CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

ALEXEI

I sat in my office, the weight of the revelation about Ivan heavy on my shoulders. How could someone I considered a brother, a trusted member of our tight-knit circle, turn out to be a mole?

I needed someone to confide in, someone whose judgment I trusted implicitly. Yaz was that person.

I took a moment to collect my thoughts, the weight of this newfound knowledge pressing heavily on me. How had I missed the signs? How deep did Ivan's betrayal run? These questions circled in my mind as I dialed Yaz's number and asked him to come to my office.

Yaz entered, a quizzical look on his face. "What's going on, Alexei? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yaz, we've got a problem," I began as he entered my office, concern etched on his face.

"What's going on, Alexei?" Yaz asked, taking a seat across from me.

"Ivan," I uttered his name, my voice carrying the disbelief I still felt. "He's the mole."

Yaz's e