Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love-Chapter 307: A Pawn

Her heart skipped. "What? No, I—"

"I told you to make sure he didn't talk," Igor cut her off. "You said it was done."

"I thought he was dead," Katherine stammered, her throat tightening. "The man I sent, he said the shot was clean."

"You trusted someone else to finish what I told you to do personally?" Igor's voice hardened and the initial warmth was gone. "You disappoint me, Katherine."

Her eyes filled with tears as her voice trembled. "Please don't say that. I have done everything you asked, everything." She looked around before saying in a relatively lower voice, "I am risking my life for you here."

If anyone, especially Samuel, were to find out that all this time she was working for Igor and spying on them for him, she could get killed on the spot.

He laughed softly but cruelly. "You are risking your life for me because you want me. Don't confuse love with loyalty, sweetheart."

"I do love you," she whispered with desperation coating every word. "You know I do."

In fact, she had been in love with him since she was thirteen.

It had started with a small crush when she saw him the first time. It was the day Igor had mercilessly killed her former boss.

After taking over the leadership of the gang, Igor handpicked a few of the members to join his troop and Katherine was one of them.

But things started escalating very quickly between them when he started showing a keen interest in Katherine. And her small crush turned into something much more deeper and physical.

When Igor offered to take her home as his adoptive sister claiming that it would help them stay close all the time, Katherine agreed immediately. She was willing to do anything to stay close with him.

And after she moved in, she did everything he asked her to. From playing the role of a loving sister to starting a romantic relationship with Joshua to avoid suspicion, she did everything.

In return, all she asked for was his time and endless love.

"I know," he said simply. "That is why you will fix this for me."

Katherine swallowed hard. "What do you want me to do?"

"Find out who is guarding Joshua. I want names, schedules, weak spots and Samuel—" he paused, "Keep him close."

Her fingers tightened around the phone. "Samuel trusts me completely. He doesn't suspect a thing."

"Good," Igor drawled. "Then keep it that way. And Katherine—"

"Yes?"

There was a pause and then his voice softened to that dangerous and intoxicating whisper that made her heart stutter. "When this is over, maybe I will let you come back to me."

Her breath hitched as her chest ached with longing. "You promise?"

"I never make promises," he said and the line went dead.

Katherine sat there for a long moment until the silence in the room felt suffocating. Her hand dropped into her lap and the phone slipped from her fingers.

A shaky laugh escaped her lips as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

Even when he hurt her, even when he used her, she couldn't stop wanting him.

Because Igor Petrov wasn't just the man she loved—he was her addiction.

And she would do anything to keep his attention.

Even if it meant betraying everyone else.

…..

[Igor's Private Estate — Moscow, Russia]

The call ended and the faint static faded into silence.

Igor Petrov leaned back in his leather chair with a thin smile curling his lips.

He set his phone down on the desk beside a half-finished glass of vodka with his gaze fixed on the map spread before him.

Pins and red strings connected cities, routes and names. It was a web that stretched across continents where every line, every mark represented a step in a plan that had been years in the making.

"Katherine," he muttered to himself with a soft derisive chuckle. "So eager to please and so desperate to be loved."

He reached for his lighter, flicking it open and closed in a lazy rhythm. "She thinks she is in control," he said quietly. "She thinks I will come back to her when this is over."

He smirked, shaking his head. "Poor, stupid girl."

From the shadows, a man stepped forward. He was tall, broad-shouldered and dressed in a dark suit. "Sir—" he said with a small bow. "The surveillance team confirmed that Joshua left his apartment after being shot."

Igor's expression didn't change. "Of course he did." He threw his head back and chuckled.

There was a reason why Joshua a.k.a Snoopy was his right hand man. He knew exactly what that man was capable of and this is why letting him live wasn't a choice.

"What about my brother?" Igor asked, curious.

"There is no activity from his side."

Igor slowly took a sip of his drink and smiled, "Samuel always was predictable, righteous, naive and desperate to prove he isn't like me. He is bound to make a mistake soon."

The man hesitated before speaking again. "Do you think he suspects her?"

"Not yet," Igor replied calmly, pouring himself another drink. "But he will soon. He is too cautious to ignore the signs. And even if he misses it—" His eyes gleamed as he swirled the vodka in his glass. "The Volkovs won't. They are too clever to fall for this trick."

"What about Katheirne then? Should we pull her back?" the man asked, obviously concerned.

"No, she stays till the very end." Igor took a slow sip "Love is a useful weapon, Mikhail. The girl loves me enough to burn the world if I asked her to. That makes her dangerous, not to me but to everyone foolish enough to believe her." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Mikhail shifted uncomfortably. "And what happens when she outlives her use?"

Igor smirked, setting his glass down. "Then she will join the others who thought they were indispensable."

He rose from his chair and walked toward the window, watching the snowfall outside. "Everything is moving exactly as I planned except for my brother betraying me for those Volkov bastards."

Even though he always knew Samuel was different and was against all the principles Igor lived on, he hadn't expected him to join hands with the enemies to take him down.

It was the kind of betrayal that burned his heart and something he would never forget.

"When this is done and I have taken everything they hold dear—" He turned and his eyes gleamed with cold triumph. "They will finally learn that crossing Igor Petrov was the last mistake they ever made."

He picked up his phone again and opened a file. It was an intercepted report from one of his inside men within the Volkov network.

Andrew Collins.

Rachael Collins.

Owen Volkov

Daniel Volkov

A slow, sinister smile curved his lips as his thumb hovered over Andrew's name. "And soon—" he whispered, "I will remind them all who the real king is."

Behind him, Mikhail spoke quietly. "And Katherine?"

Igor's smirk widened. "Keep her close. Feed her just enough attention to keep her loyal. The last thing I need right now is her realizing she is just another pawn."

He looked down at his reflection in the window.

"Every piece on this board—" Igor murmured, "Is exactly where I want it."

….