“My father has companies,” said Peter. “He has partners. He has schemes. He takes out loans through fake people, then lets them go bankrupt. He buys properties for next to nothing. He launders money through supposedly legal transactions.”
“You want to give it away?” I asked, shocked.
Peter looked at me firmly.
– I want to stop him. But I can’t do it alone. If I go directly against him, he’ll crush me. He’ll say I’m ungrateful, that I’m unstable, he’ll cut off my money, he’ll throw me out of his life.
“And you?” I asked. “Why do you trust me?”
Peter sighed.
– Because you are not part of his world. Because you helped Mila without asking who she was. Because you have something to lose, but you still chose to do good.
I fell silent.
“And because,” Peter added, “you’re already a target. Ever since the tape went viral, my father has been watching you. If you don’t do anything, he’ll use you. If you do something, you might have a chance.”
“So what should I do?” I asked.
Peter pointed to the folder.
– Give this to Maria. She will know how. And I… I will give more. But there is a condition.
“What?” I asked.
Peter hesitated.
– Mila needs to be protected. If my father finds out I’m involved, he won’t hit me first. He’ll hit her.
I gritted my teeth.
“We will protect her,” I said.
Peter nodded, as if he needed it to breathe.
“And one more thing,” he added. “Kalin… is not just a manager. He is my father’s man. He has a mission.”
“What?” I asked.
Peter leaned over and whispered:
– To break you. Or to buy you.
Anger rose in my chest.
“It won’t work,” I said.
Peter looked at me for a long time.
“I hope so,” he whispered. “Because if you give in, Mila will be left alone. And Raya… she won’t last much longer.”
I stood up, picked up the folder, and held it to my chest like it was a shield.
In that second, I realized that it was no longer just about my credit, just about my job, just about my humiliation.
It was about a fight against a person who believes that everything can be bought.
And I had to prove him wrong.
Chapter Nine
Maria accepted the folder without asking any unnecessary questions. She just opened it, flipped through a few pages, and her face tightened.
“This is serious,” she said.
“Peter gave it to me,” I replied. “Vladimir’s son. He’s studying law and wants to stop him.”
Maria raised her eyebrows.
“Peter…” he repeated. “So the war is already within the family.”
“What are we going to do?” I asked.
Maria stood up, went to the window, and for a moment looked like someone weighing the risk.
“First,” she said, “we will secure Raya and Mila. Vladimir may try to take them by force, through documents, through pressure, through bribes.”
“How?” I asked.
“There are places where they can be temporarily hidden,” Maria replied. “There are people who owe me favors. But this will inflame Vladimir.”
“And secondly?” I asked.
Maria turned to me.
– Second, we will hit him where it hurts: his reputation. And the law.
“The law?” I laughed bitterly. “He said it himself: laws are for the poor.”
Maria smiled coldly.
– Not when the poor have evidence and courage. And when one of his own comes out against him.
“Peter,” I said.
“Yes,” Maria nodded. “But Peter is young. They will scare him. They will bribe him. They will blackmail him. We have to be faster.”
I sat down heavily.
“I lost my job,” I said. “Vera betrayed me. Kalin is crushing me. The bank is pressuring me. And now… now I’m going to fight Vladimir.”
Maria put her hand on the table.
“Nikola,” she said. “Tell me: if you give up, what will be left of you?”
The question was like a knife, but also like a lifeline.
“Nothing,” I whispered.
“Exactly,” she replied. “So you have nothing to lose but yourself. And you have already begun to find yourself.”
My phone rang. The number was unknown.
“Answer,” said Maria.
I picked up.
“Nikola,” Kalin’s voice was heard. Sweet, fake. “I heard you’ve become famous.”
I clutched the phone.
“What do you want?” I asked.
Kalin laughed quietly.
– Nothing bad. On the contrary. I want to offer you… a chance.
“A chance?” I repeated.
– To come back – said Kalin. – Not to the cash register. In a better position. Vladimir is impressed. He values people who know how to influence the crowd.
My stomach clenched.
“And the price?” I asked.
Kalin was silent for a second, then whispered:
– You just have to tell the truth… our way. Admit that you were wrong. That you broke the rules. That you were deservedly fired. Then you’ll get a job. And maybe… a little help with your credit.
Maria motioned for me to turn on the speakerphone. I did so.
Kalin continued:
– And Mila… and her mother… don’t worry. Vladimir will take care of it. You just shouldn’t interfere.
My anger boiled, but my voice remained quiet.
“No,” I said.
Kalin laughed.
– No? Nikola, you don’t understand. This is not a request. This is your last chance to stay whole.
Maria leaned towards the phone and said clearly:
– Kalin, this is lawyer Maria. I’m recording the conversation. Continue to threaten my client if you want.
There was a pause. Then Kalin hissed:
– So that’s it. Okay.
The connection was lost.
Maria looked at me.
“See?” he said. “They are acting. So we will act too.”
At that moment, my phone rang again. This time it was Mila.
Her voice trembled:
– Nikola… mom… she… doesn’t feel well. There are people at the entrance. Men… they say they are from Vladimir.
My heart stopped for a moment.
Maria was already grabbing her keys.
“We’re leaving,” she said. “Now.”
And as we were leaving, a thought rang in my head like a bell:
The truth has a price.
We were going to pay for it tonight.
Chapter Ten
When we arrived, two men were standing in front of the building entrance. They weren’t in uniform, but they weren’t trying to look casual. They were standing like guards at someone’s will.
Maria did not hesitate. She approached and asked firmly:
– What are you doing here?
One of the men smiled slightly.
“We’re just waiting,” he said. “We have an invitation.”
“From whom?” Maria asked.
“From Vladimir,” he replied, as if that name were a misspelling.
Maria took out her phone.
