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I lean back, setting my tea down. "Thank you for your candor. It means more than you can imagine."
Samuil finally breaks his silence, "We should get going. "
"Yes," I agree, standing up. "Before we go, is there anything we can do for you?"
Iosef’s aunt shakes her head. “No, I’m very well taken care of, thank you. It was nice to meet you, though.”
As we leave, I feel a rush of exhilaration. We're one significant step closer to finding Iosef, to making sense of this chaotic puzzle, and most importantly, to saving Valentina. The stakes are still sky-high, but for the first time, the odds don't seem quite so stacked against us.
As Samuil and I step into the brisk air outside, there's a palpable sense of relief. The conversation with Iosef's aunt was a dance around landmines, each question loaded, each answer a potential trigger. We managed to navigate it, to come out with more than we went in with, and the gravity is not lost on either of us.
"Looks like we've got a lead, a real one this time," Samuil says, exhaling a cloud of chilled breath.
"Yeah," I reply, my hands deep in my pockets. "But it's complicated. Iosef was Valentina's fiancé. What happens when we find him? Does that mean whatever's between Valentina and me is done?"
Samuil shrugs, "Life's not a soap opera, Roman. It's messy, and you deal with it. If Valentina's feelings change because Iosef's back in the picture, then you've got your answer. And if they don't, you've got a different answer."
His brutal simplicity cuts through the fog of my apprehensions. "You're right. Jumping to conclusions never solved anything. But it seems like Iosef disappeared for a reason. Before anything, I need to find out what made him walk away."
Samuil nods, understanding flickering in his eyes. "We all have our reasons for the things we do. Finding out his could change everything."
Determined not to lose the momentum, I turn back toward the apartment and ring the doorbell again. Iosef’s aunt looks surprised to see us return so soon but allows us back in. "Sorry to intrude again," I start, wearing my most charming smile. "But if you could share Iosef’s phone number, I'd love to catch up with him properly. For old times' sake."
She hesitates for a moment, but my earlier work at rapport-building pays off. She checks her phone, then scribbles something on a piece of paper and hands it to me. "Here. But please, be discreet."
"Of course," I assure her as we exit. "Thank you."
Back in the car, I clutch the piece of paper like it's made of gold. Because, in a way, it is. It's a ticket to answers, a lifeline to Valentina, and a potential solution to a problem that could ignite a gang war.
"This is it, Samuil," I say, almost in disbelief. "A real, solid lead. We find Iosef, we find out what's going on, and we end this insanity."
Samuil starts the car and grins, "Well, then let's not keep the man waiting. Time to roll the dice."
I hold up the piece of paper between us, catching the fleeting sunlight filtering through the clouds. "You're looking at the best roll we've had in this entire messed-up game. And I intend to capitalize on it."
As the car roars to life and we pull out onto the street, I can't help but think of Valentina—of her strength, her determination, her unyielding love for her son. It fuels me, gives me purpose. Finding Iosef isn't just a mission; it's a vow, a promise to the woman who's become the center of my chaotic world.
I send a quick message to Damien, letting him know what I’ve found out. I send him the number too. If there’s more information to be gleaned, Damien will be the one to do it.
It doesn’t take long at all for my half-brother to get back to me. My phone hums in my pocket as I step out of the car, signaling the receipt of a message. I swipe the screen open to find Damien's text:Got something. Check your email.
"A moment," I say to Samuil, who is leaning on the car with his arms crossed, watching the pedestrians pass by with a kind of casual scrutiny only an enforcer like him can muster.
I open the encrypted email from Damien. Attached is a comprehensive dossier on Iosef, including his last known location. I knew I could count on Damien; the man has a knack for unearthing what others bury.
"Anything useful?" Samuil asks, catching the change in my demeanor.
"More than useful. We have an address," I respond, looking up from the phone. "Damien pulled through. It's a good lead."
Samuil's eyes narrow a little, capturing the gravity of the moment. "So, we're doing this?"
"We're doing this," I confirm. "Be ready for whatever’s next.”
He nods in understanding. "Got it.”
I send a quick message to Damien, thanking him for the information and advising him to stay alert.
Before I turn to leave, I take one last look at the bustling neighborhood around us, the people who are unaware of the high-stakes game unfolding in their midst. My thoughts drift momentarily to Valentina, the woman who's become an unexpected but essential part of this intricate web. Finding Trefor is not just about leverage or strategies; it's about untangling the knot that binds her to a past full of uncertainties and dangers.
