The First Step

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~ FOUR YEARS AGO ~

It's a cold January night and Stefan is sleeping peacefully with Aphrodite in the loft he has rented to protect their love. He has started working in his father and uncle Alexander's company, while she studies at Stefan's expense at the most famous and expensive private acting school, to which she was admitted through the intercession of Mary, Stefan's mother. Everyone, including Stefan, thinks the two are the perfect happy couple, but as we have already seen, you often can't judge a book by its cover ...

It's about 4:00 a.m. when Stefan's cell phone on the nightstand suddenly rings with the sweet ringtone he has chosen for his mother.

* And no one else can be what you have been to me.

You will always be ... You will always be the girl in my life for all times.

Mama, Mama, you know I love you.

Mama, Mama, you are the queen of my heart.

Your love is like tears from the stars... Yes, it is!

Mama, I just want you to know... Lovin'you is like food to my soul... Yes, it is! *

Stefan opens his eyes and looks at his watch. 4:26. This is really strange. His mother never calls at inappropriate times, except ... Oh, crap! Something bad is going on. Aphrodite, visibly disturbed by her sleep disorder, turns over and covers her head with the pillow.

Aphrodite: Damn it, Stefan. Doesn't your mother have any working clocks in the house? For heaven's sake.

Stefan: Don't start with that, please. You know damn well she never calls unless something bad has happened.

Aphrodite: Yes ... exactly! Anyway.

Stefan grabs his cell phone and answers the call.

Stefan: What's going on, Mama?

Mary: Stef, baby ...

Mary sounds panicked and scared. She is crying and the tears barely make her voice sound.

Stefan: Mama? Are you crying? What's wrong with you? What's happened?

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Stefan: Mama? Are you crying? What's wrong with you? What's happened?

Mary: It's ... Nicolae.

Hearing his little brother's name, Stefan jumps out of bed and starts to get dressed, holding the phone on his shoulder under his chin.

Stefan: Nicolae what?

Mary: Blood, Stef. He's spitting up blood. He's not moving. Come here, Stefan. Please ...

Mary's voice is so broken and her sobs cut off the words that Stefan can't understand a single one of them.

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