Bound by lies Trapped by Desire novel Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Elena’s POV:

“But then why did he lie in court? He explicitly stated he’d been intoxicated because it was his father’s death anniversary.” I said, my voice tight.

“Well, lawyers tend to do such things, you know? They exploit every possible advantage they can get, every emotional loophole, every convenient narrative, regardless of the truth.” He said, his voice flat, devoid of judgment, merely stating a fact.

I pursed my lips, my mind reeling. This wasn’t what I had expected at all. I had anticipated Frankie Hudson, the driver, to be in cahoots with Dmitri, a willing accomplice in a heinous crime. I hadn’t expected him to also be a victim. The realization sent a fresh wave of nausea churning in my stomach.

“And this… this entire scheme… it was all Dmitri’s doing?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He was silent for a second. Then, he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle, “Do you feel upset, Elena? About him being… like this?”

I let out a breathy, sardonic laugh. “Should I be happy? That my ex–fiancé is a psychopathic murderer? Two innocent people died, and that’s just now! What about what happened eight years ago with Liberty Romano? How many lives has he destroyed?” I said, the words tumbling out.

“Well, technically speaking, Elena, what happened eight years ago was largely orchestrated by his father. But it is true that Dmitri ultimately ended up shooting Liberty’s father.” He said, his tone still maddeningly calm, as if that explanation was somehow supposed to make things any better.

“So?” Lretorted. “This time… his father doesn’t know anything? He’s not involved in Mielle’s death?” I asked.

He scoffed. “Highly unlikely that he knows nothing. However, he definitely isn’t actively participating in this particular cover–up. Think of it as him training his son. Eight years ago, he showed him the ropes, and initiated him into the family’s… methods. Now, Dmitri is simply fr his father’s example, applying the lessons he learned.”

“I just don’t… I don’t understand how he could do such a thing,” I whispered, my voice thick with disbelief. “It’s not like Mielle ever intended to harm him or take money from him. She just wanted to get her own life back, to make a choice about her own body and future.” The sheer senselessness of it was staggering.

“And that’s precisely why we’re here now, Elena. Because he took the life of a young girl with a bright future and dreams, as well as a father with a family to feed, a life that was just as valuable as anyone else’s.” His voice was low.

I pursed my lips. “I don’t plan on letting him get away unscathed.” I murmured.

We spent the next hour going over the evidence. With each new discovery, each document, each chilling detail, I realized just how deep the Morozov family’s clutches went, how far their influence extended.

The fact that Sergei could so easily acquire so much incriminating evidence, bypassing official channels and corrupt systems, was a miracle in itself, or perhaps, a testament to his terrifying power.

“But… this is all incredibly compelling. The police, though… wouldn’t they be suspicious about how I, a civilian, managed to get all this evidence?” I asked.

Sergei shrugged. “There are many ways to go about this, Elena. You could simply email this entire file, anonymously, to the right person within the police department, and then call it a day. Everything after that can be dealt with easily enough by my people, ensuring the evidence finds its way to the proper channels without directly implicating you.” He said, his gaze fixed on me, watching my reaction.

“I wouldn’t be involved?” I asked, a flicker of surprise. Wasn’t that just too good to be true? To see justice served without putting myself or my

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Chapter 142

family at further risk? I wouldn’t even need to tell mom about this then. About me coming here….meeting him…

Sergei nodded. “Yes, Elena. That would be for the best. It would keep you safe, and it would ensure the evidence is handled discreetly

But then a fresh wave of suspicion washed over me. “The Vetrovs are incredibly powerful… there’s no way that even with all this evidence, they can somehow get away with it, right?” I asked, my voice tinged with doubt. Sergei quirked a brow, a hint of a challenging smile playing on his lips.

“They might have money, Elena, but they aren’t superheroes. And their influence, white vast, is not absolute. Like I said, I have a friend in the police department, someone who is incorruptible, someone who owes me a very significant favor. As long as we keep this…” He motioned to the thick file on the table, its contents now representing a ticking time bomb for the Vetrovs, “…away from the police officers who are already bought and paid for by the Vetrovs, we can easily ensure Dmitri receives a decade or two’s sentence for his crimes. Perhaps even more, depending on how the judge feels about his past record.”

“A… a decade or two’s sentence? For murdering two people?” I questioned, the words feeling inadequate for the enormity of his crimes. It seemed too light, too lenient for taking two lives.

“Dochenka, if you want him to be hanged to death, then just say the word. I assure you, it can be arranged.” His voice was calm, chillingly so. “Personally, however… wouldn’t you agree that letting him spend the

this miserable life in prison, suffering for his crimes daily,

knowing he’s lost everything, would be a far more agonizing punishment than simply giving him eternal rest?” He questioned, his eyes gleaming.

1 bit my lips, the bitter taste of his words filling my mouth. He had a point, a terrifyingly logical one.

So, this was it then. This was his plan. What even was the need for me to know all of this, if everything that was being done was ultimately orchestrated by him? I was basically just riding his coattails.

“Or… do you want to be personally present, Elena? To see justice served with your own eyes? The reason I prefer the former, the anonymous route, is because it will keep you safe, Elena. It will keep you out of the crosshairs of the Vetrovs, who will undoubtedly retaliate once this information becomes public.” He said, his voice laced with a genuine concern.

I knew that. I knew that was truly for the best. If the court trial really lasted months, as such high–profile cases often did, my pregnanc start showing, making me even more vulnerable. Not to mention, if the Vetrovs knew it was all me, that I was the one who had brough down, then the people around me, my mother especially, would be in grave danger.

That’s when a sudden, sickening realization hit me. Shit. It had been almost two hours since I had talked to her, hadn’t it? It would take me even more time to get back home, and I hadn’t checked my phone in ages.

I pulled out my phone, my stomach dropping as I saw the sheer number of missed calls and unread messages. A few from my mother. And twenty–six from Fiona. Twenty–six.

I looked at Sergei, my face paling. “Give me a minute,” I said, getting up abruptly from the sofa, the file still resting on the table, its contents now feeling like a ticking time bomb. I walked out of the office, my mind racing a fresh wave of panic washing over me.

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