Chapter 3 #2
I don’t know why, but my chest tightens. My heart stumbles, then starts to race. A low engine hums beyond the gate. Then I hear the crunch of tires.
Eva turns her head, her expression softening. “That’ll be Nico,” she says.
And just like that, the air around me stales.
The name hits like a dropped plate.
Surely, surely it can’t be him. It can’t be him, no way. Six years I stayed in hiding. Tolya’s watching me again. His eyes narrow. I fix my expression immediately to a fixed smile.
What do I do? How do I run?
“Nico, over here!” Eva waves.
I hear him walk over, then I see him. He is in a suit. No tie. Collar open. Hair slightly longer than I remember, but the same dark green eyes. The same jaw. The same man.
Nico.
He freezes mid-step. Our eyes lock.
Luciana’s laughter fades into the background. Bruno’s voice disappears.
There’s only him. Only me.
He looks like a ghost. No, he looks like a promise I buried and hoped would never dig itself out.
“Mommy!” Bruno cries. Kill me now.
His eyes fall to Bruno, then back to me.
Heat floods my cheeks. My heart stutters.
Eva turns between us. “You two… know each other?”
My voice sticks in my throat.
“No,” I say.
She raises an eyebrow. But before she can press, Luciana runs up to me and tugs at my arm.
“Mommy, come see the cake!”
Saved by frosting.
I nod quickly. “We’ll be right there, honey, go play with Bruno.”
She nods and skips off. Nico’s eyes follow her.
He steps forward.
“Hi,” he says, voice even. “I don’t think we’ve met.”
I force myself to nod.
He extends his hand. “Nico.”
His fingers close around mine.
He doesn’t let go right away.
I try to pull back, but he doesn’t release. Eva coughs, he still holds on.
“These are her twins,” she says brightly. “Luciana and Bruno. ”
“Twins,” he repeats, glancing at them again. “How old?”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
Eva answers instead. “Five and a half, I think? Right?”
“Five,” I say quickly.
His smile widens.
Too much.
“Funny,” he says. “They look… familiar.”
He still hasn’t let me go? Why is he still holding on to me? I try to pull away, he holds firm, eyes boring into me.
My heart lurches.
Eva laughs, oblivious. “You’re being creepy, Nico. Don’t scare them.”
Nico’s eyes stay on mine. “Just making conversation.”
“They’re just Marko’s classmates,” I say, finally pulling my hand away, “We, uh—met at the park.”
“Lucky coincidence,” he murmurs.
Luciana runs over, arms outstretched. “Mommy, look! We made a flower crown!”
She places it on my head with ceremony. Bruno hangs back but gives me a small smile. The same dimple Nico has when he’s not trying to look like a weapon.
Nico’s gaze follows every movement.
He’s not smiling now.
There’s something… feral behind his eyes. He’s putting it together faster than I can run from it.
I step back. “We should get going. We have a… thing. An appointment.”
Eva looks confused. “So soon? You just got here.”
“Sorry,” I mumble. “Rain check?”
I don’t wait for approval.
I scoop up my purse and call the twins. “Come on, shoes on!”
Luciana pouts. “But the cake—”
“I’ll make one at home,” I say firmly marching them away.
His stare burns between my shoulder blades as we walk through the gate.
The drive home is silent.
Luciana hums quietly in the backseat, still wearing the crooked flower crown. Bruno watches the window, fingers tapping the glass, eyes narrowed like he’s replaying everything.
I keep my hands locked at ten and two, the steering wheel slick from my palms.
“Mommy?” Luciana finally asks. “Are you mad at us?”
“No, sweetheart,” I say, voice too soft, too high.
Bruno turns. “Then why are we leaving?”
“We just… needed to go. I’ll explain later.”
The light turns green. My foot jerks forward.
“You said we’d stay for cake,” Luciana whispers.
“I know. I’m sorry. Not today.”
The tense silence that follows stabs.
At home, I strip their shoes off at the door.
“Nap time,” I say.
“But it’s not even—”
“Nap. Time,” I repeat, firmer.
Luciana’s lip wobbles. Bruno just walks to the bedroom, shoulders slumped.
I tuck them in without fuss. Kisses on foreheads. Tucking the blanket tight like I used to when they were smaller. When the world hadn’t yet shifted under our feet.
Luciana whispers, “Are you okay?”
I nod, lying. “I’m just tired.”
Bruno’s already watching me, eyes too old for five and a half.
I shut their door gently. Stand there a moment, just breathing.
Then I slide down the wall. My chest caves in first. Then my throat. Then the sob pulls free. I press a hand to my mouth, but it’s no use. The sound still comes.
I rock against the wall, knees tucked, lungs burning. The panic rises fast—sick and cold and choking.
I can’t run again. I can’t.
They just started school. I finally found a stable job marketing for a local firm.
Nothing flashy, but it’s mine. The hours work.
The bills are paid. The twins like their teacher.
They like the neighbor’s cat. They’re finally okay.
I can’t keep raising them in random villages.
The city is better for them. I didn’t expect to run into him. Not this quickly.
And now Nico has seen them. I sob harder. I hate him for still having this kind of power. I hate myself for not hiding better.