“Do you may have a reputation?”

“Sir, please.”

She lifts her eyes to mine and whispers, “I’ve been right here with a number of friends and the ladies don’t get the prospect to talk. You know the way it really works. I’m sorry however I can’t let you know a reputation. It’s the assure of my silence that will get me a lot work. It’s written in each contract I signal and can end in my prosecution if I give any particulars of what I hear.”

“I don’t give a fuck about your contracts. They imply shit to me. You’ll speak, or you’ll by no means depart this island and that’s a promise. So, this lady. Would you recognise her?”

She nods. “I believe so.”

I attain inside my jacket pocket and take away the printout of the {photograph} I discovered in my father’s papers.

“Is that this her?”

She friends on the {photograph} and squints just a little.

“It’s the identical face, however her hair shade is completely different.”

“Age?”

“She is older now. Maybe it’s been just a few years since this {photograph} was taken.”

My instinct was proper I knew this lady meant one thing to my father. He wouldn’t carry her {photograph} if she wasn’t vital to him and he will need to have been seeing her for years if she has aged since this {photograph} was taken.

Candice seems considerate after which glances across the room as if checking we’re alone and whispers, “I got here right here final 12 months with Carter Lamont. He met your father on the welcome drinks, and he or she was with him then. He appeared to know her too as a result of they greeted each other like outdated mates. I wasn’t launched however they spoke about folks I didn’t find out about.”

I make a psychological observe to research this man earlier than I inform my brothers of my suspicions.

I do know we don’t have lengthy and I solely have one query left.

“Why are you afraid of me?”

“Due to your status.”

“From?”

I repair her with a tough glare and he or she shrugs. “I heard just a few whispers that Andrei’s sons have been highly effective males however the one to concern was Mikhail. That if he crossed your path, it spelled hazard and if you selected me, I knew out of your expression that you just weren’t right here to occasion.”

“I’m not.”

I stand and flick a derisory look in her route.

“I’m right here to seek out out who my father was seeing whereas his spouse waited at residence.”

She shakes her head. “The lads who come right here wouldn’t dare deliver their wives. They suppose an excessive amount of of them to place them by means of this ordeal. If something, it exhibits how a lot they love them. How a lot he cherished your mother.”

I respect her try to make me really feel higher but when something, our dialog has solely exacerbated my mood.

Realizing my father got here right here many instances with the identical lady wasn’t finished out of affection for my mom. It tells me he had one other aspect to him I’ve suspected for a while, and he lived a life outdoors the household residence that was fully reverse to the household man with morals he portrayed.

I flip to Candice and say with a grim expression.

“I’ve a proposal for you.”

She says nothing and I drop down earlier than her and stare at her arduous and whisper darkly, “Your life to your silence.”

I watch resignation flip to concern in a nanosecond as she nods vigorously.

“I gained’t say a factor. You possibly can belief me.”

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