THE SINISTER BARGAIN

Chapter Four

Cassandra kept on swirling the wine in her glass, watching the red liquid stain the glass in a repeated pattern. She kept silent for a while knowing that the anticipation would make him more hungry.

“You won’t believe who just walked right into my little trap,” she finally said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

“You won't believe who walked right into our plan” she finally spoke, her voice filled with satisfaction.

“Tell me.” he said now sounding a little excited, but she could perceive the curiosity exuding from him.

She rested in the railing, looking into the villa filled with lights. “Amber Sinclair”

A brief halt. Then a gentle laugh rang through the phone. “Now, isn't that interesting?”

“And, it gets better.” She took another sip of the wine. “She’s with the Big fish. Viktor Morales just got her as a new pet.”

Now that caught his attention.

“Viktor and Amber?” he asked. “Now, that’s something I didn't see coming.”

Cassandra smiled. “I didn't either. But it's real, and you know what that means—Viktor how has a weakness.

There was another moment of silence, then a dark chuckle. “Oh, my dear, Cassie. You just made my night.”

She turned her head, her smile widening. “Oh, honey, I plan to make your whole life.”

—--

Miles away from Cassandra's evil schemes, the darkness had intensified over Manhattan. In a black, sleek Maybach, Amber sat overly conscious in the backseat. Her mind was replaying the events of the day—the signing of a contract she didn't have enough time to think about, Viktor's cold countenance, The awkward moment with Liam, and the squabble between her and Cassandra at the Sinclair Villa.

Viktor, sitting bedside her on the other side of the back seat, maintaining his uninterested finesse. His blue eyes stared occasionally at Amber as he turned to take a look every other second. A gentle reminder that she was now his.

After several awkward minutes of silence, Amber managed to make words form in her mouth. “May I ask you something Viktor?”

He gazed at her briefly. “Yes?”

Her voice flickered as she continued, “You kept on calling this place ‘home.’ What does it mean to you?

Their eyes met briefly, causing Amber a kind of discomfort. Viktor turned to face the darkness ahead. “Home is where I have control. It's not about comfort or warmth—it’s where my word is final.”

Amber could hear her own heart beat. “So this is the life you want me to accept, this home where it's nothing more than a power tussle for you?”

He paused before he answered. “You’re a part of this now, Miss Sinclair. You'll learn sooner than later that power is the currency here.”

The car rode along, passing tall buildings and skyscrapers until it reached a quieter part of the city outskirts. The silhouette of a towering mansion surfaced from a distance—an architectural wonder of marbles and glass, showcasing a mix of modern elegance and olden grandeur. Mighty Platinum plated gates swung open eerily as the car approached.

“This is home,” Viktor said calmly, his words reinforcing the fact that it was now a reality—She was now in his den.

Aurelio, who was quiet the entire ride stepped forward and opened Amber's door. She paused, looking at the mansion in front of her. The building stood like a fortress—beautiful, elegant yet intimidating.

Without saying a word, Viktor walked toward the entrance. A butler in a uniform greeted him with a bow as he reached the door.

Viktor nodded sharply. Then, turned to Amber with a commanding tone, he said, “Miss Sinclair, come with me. The head butler will take you to your room.”

Amber managed to sheepishly nod, I mean, it's not like she came from a poor home. She had everything growing up, attended the best schools and could afford everything she wanted but it wasn't like this. This was wealth unfathomable. The interior featured silver and black colored marble floors, art works adorning the walls and jazz playing in the background. As beautiful as this was, there was an unsettling feeling—this mansion was built to impress.

Down a long corridor that felt like it hadn't been passed by by anyone in ages, Matteo the butler led Amber past beautiful sitting areas, adorned with antiques and modern furniture lighted with dim lights. They reached a big wooden door with a silver plaque that read “Visitor’s Suite”. With a gentle push, Matteo opened the door and gestured her in.

“This will be your room ma”. He said respectfully. “Please make yourself comfortable and ring the phone on the table if you have any questions.”

Amber walked into the suite and was immediately stunned by its elegance. The bedroom was wide, having a king-sized bed covered with white linen, a working desk, and a long window which showed the view of the entire villa. Everything spoke with excellence and painful precision. It was luxurious but it didn't feel like home.

“This is beautiful,” she whispered, though her voice shook with uncertainty. She walked a little further, exploring what would be her prison for the next two years.

“I hope you will find everything to your liking ,” Matteo said after letting Amber enjoy her moment of awe.

Amber nodded briefly, then the butler left, letting her be with just her thoughts. The heavy wooden door closed with a soft click, trapping her in her prison.

Amber sat slowly at the edge of the bed, and her mind began to spiral. “What next?” She thought out loud. “What would he have me do?

While she was deep in thought, her phone buzzed on the table where she left it a while ago. With a trembling hand, she picked it up and a message from her dad read: “Don’t trust anyone Amber, Viktor's world is more dangerous than it seems”

Her pulse quickened as she looked at her phone, every liquid in her mouth suddenly dried up.

Unable to shake the feeling away, she began to pace around the room, staring at the tiled floor, her eyes suddenly noticing the black patterns that drew across the silver colored marbles.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, she was hesitant before she picked: an unknown number. “Hello?” she said shakily.

A calm yet chilling voice spoke from the other end, “Miss Sinclair, I need you to listen carefully. There are people working to crumble Viktor Morales’ empire and they're set in motion. You just walked into their game. You just have to be prepared for what'll come next.

A pause

Amber lost her breath . “Who is speaking? How did you get my contact?”

There was an eerie silence that lasted long, “I can't tell you everything over the phone Miss Sinclair, all I can say is that your survival tonight depends on your next move. Trust no one Amber”

Before she could say another word, the call ended, leaving her with her mouth slightly opened. “Wh.what do yo..”

As she spoke, her doors clicked open, Viktor's authoritative voice rang through the room. “I trust everything is to your liking?”

Her heart almost jumped out of its place as she turned to the door, dropping her phone from her ears to the table. Viktor walked into the room with conscious, calculated steps, his face having a mix of strictness and something unknown—an emotion she hadn't seen the whole day.

“This is your haven Miss Sinclair” he said, edging closer to her. “Remember, our agreement forbids you from letting anyone know the truth about our partnership”.

She looked up to him, staring into his deep blue eyes which were just as cold as he is. “And what if I need something?” She asked, her voice low but loud enough for him to hear.

Amber's breath caught as Viktor drew closer, his big body casting a shade over her. The air between them became cramped, filled with something neither of them would want to acknowledge. He rested his gaze on her, his eyes taking a glimpse of her lips before looking back into her eyes.

She was hypnotized.

Then—

A sharp buzzing broke the silence.

Amber fidgeted as the sound sliced through the tension like a knife.

They both turned towards the table beside them.

Viktor's eyes darkened as he saw the words flashing across the screen.

“Unknown Number”

Amber gulped, her throat suddenly dry.

“Are you expecting someone Miss Sinclair?” he asked.