CHARLOTTEI let out a relieved sigh as we passed through the gates. Once the car stopped in front of the door, I quickly got out and hurried towards the elevator. I didn’t want to wait for Sonia to finish debriefing the guards—I needed to call Maria back and sort through everything that had transpired at the firm before she had the chance to ask more questions.As the elevator doors closed and it began moving upward, I took out my phone and dialed Maria’s number. She answered on the first ring.“Hi Maria, I’m sorry I missed your calls. I was with the lawyer. How are you?” I said.“Hello, Signora. I’ve been worried since I arrived in Milan. Are you alright? How did the meeting go?” she replied, her tone filled with concern.“I’m alright, Maria—just a little shaken, but I’ll get over it. The meeting…” I paused for a moment, considering my next words. “...It showed me that I’m about to step into a world where people are ready to fight dirty.”“I’m guessing that means the lawyer is willin
CHARLOTTE“Hi, Ms. Edwards,” Mr. Berkley muttered, as I stepped out of the vehicle. He was dressed entirely in black, and I realized I hadn’t paid enough attention to notice his outfit when we met at the office. He was waiting in the parking lot, and he started to take off his coat when he noticed my sleeveless top.It was warm when we left, so I didn’t think about bringing a jacket. But now, the weather seemed to mirror the turbulence in my mind as the winds picked up. I rubbed my palms together and stood beside him, resisting the urge to turn around and look at the car. I could feel Sonia’s gaze burning a hole in my back through the passenger window, and I chuckled lightly.“I see you ditched the convoy,” he said, wrapping the coat around me.“Thank you,” I uttered, nodding. “Getting her to leave the other guards was easier than I expected, but she’s not thrilled about being here again,” I added as we started walking off the premises.“You don’t seem thrilled to be here either,” he
CHARLOTTE"Are you alright?" Sonia asked as soon as I stepped into the car. I closed the door and chuckled, running my hands through my hair."I don't know. I don't think I'll be alright for a long time. Everything keeps taking one drastic turn after another," I replied. She arched an eyebrow and turned to the driver."Drive," she said. He nodded slightly and started the ignition. "Still don't think there's anything I can do to help?""You're getting me away from here before it starts crawling with cops. That's the best thing you can do right now," I answered as the car sped through the streets. I glanced at the night sky and sighed. "I need a bottle of wine.""You mean a glass," Sonia corrected from her seat. She kept her eyes on the road, but I knew exactly what her reaction to my desire for alcohol would be. "Right?" she added, and I rolled my eyes."No, I meant what you heard. I'm going home to drink an entire bottle of wine. Will I wake up feeling terrible the next day? Probably.
CHARLOTTE“Ms. Edwards?” Sonia’s voice called, but it sounded so faint and distant that I thought I was imagining it. “Ms. Edwards,” she repeated, and I felt my body shake lightly. I opened my eyes and blinked in confusion as the room was filled with guards who looked ready to draw their weapons at the slightest inclination.My throat felt dry, and I tried to reach for the bottle of water on the bedside table, but one of the guards snatched it away, muttered something, and handed it to his companion. “What’s… What’s going on?” I stammered as Sonia sat on the bed with a relieved expression. “Sonia?” I continued, but she shook her head slowly.“I’ll explain everything in a moment, but we need to get you out of here first. You need a doctor, and I’m sorry I failed you again,” she answered.My expression morphed into a frown as I looked at her in confusion. I started to say something, but one of the guards stepped forward and whispered something into her ear. She nodded, and they all file
CHARLOTTE“I’m confused,” I murmured, lowering my gaze, trying to process everything she had just said. Sonia started to respond, but a knock at the door interrupted her. I watched as she hurried over, stepping outside and locking the door softly behind her. I wanted to move, but even sitting up was a struggle—my body simply refused to cooperate.“The law firm,” I muttered to myself, scanning the room. Panic surged as I realized it was nowhere to be found. If I had been out for so long, I might have missed the crucial information the lawyer had regarding the case. As much as I tried to push the thought aside, I knew in my gut this was tied to the Narzhy family.The speed at which they acted was baffling. I tried to wrap my mind around how they could have moved so swiftly. A flash of memory—the car that drove past us at the scene—flickered in my thoughts. Could we have been followed? Sonia returned, her expression heavy with guilt. I could see the regret on her face, likely wishing we
CHARLOTTEFew things have knocked the wind out of my sails, like receiving this news. Everything spun momentarily, and it felt as if someone had thrown a brick at my head. I started to feel faint, my heart felt like it would burst, and my palms grew clammy as beads of sweat formed on my forehead.“What do you mean, he’s dead?” I asked, struggling to collect my thoughts. “He can’t be dead; he just sent me this,” I added, showing her the texts I’d received from him.She stared at the phone’s screen for a moment, then sighed. “Signora, I—” she began, but I shook my head vigorously.“No,” I interrupted, defiance etched on my face. “He can’t be dead, not when we’re making progress with the case. He—” My words faltered as I began to cry. She reached for my hands and held them.“I know it’s hard to accept, and I’m so sorry you had to hear it like this. I was hoping to wait until you were feeling better before saying anything, but he’s dead. He really is,” she said slowly, releasing my hand w
CHARLOTTESonia had left the room, mentioning she needed to update the guards on the current situation. I was glad to have a moment to myself. Lying in bed, I replayed our conversation in my mind—everything was happening too fast. I glanced at my phone, tempted to call the firm, but I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up. Someone was dead because of me, and I couldn’t shake off the weight of that reality.A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts, and Sonia re-entered.“You don’t have to stay,” I said, watching her walk to the bathroom to wash her hands. “You’ve been through quite a bit yourself. You should rest.”She stepped out, drying her hands with a towel before tossing it into the laundry basket. “I can’t leave you alone,” she replied, sitting in the chair positioned near the door. “The guards are supposed to take shifts watching you, but I figured you wouldn’t be comfortable with that.”“You’re right,” I admitted. “I wouldn’t. I just need to be alone right now to think.”So
Charlotte“What do you mean?” I asked, stepping back as the woman struggled to stand. She paused to catch her breath, then stifled a cough, but blood trickled from the corner of her lips.I glanced at Sonia, wondering if this was the reason she had been washing her hands in the bathroom earlier. She seemed like she was ready to start another session if the occasion called for it, and that scared me a little. I wondered what else she was doing that I may not have considered this the entire time.“Your presence here, Signora,” the woman continued speaking. I turned my attention back to her as she stood up slowly. I realized that her hands were tied, and the left side of her face had been badly bruised. “It’s going to stir the pot. A lot of people are going to wind up dead or missing because you can’t stay dead. It’s a shame I won’t be here to see it, but I’m sure,” she added, coughing, then chuckling. “I’m sure it would be so much fun,” she finished.“I wasn’t dead. I didn’t commit suic