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“Indeed,” I replied, taking another sip of champagne.
Christos nodded. “The charity event and the… misunderstanding between us were unfortunate. But let’s focus on the future, shall we?”
He took a sip of his whiskey, and I narrowed my eyes, assessing him. I knew what he was doing.
He was skirting around the real issue. Neither Nikolaos’ insult, nor the charity ball was the problem here, and we both knew it. Maybe he was testing me, seeing if I knew what Nikolaos had done against the Stefanidis family. Maybe he wasn’t. Knowing I needed to take the lead, I cleared my throat and addressed the elephant in the room.
“The incident with the Stefanidis’ ships—that’s what all of this is really about, isn’t it?” I said directly, cutting through the diplomatic dance right to the source.
He paused for a moment, as if weighing his words before he responded. “It’s a significant part of the current… situation,” he admitted cautiously. His gaze searched mine, and I lifted my chin, holding my ground.
“I understand it was a drastic measure,” I continued, “but it was a response to a direct threat. That’s all it was.”
Christos sighed, a hint of frustration in his expression. “It’s a complex issue. It’s created a lot of red tape for me.”
“I understand it’s been difficult for you, but we’re seeking a resolution between you two, not ongoing conflict,” I asserted. “There’s room for negotiation. We can find a middle ground.”
Christos nodded slowly, seemingly considering my words. “Negotiation might be possible. But it won’t be simple.”
“I didn’t expect it to be,” I said firmly. “But it’s necessary. For all parties involved.”
“Someone needs to answer for it,” Christos asserted, his tone indicating that the matter was far from settled.
I paused, then confidently said, “I have an idea.”
Christos cleared his throat, his expression shifting to one of blatant surprise. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “And what might that be?”
“The Pappas family has been causing problems for you, haven’t they?” I began, leaning into the conversation. “Their encroachment on your business territories, undercutting your contracts, and spreading rumors, not to mention your work on the underground trafficking ring the Ministry has been working to uncover for nearly a decade.”
Christos’ eyes opened wide in disbelief before he nodded, a grim acknowledgment in his gaze. “They’ve been a persistent thorn in my side for a long time.”
“Maybe we can use this situation to our advantage. What if we could shift the blame for the Stefanidis’ ships incident onto the Pappas family? It would certainly tie up a number of things for you, wouldn’t it?” I continued.
His eyes narrowed as he considered the suggestion. “That’s a bold move.”
“It would require pooling our resources, a bit of… creative strategizing,” I said, careful to gauge his reaction.
He didn’t seem to hate the idea. In fact, he looked like he was taking to it like a fish to water.
Christos leaned back, a slow smile spreading across his face. “That could solve quite a few of my problems for me…” His eyes flashed to mine. “But how would we do it?”
“We can start by fabricating some documents and communications that imply the Pappas family’s involvement in the shipping incident,” I continued. “These would need to be convincing but untraceable back to us. Maybe some forged emails or financial records that suggest they funded the operation.”
Christos nodded in agreement. “I have contacts who can create such documents. We’ll need to ensure they’re leaked at the right moment, ideally when the Pappas family is vulnerable.”
“Exactly,” I said. “And we should also have a few well-placed rumors in the media. Nothing too direct, just subtle hints that lead to suspicion. Once the authorities start investigating, the planted evidence will do the rest.”
Christos looked thoughtful, “This requires precise timing and execution.”
“We’ll need to coordinate our efforts closely,” I concluded. “It’s a risky play, but with the right moves, we can turn this situation to our advantage.”
“I must admit, I’m impressed.”
Sipping the rest of my champagne, I placed the empty glass on the bar and Christos quickly flagged down the bartender to get me another.
“A play like this would certainly take the Pappas family out of the picture,” he mused, circling his glass of whiskey in his hand. I watched the amber liquid climb the sides closely before I locked my gaze with his once more.
“That it would,” I replied casually.
