Chapter 24 - Sophia
I knew that I couldn’t allow anyone to see how Kolya had shaken me.
Even after weeks, I still felt like I could be swallowed whole by his presence.
I had to stay composed, act in control. Kolya and I had devised a plan.
We even acted it out. I rehearsed my lines, planned my escape.
It had to look authentic in case Melody had spies.
He had been annoyingly patient with it all. I could see a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes every time I exaggerated a struggle. Or pretended to be scared and concerned. He had helped me practice my lines and assisted with his police contact to set up the listening device.
I had to be careful, no, we needed to be careful. The story I tell her would have to be believable. We couldn’t afford to let the truth out of the bag too soon.
As I sneaked out of the mansion, the guards, who were intentionally patrolling in other areas, caused my heart to skip a beat. Kolya directed me to an abandoned factory not far out of town. He knew some of the squatters and told me who to ask for when I got there.
Once I got there, I was pleasantly surprised to find out Kolya had already made contact. The man was waiting for me. He hid me in the back room he had prepared for me. I spent the week lying low to ensure our plan would work. Every day, the man would bring me food and other items I may need.
My stay wasn’t as bad as I had expected. In fact, it was the opposite. The people were friendly and kept their distance. I spent the last night preparing my narrative. I stayed hidden to regain some form of semblance.
Every gesture, pause, and breath I took during our meeting had to sell the story. Early the next morning, I used the burner phone the man brought me to leave a message for Melody. I called her office and told the receptionist that Melody could reach me at this number.
Once the trap was set, I waited. It didn’t take long for the phone to ring. “Melody,” I breathed out softly over the phone. “I’m so glad to get hold of you. I’ve been struggling to get out.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. It felt like it lasted forever. My chest tightened as I imagined all the ways she could respond. There could be denial, suspicion, maybe even outright hostility.
Then her voice came through cool and steady. It cut right through my anxiety. “I’ve been waiting to find you. My men have searched the entire town. Where have you been?”
“I have been hiding in an abandoned factory on the edge of town. I can’t afford for Kolya’s men to find me,” I breathed out.
Patiently, I waited for her reply. “Okay,” she finally huffed. “I’ve arranged a room at the Bellmont Café. Come alone, Sophia, and be careful. Kolya’s men have eyes everywhere.”
“Of course,” I whispered. I heard my voice catch on the last syllable. Before she could say another word, I hung up. My fingers were trembling slightly as I held my phone. My mind instantly spiraled into action, planning my next move.
Leaving the safety of the factory, I made my way into town. The café she spoke of was luckily closer to this side of town.
Finally, I made my way to the café feeling breathless. My legs burned, and my back was scorched from the sun's heat. Knots had formed in my stomach due to the anticipation. The streets were bustling. The usual chaos of city life, which always comforted me, wasn’t doing a thing.
I took slow, deliberate steps, scanning each and every face I passed.
I had to know if there were any threats I might have missed.
When I finally pushed open the door, the warm scent of freshly baked goods hit me.
This was comforting, almost making me feel normal.
A stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed the last couple of months of my life.
A man suddenly touched my shoulder, making me jump. I had to cover my mouth to prevent the scream from escaping. “This way,” he breathed out. He turned and walked through some tables. I followed close behind.
The man led me to a private room in the back.
He knocked, then opened the door and waved me inside.
Stepping in, I heard the door close behind me with a soft click.
I took a deep breath to steady my nerves.
Melody was already there. Her posture was impeccable, like always.
Her expression portrayed her impatience.
But somehow, it made me feel welcome. I had become accustomed to this woman’s way and her moods. It felt like I was on solid ground, but was it going to shake and swallow me today? Was this a mistake?
“Sophia,” she said. She rose briefly and gave me a nod. “Sit, let’s not waste time,” she added politely as she fell back into the big recliner. Before her was a small table with two glasses and a pitcher of water. She was waiting for me.
I lowered myself into the chair across from her. She looked eagerly at me as I clasped my hands tightly in my lap.
“Melody… It’s been… difficult,” I began saying. My voice trembled slightly. I had to focus on selling the destroyed woman act. “Kolya, he is… well, he’s…”
“You think he’s evil?” Melody interrupted. The smile on her face and the spark in her brown eyes made her look like the boogie man. Those eyes bored into me as she spoke. “Yes, we know. Now tell me exactly what happened. Don’t waste words. I want the dirt, the truth, every little detail you have.”
My pulse quickened, and my throat felt thick as if filled with an invisible sludge. The words caught in my throat, making me cough. How much could I reveal without compromising my position?
Melody poured a glass of water. She slid it across the table to me. Her brows raised. Her face filled with suspicion.
How much could I truly share if most of his life was still a mystery to me?
There were many things I couldn’t even confirm yet.
“Okay,” I finally replied. I straightened my back and forced myself to meet her gaze.
Rubbing my hands together, I acted nervously.
“He…” I whispered, swallowing purposely hard.
“Hi’s cruel to the bone. A manipulative bastard.
He traps people, forces them into situations…
and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself.
Somehow, he knows which buttons to press, what fears to exploit to get you to do his bidding.
He…” I took another pause. I had to lay on the drama thick.
“He forced me to do unthinkable things… I can’t even describe it. I won’t get into specifics. Not yet!”
Glancing at her, I continued making my voice thick. “I need to know what you’re planning first.”
Melody’s lips pressed together, forming a thin line. The slight raise of her eyebrows was almost imperceptible. But I saw it as she spoke. “You want to know what I’m up to?”
Swallowing hard, I slowly moved my head up and down.
I had to make her believe I was all in. “I want revenge!” I uttered.
I tried to keep my tone low and filled with anger.
“I want to be part of whatever you’re doing.
I no longer care if it’s illegal. He must pay.
I want…” My voice faltered for a moment.
The rawness of guilt at how wrong this was ate at me.
“I want to make him suffer,” I managed to get out.
For a brief second, there was a pause. Silence filled the room, heating it up like an oven.
Suddenly, Melody sat back in her chair. A smirk decorated her face.
“Finally!” she proclaimed. “Finally, someone who will understand what it means to set aside morals when justice isn’t enough.
I knew when I hired you that you would see the light. ”
Exhaling, I felt the tension in my shoulder easing just a tad. The knots were still there, and my heart still pounded. “What are you planning?” I asked. I kept my tone steady, playing my part as planned.
Melody moved closer, lowering her voice as if we were conspiring.
“Martin and I…” she glanced at the window before speaking further.
“We’ve been tracking Kolya for months. Everything he’s done, every dirty deal, every little secret he buried.
We’ve mapped it all out. We’re going to use this to blackmail him. We’ll hit him where it hurts!”
She sat back, lifted her head, and laughed like a crazy person. Looking back at me, I saw something in her eyes, something dark. “His money, reputation, and the lives he thinks he controls, we’re gonna take them all! We will benefit from it.”
I felt a pang in the pit of my stomach. This was it. My chance to see how evil this woman really is. The pieces were falling into place. “How?” I asked. I kept my tone low as I leaned forward.
Melody shifted in her chair, her smile almost pulling at her ears.
She was bubbling with excitement. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“You’ve been careful, haven’t you? Acting like he had you cornered?
Making it appear you were alone. That was excellent.
But were you when I found you? Do Kolya’s men suspect anything? ”
I nodded, plastering a small smile of appreciation on my face.
I had to keep the game going. I needed more.
“No, I was careful. It was a struggle to get away and hide so they wouldn’t find me.
I’m grateful you did before they did. But tell me more about the rest of the months?
The things you did to corner him?” I asked innocently.
Her gaze hardened slightly as her eyes narrowed.
The eagerness never left her face. “We had to. We couldn’t let him know we were onto him.
The restaurant incident…” her words trailed off for a second.
Then she continued. “Your identity is being used, all of it. But I guarantee we never expected him to force you into marriage. Every action was calculated, every risk weighed. The cops, the surveillance, it was all so perfect. Kolya thinks he is untouchable. But he’s already exposed. ”