Chapter 11 - THE TRIAL OF TWO GENERATIONS
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Markov was arrested after investigators traced a series of transfers to an offshore account and located him through a cooperating associate. The resulting case involved alleged fraud, coercion, document forgery, and evidence connected to Viktor's death. The older killing required separate review; decades had passed, witnesses had died, and the fire had destroyed much of the scene.
Boris testified about the threats he'd received and the man he saw leaving the dock. He did not pretend to remember details he couldn't. When a defense attorney suggested his disability made him unreliable, Boris calmly explained the difference between limited mobility and impaired memory.
Anya testified about the trailer, the confiscated medication, and Ksenia's threats. She brought photographs, messages, and records, not merely anger. Nikolai testified about the financial documents and his own failure to supervise businesses operating in his name.
His admission made headlines. Former associates called him weak. He called it overdue.
Ksenia entered a plea in connection with her role in the forged transactions and cooperated with investigators. Her online following collapsed, though Anya found little comfort in watching strangers mock her. She knew humiliation was not justice.
The case concerning Viktor's death remained unresolved for months. Then a former dock supervisor came forward with a letter he had kept hidden. It described Markov ordering the office locked shortly before the fire. Investigators authenticated the letter's origin and sought further corroboration.
Boris read the news from his new apartment. Misha slept at his feet. Nikolai sat beside him.
"Your father wasn't a saint," Boris said. "He made mistakes. But when it mattered, he tried to stop something terrible."
Nikolai nodded. "I want to do better than he did."
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"Then don't build another empire that requires a child to be afraid of it."
Nikolai looked toward the window, where Anya was helping Maksim walk slowly through the garden. "I won't."
