Jasmine dashed towards the entrance of the fortress. In her mind, she replayed Ziyaisko's whispers and the two secret weapons in her hands—Alia's Golden Card and Ziyaisko's note.
After passing the security checks, Jasmine entered the inner corridor of the apartment directly. There, she ran into Elena, their personal maid. Elena was young, but fiercely loyal to Dmitry. Seeing Jasmine's mud-splattered condition, Elena became worried.
Elena quickly approached Jasmine and asked, "Madam, are you alright? Your dress... what happened?"
Jasmine paid no heed to her question. Her mind was fixed on her husband—had Dmitry noticed her absence? Or was he still busy with his games at the office?
Jasmine stopped Elena and asked a direct, critical question, the answer to which was essential for her next move.
"Is your boss coming?" she asked the maid.
Jasmine's question was ambiguous. By 'boss,' she meant Dmitry, but the purpose of the question was to gauge Elena's reaction and find out Dmitry's movements.
Elena hesitated. Mafia bosses' movements were usually kept secret. But Jasmine was the Madam of the house now.
Elena quickly shook her head and replied, "No, Madam. Boss called. He will be late. Probably very late tonight."
This information was a relief to Jasmine. She now had sufficient time—enough to decode the Golden Card and read Ziyaisko's note before Dmitry returned.
Jasmine instructed Elena to prepare a change of clothes and swiftly went to her private bedroom. Her muddy clothes were no longer an obstacle, but her internal tension was intense. The news of Dmitry's absence brought her relief. She had valuable time now. She told Elena to arrange the clothes and hurried to her master bedroom.
She first removed her muddy attire and changed into a comfortable but stylish loungewear. Her mind was focused on the two secret messages.
After changing her dress, Jasmine went to a comfortable swing chair in a corner of the room. This spot was safe for her, as it was a corner where anyone entering the room would be easily visible.
She sat down on the swing chair.
She pulled out the folded note from Ziyaisko. Unlike Alia's serious Golden Card, this was personal, and perhaps more dangerous. Jasmine's spy mind warned her that the slightest weakness could be a massive mistake in this game. Still, Ziyaisko's message piqued her curiosity.
She carefully unfolded the paper. It was expensive card-stock, bearing a simple message that seemed quite unsuited for an arrogant mafia boss like Ziyaisko.
She read the page.
The letter read:
Jessie,
I will wait for you. If you want to escape—just use this code: 777-VOLGA-ESCAPE
This is my private network. Neither Dmitry nor Viktor will know.
— Your Ziyaisko
A wry smile appeared on Jasmine's lips after reading the letter. Ziyaisko was truly simple and, at the same time, insane. He believed a small note could whisk Jasmine away from his brother. However, Jasmine realized this code could be an important contingency plan.
She now had Ziyaisko's personal communication code. But Alia's Golden Card held more power. Jasmine gently folded Ziyaisko's note. A playful smile was on her lips. Ziyaisko might have thought this code would save her from Dmitry, but to Jasmine, it was now a crucial diplomatic weapon.
Jasmine took out her personal, untraceable spy phone. It was a special encrypted device that could only connect to secret networks. Ziyaisko's "private network" likely worked on such an encrypted channel.
Jasmine quickly opened the secret communication application.
Code Entry: Jasmine carefully entered the code: 777-VOLGA-ESCAPE. In an instant, the network turned green—connection established.
Message Creation: Without preamble, Jasmine quickly composed a brief, cold, and strategic message.
Jasmine typed:
"Code received. Do not hover around the fortress until my work here is complete. I am not to be disturbed at this moment. I will contact you myself if necessary. - J"
By sending the message, Jasmine achieved three goals:
Acknowledged Ziyaisko's offer.
Denied Ziyaisko's control over her.
Forced Ziyaisko to temporarily stay quiet, giving her the chance to decode Alia's card.
The message was instantly delivered to Ziyaisko via the encrypted network. Time was short for Jasmine. Dmitry could return at any moment, and there were eyes in every corner of the fortress. While Ziyaisko's message momentarily kept the danger at bay, the mystery of Alia's Golden Card needed to be solved quickly.
This card was not just a key; it was likely the code to the secret financial or military network of the Volga Empire. Decoding it required special encryption-breaking equipment, usually found in the secret server rooms of mafia bosses' secured fortresses.
Jasmine quickly rose from the swing chair. She put the Golden Card in her dress pocket and took her spy phone.
Jasmine's face was resolute. She knew Dmitry's fortress was built in such a way that a secret server room was normal. It was typically disguised as a "panic room" or "safety vault."
Jasmine cautiously proceeded down the corridor. Elena was busy with the clothes. Jasmine quickly moved toward an unused hallroom behind the kitchen, one that was usually avoided by guests or staff. With her nail, she marked a slight imperfection on the hallroom wall—a feature Maria once used.
Jasmine pressed the specific spot. A slight mechanical sound was heard. Then, a massive bookshelf on the wall slowly slid aside.
She went to a secret server room in the fortress to decode Alia's Golden Card.
The room inside was cold and silent. Dmitry's mafia empire's main servers were housed there. In the center of the room was a state-of-the-art workstation, specially designed for encryption and hacking.
Jasmine quickly sat down at the workstation. She took out the Golden Card and inserted it into a secret slot on the device.
Lights flashed. The screen read: "VOLGA GOLDEN KEY - ACCESS GRANTED."
The card was a top-level key to Alia's mafia network, giving Jasmine the opportunity to leak all the secret financial transactions and weaknesses of the Volga family.
But Jasmine's time was running out. Dmitry could return any moment. With extreme caution, Jasmine inserted Alia's VIP Golden Card into the special slot in the server room. Although the screen turned green, the complex encrypted data or the map of the Volga Empire's vulnerabilities she expected did not appear.
Instead, what appeared on the screen was extremely ordinary—a VIP card access message, which was merely the key to one of Alia's personal luxury apartments.
Then she saw the Golden Card was just for a common VIP room.
The card was no military code or key to financial weakness. It was merely access to a common luxury apartment. Alia likely kept it for her exclusive personal use.
Jasmine was disappointed. She took such risks to decode this card, and Alia gave her a common key?
"She saw no prayer/scheme," Jasmine whispered.
There was no deep strategy or deadly plan in the card's database. It was just a gift. After Alia gave up her plan to destroy Viktor, she might have merely given Jasmine this private secret haven as a gift to keep her safe.
This simplicity confused Jasmine, but also relieved her. Alia had not put her in direct danger. Jasmine realized this apartment would serve as an extremely safe 'safe house' for her, where neither Dmitry nor Viktor had control.
Jasmine smiled softly at Alia's unexpected "gift." She had managed Ziyaisko, avoided Dmitry's notice, and now had an absolutely safe haven.
Then Jasmin started laughing.
Suddenly, a new message flashed on the workstation screen. It was an incoming message through the server room's encrypted communication channel—one that only worked on this network.
Then a message caught her eye— "I am coming."
Though short, the message's significance was huge. Only a few special individuals in the Volga Empire could send this message using the server room's encrypted channel. Jasmine used her spy memory to try to track the message's source.
A moment later, she realized the message had come from the only person she absolutely needed to meet. Jasmine stared intently at the screen. The message coming through the server room's encrypted channel meant it was not sent by an ordinary person. Not Dmitry, because he was out. While Ji-Han might be able to penetrate the network, he shouldn't have access to this specific server room.
Therefore, the message was sent by another major power within the Volga Empire.
Jasmin realized, the message was sent by Viktor.
Viktor, Alia's husband, the main boss of the Volga Empire. He knew Alia had given Jasmine a key. Viktor, whom Alia initially intended to strike against, was now communicating with Jasmine.
Jasmine's curiosity and anxiety peaked. If Viktor himself was coming, the VIP apartment key might not be merely a "gift," but a location for a secret meeting with Viktor.
Jasmine quickly exited the server room. The stains on her clothes were no longer an issue. She knew the most important confrontation of her life was imminent.
She quickly grabbed her S.U.V. car keys and drove past the fortress security.
Then Jasmin drove out in a car.
Following the apartment address found on the Golden Card's data, Jasmine drove towards a luxurious area on the city's outskirts. Alia's VIP apartment was on the top floor of a towering, elite building.
Jasmine entered the apartment. The room was tasteful and cold. Icy white color and golden decorations. Someone was waiting for her there.
She went to a huge house/apartment and saw Viktor sitting there.
Viktor was seated beside a massive window that overlooked the entire city. His face was calm, but his eyes held a deep, intelligent gaze. In his hand was a glass of expensive vodka.
Jasmine quickly approached. She showed respect, not her modeling or spy persona, but gratitude. Alia had forbidden her from striking against Viktor, and according to Ziyaisko, Viktor did not help Maria. At this moment, Viktor was an ally.
Jasmine approached Viktor and bowed her head respectfully.
Jasmin saluted/greeted him with respect.
"Sir," Jasmine said, her voice soft. "I don't know why you are meeting me, but Alia is my sister. And you protected me during the most difficult revenge of my life. I am eternally grateful for that."
Jasmine now directly acknowledged her debt to Viktor.
"Everything turned out well because of you. How can I repay this debt?"
"I only wanted to kill Maria, Sir," Jasmine said. "But now the whole mafia game is in my hands. Tell me, what can I do for you?"
Jasmine now spoke about Alia, but there was no complaint, only sisterly affection.
"Alia is your wife. She is my sister. She is good."
Viktor nodded. He knew Jasmine was not lying. He began to believe in Jasmine's sincerity.
Viktor smiled gently. His smile was like that of the Volga Empire's leader, where emotion and strategy blended.
"I know, Jasmine," Viktor replied calmly. "I know Alia is good. And I know you are good too. You will not repay any debt to me. Instead, you will help me win a game."
Viktor took a sip of vodka and looked out the window.
"My brother, Dmitry," Viktor whispered. "He has become blind with power. And Ziyaisko, he is acting mad with his emotions. I gave you this Golden Card through Alia so you would have a 'safe house' between them."
Viktor now looked directly at Jasmine.
"You are now my brothers' weakness. And I want you to exploit that weakness. I don't want to break this empire, Jessie. I want it to become stronger. And for that, Dmitry must be removed from power. You are the key."
Viktor now directly explained the true purpose of the game to her. Jasmine listened intently to Viktor. Viktor wanted to use her to remove Dmitry from power—this was a high-risk game, but it was the best opportunity for Jasmine's revenge.
Just then, a sweet, small voice came from the other corner of the room. A door opened, and a small child entered the room.
Just then, Alia's child came in.
The child was about four or five years old. She walked calmly toward Jasmine. In her hand was Alia's memento—the ring she got from Maria.
The ring.
The child's eyes were curious, but there was no fear. She looked straight at Jasmine. This was Alia and Viktor's daughter—Lena. Lena did not know this stranger was her mother's own sister, but she looked at her simply.
All of Jasmine's professional coldness broke in an instant. The fire of revenge or the spy's tactics—nothing held up against this innocent child.
Jasmine quickly picked her up in her arms.
The child nestled against Jasmine, smelling her wet hair. Jasmine kissed Lena's soft forehead. There was no hardness of revenge in her eyes now, only deep love. Lena was her cousin, her only blood relative.
Jasmine whispered affectionately into Lena's ear.
"Oh, my little bird!"
Viktor watched this scene. He realized Jasmine was not just a spy or a model—she was family. As soon as he saw Lena, Viktor understood that Jasmine would be fully involved in his game.
Viktor put down his vodka glass.
"Jasmine," Viktor called calmly. "Your emotions are now your weapon. Dmitry doesn't know you have such a big weakness. Now you decide—is this child's safety more important to you, or revenge?"
Jasmine looked at Viktor while holding Lena. There was a fixed resolve in her eyes.
"Neither Dmitry nor Ziyaisko—no one will hurt this child," Jasmine said. "I am in your game, Viktor. But I have one condition." Viktor met her gaze. He knew a woman like Jasmine would not take such a big risk for free.
Viktor said, "Tell me what it is."
Jasmine held Lena even tighter. Her voice was cold and steady.
"Lena," Jasmine began. "Alia's daughter. She is your daughter. She is my blood. When Dmitry loses power, a war will begin within the Volga family. Lena will be the most vulnerable in that war."
Jasmine directly put her condition before Viktor.
"My condition is that you must make a secure arrangement for Lena's safety. A permanent arrangement. Before this game begins, I want you to move Lena out of the country to the most secure location in my spy network. Where Dmitry or Ziyaisko—even no one from this Volga Empire can reach her. I will stay away from her until my work is done, but I want to know she is one hundred percent secure."
Jasmine's condition was not financial partnership, but purely a humanitarian demand. She wanted to keep her family away from this mafia war.
Viktor was silent for a moment. He respected Jasmine's sacrifice and motherly love.
"Alright, Jasmine," Viktor replied calmly but firmly. "Arrangements will be made tonight to move Lena out of here. She will be with your trusted people. I give you this promise."
Jasmine sighed in relief after getting Viktor's consent. Lena was safe now. Now, she could begin her real game.
"Then," Jasmine put Lena down. "Now tell me, what will be my first job to remove Dmitry from power? Where is his weakness?" Jasmine had now fully committed herself to Viktor's game. After ensuring Lena's safety, Jasmine began to focus on her spy memory and the situation. An important question came to her mind regarding the Volga family's internal relationships.
Jasmine affectionately held Lena while asking Viktor.
Then Jasmin asked, "You have 5 children. Where are the other 4?"
Jasmine knew Alia and Viktor had more children. To understand the structure of the mafia empire, knowing the location of these siblings was crucial. Because Viktor's other children would also be heirs to this empire in the future.
Viktor shifted slightly at this question. He looked at Lena and Jasmine with an affectionate gaze.
Viktor replied, "There are 4 others. They are busy with work, they cannot come."
Viktor's answer was brief, but its meaning was deep. By 'work,' Viktor meant the important operations of the mafia empire. The Volga family was not just limited to Dmitry or Ziyaisko; Viktor's other children were also pillars of this empire.
Viktor now made a confession that made the game even more complicated.
"My empire is not weak, Jasmine," Viktor said calmly. "My four sons handle important aspects of my empire in different countries. They are all strong, but now they are keeping an eye on Dmitry and Ziyaisko. If they came here now, Dmitry would suspect I am conspiring against him."
Viktor paused for a moment and leaned toward Jasmine.
"You are our fifth weapon in this game, Jasmine. You don't know it, but you have created a psychological vulnerability for Dmitry that can break his long-established solid structure." Jasmine put Lena down, her mind now steady. The assurance of Lena's safety gave her new strength. From Viktor's words, she understood that the Volga Empire game was deeper than she had thought.
She quickly walked toward her S.U.V. She had to return to Dmitry's fortress and await Viktor's next instructions.
Then Jasmin left.
Jasmine was driving back along the city's busy thoroughfare. Her recent confrontations with Ziyaisko and Dmitry were swirling in her mind. This intense rivalry, emotion, and stubbornness between the mafia brothers surprised her.
Suddenly, a strong feeling came to Jasmine. While driving, she briefly saw her reflection in the side mirror. Then the faces of Dmitry and Viktor came to her mind.
Jasmin saw the exact similarity between Dmitry and Viktor's faces.
Initially, Jasmine hadn't noticed the similarity due to the age difference and Dmitry's anger. But now, recalling Viktor's calm, intelligent face, Jasmine realized—the two brothers looked exactly alike, as if they were identical twins!