“No, but-”
“Is Olivia willing to testify against him?”
I could see what he was doing. He was taking all my reasons down. “No, she’s not. But if you could start an investigation against him, it would buy her and Oliver some time.”
“Time is what her family doesn’t have,” he spat back annoyed. “Her father will go to prison if he doesn’t pay the money he stole within two months.” He couldn’t stand Olivia’s father; neither could I. That man shouldn’t be allowed to call himself a father.
“Well, he should go to prison.” My voice was slightly elevated now that I was getting mad. “Why is it that he gets different rules? And why should Olivia save him when he did all that shit on his own?” My dad was always about delivering justice but in this instance, he was purposely ignorant. “And why is it that you are turning a blind eye with this guy? I’ve seen you go after the most powerful criminals regardless of their social status or money, no amount of threats would stop you. But now, you are not even willing to look into it.”
Olivia and Oliver practically grew up in our household. I knew my father and my grandfather cared about both of them very much, considering them family. It was uncharacteristic of him not to do anything about it.
“We are approaching five minutes, Anastasia.”
“Damn it, Dad,” I exclaimed annoyed. “Can’t you see it’s killing her?” With a deep sigh, I forced myself to calm down. “Okay, then I’ll do something before she has to marry him.”
“You will do no such thing,” he demanded in a cold voice but there was nothing that would stop me from at least trying to help Olivia.
“And Scarlett?” I changed the subject. “Is she alright?”
There was no response and I had to look at the phone to ensure he was still on the line. He was. “Dad?”
“She didn’t make it home.”
My heart stopped. “What?” I asked in a whisper. “What do you mean?”
“Someone grabbed her from the hotel.” I could hear the worry in my dad’s voice. “Only Brian and Olivia came back from Russia.”
“Did you-” I had to swallow hard. “Did you get someone to go look for her?”
I prayed to God he would say yes. If she was kidnapped because of me and hurt, I’d never forgive myself.
“I did but he wasn't as successful as Dimitry.”
“Oh my God, Dad.” Just thinking about Scarlett in danger had my stomach in knots, threatening to empty the contents of it. “We have to… do something. There couldn’t be a way they mixed us up, right?” God, I hope not. “We don’t resemble each other at all. Right?”
“Listen to me, Anastasia.” My dad’s voice was firm. “Don’t go down that road. I think it wasn’t related, just a freak coincidence that it happened shortly after your abduction. We will find her.” He paused as if to let me soak up those words, then he continued, “You make sure you stay safe and alive.”
“Yes, Dad.” Shit, he was making me more worried rather than making me feel better but I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want to worry him even more.
“Anja, do not stray away from Dimitry. Understood?” I noticed he called him Dimitry again, instead of Mr. Alexeyev. If the situation wasn’t so fucked up, I’d give him a hard time.
“Understood,” I barely choked the words out. “You’ll tell me if you hear anything about Scarlett, right?”
“Yes, but leave that worry to me.” I trusted my dad with my life but I worried what he could possibly do from another continent if she was kidnapped in Russia. “Okay, we don’t want to risk this line. I love you, sweetheart.”
“Love you too, Dad.” The line went dead and I sat there staring into the woods, the sound of the wind softly sweeping through the trees.
I tried to think back to the last time I was in the forest and I struggled to remember. I never went hiking in the woods and avoided national forests. Then with a startling realization, I remembered the last time I walked through the forest. It was the night I escaped through the cellar window with my mom’s help. She pushed me through that window and told me to run.
Don’t look back, sweetheart. Just run. Don’t stop until you find Dad.
My mother kept pushing me, urging me to leave while I stood in front of the little window, unwilling to leave her behind. Her face was so badly bruised, her lip split, which made it difficult for her to talk. More than anything, I wanted us to run together but I knew she couldn’t fit through that little window regardless how skinny she was.
I don’t want to leave you, Mom.
You are not leaving me. I am telling you to go. Please, do it for me. I love you so much, my baby. Do it for me.
Reluctantly, I snuck away from the window, every few steps glancing back at that little window. My mom gave me one last smile and nodded.