Chapter 10 - THE TRAP THAT REQUIRED SOPHIE TO BE THERE
That was the cruelest part.
Viktor expected Sophie to be at the estate.
Maria brought her only when childcare failed.
How could he know?
Then Elena remembered.
The staff scheduling board.
Two days before the attack, Maria had written:
SOPHIE WITH ME WEDNESDAY — SITTER SURGERY.
A photograph of the board existed on a staff group chat.
Someone forwarded it.
Who?
A temporary gardener named Pavel Novik.
He had worked three weeks.
Then disappeared the morning Alexei collapsed.
Pavel’s real name was unknown.
But his employment documents led back to an agency account funded by Viktor.
Now the plan made sense.
Viktor knew Sophie would be present.
Knew Maria had experience with severe allergy reactions.
Knew her staff credentials.
He expected:
Alexei consumes allergen.
Maria’s account appears on the order.
Maria recognizes reaction.
Potentially touches medication or cup.
Her presence becomes suspicious.
If Alexei dies, blame points toward an employee whose family had a historical grievance against Petrovs.
Rafael’s daughter.
Perfect motive.
Perfect access.
Perfect frame.
Except Sophie saw the swollen mouth before Maria even understood what was happening.
And several security men witnessed Maria rushing in from the hallway rather than delivering coffee.
A four-year-old had disrupted a plan built around adult assumptions.
Then Maria asked:
“Why kill Alexei now?”
The answer came from the ledger.
Viktor’s blackmail depended on Alexei believing old secrets could destroy him.
But the company cleanup had stopped payments.
And Alexei had recently retained outside counsel to prepare voluntary historical disclosures around several legacy entities.
He was cleaning the business.
Viktor’s leverage was dying.
If Alexei died before the disclosures—
control might shift.
To whom?
Sergei.
Alexei’s uncle.
The man who had kept paying Viktor.
Everyone turned toward him.
Sergei looked horrified.
“No.”
Did he order the attack?
Evidence did not show that.
But Viktor may have expected Sergei to resume hush payments once Alexei was gone.
Sergei’s cowardice created incentive even if he never requested violence.
That realization destroyed him.
“I paid him to keep the family safe.”
Alexei’s voice was cold.
“No. You paid him to keep the family comfortable.”
Silence.
Then Alexei did something nobody expected.
He removed Sergei from all company authority immediately, subject to board procedures.
Not prison.
Not mafia punishment.
Governance.
Sergei surrendered records.
Cooperated.
Then authorities finally located Viktor.
Not because of sophisticated surveillance.
Because he made a mistake.
He called Carlos in jail.
Carlos answered.
The call was recorded.
Viktor said:
“You should have kept your sister out of this.”
Carlos replied:
“You brought her into it.”
Then Viktor said the sentence investigators needed:
“Petrov should have died before the girl saw his face.”
The girl.
Sophie.
He admitted knowing she was there.
Then:
“I’ll fix it.”
Maria felt cold all over.
Authorities treated the threat seriously.
Alexei doubled estate security.
Maria packed.
“I’m leaving.”
Alexei stared at her.
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“You and Sophie are safer here.”
“I am not raising my child behind armed gates.”
“Temporary.”
“No.”
For the first time, Alexei looked genuinely unsure what to do with someone he could not command.
Then Maria said:
“You do not get to turn protection into ownership.”
The words hit him.
He nodded.
“You’re right.”
They compromised.
A secure apartment controlled by Maria, not Petrov.
Temporary protection outside.
Her keys.
Her choices.
That night, Sophie asked:
“Is Mr. Alexei sick again?”
“No.”
“Then why guards?”
Maria struggled.
“Because some grown-ups made bad choices.”
Sophie considered.
Then:
“Do they need doctors?”
Maria laughed despite everything.
“Different kind.”
Three days later, Viktor was arrested near the Canadian border.
But before authorities took him away, they found one last item in his car.
A sealed envelope addressed to:
ALEXEI PETROV — OPEN IF I AM ARRESTED.
May you like
Inside was a DNA report.
And the name beneath it was Sophie Alvarez.
