28| corpse

D I A N E

I held his gaze, unflinching. The looks of surprise on the faces around us were evident, but I paid them no mind. My focus was entirely on the man in front of me, who was now looking at me with a mixture of confusion and anger. I could tell he was trying to figure out what I was doing here.

"Now your disappearance makes sense," Yulia smirks.

"Come in," Viktor said, his voice cold and uninviting. He took Yulia's hand and led her towards the table, where Luciano and Claudia were already seated. I could see the confusion in Claudia's eyes, and I knew she must be wondering why I was here. I had no doubt that everyone in the room was wondering the same thing. But I wasn't about to explain myself just yet.

Viktor sat down at the head of the table, a smug smile on his face. "I'm so glad you could all make it," he said, the tone of his voice oozing with self-satisfaction. Luciano leaned forward in his seat, his expression serious. "Why are we here, Viktor?" he asked, his voice sharp. "That's what I'd like to know," Claudia chimed in, her tone just as pointed as her husband's. Viktor's smile only widened. "I think it's best if we all hear what I have to say before we start asking questions,"

Viktor's voice was calm, almost eerily so, and it made me feel uneasy. "I think it would be best if we all listen to what I have to say before we start asking any questions," he continued, a glint of something sinister in his eyes. I could feel my heart racing, my palms beginning to sweat. I had a bad feeling about this, a very bad feeling. But I didn't know what to do, so I just sat there, trying to keep my composure.

"Oh, come on," Viktor said, his tone light and insincere. "I just wanted to catch up with everyone, especially you, Isaak. After what happened with that unfortunate incident." He was talking about when I had been shot, and I could feel my heart race faster at the memory. But I remembered what Luka had said, and I tried to focus on that instead. I had to stay calm, I had to play it cool.

The maids began to bring out the first course, but I had no appetite. The thought of food made me nauseous. I didn't even want to be here, in this house, with these people. But I forced myself to remember why I had come, what I was here to do. I had to stay strong, I had to focus on my mission. I couldn't afford to let my guard down, not even for a second.

The maid, Teresa, brought out a large covered dish and set it down in the middle of the table. "Ah, it's here," Viktor said, a dark smile on his face. "Teresa, would you do the honors?" he asked, gesturing to the dish. Teresa's face was pale, and she looked like she didn't want to do it. But she slowly reached for the cloche, her hands trembling.

"I said, open it!" Viktor snapped, his voice cold and hard. Teresa jumped, her hand shaking as she lifted the cloche off the dish. My heart stopped as I saw what was underneath, my stomach churning with nausea. "Oh my god," I heard Claudia gasp, her hand flying to her mouth.

I gasped at the sight of the intestines human intestines that was on the dish, and I had to look away, my stomach roiling with nausea. "What the hell is this?" I heard Luciano demand. "You sick son of a bitch," I heard myself say, unable to keep my composure any longer. I looked back at Viktor, who was smiling, a cold and cruel smile that sent shivers down my spine.

I jumped to my feet, but Viktor was faster. He grabbed my wrist, his grip tight and painful. I tried to pull away, but he held me fast. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Let go of me!" I yelled, struggling to break free. I could feel my heart racing, my body shaking with fear.

"Let her go," a deep voice said, the words heavy with authority. I turned to see Isaak, his eyes locked on Viktor's. Viktor slowly released his grip on my wrist, his eyes never leaving Isaak's. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, his voice full of contempt. "You know very well what it means," Isaak replied, his voice calm and level. "You need to stop, before it's too late."

"It was just a joke," Viktor protested, but his words fell on deaf ears. "What's a joke is this sick display," Luka shot back, his voice filled with disgust. "We're leaving," Luciano said, standing up and grabbing his coat. I followed suit, grabbing my purse and heading towards the door. "I'll come with you," Claudia said, her voice low. She shot a dark look at Viktor before following me out of the room.

I wandered aimlessly, desperately trying to find my way to the restroom. I could hear the sound of heels on the marble floor, and I knew it was Claudia following me. I stopped and waited for her to catch up, my heart still racing. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice full of concern. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I'm not sure," I replied, my voice shaking.

"Diane, what the hell is going on?" she demanded, her voice sharp. I took a deep breath. "It's exactly what you're seeing," I said, my voice trembling. "I've been calling you for days, worried sick. And now I find you here, holding hands with Luka?" She looked confused and angry, her arms crossed over her chest. I could tell she was on the verge of exploding, and I didn't blame her. I had a lot of explaining to do.

Before I could respond, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me. I turned to see Isaak and Luciano walking towards us, their expressions unreadable. I felt a knot in my stomach, my heart pounding in my chest. Claudia tensed beside me, her body rigid. The four of us stood there, the silence heavy and suffocating. Then Isaak spoke. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice cool and calm.

I met Claudia's eyes, and I could see the fear and uncertainty in them. Luciano took her by the arm, gently leading her away. "We're leaving," he said, his voice firm. As they walked away, Isaak's gaze remained fixed on me. "We need to talk," he said, his voice low and serious. I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as he approached me.

"We're not finished here," Claudia said, her voice trembling slightly. She stood her ground, and I found myself standing beside her, my arms crossed over my chest. Isaak stopped in front of us, his expression unreadable. Luciano's eyes narrowed, and I could tell he was just as worried as I was. "You can't just walk away," I said, my voice shaking. "Not after everything that's happened."

"Mi amor, we need to go," Luciano said, his voice unyielding. I looked at Claudia, who seemed to be wavering. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "We'll talk later, I promise." I felt a sense of resignation, but I knew I had to let her go. "Take care of yourself," I said, my voice gentle. She nodded, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. Luciano put his arm around her, and they turned to leave.

She pulled me into a tight hug, her arms wrapped around me like a vice. I hugged her back, feeling the tears threatening to spill from my eyes. Then she pulled away, taking Luciano's hand as they walked away. I felt cold and alone as they disappeared into the crowd, leaving me with Isaak. His gaze was intense, his eyes fixed on me. The air between us felt charged, and I could barely breathe.