Chapter 17

(Flashback)

They had been driving non-stop for twenty minutes when he noticed Dimitri shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Dimitri was the one behind the wheel, taking the couple to a surprise destination for Anastasia. However, Ivan couldn’t ignore the fact that his trusted companion kept glancing back and forth between the rearview mirror and the road ahead.

Ivan knew something was off.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, trying to keep his calm, not wanting to alarm Ana who was sitting beside him. He could feel her eyes on the side of his face, but he was relieved that she chose to observe without immediately panicking.

Dimitri cleared his throat and broke the news, “I think we’re being followed.”

That was definitely not good news.

Years of experience had taught Ivan not to overthink or overreact. He needed to stay composed, and that’s exactly what he did. “Can we shake them off for a couple of minutes? We need to find a safe place to drop Ana off.”

“Marina’s place is close by,” Dimitri remin