Were You The One Who Took Her Life?

"That's right, you want to get information out of him, right? Well, I want to do it," she said, crossing her arms.

"Are you sure?" Ivan asked.

Ania got up from the desk she was sitting on and walked towards them. "This was not how I imagined things to turn out, but I'm loving it." She stopped next to them. "I thought you were the innocent type, darling, but I guess I was wrong. Want me to teach you how to do it?" she said to Everly with a smirk.

"Ania," Ivan interjected. 

"What? I'm just trying to help," she retorted, rolling her eyes.

"How come you know how to torture people, Ania? What kind of family are you guys even?" Everly asked with a raised brow.

"What do you expect from the Smirnovs?" She answered as she checked out her nails. "I've seen Daddy do it a few times."

Everly continued to look at her. "I don't know if I should be creeped out or scared, but I guess this is what to expect from a multi-billionaire family," she remarked with a shrug. 

"See, she gets it," Ania chuckled.

Everly turned back to look at Dominik before walking closer to him as Sergei moved away, giving her space. She looked down at the bag before grabbing a medium-length knife from it.

"So are you going to answer my questions, or am I going to have to use this?" Everly demanded, glaring down at the man.

Dominik scoffed. "The worst that could happen is that you kill me, and death is not something I'm scared of!"

"Oh, I won't kill you; I'll just make sure you feel excruciating pain over and over again," Everly said with a threatening tone, positioning the knife at the back of Dominik's right hand, ready to stab it in.

"This is piercing right through your hands if you don't answer my questions!. Were you the one who killed my mother?" she asked once more.

"Do whatever you want, I'm not telling you anything," Dominik said in defiance.

Ania, who was standing behind Ivan, let out a soft chuckle. "She's not going to do it, she doesn't have the guts to-"

The sound of the blade piercing through the man's hand and blood splattering echoed through the room, interrupting Ania.

"Goodness gracious, she actually did it," she said with an amused tone while Ivan watched in silence.

Dominik screamed in pain as the blade penetrated his skin.

Everly pulled out the blade from his hand. "Are you going to talk now, or should I refresh your brain some more?" She asked with a low tone.

Dominik grunted, trying to catch his breath before speaking. "I told you, I'm not telling you- AAH!" he screamed as the blade pierced through his skin once more, his right hand soaked with his own blood

She pulled the blade out again. "How about now? Ready to speak?" she asked. Dominik cried in pain as Everly placed the blade on his left hand this time.

Ania leaned in next to Ivan and whispered, "And I thought I was crazy. She's the definition of crazy... How marvelous!" she chuckled. 

Ivan simply sighed and pushed her away gently as he continued to watch.

"Who killed my mother?" Everly asked, her eyes still fixed on Dominik. 

He stayed silent, his face contorted with pain. "Perhaps he's in too much pain to even talk," Ivan suggested.

"We'll see," Everly said, placing the blade on Dominik's finger. "Maybe I should cut this off. Since you're in so much pain, maybe you want more," she threatened, glaring at him.

Dominik's eyes widened in fear as he looked between Everly and the blade. With a shaky voice, he finally spoke. "Wait! I'll talk, I'll talk. Please, no more!" Tears filled his eyes as he begged for mercy. 

"If you'd just answered her, none of this would've happened. Acting tough and then breaking down. Pathetic," Ania remarked mockingly, eyeing him.

"Good, now talk! Did you kill my mother?!" Everly demanded, her voice intense. 

Ivan stepped closer, standing silently beside her as Ania and Sergei watched.

"I was the one who killed her..." Dominik admitted, his voice was weak. 

"So we'vebeenon a wild goose chase this whole time, huh?," Ivan commented, his hands in his pockets.

"Why did you kill her?!" Everly's voice shook with emotion, her anger was evident. 

"We were hired. I was just doing my job—what I was paid for," Dominik replied, looking at the floor.

"Who hired you?" Everly questioned further. "I don't know. I never saw her face, she just calls," Dominik confessed quietly.

"She?. So the culprit is a woman?" Ania stepped forward. "Do you know the number she calls from?" she asked, now facing Dominik.

Dominik slowly nodded. "No, I don't. Whenever she calls, it just says 'unknown'," he admitted. 

"If you're going to lie, at least make it believable! You were hired as what, a hitman or an assassins? Obviously, you wouldn't use your cellphone for that kind of business. If you were to ever get caught, she could be traced," Ivan interjected, stepping closer.

"My guess is you used a payphone or something. You must've memorized the number. So, spill it!" he demanded, his eyes piercing.

"No, I swear, I don't know her number!" Dominik protested, his voice shaking. 

"Everly, dear," Ania interrupted, reaching out her hand. "The blade, please?"

Everly handed it over to her without hesitation. 

"Wait, Ania. Let me handle this," Ivan requested, his tone gentle yet firm. 

"Oh? Oh, of course!" Ania said, setting down the knife. "I'm thirsty, Sergei, dear. Would you be a sweetheart and escort this damsel to get a drink?" she asked dramatically, leaning on Sergei's chest.

"But Miss Ania?" Sergei hesitated, seeking approval from Ivan.

"Don't worry, you may go with her," Ivan assured him.

Without a word, Sergei nodded and escorted Ania out of the room.

Ivan turned to look at the man. "Now where was I?"