Knocking on the door before entering, Vassi saw the university’s laboratory nearly empty save for one person.

“Rockford.” He gave the other man a curt nod, his fists clenched against his sides.

“Grachyov.” Max swung his stool to face the youngest Grachyov brother. “Misha’s inside his office if you’re looking for him.”

“Thanks.”

As he turned towards the opposite direction, he heard Max grate out behind him, “You don’t deserve her.”

Vassi stilled. Without looking back, he said flatly, “That’s probably the only thing we agree on.” When he entered Misha’s office, he saw his older brother on his feet, his back to the door.

“I know you heard everything.”

Turning away from the window, Misha murmured noncommittally, “So I did.”

“And you know who we’re talking about, of course. You’ve always known.”

Misha’s expression remained unreadable.

Vassi took a deep breath. “I’m in love with Seri.”

“Your sister.”

“My stepsister,” he said sharply.

“Semantics,” Misha dismissed coldly. “Have you paused to think what Papa would say about this?”

“Every day.” He smiled humorlessly. “I’ve been in love with her since I was fourteen, and not one fucking day has passed since then that I don’t think about what it would do to Papa and our family.”

“I see.” Misha carefully removed his glasses and took his time folding its temples before placing it on the desk. The air cracked with tension, and in the corner of his eye Misha caught sight of his younger brother growing more rigid with each second that passed.

Good. Once word came out about his relationship with Seri, what he was feeling now would just be the start. If Vassi couldn’t handle this small amount of pressure, then what he told Max was true. Vassi didn’t deserve to be with their sister, and Misha would be the first to prevent them from being together.

When a sufficient amount of time had passed, Misha finally looked up, and Vassi’s gaze met his straight on.

Good, he thought, but it wasn’t enough. He asked slowly, “If your feelings have existed for so long, why are you telling me about it now?”

Instead of answering, Vassi said abruptly, “When you learned about what Seri did and said that night – you never spoke of your feelings about it.”

“That’s true.”

Then, Vassi had thought it was because Misha was bottling everything up inside. But now he realized it wasn’t that at all, and the reason behind it was probably the same reason why Sergei hadn’t said a word either.

“Neither of you believed Seri had changed.” Even without Misha saying a word, Vassi knew he had it right. “Fuck.” Vassi raked a hand through his hair in frustration. “You weren’t even there,” he said rawly, “and yet you still trusted her. You and Sergei trusted her – while I didn’t.” He shook his head dully. “I don’t really deserve her at all, do I?”

Unable to remain aloof at the sight of Vassi’s anguish, Misha said quietly, “But you know the truth now, don’t you?” At Vassi’s nod, he pressed, “Because she told you?”

Vassi shook his head. “I figured it out on my own.”

“Then it’s still alright---”

“No. It’s not.” His voice turned bitter. “Because you deserved better from me. I should have figured it out sooner, should have known she was the kind to do something so damn stupid.” He inhaled. “And selfless.”

Misha shook his head. “You’re the one being stupid now.”

Vassi’s lips twisted. “I’m not even going to argue with that. If I had really loved her, I would have trusted her---”

“Vassi.” When his younger brother stopped speaking, Misha said evenly, “It was precisely because you loved her – and even I know your love for her surpasses us all – that blinded you that night. It wasn’t right. But it wasn’t unforgivably wrong either. It’s the same for Papa. Both of you carried too much guilt inside you that when something did happen to make your fears come true – the two of you practically welcomed it because then you could stop feeling terrified and guilty. Then, you could tell yourself that things had really been too good to be true.”

Misha’s voice turned gentle. “But it isn’t like that. Sometimes, life can be as good – or even better than you hoped.”

“I just can’t stop thinking I should have trusted her more,” Vassi said tightly. “Do you know, when I first saw Rockford’s text to Seri – my first instinct was to think the worst of her? And she doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t deserve me.”

“Then leave her,” Misha said calmly.

Vassi stiffened.

“Let her go back to Rockford. Time will help her forget about you eventually. Time will have her gradually develop feelings for Max, and with him, she will have the kind of peaceful life she’ll never have with you. Let her spend the rest of days with another man---”

“Never.”

Misha’s voice became just as savage. “Then make a goddamn choice.”

“I’ve already made my choice,” Vassi gritted back. “I’ve chosen to love her for the rest of my life even if she’s better off without it. I just don’t fucking know if I can be selfish enough to make her life worse by asking her to love me back---”

“Stop being so fucking selfless,” Misha roared.

“How can I,” Vassi bit out, “when every time something good’s about to happen between us, something also happens to tear us apart? It’s almost like the fucking fates think we’re better off leading separate lives---”

“Bullshit.” Stalking towards his brother, he snarled, “Can’t you see that’s what got you and Seri into this trouble in the first place? It doesn’t matter if you tear our family apart, doesn’t matter if it even destroys Papa. Because you don’t owe any of us, and you certainly don’t owe the world anything. But you do owe yourself to be happy, and you owe it to Seri to make her happy if she’s what you need.”

Ah.

Vassi stared unseeingly at the windows.

Could it really be that simple?

Could he really just be selfish in order to make Seri happy? In order to make both of them happy?

He said unevenly, “Then I’ll ask for it.”

Misha frowned. “Ask for what?”

He looked up to meet his brother’s eyes, and smiling crookedly, he said, “Your blessing. I want your blessing for me and Seri.”

“You’ll never have it.” Misha smiled. “But you don’t really need it to love Seri, do you?”

“No. I don’t.” After a moment, he said quietly, “Thank you, brat. I needed to hear that.”

Misha offered his hand to shake. “What are brothers for?”

Vassi was about to take it when Misha suddenly punched him in the face.

“What the hell, Misha?” He rubbed his jaw, wincing.

Misha gave him a feral smile. “You didn’t really think I’d just smile when you decided to make our baby sister as your girlfriend, did you?” He shook his head and heading to the door, he said over his shoulder, “I’m in need of a stiff drink right now. I have a need to drown my sorrows.”

Vassi followed his older brother outside, saying pragmatically, “It’s not that bad. Another man would’ve taken her away from home, but because she’s with me, you’ll still have Seri around.”

“Shut up. It’s depressing to think you’ll continue living under the same roof with my little dove.”

“Technically, she’s not your little dove---”

Not wanting to hear that particular piece of truth, Misha turned his back on his younger brother and called out to Max. “Want to join us for a drink? I’m sure you’re as depressed as I am.”

After a moment, Max said, “Sure. And you’re right. I did get some pretty depressing news.” Taking his lab coat off the chair, he said matter-of-factly, “Your sister has bad taste in men.”

Misha nodded. “I agree.”

“You two know you’re just being sore losers, aren’t you?” Vassi eyed Max’s lab coat with a curl of his upper lip. “And do you seriously need to wear that when we’re going out to drink?” He glanced at Misha, who also had his lab coat on. “I’m asking the same of you.”

“Why not?” Misha and Max asked seriously at the same time.

Vassi shook his head. Whatever. The two probably just liked having their photos go viral on the Internet.

The three of them headed to a nearby bar, and after ordering their drinks, Vassi took his phone out, hoping to see a message from Seri. But there was none.

He hesitated for a second before deciding to take the first step.

He sent a message to Sergei and Fyodor first, asking them to meet with him because he had something important to say. After, he sent a message to Daniela.

I already know your real name is Layla, and that you didn’t even have a stepbrother to begin with. If something did happen between us, and you do end up pregnant, I’ll need you to submit to DNA testing. Whatever it is you’re planning – it won’t work. It’s over.

Noticing the hard look on Vassi’s face, Misha asked, “Anything wrong?”

Knowing he had to come clean, he said grimly, “That’s an understatement.” And even with Max present, he gave Misha all the facts, not bothering to whitewash any part of it.

Misha cursed under his breath when he finished. “That woman is messed up.”

“Do you think you really did sleep with her?” Max asked.

He shook his head. “There’s a very low probability, but I can’t say for sure. If she had spiked my drink, I wouldn’t exactly have been able to perform. But if she did something else – I just don’t know. I keep thinking I should remember something if we had done it. But I don’t.”

“A paternity test is the only answer then,” Misha said.

“She’s probably schizophrenic,” Max warned after a moment. “There’s no telling what she’ll do once she reads your message.”

Vassi nodded. “I’m going to tell Seri everything tonight.”

---

In the comfort of her home, Daniela listened to Vassi’s conversation, his words coming loud and clear through the tiny bug that she had slipped in his wallet while he was asleep. The device had cost her thousands of dollars, but the price was worth it.

When she heard Maximilian Rockford referring to her as schizophrenic, she only laughed out loud. The term didn’t affect her at all because she knew it was true. What they didn’t know was that embracing her condition was liberating, allowing her to do things that normal stupid people wouldn’t have been able to accomplish.

She lied, she schemed, and she fucked to get things done.

These were simple things ordinary people would have found appalling, but for her it was a means to an end, and she was able to see it that way because she was what she was.

She continued to listen, microwaving herself some popcorn as she settled in for the night. At around ten in the evening, she heard Vassi receive a phone call.

Daniela increased the volume when the voice came to her slightly garbled.

Seri…Cedar Sinai…

The scrawny little bitch was in the hospital.

And Daniela realized she had the opening she needed.

Vassi thought he could discard her just like that, after all the years she had spent working to be his perfect match. She sent one video to Seri then sent another to certain members of the press, some of them owing her favors, the others the kind who could be paid to do just about anything.

This shall teach you not to fuck with me.