"Kira. It's me, Myra. Can you open the door for Aaron and me?"
"Go away! I don't want to see you!" She cried in tears.
"Even me?" Aaron asked.
"..."
After a moment of silence, she consented to only let Aaron in.
"Don't worry. I'll talk to her," Aaron assured Myra before entering the room where Kira was sitting on the floor, surrounded by scattered photos of her and her sister.
As soon as she saw her brother approach her, Kira burst into tears, leaving Myra feeling upset on the other side of the door.
"I...I..." Kira murmured between sobs, struggling to find her words.
"I know. I know," her brother replied as he sat down beside her.
"Do you want me to open the door for her?" Aaron proposed, noticing his sister's silence. Kira nodded, her eyes filled with tears, and Aaron opened the door.
Myra entered, her red eyes betraying her own tears. Without a word, Kira threw herself into her arms, releasing her grief in sobs. Myra hugged her, crying as well.
Aaron joined them, aware of his role as the comforting brother. He wrapped his two sisters in his arms, holding them tightly as they shared their grief in a moment of shared sadness.
"You know, little sister," Myra began. "Alexei's house isn't too far away. You could come visit me, and I would do the same for you."
Kira shook her head with a smile. "That's not true, Myra. You may not know it, but your fiancé is a cold and distant man, obsessed with you. He wouldn't want to share you with me."
Myra sighed. "I know, I know. But he's different with you. He knows that I love you both and that I could never live without you, especially you."
Pretending to be sulky, Aaron interjected. "And what about me?"
Kira laughed cheerfully. "She loves me more than you, dear brother."
Myra turned to Aaron with a wink, and Aaron said to their youngest sister, "And little sister, now that I'm back, I won't ever leave again. So don't worry, when she leaves, it will be you and me against Mom and Dad." The three siblings burst into laughter.
Once the conversation was over, Myra and Aaron were preparing to head to their respective rooms, but their departure was interrupted by Olga, the housekeeper of the manor, who called for Aaron as their father was asking for him.
So Olga escorted Aaron to his father's office.
"The young master is here, sir," she announced before excusing herself and closing the door behind her.
"Sit down!" his father ordered in a serious tone. "You will start working in the company from Monday." Mr. Smirnov did not solicit his son's opinion, he simply gave him instructions.
"Yes, father. In what position?" Aaron asked.
"You will be our financial director. However, you will first undergo a one-month training before fully assuming this role. And... since I know you are passionate about medicine, you will be the attending physician at our hospital. Your main responsibility will be to treat members of our organization. This way, we will avoid administrative hassles and the risks of being uncovered."
Aaron had known about his father's illegal activities since childhood and had been trained in various skills, such as martial arts and shooting, since the age of seven after a kidnapping attempt. His training had ended nine years ago when he had left abroad. His father also instructed him to resume his training.
While Mr. Smirnov expected a negative reaction from his son, Aaron was actually thrilled to be able to practice as a doctor, even if he had to do it on behalf of his father's mafia organization. "I can still save lives, even those of the mobsters," he thought.