Viktor glances at his son Nikolai who just entered the room. Speaking to his son in Russian he says in an agitated voice, “Where were you? I have important business to discuss with you.”

   Nikolai leisurely walks over and pours himself a glass of vodka, “What the fuck do you need to discuss, I told you before I left I’m not marrying that little Rushkov bitch.”

   Furious at Nikolai's blatant disrespect Viktor’s eyes bulge out of his head and he stands up angrily striding across the room, “Listen, if I didn’t make a deal with her father you would still be rotting in that Bosnian prison.”

   “Did I ask you to do that?" He holds his thumb and index finger up, " I was this close to finding out who betrayed me. Then the crafty old fox killed my only lead. Are you stupid? Do you think that was a coincidence.” He gulps down the vodka, “Rushkov Corporation was behind the scenes manipulating the situation. He thinks if I marry Martina I won’t take my revenge.”

  Viktor grabs Nikolai's arm looking deep into his black eyes, “If I don’t merge our two families how long do you think I can stay in power? I have that fucking pr**k Kuang Fu to deal with now. He followed me here to Milan planning a move against me.

  Nikolai has an imposing figure at 190cm tall he looks down at his father with disdain,“Why should I care? You are an old man who hasn’t realized the world is changing.You can only blame yourself for your present circumstance. You forgot to mention you kidnapped Li Tian’s girlfriend and he is coming to Milan also for revenge.”

  “Nikolai, Godammit! How does he know about Li Tian? Everyone in the Underworld knows that our family splintered after you went to prison. Do you think your Uncles will stand behind our organization if the shit goes down here in Milan” He raises his voice, when he sees Nikolai  looking out the window ignoring him. “DO YOU? WHAT ABOUT YOUR MOTHER? YOUR LITTLE SISTER!”

   Nikolai turns around facing Viktor his face blackens at the mention of his stepmother and stepsister. Angry with a sinister grin on his handsome face and his tone conveying his disgust he spits out, “Our organization..HA! My mother and sister? Have you forgotten you killed my mother and as for my stepmother and her spoiled daughter Nina .. If those two sluts were raped and killed in front of me I would treat it as a good show.’

   Viktor lunges at him, “You..You ungrateful bastard!” Nikolai easily pushes him away, “Old man, you are no match for me so don’t try, you might get seriously injured. Luckily for you I have my own agenda so I will prevent that piece of shit Kuang Fu from harming you. In return well..you made the promise to  Alexander Rushkov... you can break off the engagement.” He takes out a cigarette then lights it, “ Also you will give me the flash drive as compensation for my help keeping you alive.”

  “Are you insane? The flash drive is my only bargaining chip, if I don’t have it for the auction I will be a dead man.”

   Nikolai waves at the several muscular men dressed in black standing by the wall to come forward, “ You will be dead in ten seconds if you don’t agree.”

   Viktor’s eyes widen when he sees his trusted bodyguards being commanded by Nikolai, “When..how did you..” He sees the cold look in Nikolai’s eyes, “You are my son..”

   Nikolai takes a drag off his cigarette,“Am I? Does a father let his enemy use his son then discard him when he is no longer useful letting him rot in hell?”

   "Niko,that isn’t what happened.”

   Nikolai lifts his leather shoe violently kicking Viktor to the ground, “You don’t have the right to call me Niko.” 

   Viktor holds his chest as he is in a kneeling position on the floor, he never expected for Nikolai to figure out his involvement in the scheme a year ago. “Nikolai, listen to me there is more to this situation than you know.”

  “Well, I will look forward to you telling me later. I have some business to take care of right now. Men put my father in his room. And father, for now I will let the Rushkovs believe I am willing to marry Martina. I will inform them you have food poisoning and are recuperating at the hotel.”

  Two of the bodyguards pull the old man up by his arms, “Nikolai believe me I had nothing to do..” before he finishes his sentence Nikolai says, “Give me your phone and remember your life is in my hands, I control the Naralov family now, including Uncle Sergi and Uncle Tito. Oh, and father, before Uncle Maxim died he said to remind you what he told you, ‘Чему́ быть, того́ не минова́ть..”

  Viktor face blanches and he clenches his fist at his side as he is escorted into his bedroom.

  Nikolai looks at his watch, “I will be back at seven to get the flash drive.” He leaves then walks to the elevator with a smile on his face, it’s too bad Uncle Maxim resisted. I liked the way he was always spouting proverbs.

   Once he is in his luxurious room he looks around then walks to the balcony that overlooks the city, decadent and comfortable.. really to my liking. There is a knock at the door, his bodyguard says, “Mr. Naralov, your clothes are here.” Chloe taps her foot, damn that Henri for making me deliver these suits to this scary bastard myself. 

   Nikolai answers the door and his eyes light up with a mischievous gleam. He towers over Chloe, looking down he smirks, speaking in French he teases, “This is a pleasant surprise.”

   Chloe has a slight frown, pursing her red lips into a thin line she tells Nikolai, “ Henri insisted I bring your clothes personally. You didn’t tell him you know me did you?”

   He leans on the door and lifts her chin up, “Why? Are you worried?”

  “Of course I am worried I have worked hard to get to my position as head fashion designer. I don’t need anyone to know about my past.”

  “What? That you didn’t actually design your first collection..or your second..should I go on?.”

   Chloe pushes him away and wheels the clothes into the room under her breath she mutters, “You bastard.”

   “How is your sister anyway?”

  Thinking how easy it would be for him to expose her lies she has a worried expression on her pretty face, “Listen Nikolai, this show I did create my collection without Emmi’s help. Why are you in Milan anyway.”

   “Is Emmi with you here in Milan?”

  “Of course not! She is with  mother in the countryside outside of Paris. Why are you asking?”

  “You know why.”

  “She wouldn't want to see you.Let her believe you did die a year ago.”

   Nikolai pours himself a drink then lazily stolls over and tenderly caresses Chloe’s cheek, “You wear too much makeup.”

   Chloe pushes his hand away, “Well, I’m not her.. so don’t get any ideas.”

   He comes back to his senses, “How is her son.”

   Chloe’s face turns deathly pale, how does he know…

   The temperature in the room drops several degrees while they stare intensely at each other. He lights another cigarette,“You could imagine how I felt sitting in a filthy prison cell finding out I was made a cuckold by a man who is like a brother to me.”

   Chloe looks terrified as she stares at his handsome but extremely cold face, he wouldn’t do anything to Emmi or Little Sacha would he? Should I tell him the truth? No, then Emmi would never help me again.

  “Nikolai everyone thought you were dead. How can you blame Emmi. Mon Dieu..I didn’t find out you were still alive until Henri told me you ordered clothes.”

   There is a knock at the door both Nikolai and Chloe turn that direction. Nikolai wants to find out more from Chloe but Martina Rushkov bursts into the room, “Nikolai.” She sees Chloe with a startled look on her face, “Am I interrupting?”

   Chloe waves her arms, “No..no..I was delivering Mr. Naralov’s clothes from Henri Armand.” She gives Nikolai a pleading look please don't tell my secret to anyone because you are angry with Emmi, “I will be leaving if there is nothing else.”

  “Nothing else, tell Henri I am looking forward to seeing both of you at the reception tomorrow night. You can finish telling me about your latest collection. I am anxious to hear more about it. ”

   Martina Rushkov went to school in England and is fluent in French. After Chloe leaves she says, “Nikolai since when are you interested in haute couture.”

“What did you come here for Martina?

  She frowns, I feel like I interrupted something..., what was going on between those two when I walked into the room. Speaking in Russian she coquettishly says, “I wanted to see you.” She puts her small hands on his arm, “Papa said you arrived earlier today and would take me to the reception tomorrow. But I wanted to see you. Take me to dinner.”

  “I have business to take care of..leave.”

  Martina whines,“But I...I just got here!”

  “I need to shower and change I have a business meeting. I will see you at the Bellini Family's reception tomorrow night. Don’t wear so much perfume. You stink.”

  “..” This perfume cost 50,000 for a tiny bottle, I had to wait half a year for it to be delivered to me!

  “Not leaving?”

    Martina knows his temper, she stomps her feet then walks out the door. Looking down at her outfit she sighs is he not a man! This dress was designed by Ana especially for me. It shows off my tiny waist and the low cut top shows a hint of cleavage, which is sexy. The pale yellow color makes my skin glow and the high heels coupled with the short dress make my legs look long and slender! Why is he so cold to me!

   After Martina leaves Nikolai makes a call, “Did you find out what the package is that is on the Wang Corporation plane headed for Milan? If we can intercept it we can deal with Kuang Fu. That will leave Li Tian.”

 Alexi Barovanich is driving down the highway when he gets Nikolai's call, “It’s not a package Niko, it is a woman.”

  “A woman?” He pours a glass of vodka, that is an interesting twist. “Who is she? Why did Kuang Fu refer to her as a package when talking to his brother?”

  Alexi chuckles as he tosses his cigar out the window of his Maybach,“You are going to like this Niko. The woman’s name is Feng LiMei and she escaped from the Black Sky Organization a few months ago. He was really pissed cause it fucked up a plan to assassinate that Han guy, you know the powerful guy who opposed the resort  development by Bashu City.”

  Nikolai walks onto the balcony  then leans on the railing, “I was in fucking prison you asshole how would I know about this random shit. Anyway, continue.”

 “So Elena found her and a guy named Logan is bringing her back, Kuang Fu posted a hefty reward for her capture.”

  “Fu is a cheap motherfu****r why is this bitch important enough to offer a big reward.”

  “That is about all I know, I got the intel from my guy in the Black Sky who is one of Kuang Fu’s bodyguards.”

  “Find out more. I want to know what the deal is to see if we can use this woman Feng LiMei as leverage to keep my incompetent father alive until I secure my position.”

   When he hangs up he finishes his drink then walks toward the bathroom, if I can suppress Kuang Fu that will free up some time. I need that old bastard alive until I negotiate with Noah and Li Tian. All the old man had to do was keep a low profile until I returned but no..he antagonized both Kuang Fu and Li Tian.

   He takes a shower and then changes into a black designer suit by Henri with a black silk shirt adding to his sexy appearance. Picking out a diamond encrusted watch he looks at his appearance in the full length mirror then smiles. Hard to believe not two weeks ago I was unshaven and disheveled wearing dirty prison clothes. He straightens his tie,  I will pay you fuckers back a hundred fold for fucking me over that day..  

  Satisfied with his appearance, Nikolai puts his wallet and phone in his pant's pocket then leaves his suite to meet with a computer expert.

   In the hotel across the busy street Leng Shuai is talking to Su Ryan on the phone, “Benji Gabriel should be arriving when?”

  “I talked to him before his flight. He should be there in forty five minutes.Did you find Kuang Fu?”

  “Not yet, but I will. I have to go to the  Bellini Family’s reception tomorrow night. Tonight I am free, I told Teng Shen to alert me when he finds him.”

  “Boss, take the elite team with you, that reception will be swarming with your enemies that are aligned with the Bellini Family.”

 “I’m not worried until the flash drive is auctioned off everyone will be keeping the scene quiet so not to disrupt the auction.”

 “True, even so be on alert.”

 “You sound like a nagging wife is that from living with that little nurse of yours?”

  Su Ryan’s face turns beet red, “I just wish I could be there, but I have confidence in Gabriel.”

 “He seems qualified.”

 “Remember Nikolai Naralov will be there and who knows what that crazy bastard’s plans are.”

 “ He isn’t easy to read and he has never displayed any weakness. I don't know how he got lured into that trap a year ago”

  Leng Shuai stands up stretching his legs, “I’m going to dinner with Henri Armand, I need to shower and change.”

  “Why are you meeting him?”

  “He called and said he had a business project I might be interested in partnering with him.”

 “Fashion shit?”

 “No, he has diversified interests.I’m hanging up now,  so Benji Gabriel will come straight to the hotel?”

 “Yes.”

 “Very Good.” Leng Shuai hangs up while thinking about LiMei as he looks at his watch,  Dammit! Little thing I should have kept you with me. That fucking bastard Qiao Rui couldn’t even protect you from getting snatched by Kuang Fu.

  Why did he fucking kidnap you anyway...ransom?