Enigmatic | ✓

03

YOU ALL will be staying here while you're in Russia." Konstantin Volkov personally insisted on giving them a tour of the mansion and its extravagance. The mansion he was giving them a tour of was his second one; his first mansion was a couple of city blocks over. However, as far as Blisse could tell he probably owned the city he lived in. There were few houses and the street was quiet. Luxurious cars parked on the sides of the street, barely anyone home. It was either his city for him and his team or he lived in a quiet neighborhood for the wealthy.

"I don't live in this mansion. It was only used as a backup in case something happened, however, it is now yours for the remainder of your stay." Konstantin wandered off into one of the large rooms next to the living room.

Inside was a wide, black table. Nine chairs on the lengths and one chair each at the head and the tail. A smaller table stood in the far right corner of the room. Placed on top of it was a coffee machine, several white plastic cups, splendor, and sugar packets. Next to the table on the floor was a black safe. It appeared to have been recently opened.

Konstantin ushered them to the chairs and sat at the head of the table. Blisse sat at the tail with Faron on her right and Jacinto on her left. The rest of the group filled the empty seats.

"I've heard many stories of the top mafia in Brazil," Konstantin started. He stirred his coffee that one of the butlers gave him. His eyes unwavering from Blisse's own as he took a sip. "Many successes, might I say. It seems-"

"Get to the point," Blisse interrupted. "I'm not here for a small introduction before the point of this meeting. We would be here for hours without end."

"Ah, sorry. Anyway, I wish to form a partnership with you. We could both gain something from this. That's only if you accept."

Faron leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest. "What do you need."

"I took over my father's corporations about two years ago, but have recently attracted a couple of enemies: old and new. However, it wasn't as big as a problem until a couple of days ago." He stood up from his chair and motioned for Dimitri, who had come into the room earlier, to show the group a picture on the digital whiteboard behind Blisse.

In the picture, a dark figure was crouched beside a large, broken window. It was a man. He wore all dark clothing and held a crowbar in his right hand while his left hand held a navy blue folder. He appeared to be attempting to run away from the scene, but clearly, he left something behind, which explains the position his head and the rest of his body was in. The next several pictures showed him again but in a clearer view. They had a face, and Blisse knew exactly who it was.

Ciro.

Dimitri turned off the whiteboard as Konstantin sat down. "My men were able to stop him before he ran with the documents. Several days after, more men came to the same building looking for the folder. It holds all my key assets and documentation for my estates, ownership of my buildings, among other things. I've had many men attempt to lure me into their advances to take it from me."

"What's so valuable about that?" Jacinto asked.

"If taken, the person would have all access to my estates and corporations. They could easily frame me for murder. Sell my reputation and stocks to the black market. They could turn me into public enemy number one."

What's so wrong with that?

Blisse leaned forward in her chair and rested her arms on the top, mesmerizing the Russian billionaire with her eyes. "So, you want us to form a partnership with you to get rid of your enemies."