don’t know. If she did, she would have told her brothers by now. And I would have known about it, she also doesn’t remember anything from the past," His jaw tightened. "But I can’t take that risk. If she starts digging into things—if she becomes like her mother—"
His voice trailed off, but the weight of the unspoken words hung between them.
Victor’s expression darkened. "You regret not taking care of her that night?"
Philip’s grip on the glass tightened. "I should have gotten rid of her the same night I got rid of my brother and his wife," he admitted, his voice laced with something close to regret—not for their deaths, but for the loose end he had allowed to remain. "She was just a child. Harmless. Or so I thought."
Victor nodded, understanding the implication. "If she starts asking questions, she won’t stop until she finds answers."
Philip set his glass down with a quiet clink, his eyes narrowing. "Which is why we’re not waiting. While she still trusts me and while she still doesn’t remember anything, we make our move."
A sudden noise shattered the silence—a sharp thud, something falling just outside the door.
Both men stiffened.