Guilty.

A moment of silence passed before Pyotr asked.

"Help them?"

He asked quietly, trying to give him space to speak. His tone was neutral, as if waiting for a logical explanation.

"Yes. I saw them, each one of them... they were suffering. They circled around me, looking at me as if they were asking me to do something."

The man said, then took a deep breath before adding.

"I was just showing them comfort. No one cared about them. I had to do something."

"Your last victim was a pet with a home and an owner, why did you kill it if that's your claim?"

The homeless man didn't respond immediately, instead seeming to think about the answer. Then he finally spoke, his eyes widening as if he remembered something forgotten.

"I'm guilty now, I'm a vile killer... I deserve punishment, don't I?!"

He smiled for a moment, then his face turned grim, his shoulders trembling as if trying to suppress deep emotions. He clenched his fists tightly, then whispered in a barely audible voice.

"I'm sorry..."

"Please, don't apologize to me. Direct your apology to the souls of the animals you deprived of the right to live. And also, answer me, please."

Pyotr shook his head in sadness and frustration before speaking in a firm tone.

"Anyway, you don't deny the crimes charged against you?"

"Yes, I don't deny them. Now take me to prison."

"Not yet, we still need to investigate—"

"No!"

The homeless man suddenly shouted, tears streaming down his pale, thin cheeks. He then began screaming, his voice shaking with every word.

"Take me to prison! I want to go to prison! I'm guilty!"

He took a deep breath, then suddenly began banging his head against the back of the chair.

One hit... two hits.

Pyotr quickly stood up, shocked by his actions, and stopped him immediately, just as some police officers burst into the interrogation room.

"Take me to prison!"

Pyotr gritted his teeth, then looked at the group of officers and shouted at them.

"Calm him down, check his head."

He left the homeless man's situation to the other officers and exited the room, deeply disturbed, his thoughts clouded. What kind of lunatic had he just been speaking to?

"There's something suspicious going on with him."

The warm kiss lingered for a few more moments before slowly pulling apart.

Finally, Leonid's lips detached from Charlotte's full ones, and he gently pulled back.

It might have been a bold move, perhaps not the perfect moment for it. But inside, he felt as if Charlotte needed it, needed that kiss filled with so much meaning.

Leonid's eyes settled on hers, dark and shining faintly, as though the moment had revived her mind despite the turmoil that had overwhelmed her moments ago.

"Forget what you heard... and continue eating."

He paused for a moment, then added softly, as if his words were slipping over her lips.

"I promise... you're safe with me."

Despite his steady gaze and deep whispers, Charlotte couldn't stop the tears from slipping down her cheeks. Her features remained calm, but inside, she was a storm of conflicting emotions. It felt as though she had regained a piece of her strength, the painful memory almost consuming her entirely.

Charlotte murmured weakly, hesitantly, as if afraid to ask.

"...Why?"

Her voice trembled slightly as she added, barely hearing herself.

"Why are you saying this? And why... are you giving me comfort I never asked for?"

She slowly raised her hands, gripping the edge of his coat, her gaze fixed on his eyes, as if searching for something... an answer, reassurance, or perhaps confirmation of her fears.

She whispered, her voice hushed, while her eyes glistened under the dim light.

"Can you see through me? Do you know that—!"

Her voice rose for a moment, then, as if the fear of admitting the truth overwhelmed her, she buried her face in his chest and whispered, in a barely audible voice.

"That woman... in—!"

She tried to speak, but at the same time, she held back the words, as if trying to prevent the pain from leaking out more. The bitterness choked her, burned her, and stopped her despite herself.

Upon hearing her words, there was no doubt. Leonid now knew for certain that he had been right. That woman in the recording was none other than Charlotte.

But he didn't say anything. For a few moments, he stayed silent, then, without thinking, he pulled her close and embraced her tightly, but carefully, as though fearing she would break in his arms.

Time passed, and both of them felt a sense of calm. Then he murmured, in a soft, calm voice, but carrying something else, something Charlotte didn't fully understand.

"What are you talking about, my darling?"

He let his words slip slowly, then added with a light tone tinged with gentle mockery.

"I was just trying to steal a few romantic moments... don't you feel comfortable with that?"

Despite his promise to himself not to be harsh with her again, his ways still carried a cruelty he couldn't shake off.

Charlotte remained silent for a few seconds, not pulling away.

She felt his chest rise and fall with his calm breaths while her hands stayed clinging to his coat, as if holding onto something to stop herself from collapsing.

Leonid closed his eyes for a moment, then sighed with clear sorrow.

"It's alright, don't answer now."

He said it in a warm voice, giving her permission to avoid answering, or perhaps giving her time to gather herself.

"What matters now... is that you're here, with me."

Leonid slowly pulled back and lifted her chin, smiling at her.

"I'm glad you're not pushing me away, and always know that I will never do that to you."

He gently kissed her nose, then stood up straight, tapping his fingers on the dining table.

"Finish your breakfast now… we have a lot to do later."

Charlotte wiped the dryness of her tears with the tips of her fingers, then raised the cold cup of coffee to her lips. She didn't complain about the cold, sweet taste, nor did she ask Leonid what they had to do.

Leonid continued to watch her, smiling, before heading to his bedroom, taking his phone to make a call to Vladimir.

Meanwhile, at the headquarters, inside Kozlov's office.

"Can you handle the consequences?"

Kozlov waved his hand and asked before losing his temper, yelling at Vasili, saying,

"What if he sets his sights on what we're doing and ruins all our plans?!"

Vasili looked at Kozlov for a moment, then sighed deeply as if it didn't really matter to him. He shrugged as if he didn't care about the details, slowly turning his head the other way, ignoring the tension of the situation.

"I'm sorry, okay? But think about it for a second, Commander. That new officer is so irritating, and he kept provoking Leonid, boldly accusing him until the last moment."

Kozlov pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling an increasing headache, then moved his other hand and slammed it on the surface of his desk, causing some files and pens to shake. Vasili frowned but chose to remain silent.

"And what does that have to do with you? Leonid can handle himself. You shouldn't have revealed your true identity to that new officer."

Vladimir sighed and rubbed his face, knowing that the shouting would start again based on Kozlov's tone, which was ready to erupt at any moment.

"What do you mean by that, Commander?"

Vasili asked, raising his eyebrows in mockery, as if he saw no problem with what was happening around him. His voice was devoid of seriousness, as if what was being said didn't even deserve a discussion.

"Leonid almost killed that new officer with one move if I hadn't stopped him, and that new officer almost dragged Leonid to jail if I hadn't told him to stop interfering."

"Vasili."

"No, Commander, listen to me—"

Vasili refused to let Kozlov respond, but suddenly a file flew toward his face and almost hit him if he hadn't stepped back quickly.

"You arrogant fool, are you testing my patience?! How dare you speak to your superior like that?!"

The file's papers scattered, and Vladimir sighed, then noticed the shaking of his desk. He lowered his blonde lashes and saw Leonid's number calling him. He picked up the phone and left the office, with Kozlov still shouting at Vasili behind him.

"Hello."

Vladimir greeted as soon as he answered the call.

"Deputy Commander…"

Leonid's voice came heavy through the phone receiver.

"What's the matter? What's the result?"

Vladimir leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.

"It's her."

"Well, we both expected that, but what else happened? Did she tell you the truth?"

"No."

Leonid paused for a moment, glancing through the door and seeing Charlotte still lost in thought, holding the coffee cup in her hands.

"It's worse than I thought. Apparently, she's still in shock, and she looks really scared, which makes the possibility of her being intimidated and threatened very likely."