"Hmm..."
Leonid hummed, feeling a slight prick in his chest, but he quickly brushed it aside before his eyes caught a small detail.
"Deputy Commander, turn over the note."
Without hesitation, Vladimir flipped the paper, revealing a date written on it:
[The seventh day of September.]
"It's documenting the days..."
Leonid muttered, then began flipping through the other notes, finding that they bore different dates from various months. He frowned slightly, rearranging them between his fingers.
"This is a dilemma."
Slowly, he raised a hand, running his fingers through his silver hair as he thought. Vladimir observed him silently before speaking with seriousness:
"Arrange all the notes in chronological order. We might find a clue leading to something important."
He handed the note to Leonid, then turned and left the room without another word.
Leonid remained alone, staring at the stack of papers in his hands before exhaling quietly and getting to work.
He was certain that Charlotte wasn't the type to enjoy organization, but she wasn't completely chaotic either. However, he hadn't expected even slightly to find that she had been jotting down short notes about her days, her feelings… or even about him, then hiding them away in one of her locked drawers.
[The boy Daniel is very charming. I like him.]
[The eleventh day of July.]
[A red-haired young man keeps staring at me whenever we meet in the hallway.]
[The nineteenth day of January.]
[This is impossible. Today is my lazy day, yet I can barely close my eyes to get a good night's sleep.]
[The twenty-seventh day of May.]
"They look like very short diary entries… but they say a lot."
Leonid sat on the floor, resting his elbow on the mattress as he read through the remaining notes, arranging them while also admiring Charlotte's beautiful handwriting.
Minutes passed, turning into a full hour. Charlotte sat on the couch in the living room, staring at the dark screen of her phone. She had just finished folding Kaiser's shirt and the clothes Leonid had given her after the washing machine completed its final cycle.
"It's getting late…"
She muttered softly, setting her phone aside.
Two options ran through her mind: either go to her apartment to check why Leonid was late or stay here… waiting.
After a long moment of thought, Charlotte suddenly stood up. She remained still for a second, as if confirming her decision, then started walking toward the door. Her steps made it clear she wouldn't just wait. She would go and find out.
But she stopped in front of the handle, staring at it silently, facing a single reality… She had to go out, despite her fear of encountering the so-called Mr. D.
"That bastard…"
She whispered under her breath, clenching her fist as if trying to suppress a tremble.
Taking a deep breath, she turned the handle and stepped into the outer hallway.
She barely took one step before colliding with someone.
She gasped, eyes widening, almost screaming and running away until something stopped her. A familiar scent.
Followed by a voice she could never mistake.
"What? Can't you look around anymore?"
Slowly, Charlotte lifted her head, locking eyes with Kaiser, who finished his sentence in irritation:
"What's wrong with you, Charlotte, huh?"
"I…?"
She was still shocked by seeing him—and by colliding with him. As she struggled to process the situation, her fingers ran through her chestnut locks in a nervous gesture.
Suddenly, Kaiser lunged toward her, pushing her against the wall beside Leonid's apartment door, trapping her between his arms.
Charlotte's words froze on her lips. She stared at him with wide eyes, unable to comprehend his sudden action.
"Your skin is pale..."
Kaiser's voice was sharp, laced with unmistakable irritation.
"Did something happen between you and that bastard?"
He didn't like her weary appearance. And, as usual, he didn't bother to hide his hostility toward Leonid—even without seeing him.
Before she could utter a word, Kaiser lifted his head, looking toward the silent apartment as if searching for a trace.
"As I expected, you need to break up with him."
There was a hint of satisfaction in his tone, but it wasn't enough to calm the spark of anger in his eyes. He narrowed them, his voice tightening like a drawn bowstring.
"Where is he?"
Charlotte lowered her head slightly, clasping her hands in an attempt to still the trembling of her fingers.
"He left to—"
"To where?"
Kaiser cut her off sharply, slamming his fist against the hallway wall beside her head, making her flinch involuntarily.
At that moment, Vasili lifted his head, staring toward the door in contemplation, as if something had stirred his senses.
"What's wrong?"
Dmitri asked, noticing his sudden stillness.
Vasili didn't answer immediately. He remained silent for a moment before saying slowly,
"I feel like I heard something from the hallway outside."
Dmitri shot him a sidelong glance, then replied indifferently,
"You're imagining things."
Vasili rolled his eyes, exhaling in annoyance before returning to his work. After finishing their inspection of the apartment, they had now started cleaning it, completely unaware of what was unfolding on the other side of the door.
Kaiser clenched his free hand, struggling to keep his voice low, but irritation seeped through every word.
"How could he leave you like this? What kind of man is he?! Didn't I tell you from the start he wasn't worthy of your trust?!"
Charlotte took a step back, pressing herself against the wall even more, sorrow washing over her features as tangled thoughts swirled in her mind like knotted threads.
"Please… be quiet…"
Kaiser's gaze sharpened, and he hissed in a low but furious voice,
"Quiet? I haven't even raised my voice yet!"
She squeezed her eyes shut, lifting her hands to cover her ears from his intimidating tone.
"Then just stop talking… please!"
Kaiser stared at her for a moment, then pressed his lips into a thin line.
"Leonid is in my apartment now, with the cleaning service he ordered for me…"
Her voice was shaky as she revealed Leonid's whereabouts, her full lips quivering as she spoke. Slowly, Charlotte lifted her head, her dark eyes searching for something in Kaiser's golden ones something that would help her understand the reason behind his constant suspicions.
"Why… do you always doubt him?"
Her voice carried a plea, as if begging him to see the truth as she did. But Kaiser didn't answer. He simply stared at her for a moment before stepping back, crossing his arms over his chest. His tailored suit accentuated the firm lines of his body, but he paid no attention to such details now.
He exhaled deeply, as if trying to suppress his frustration, then spoke in a calm yet firm voice.
"I'm not doubting him, nor am I overthinking. The fact is, I don't trust someone I don't know well… Do you understand?"
"But try… please. Leonid isn't what you think… He didn't even blame me for what happened to his puppy, even though I was the cause of it all!"
Her teary eyes begged him to reconsider, but Kaiser remained rigid.
"You're not the cause."
She shook her head stubbornly, murmuring in a trembling voice,
"Kaiser, I love you, and I know you well… You're a good person. And just like Leonid, I know him and—"
"And you love him too, adore him, even, huh?"
He cut her off sharply. In a swift motion, he stepped forward, lifting her chin gently but with a grip firm enough to prevent her from pulling away.
"Charlotte, you love everyone without exception."
He paused for a moment before adding in a low voice, laced with something unmistakable to her ears,
"Without distinction."
Kaiser leaned in slightly, his voice dropping further, but his tone remained dangerous, suffocating.
"Is it because he kisses you, holds you, and sleeps with you… that he's suddenly special, worthy of being your partner?"
"H-huh…?"
Charlotte froze, words choking her, tears welling up in her eyes helplessly.
But Kaiser didn't give her time to process her shock.
"As you know, I could do the same…"
He moved closer, his warm breath nearly grazing her trembling skin.
"I could kiss you, hold you, until I feel your warmth merging with mine…"
Kaiser tilted his head slightly, his voice barely above a whisper, yet it pierced her senses with clarity.
"And of course… I could sleep with you."
His thumb moved slowly, brushing over her chin with delicate precision before gliding to her lips, pressing lightly provokingly until they parted slightly under his touch.
"Kaiser…"
His name escaped her lips in a whisper, barely audible, as she lightly pressed against his thumb with her lips. Her heart pounded wildly, as if her chest could barely contain her breath.
"Hush…"
Kaiser gently stroked her cheek with his fingers, his touch sliding smoothly over her skin before he added in a soft yet confident tone,
"I already know my limits, and yet… I find myself unable to stop."
His closeness… the heat of his breath… the sharp intensity in his gaze… Everything about him threatened her principles, shook her convictions. And yet, her trembling hands refused to push him away. She was paralyzed caught between a mind screaming at her to retreat and a heart racing uncontrollably under the weight of the moment.
But her silent tears, streaming down her cheeks, stopped him more than any words ever could.
Kaiser stiffened, his expression freezing as he stared into her eyes, filled with mixed emotions.
A tense silence stretched between them before Kaiser slowly stepped back, as if struck by a sudden realization. He exhaled sharply, turning his face to the side, avoiding her gaze.
"Damn it… You're too innocent, and it's not the right time yet."
His words were cold, yet they lacked mockery or disdain. Instead, there was a hint of bitterness something resembling frustration.
"I'm not…"
Her words finally came out in a broken, trembling voice as Kaiser withdrew his hand from her face, stepping further back. Charlotte was shaking all over, struggling to control her sobs, but failing.
Kaiser raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone sharper as he responded with faint sarcasm,
"You're not? Then… are you saying you wouldn't mind?"
"No! That's not what I meant!"
Charlotte lifted her head suddenly, her eyes wide with shock and fear, but she couldn't find the words to explain what she truly meant.