Maria drove confidently. I clenched my knees to keep from shaking.
My phone rang. Kalin.
I didn’t answer. A moment later it rang again. Then again.
Maria looked at me.
“Don’t answer,” he said. “Every conversation is a trap.”
The phone went silent. A minute later I received a message. Just one sentence:
“You have one last chance to be reasonable.”
I gripped the phone so tightly that it hurt.
“They know,” I whispered.
“Yes,” said Maria. “But they don’t know how much we know.”
When we arrived at the place, it was an old house, hidden behind a high fence. Inside, it smelled of cleanliness and tea. We were greeted by a middle-aged woman with calm eyes.
“This is Lydia,” Maria said. “My friend. You’ll be safe here for a while.”
Lydia nodded.
“They won’t find you easily,” he said. “And if they do, they’ll go through me first.”
We put Raya in a room on the first floor. Mila never left her side.
When we were finally alone in the kitchen, Maria put the envelope on the table.
“This is the key,” he said. “But we have to use it wisely. If we throw it in Vladimir’s face without preparation, he will destroy him. And us with him.”
“What do you suggest?” I asked.
Maria took a deep breath.
– We will file a lawsuit against Kalin and the store. This will open doors. We will demand records, documents, internal protocols. We will force them to talk.
“And Vladimir?” I asked.
“Vladimir will appear on his own,” Maria replied. “He won’t tolerate being exposed. And when he does appear, he’ll make a mistake.”
“He doesn’t make mistakes,” I said.
Maria smiled.
– Everyone does it when they believe they are untouchable.
At that moment, Maria’s phone rang. She picked it up, listened, her face tensed.
“Peter?” he said.
My heart skipped a beat.
Maria listened some more, then said quietly:
– I understand. Stay there. Don’t do anything. And don’t trust anyone.
He closed it and looked at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Vladimir has found out that Peter has been talking to someone,” said Maria. “He doesn’t know who, but he suspects. And he’s already pressuring him.”
I clenched my fists.
“We need to help Peter,” I said.
Maria nodded.
– Yes. But we have to be careful. In this game, every move counts. And Vladimir has more pieces.
“We have it too,” I said, unsure.
Maria looked at me firmly.
“We have one thing he doesn’t have,” he said. “A conscience.”
And then I realized: perhaps this is the most dangerous weapon if you use it correctly.
A car sounded in the distance. Lydia looked out the window.
“You have a visitor,” he said quietly.
Maria froze.
I approached the window and saw a familiar figure getting out of the car.
Faith.
And her smile was like a knife coming to finish its job.
Chapter Twelve
Vera entered uninvited, as if the house were hers. Her eyes shone with the cold gleam of someone who believes she holds the cards.
“There you are,” she said, looking me up and down, as if checking to see if I was broken.
Lydia stood in the doorway, but Maria stopped her with a gesture. Vera had not come for tea.
“How did you find us?” Maria asked.
Vera smiled.
“Do you think it’s difficult?” he said. “Vladimir has eyes everywhere. And Kalin… he has ways.”
I gritted my teeth.
“What do you want?” I asked.
Vera approached the table and placed an envelope on it. Thick, heavy.
“Money,” he said. “Enough to pay off your loan. Enough to find a new life. You just have to sign that everything you said was out of anger. That you lied. That you exaggerated.”
Maria laughed briefly.
“This is a bribe,” she said.
Vera shrugged.
“Call it… an opportunity,” he replied. “Nikola has always been naive. It’s time for him to grow up.”
I looked at the envelope. For a moment I felt my heart sink. The two hundred leva I gave Mila had brought me to the brink. And here… here was probably an amount that could get me out of everything.
Vera felt it.
“You see?” he whispered. “You don’t have to suffer. Just agree. Vladimir will take the child, yes. But she will have everything. And you will have peace.”
“Peace bought with betrayal,” I said.
Vera smiled sourly.
“You speak like a man who is not hungry,” he said. “But you are hungry, Nikola. Hungry for security. Hungry not to wake up at night in fear.”
I didn’t answer. Because she was right. Fear was waking me up.
Maria leaned towards Vera.
“Tell Vladimir we’ll see him in court,” she said.
Vera laughed.
– In court? – he repeated. – Maria, you are a smart woman, but you are naive. Vladimir buys judges. He buys witnesses. He buys truth.
“He doesn’t buy everyone,” Maria replied calmly.
Vera looked at me.
“And you?” he asked. “Can he buy you?”
I was silent. I felt all eyes on me.
At that moment, I remembered Mila, holding the candy package as a last hope. I remembered Raya, whispering, “Don’t let them.”
I looked at Vera.
“No,” I said.
Her smile disappeared.
“Think again,” she hissed. “If you don’t take the money, Vladimir will crush you. You’ll be left homeless. With nothing.”
“Maybe,” I replied. “But at least I’ll remain human.”
Vera froze, then grabbed the envelope and threw it on the floor.
“Okay,” he whispered. “Then you’ll see what happens when you’re too proud to be saved.”
He walked towards the door, but on the threshold he turned to Maria.
“And one thing,” he said. “Heaven won’t last. And when she’s gone, they’ll take Mila. With or without you.”
It came out.
Lydia locked it behind her, her hands shaking.
“What are we going to do?” I asked.
Maria picked up the envelope from the floor, opened it. Inside was not only money, but also a document.
“Look at this,” she said, handing it to me.
I read the headline and my blood ran cold: “Agreement to Waive Claims.”
“This is a trap,” I whispered.
“Yes,” said Maria. “If you sign, you lose everything. Both the case and the opportunity to defend Mila.”
I squeezed the leaf.
“So Vladimir is playing dirty,” I said.
Maria smiled sadly.
