The Missing Princess

19: Information

Chapter 19

-Ivan Vasiliev-

I looked at the picture frame in my hand with a bitter and sad feeling in my heart. It was a picture of me and my twin sister when we were sixteen, looking so young, happy, and carefree. I stared at her face in the picture and sighed. My beautiful Oksana. Ekaterina is truly a spitting image of her, especially in this picture.

The two of us have always been together since we were in our mother's womb, and even when we came out into the world, we had always been inseparable. We were twins, best friends, the other half of one another. But that was all ruined the fucking moment we both turned eighteen; our father forced the both of us to quickly marry at that age. Our father arranged for me to marry the daughter of his business partner and best friend, and he arranged for my twin sister to marry the son and heir of our mafia's greatest rival, the Italian mafia, Luciano fucking Di Luca.

Like my grandfather and his father before him, I've always fucking hated the Italians. Well, with the exception of my nephews and niece, of course. They're my twin sisters' children; I look at them like my own children as well. It's not their fault for having that bastard Luciano as their father; it's not my sister's fault for having him as a husband.

"I should've fought father. I shouldn't have let you marry that Italian bastard. I should've fucking fought." I hissed as I stared at my sister's face, my chest filled with regret.

Should've, could've, would've, but didn't. I'm so fucking stupid.

But then again, if it weren't for their marriage, their kids wouldn't have been born. And the birth of those kids is the only good thing that came out of that marriage. Not the fucking alliance and peace treaty; I could fucking care less about that.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

I placed the frame back in its usual place before telling whoever was behind the door to come in. It was my young secretary, Igor, looking frantic. I looked at him quizzically.

"There's a man here who insists on meeting you, boss." He quickly says.

"Voz?" (Who?) I narrowed my eyes. I wasn't expecting anyone today, and I've already finished all of my meetings.

"The man claims to be your brother-in-law's former consigliere---

Igor stopped his sentence, and I raised an eyebrow as the man in question entered my office and walked past him, standing in front of me still looking so fucking haughty and confident like the last time I saw him.

"Arturo Neri." I addressed the man and dismissed Igor silently with my hand. He politely bowed his head and walked out to give me and Arturo some privacy.

"I thought one of my nephews had already killed you." I mused as I plopped my ass in my chair.

"That's what they thought as well. Unbelievable. After everything I've done for their family and mafia, that's how they fucking treat me." He grumbles.

Mikhail and Dmitriy always make sure that they finish their job; no one escapes them. This is new, and this is the first time it has happened. Arturo might just be a one-lucky bastard, or my nephews were just fucking sloppy. Either way, I'm not fucking happy, especially after he just randomly showed himself here in my office.

"You deserved it and you know it, you fucker. Now tell me what the hell you're doing here, or I'll be sure to finish my nephews' job instead." I hissed in warning while glaring at him darkly. Arturo nervously gulps and tries his best to conceal his fear; it was almost amusing to watch.

"I would've gone to young Lorenzo and not you, but you and I know that boy would kill me before I could even open my mouth." He shuddered his shoulder as if thinking about it.