Mikhail
THREE MONTHS LATER
"Are you sure you want to do this?" I ask Maria. Though it had nothing to do with me, I feel responsible. It was my Bratva that murdered Maria's mother. Men that my father trusted.
"Yes," she replies, staring straight ahead. "I have to have closure."
We've traveled to the area where Aria was killed behind a safe house. Zakhar leads the way, searching for the spot. The tall maple trees surround the isolated house with boarded-up windows. Behind it, a faint path winds its way deeper into the woods, and overgrown bushes make it a challenge not to get lost. Eventually, the path leads to a small clearing containing a rotting tree stump.
There's an eerie silence hanging over the area, as if nature was holding its breath. I take a deep breath in and stare at the ta
