"Why didn't you invite me to your meeting?"
Anna shot her ex-husband a look. Robert Scorpio furrowed his eyebrows in response. They were huddled over Anna's laptop, seated at the desk in her living room.
"Weren't you busy with the Trina Robinson trial?" Anna asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I was," Robert sighed, "but that doesn't mean I was completely unavailable."
"It was one of the few times Laura was available for a call."
"And you didn't think to text me?"
"...That's not the point here!" Anna spoke bitterly, to which Robert smirked, "The point is that we're working to take Victor down."
"What did you all discuss?"
"We thought it would be prudent to dig a little deeper into Victor's motivations. He seems to be fixated on uniting his family, so our attention is on that."
"Uniting the Cassadines? That's a tall order."
"Isn't it? It seems like he only has Spencer and Ava in his corner."
"Well, Nikolas was never one to willingly indulge in the family's…bad habits."
"And Alexis isn't going to give Victor the time of day, nor will her daughters."
"The Cassadines have hardly ever been a family unit," Robert pondered, "...Do you think he'd contact the relatives that live outside Port Charles?"
"Like who?" Anna asked, "Last I checked, Petros is dead."
"And Dimitri should still be in Brazil."
"I think it's worth a shot contacting him," Anna's eyebrows rose, "It's been years since he made off with the Quartermaine fortune."
"I can look through Sean's files and see if there's a contact."
"Good, this is good," Anna nodded, a smile slowly spreading on her face, "If we intercept this cousin, maybe we can-"
A violent vibration sounded from the surface of Anna's desk. Both she and Robert looked down to see a text from Sam appear on her phone.
From: Sam (1:24 PM)
Check your email.
"What is it?" Robert asked, watching Anna double-click on the email icon on the laptop screen. The newest entry in her Inbox was the email in question, the subject line being a name neither individual recognized. Photos of journal entries appeared when Anna clicked on the email.
"...Irina?" Robert asked aloud, reading the entries, "What is this?"
"I'm not sure…" Anna pondered, taking in the cursive, "Helena had a daughter?"
"Apparently."
"And she's dead?"
"Seems like it, or Helena has her stored somewhere."
"And who's this 'he' she's talking about?" Robert rubbed the underside of his chin, squinting at the screen. The third journal entry was before him and Anna. Questions clouded his mind: about Irina, about the male figure written on the page, about everything Helena documented so long ago.
To: Sam (1:26 PM)
Where did you get these?
From: Sam (1:27 PM)
Valentin gave them to my mom.
To: Sam (1:28 PM)
Why would Valentin be interested in Irina?
From: Sam (1:29 PM)
It's not Valentin who's interested.
"Victor," Anna breathed out, "Of course."
"Victor is interested in this?" Robert asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Whoever Helena wrote about is connected to Irina, and as far as we know, she's a Cassadine-"
"She has to be if Victor is interested in her."
"But then who are the other people Helena wrote about?" Anna pondered, returning to the text thread. She sucked in her lips for a brief moment, determining her next steps.
To: Sam (1:32 PM)
Who are the two parties mentioned in Helena's third entry?
From: Sam (1:35 PM)
Check your email again.
"...Who's that? " Robert asked, exasperated. The subject line of the new email was another name neither he nor Anna recognized, and shock shot through them as they read over the birth certificate.
"Oh my God," Anna blurted out, scanning the names, "Irina had a son."
"There's another Cassadine out there," Robert sighed, "Or another Romanov."
To: Sam (1:39 PM)
Is this certificate authentic?
From: Sam (1:41 PM)
Yes.
"...It's real," Anna sighed, "Helena really does have a grandson out there."
"Call Sam," Robert said firmly, "I have some questions that need some answers."
She picked up after the phone rang twice. Her voice echoed as Anna put her on speaker, "Hello?"
"Sam," Robert's voice was clear as Anna let her phone rest on the desk, "it's Robert. Can you explain exactly how you got your hands on these documents?"
"I told Anna," Sam replied, " Valentin gave them to my mom."
"And Valentin got them from Victor."
"Right."
"How do we know all of this is authentic?"
"That's definitely Helena's handwriting with the entries."
"And the birth certificate?"
"It's on file with Dutch authorities."
"But according to Helena," Anna said, "her grandson and his father left Amsterdam. They could be anywhere."
"I was going to do some digging, see if their names pop up on any other legal records."
"Is there any way we can get our hands on those documents?"
"I don't have them," Sam sighed, " My mom sent me the photos I sent you. She plans to give them back to Valentin tomorrow."
"Why?"
"He gave her a day to think about helping out, and she decided not to. She sent them to me privately, hoping I could track down Irina's son in an effort to keep him away from Victor."
"When you do track him down, let me know," Anna said, "I can make sure the WSB provides him proper protection."
"Will do," Sam replied before hanging up. Anna picked up her phone and scrolled through her contact list. She put the device up to her ear, exchanging looks with Robert.
"Calling the bureau, I presume?" Robert asked, a smile on his face.
"I don't want to take any chances."
"You think he's in danger?"
"If Victor's interested in finding him, it's not good. He'd use any means necessary to find Irina's son, even if someone gets hurt in the process. That's something I can't let happen."
"Please tell me you're here to talk about earlier."
Guilt shot through Nikolas as he gazed into Spencer's firm eyes. The young man was seated on his bed, his hands in his lap. Nikolas stood in the doorway, his hands in his pockets. He pursed his lips before meandering into the room, sitting next to his son.
"...There's a lot you don't know."
"Then tell me," Spencer spoke with venom, "starting with Ava murdering Esme."
"She didn't murder her," Nikolas corrected, "Esme fell."
"While fighting with Ava. Even if she didn't literally push her over the edge, Esme's blood is still on her hands."
"I don't think that's how it works."
"Whatever," Spencer scoffed.
"I'm serious, Spencer. Ava did not murder Esme. She fell, that's it."
"And Ava just…happened to be there when it happened?"
"In a way…yes."
"Why was she there?"
"There…was a fight," Nikolas cleared his throat, "it seems that Esme…provoked Ava."
"And they fought on the parapet?"
"...Eventually."
"And Esme just…fell? It was that simple?"
"It was that simple."
"...I just don't buy it," Spencer shook his head, getting to his feet.
"Spencer," Nikolas breathed out, his head hanging down, "it's the truth."
"Is it? Or are you just protecting her?"
"Ava and Esme didn't just randomly fight!"
"What were they fighting about, then?"
Nikolas paused, the guilt he felt growing stronger. Spencer looked down at him, his eyes glowing with a subtle curiosity. He sat down next to his father, whose head was still turned away.
"Father."
Spencer's voice was soft, and Nikolas felt a tug on his heart. He turned his head slowly, their eyes locking with one another. The tugging grew stronger the more Spencer's gentle gaze burned him. Nikolas's hand twitched, and a part of him wanted to reach out and touch his son's shoulder.
He sat there, his posture rigid.
"Spencer…" Nikolas breathed out, his eyes beginning to burn with tears, "...I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" Spencer raised an eyebrow, "About what?"
"...I…I messed up."
"What did you do?"
Spencer's mind raced with all the possible answers his father could give. The confusion swiftly turned into panic the more he thought about it. He studied Nikolas's eyes, brimming with tears, and felt dread rise within him.
"...Did you push Esme off the parapet?"
"What?" Nikolas breathed out.
"Did you do it? Did you kill Esme?"
"...N-No-"
"And you're letting Ava take the fall for it, aren't you?" Spencer felt a smile creep onto his face, "You've finally come around-"
"I didn't… kill Esme," Nikolas said bitterly, tears falling down his face, "That's not what I did with her."
"Then what did you…" Spencer began, before the realization washed over him, "Oh, Father, you didn't ."
"Spencer-"
"Tell me you didn't. Tell me you didn't sleep with Esme."
Silence hung over the two men. Nikolas's mouth hung open, streams of tears rolling down his face. He was hunched over, trying to avoid Spencer's concerned expression. The young man waited for an answer, but the longer Nikolas remained quiet, the more apparent the answer became.
"How could you? "
"...I'm sorry-"
"Are you?!" Spencer shot up, his face turning red, "Are you sorry?!"
"Spencer-" Nikolas choked out, rubbing the bottom of his face.
"I don't know which is worse: my stepmother killing my girlfriend or my father sleeping with her."
"Ava didn't-"
"When did this happen?"
"...Early June."
"Oh my God," Spencer covered his face with his hands, "Two months? You've sat on this for two months?"
"We didn't want to ruin our relationships!"
"There was no we. The only thing you ruined was your marriage."
"But you were with Esme-"
"We were done before June."
"Oh," Nikolas sighed out. He felt a tinge of relief. He studied Spencer's expression, noting the frustration boiling under a stern gaze, "Well…that changes things."
"What does it change, that there was one less betrayal?" Spencer asked, "If so, that's absolutely not true. Esme didn't betray me, Father. You did. "
Nikolas closed his mouth, tears continuing to fall. He felt the proverbial knife in his heart, his breathing deep and heavy. His head ducked down again, avoiding Spencer's sharp glare. His mind raced, looking for the right words to say to ease the grief.
"Why? " Spencer choked out, his eyes stinging with tears.
"I…I was weak," Nikolas sighed out in a similar tone, "I was in such…such a dark place, Spencer. Everything was falling apart."
"So you decided to sleep with someone my age? "
"Esme…she just…came in…she just-"
"Oh, Father," Spencer chuckled, approaching the man, "I'm not that naïve."
"What?"
"Don't think for a second that I'm taking your side in this."
"But Esme-"
"She what, she seduced you? You were so powerless and weak that you just had to sleep with her?"
Nikolas gulped, his eyes darting around the room. He pondered his next move, the hostility in Spencer's eyes burning a hole into him. He knew his actions were voluntary, but a part of him hoped that Esme's actions weren't lost in the fray.
"My marriage was falling apart," Nikolas began, "I was in a tough situation. I didn't know what else to do."
"That's a load," Spencer spat, "and you know it."
"Things were awful…"
"So you choosing to sleep with Esme was Ava's doing?"
"Her actions certainly didn't help-"
"...What is wrong with you?" Spencer shook his head, turning his back on Nikolas.
"I'm serious, Spencer!" Nikolas pleaded, "Things with Ava were rocky-"
"And that gave you the green light to cheat?"
"Why are you defending Ava here? You believe she had a hand in Esme's death."
"What Ava did to Esme is indeed a crime, but let's not act like what you did is at all acceptable," Spencer's voice was cold, "You chose to sleep with Esme, you chose to keep it quiet for two months, and now you're choosing to ignore the role you played in the situation this family is facing."
"I-" Nikolas hiccupped as the young man stood by the open bedroom door.
"Get out."
"What?"
"You heard me: get out."
"Spencer-"
"There's nothing left to say," Spencer's voice was soft.
"Please," Nikolas cried gently, "I'm sorry."
"Your apology means nothing."
"Spencer, please, we can work this out."
"There's nothing to work out," Spencer huffed, "You and I are done."
"Spencer-"
"Get out!"
With his head down in shame, Nikolas walked out of the room. His back to his son as the door slammed behind him, the echo reverberating in the darkened hallway around him.