SEEDS OF SUSPICION

Cleo's POV

“Cleopatra,” Russo said, his voice cold and measured. “The sooner you accept the reality of your situation, the better it will be for both of us. Remember, you’re here to pay the huge debt of your late father.”

His words struck me like a physical blow, leaving me momentarily breathless. The reminder of the man who had always been my protector, my guide felt like a knife twisting in my chest. How could Russo speak of him so callously, reducing his memory to nothing more than a financial transaction? My father was gone, and now Russo was using his death as a weapon against me.

For a moment, I could do nothing but stare at Russo, the anger and pain swirling inside me like a storm. The weariness that had settled into my bones since the accident seemed to deepen, dragging me down into a dark pit of despair. I wanted to scream, to lash out, to make him feel even a fraction of the pain I was feeling, but I knew it wouldn’t matter. He wouldn’t care.

Russo’s eyes flickered as he to