Chapter 46
Belle's POV
Ivan and Vasily informed me that I don't have to worry about Kovrov as Vladi, one of the elders whom Nikolai trust in the Russian Town has everything under control in his territory. What the two are not sure about are other territories under the helm of the elders loyal to Papa Vyacheslav but had seniority issues with Nikolai. Their number is not significant to topple down Nikolai but it's wise to give some people loyalty check especially now that their Boss had been arrested and their Underboss is unconscious.
I am just now realizing the gravity of my current situation. This is all me now. I'm the one left to do what my husbands have been doing almost all their lives. What am I even gonna do?
My heart started to bang inside my ribcage. I'm pregnant, my back is aching, every time I rest my head on something I doze off like I have been deprived of sleep and I am constantly hungry. I want to throw up every time I smell something fishy. And my belly would randomly twitch or tickle inside like there's a mini wrestling match going on inside me. On top of all that is the fact that I almost died of a severe allergic reaction, almost had a miscarriage, went through divorce, my husband had been arrested right in front of my eyes, my other husband is still unconscious, our home had been seized, my private life has been publicized, and I may or may not have videos of my sexual activities with my husbands leaked on the internet.
"Stop. Ivan. Pull over please." He looked at me in the rearview mirror worriedly and slowly pulled over the side of the road.
They instantly went out of the car and stood by my side when I went down to puke. Vasily took something from the SUV and gave me a bottle of water.
"Madame. I think you need to rest."
"I just need to breathe, is all Vasily. Can you give me a moment please?"
They both nodded and gave me a little space. I sat on the edge of the floorboard of our SUV and dialed my father. To my surprise however, he called me first before I could even press the call button. "Papa."
"Ara. Do you want to come back to the embassy?"
"No Pa. Can I ask you about something?"
"Okay."
"When you were still the Governor-General what did you do when there's resistance within your ranks?"
"Hmm. Resistance within my ranks meant nothing more but mutiny. Mutiny in the armed forces during my time in Palawi is punishable by death through firing squad."
"Did-did you have people punished through firing squad because of mutiny?"
"No Arabella."
"You mean, there were no traitors in your ranks before?"
"Oh, there were traitors. I just did not give them the chance to die through firing squad. They died of natural causes."
"Pa?"
"Arabella. If there's a traitor in your ranks, you nip the bastard in the bud like a spring frost to a flower bud."
I can't believe that my relationship with my father has come to this point. I am now asking him for guidance on how to weed out traitors and run a friggin Mafia. I honestly did not think of this as part of my job description as Nikolai's and Alexei's wife. But here I am, on my way to the place where my husbands keep their stashes when situations like this arise.
The place is under the protection of the Conglomerate. The coordinates of the location were sent to me in a tablet by Axel through a messenger he sent my way. We arrived at a basement parking and a narrow underground driveway where there are motion-activated lights. Vasily opened the car door for me and helped me step down safely.
There's a huge steel door that requires my handprint and an iris scan which instantly recognized me. However it then required a voice password which I had no idea about. As far as I can remember, when we arrived in Colombia to do the authentication process for my formal inclusion to Conglomerate as Nikolai's wife, I only had to give my hand prints, eye scan and voice sample. There was no mention of a voice password.
"Mrs. Volkov." I said as this is the password for my closet back in mansion.
Incorrect Password.
Geez. Okay. Uhm.
"Mary Arabella Volkov."
Incorrect Password.
"Forever and ever?"
Incorrect Password.
Oh my god. Think Belle! What could be the password that your husband programmed in this? I am sure it's something personal. Something that only Nikolai, Alexei and I know.
"Ya lyublyu tebya." I said with so much hope I was almost a hundred percent sure until-
Incorrect Password.
At this point, Ivan and Vasily must have noticed that I am getting anxious by the second. Ivan nods at me while Vasily came a little closer.
"It's okay Madame. Take your time."
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. It took me a few more minutes before I have finally figured it out.
"I will eat your pussy."
Heat crawled up my face in embarrassment but it quickly turned to surprise when the steel door opened.
Goddammit Nikolai! Of course, the password is his chat username which the man refuses to change no matter what I say or do.
As we walk inside the facility, the lights started to turn on gradually. My eyes instantly marveled in awe as I see stacks after stacks of money on one side of the storage warehouse and stacks of gold bars on the other side like it's a friggin vault in a bank. There are at least four covered vehicles and a big bike in one corner and then guns of different kinds on another side. In the shelves are mine, Nikolai and Alexei's passports for different countries in Europe and Asia and unsurprisingly, with different names and identities. There's cash in different brown envelopes in different currencies corresponding to the countries in our passports and the contact persons and dummy bank accounts in each country. I guess Nikolai and Alexei
had it all figured out before.
I reckon our money in the banks have been frozen by the authorities including all the money deposits under my name. And if it was indeed not included in the seizure, it is wise not to touch a single dollar from those accounts just to be safe.
Besides, I have all the things that I need for the much-needed loyalty check in the Russian Mafia in this secret storage.
"I.V grab a bag of cash and take any guns that you need including that one." I said referring to the bazooka like thingy mounted on the wall. Papa collects these kinds of things. I'm sure he will love this one. "What's the plan Madame?" Asked Ivan.
"We will go hunting tonight." I replied. "Do you know of anyone in the Russian Mafia that might be a little too happy that Nikolai had been arrested?"
"I can think of a few." He answered with a puzzled look on his face.
"Good. Let's pay them a visit." I said as Vasily hands me a gun and then reminding me about the safety lock.
This is now the perfect time to know
some of the elders' true colors. If I am able to prove tonight that they are nothing but sleazy old men who wishes nothing but the worst for the Volkov family, I can give Nikolai a reason to take them down for disloyalty to the Mafia.
"Madame. We can't cover the northern and southern hemispheres at once. We will have our hands full in the city alone." Vasily said while slinging the guns in the holster of his jacket.
I understand that the Mafia's
territory is so vast that it's basically
impossible for us to finish tonight
but we actually did not have to travel
to the different territories at all. We have men at our disposal who
are
just a call away but for this plan to work, we need to be subtle The féwer people involved, the better. I just need to tap the right people without making a big fuss about it in order to not tip off the elders. And I think I know someone who can help me.
"It's okay. Just take me to Zora."
Tatyana: (Gets inside the SUV parked by the road across Zora) Madame Volkov, there's a secret meeting that is taking place tonight here. (Hands over a piece of paper to Belle)
Belle: (Reads the paper and hands it over to Vasily in the front passenger seat) You know where that is?
Vasily: Yes Madame.
Tatyana: The people you are looking for are going to attend that meeting. I see no other reason why they have to be in that meeting while the Boss and underboss- (chokes up) are unavailable.
Belle: Thank you Tatyana. Tell the girls that whoever comes after them because of this will answer to me. They are assured of protection as well as their family's safety.
Tatyana: Thank you again Madame Volkov. You can count on us again if you need us.
Belle: I wish that there will be no need for me to do that in the future but I will hold you to that offer.
Tatyana: (smiles coyly) Do you need anything else Madame?
Belle: Ivan, Vasily, give us a moment please.
Tatyana: (waits anxiously as I.V steps out of the SUV)
Belle: Do you know what qualities I love the most about my husbands Tatyana?
Tatyana: (looks at Belle nervously) Madame? I'm not sure what you mean-
Belle: (Interrupts) I can trust them with other women fully naked in front of them and they would still choose to come home to me every single time.
Tatyana: (Recalls what she did in front Nikolai in the study when she was still in the mansion)
Tatyana: I'm sorry-
Belle: No you are not. You're just sorry I found out. You tried to seduce my husband in my own home and when he did not bite the bait you ran out crying. Tell me I'm wrong so I can send you a copy of the security camera footage.
Tatyana: I don't know what you want from me now. I made a mistake.
Belle: Never ever cross me again or I will destroy you.
Tatyana: (Keeps silent)
Belle: Take the bag, take your money and give the girls their share. I'll call you when I need you. (Opens the window and signals Ivan and Vasily to get in.)
Ivan: Where to Madame?
Belle: Let's go crash a traitors' meeting.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐