Stop thinking about all of them. They’re not family or friends.
You’re here as part of a transaction. And you’re lucky to have a purpose.
So work. Concentrate and don’t forget that you need to remind them that you are useful for something.
Over the course of the day, I took my own advice. I dug in deep, looking into all the possible leads for identifying those unnamed shell companies.Someonehad to have made them. They had to have an origin, but it wasn’t easy. Too many transfers and monetary exchanges had taken place all over the world to know who was orchestrating these layers of companies.
Eventually, though, I found a pattern. Certain addresses started to link up. Some acronyms and names began to seem related. Tracking receipts and double-checking who and what was where, I saw a clearer picture of what was going on.
A network was the sole connection for the ambiguous companies.
They all pointed to one source. One man.
At first, I dismissed it as crazy talk. Foroneperson to spend this much time and effort to organize companies like this, all to hide the money trails? It seemed strange. But money did make the world go round. That was a concept I’d never forget. Forone individual to be behind this much, though, it seemed like an explosive secret.
I blew out a deep breath, locking down on the last piece of evidence I’d been seeking. A property rental contract gave me the name. I didn’t recognize it. Unlike the standard accounting work I’d done at my father’s firm, and then here, directly for Adrik, I was seeing the names. Numbers were easier to work with, but since I knew where to look to track a money trail, I wasn’t acting like an accountant now.
“And who areyou, Gregori Fyodorov?” I whispered aloud.
I narrowed my eyes at the computer monitor, taking screenshots and then copying and pasting all that I found so I could organize the results of my search. I’d take it all to Adrik. Maybe he’d recognize the name.
I could only wonder how this man could link to my father. And what his role was in how my father had been dismissive of the mistakes with the Volkov books.
It’s not for you to understand or debate.
I insisted on being spared the details, but as I gathered all the papers and braced myself to face Adrik with what I’d found, I couldn’t help but wish that I wasn’t only presenting my investigative results, but also a way for him to tackle the problem it presented, too.
Stop caring so much.
One orgasm.
A couple of kisses.
And that’s it.
It has to be it.
Because I’m still just thethinghe got as a form of punishment for a mistake.
I frowned as I closed the laptop and carried it with me as I went in search of the damnable man who didn’t want me but would always possess me.
It just wasn’t fair.
But when is lifeeverfair, El?
I took the stairs, knowing that answer all too well.
Never.
Life is never fair.
If it was, I wouldn’t be a desperate fool wishing for Adrik Volkov’s approval and affection.
15
ADRIK
Word was still getting out about my father. Too many powerful people would see his failing health as a window of opportunity. Controlling the narrative was too important to slack on, but it was wearing on me.
