Chapter 24 - Sophia #2
My stomach churned with a mixture of deception and fear. “So,” I started. “You were then responsible for the shoot-out at the restaurant? You used my name on the lawsuits you sent him?” I concealed the excitement surging through me. I had her where I wanted her, confessing.
“Yes!” Melody replied firmly. Not a hint of regret was present in her tone or on her face. No remorse for the lives she has destroyed. “We’ve mapped his business fronts. The restaurant, his accounts firm, all employees, and even the guards at his mansion.
Exhaling slowly, I tried to steady myself. My hands trembled, and my heart was pounding like a hammer. Pressing my hands together in my lap, I focused on my goal here.
But keep in mind, Sophia. This isn’t only about revenge. It requires strategy, patience, planning, and understanding of what you’re willing to sacrifice. Are you prepared to cross lines you never thought you would?”
I nodded in slow motion. The weight of her words settled over me like a thick wool blanket. I felt the weight crushing me. “I am! Whatever it takes.” I declared.
Melody leaned back in her chair. She let out a long, deep breath.
“Then we begin,” she said. A twisted satisfaction was clear in her tone.
“I want every detail you have on Kolya. What he’s done, what he is capable of, any weakness we can exploit.
But remember! We need the truth, not embellished stories.
This isn’t just about anger, my dear. It’s about dismantling him without him knowing we’re doing it. ”
I felt a shiver running through me. The enormity of what she was asking opened a sinking pit inside me.
This wasn’t just a meeting. This was some kind of revenge.
A war she was fighting, and I had now firmly joined the front lines.
It scared me thinking of what she was asking. I never knew the real Melody.
“I’ll tell you everything,” I whispered. My voice was steady despite the tremor in my chest. “I want him to pay. I want him to feel my pain, to see what he did. What he tried to do. None of this can go unpunished.”
Her smile returned. This one is less calculating, more approving.
“That’s what I like to hear. Sophia… once we finish this.
You’ll have more than mere revenge. You’ll have power, resources, and freedom.
You’ll see just how much influence it brings with someone like him. You can’t even begin to comprehend.”
Melody took a deep breath before continuing. “I know this isn’t easy. You’ve shown great strength in coming here. By facing this… It’s exactly why we need you. Kolya is underestimating people like you and me. And that… that’s going to be his downfall, his biggest mistake.”
I nodded as I swallowed the mountain in my throat. I felt the words settling deep inside me. “I won’t fail,” I promised. My tone was low, but my voice was filled with resolve. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Melody’s smile widened again, more triumphant this time. “Good,” she said. “Then let’s begin. We have a long road ahead. Sophia, I promise you. Every moment of this is going to be worth it. Tell me the things you were holding back. The dirty little secrets.”
I exhaled hard, a mixture of fear and excitement washing over me. For the first time in weeks, I felt like things were working out. Like I had allies, which I did. But most importantly, I had a chance to see Melody brought to her knees.
I wouldn’t waste this. She destroyed many lives in her pursuit of taking down Kolya. What she didn’t know was that I was wired up. Not only did I hear her confessions, but the police did as well.
“Thank you, Melody,” I said, straightening myself in the chair.
“You are so welcome, my sweet Sophia.” She replied. Her expression confirmed the self-satisfaction she had.
I smiled at her as I looked her in the eye. She had no idea what was about to happen. It filled me with a type of joy I could not explain. “Melody,” I said as I got up. “We have all we need.”
“Okay, spill it,” Melody said. She looked curiously at me, raising her brows.
Beaming back at her, I couldn’t wait to see how she was about to react. The door swung open, and the room suddenly filled with cops. Her expression of delight instantly changed to confusion.
“Why are the cops here?” Melody asked. Her eyes were wide, and her voice filled with fear. As she stood up, the cops came around the desk.
“Melody and Martin, you are under arrest for violating the law.” The sergeant on the scene pronounced as they were cuffed. Melody looked over at me, her eyes like stabbing knives drilling into me.
I stepped back out of fear that she might try to harm me. Even though she was in cuffs, I wasn’t sure that she wouldn’t be able to find a way to get to me. “You!” She screamed at me. “I will kill you.”
Before she could get to me, Kolya stepped in front of me. “You will not touch her.” He stated as he grabbed her shoulders. Pushing her backwards, the cops retook control of her.
I was relieved when he arrived on time. Who knew what she was capable of? Kolya turned to me, and I could not resist jumping into his arms. “Thank you so much. I am so glad that you are in my life.” I said, burying my face into his shoulders.
Kolya hugged me tightly as he replied. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. It is I who must thank you for giving me a chance.”
Looking into his eyes, I could feel the love between us growing. “I have something I need to tell you,” I whispered into his ear.
“You know you can tell me anything,” Kolya replied.
Biting my lower lip, I stared deep into his eyes. “Kolya,” I said. “I’m pregnant.”
“Are you serious?” Kolya exclaimed. Holding me by my shoulders, he pushed me an arm's length away, studying my expression.
Biting down harder on my bottom lip, I nodded. It was extremely difficult to contain the excitement. “Yes,” I whispered.
Looking at him, I saw a glimmer in his eyes as his smile stretched from ear to ear. Kolya picked me up and turned in a circle as he screamed. “We’re having a baby!” As he placed me down, he looked into my eyes. “How long have you known?” He asked softly.
I opened my mouth to reply when he cut me off. “I don’t care. You have made me the happiest man on earth. I’m glad you told me.” Suddenly, his expression changed, and a worried look filled his face. “We are keeping the baby, aren’t we?” He asked.
“Yes!” I exclaimed. “It is our baby, and we are keeping the baby.”
“You did say, our baby?” He asked. It looked like he was about to cry. Placing a hand on my cheek, he waited for a reply.
Covering his hand with mine, I lay my head tightly into his. “Yes,” I replied. “It is our baby. I love you, Kolya. I have fallen in love with the big bad wolf.”
Kolya laughed as he pulled me closer, kissing me passionately. Pulling back for air, he spoke softly. “My little red riding hood, I will cherish you forever. I love you more than I have ever thought I could love anybody.”
He picked me up and carried me out. The fairy tale dream was not something I ever wanted. Yet, I was ecstatic that I got to live it. This was the happy ending most women only dreamed of. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder.