18

CHAPTER 18 – RICHARD

I shake the hands of the last black-suited Russian guy as they make their way out of the office. Silence erupts in the office as the door shuts after them.

I let go of my pent-up breath, slumping on the chair. I feel so exhausted from the tense meeting we just had that lasted forty minutes. Rubbing my temples, I try to steady the erratic throbbing of my heart. Just a while ago, I almost exposed myself that I'm not the Richard this world is used to. Just a while ago, the Russians were on the verge of questioning my identity.

Ray's boisterous laughter makes me turn my gaze in his direction. He was seated on one of the chairs surrounding the long table. The chair closest to mine.

"I can't believe you did that!" He whistles boyishly, clapping his hands repeatedly as he laughs.

I, on the other hand, did not share in his amusement. I'm too tense to even let out a chuckle. It's gonna take a while before I'm back to my normal self.

"You can't believe I did what?" I repeat