The Romanov Diadem: Oblast Dmitrovka

8. Davidoff's Trap

Davidoff asked as he put down his cutlery. He looked at Galana as he raised one eyebrow. 

"What do you think, Galana? Isn't that just a flower?"

'Huh?! What?! Just a flower?! But did you know that every flower has its own meaning?!'

Viktor looked at the red rose in Feliks' hand. Do you know the meaning of a red rose? That's right! Red roses symbolize love and affection. Unlike the other colors of roses. 

"Take that bouquet away from here!"

Viktor had made a decision that surprised many. Feliks looked at his master to await further instructions. Not long after, Feliks nodded after Maksim snapped his fingers.

"Viktor, don't be stubborn!"

Again, Davidoff reprimanded Viktor harshly. Likewise, Galana was just as upset as her husband. 

"How many times do I have to tell you, Viktor! It's just a bouquet of flowers."

"Sorry, Ma. I stand my ground."

True to his nature, Viktor was stubborn. And, he always stood his ground.

"Oh, it's okay, Pa, Ma. Every flower has its own meaning. But you don't have to worry, Ma! Because I still have some other gifts for Zoya."

After Maksim finished his words, Feliks bowed and left.

Viktor glanced at Maksim with a bitter smile. 

'Damn! What kind of plan does Maksim have this time?!'

Viktor was starting to get prejudiced against Maksim. Because by giving all kinds of gifts, of course there was a hidden meaning behind it all.

"I'm giving all this as gratitude for Zoya's recovery. That's all."

Silence. No one opened their mouths to respond to Maksim's words.

Viktor saw Xandrova's face turn red. 'What are you thinking about, Zoya? Do you want those gifts? As for me... I feel like my pride has been trampled on by him.'

Viktor sighed deeply when he saw Feliks coming with several gift boxes in his hands. Feliks didn't come alone, but with two strange men dressed in the same clothes. Feliks and the two men looked overwhelmed with all the boxes.

"I've brought them all, Sir."

Davidoff and Galana couldn't look away from the abundance of gifts carried by Maksim and the other two men.

"Put all those boxes on the table!"

Feliks placed the gifts on the long table as Maksim directed.

"Huh?!"

Xandrova squealed in surprise. Meanwhile, her treasure-loving parents stared at the pile of presents with eager eyes.

There were at least a dozen gift boxes of various colors and sizes. Some of them were the same size. But is there one that is the most valuable?

Viktor thought hard again. His heart told him that there was something unusual about the many gifts Maksim had given him.

"Oh my!"

Davidoff was hysterical, breaking Viktor's reverie.

"Your voice is like lightning in the rain, David. Don't know, do you?"

Galana reprimanded Davidoff, who seemed to be panicking and thinking.

"I lost my smartphone, Galana. Did I leave it with you?"

Davidoff fumbled with both pockets of his pants in turn, then the man also fumbled with the pockets of his summer clothes.

"No, David. Did you leave it in the room?"

Galana's panicked face was clear in Viktor's eyes.

"Oh, my God! You're right, Galana. I left it on the nightstand, right next to the bed."

Davidoff finally remembers where he put his smartphone.

"I'd love to capture the moment tonight, but why did I leave my smartphone behind?! Okay. I'll go get it."

Just as Davidoff was about to stand up, Galana suddenly held him back.

"Viktor, can you go get it?"

Hearing her mother-in-law's order made Viktor and Xandrova look at each other.

"Viktor, what about this? Are you gonna go get it?"

Viktor shrugged his shoulders. He was worried about Xandrova and had no intention of leaving her.

"Viktor?"

Galana repeated. Maksim, meanwhile, only looked at the two with a sardonic look.

"Okay. I'll take it."

Viktor agreed to Galana's request. And soon after, Galana handed Viktor her cardlock.

"Bring it!"

Galana smiled as she gave Viktor a sharp look. The woman raised one eyebrow and nodded her head as she spoke to Viktor.

'I felt that Mama's expression was suspicious. Was this a trap? Hopefully, I was wrong.'

Viktor grabbed the cardlock as he said to himself.

"Take care, Viktor!"

Don't know why Xandrova said that. This was the first time Xandrova had ever worried about her husband.

"Don't say that to me, Zoya. Instead, say it to yourself!"

Viktor gently rubbed the top of Xandrova's head.

"I'll be back soon."

Xandrova nodded. She trusted Viktor's word because the man who married her never broke his word.

Viktor stood up and began walking around the table where he and Konstantin's family were having dinner. He looked at Maksim for a moment. But eventually he walked away.

***

Viktor tapped the cardlock in his hand against the sensor in the elevator of the Four Seasons Hotel. No sooner had the doors closed than he reached for his smartphone to see the notification.

"Ah! Shit! No signal at all!"

Fortunately, Viktor was alone in the elevator so he was free to shout at will. Every now and then Viktor would stare at the numbers on the elevator. After the number 7 appeared, the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

"Sorry."

Still clutching his smartphone, Viktor rushed out of there in such a hurry that he accidentally nudged the arm of a woman walking in front of him.

'I almost dropped my smartphone!' Viktor exclaimed to himself.

"It's okay."

'Oh my! Wasn't she the woman from the Neva riverbank who was talking to Papa this afternoon?'

Viktor recognized her face. He spoke in his heart with a smile.

"Once again, I apologize, Miss. Excuse me."

Realizing the urgency of the situation, Viktor didn't want to waste his time on the woman. He hurriedly ran to reach his destination quickly.

"Right now is not the right time to investigate that woman. Because my first priority is Zoya."

Viktor arrived in front of his in-laws' room. He placed the cardlock where it should be. Viktor immediately pushed the door when the sensor light turned green and beeped.

"I have to hurry."

Without further delay, Viktor walked towards the nightstand, where Davidoff had placed the smartphone. Viktor's eyes lit up.

"Where is it?"

It was empty. There was nothing on the nightstand. Then, Viktor quickly opened one drawer after another.

"There's nothing in any of the drawers."

Viktor was confused. He quickly went to the sofa where his father-in-law often sat.

"Nothing here either!"

Viktor walks towards the dressing table. His sharp eyes scrutinized every single thing on it.

Viktor's concentration was broken when his smartphone vibrated. He quickly taps his right thumb on the screen and opens the notification.

"Zoya?"