Chapter 57: Haunted Winter Night
The snow crunched softly beneath Alexander’s boots as he walked across the grounds of the estate. The cold bit into his face, but he hardly noticed it. His hands were clenched in fists. His chest rose and fell with angry breaths.
The scarred man stood a few feet away, almost blending into the snowy trees. His dark cloak fluttered in the wind, and the long scar that ran down his face looked even harsher under the moonlight.
Alexander stopped a few steps from him.
"What are you doing here?" Alexander asked sharply, his voice cold with fury. "What gives you the right to come here?"
The man tilted his head slightly, as if amused. His eyes glinted.
"I have kept my own end of the bargain," Alexander went on, his voice rising. "I stayed out of your path. I let you do whatever filth you were doing. So why can’t you do the same?"
The man smiled, calm and unbothered. "Calm down, Lord Andreyevna," he said, his voice smooth and almost mocking. "I just came to pay a visit to my friend and business partner."
Alexander scoffed loudly. "Friend? Business partner? You and I are not even close to that," he spat. "You’re nothing but a thorn in the flesh. Always showing up where you’re not wanted."
The man gave a soft chuckle and stepped a little closer, his boots leaving deep prints in the snow.
"What is it with you Andreyevnas and your sharp tongues?" the man said. "I didn’t come for you, Alexei. I came for your blonde niece."
Alexander stiffened.