Blind Love

Chapter 1

Sofia groaned as the constant ringing of her phone woke her up from one of the most beautiful dreams of her life. She had never hated the aggravating sound of her ringtone with such a burning passion. Sleep was something precious and rare for a demanded psychiatrist like her and all that she wanted to do was to lie into her warm and comfortable bed. But the person calling her had obviously other ideas.

"Hello?" she groggily replied.
"Baby... What you're doing?" the cheerful voice of her best friend said.
Sofia growled, infuriated with the glee in her voice. She loved her best friend with all of her heart but Flora De Luca didn't know the meaning of peaceful nights.
"Flora, it's two a.m. What do you think I was doing?"
"God, calm your tits", she replied nervously.

That got Sofia's attention. Her best friend was never nervous- that woman oozed confidence.
"What's wrong?" she asked worrily.
"Baby, I need your help. It's really complicated and I can't talk about it over the phone. But I really need your help."
"Did you kill someone, girl?" Sofia asked.
She was ready to hide the body for her best friend.

"What? No", the other woman replied laughing.
"Then, what's wrong?"
"I can't tell you on the phone. It's too complicated. But you have to trust me on this. I'll text you the address and you'll have to meet me there... And please, don't ask questions. Just trust me on this, Sofia", Flora said, her voice surprisingly sad.
"Questions about what?" she asked confused at her friend's secretion.
"You'll see when you arrive."

She hung up with thousands of questions in her mind. It wasn't like Flora to be so secretive. Sofia felt something wrong but she shook it off. Friendship was a thing that she didn't take lightly and Flora had been her best friend for ten years. She was going to trust her on this, even though her instincts were telling her not to.

She got up and changed into a pair of blue jeans and a grey pullover. The chill of the night caused her to shiver, even through the thick wool of her cloth. She drove to the address which her friend had texted to her. She was exhausted- her limbs felt heavy but she forced her fatigue away. Her heart was beating like a drum with anticipation and she didn't even know why. She had that strange feeling in her belly that she couldn't quite explain.

When she arrived at the indicated address, she cursed loudly because she knew she was setting feet into something dangerous. The mansion in front of her was gigantic and sumptuous. And it didn't seem like a place Flora could afford with her cardiologist's salary. The security team at the front gate was even more impressive- there were at least two dozen of scaring looking men guarding the gate.

"Are you lost, miss?" a grey eyed bulky man said with a thick British accent.
"I don't think so... I'm Sofia Olivarez, a friend of Flora De Luca."
The man eyed her suspiciously, gauging her sincerity.
"Can I see your ID?"
She nodded and handed it to him. After several long minutes, he finally nodded and told the others to open the door.
Sofia let out a relieved breath, wondering where she was.

She took the long driveway to the front of the mansion, amazed at the canopy of trees encasing the way. She gaped at the beauty of the structure. The four-storey stood proudly with a mixture of Victorian and Gothic style. The place itself looked like it was taken out of a fairy tail.

Her best friend was standing in the doorway, impeccably dressed in a cocktail dress. She was nervously fidgeting with the fabric as she was watching her. The man next to her made Sofia frowned. He was very handsome, with his hair perfectly combed back and dressed in grey suit. She didn't fail to notice the way he was holding Flora's hand.

Sofia cautiously exited the car and made her way towards them, the strange feeling in her belly intensifying.
"Sofia..." Flora trailed off nervously.
"Hello Sofia. I'm Ivan De Luca. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."
As the man extended a hand, her best friend looked at her expectedly, her bright blue eyes shining. Sofia cautiously shook it and her eyes set on the gold band around his ring finger. She looked at the other woman's left hand to find the exact replica of the ring.

Betrayal stung her heart but Sofia held Flora's gaze.
"No question, right?" she asked.
The blond woman shook her head and lowered her eyes to the ground.
"Sofia, we'll explain everything to you later. But you'll have to stay as open-minded as possible", Ivan said calmly.

Sofia nodded and followed them inside. She looked at her friend. She had the feeling of not knowing her best friend anymore. How much had she been hiding from her? How could she hide the fact that she was married? Flora knew all of her secrets, they shared everything but now Sofia couldn't keep questioning herself. She took in a deep breath, trying to stay in control.

Ivan looked at the lowered head of his wife and felt a pang in his heart. He knew that she was risking her friendship and that she was doing it only to save his family. He loved her even more for that. But he also knew that her friendship with Sofia meant the world to her- losing it would break her heart.

He glanced at Sofia and instantly knew why his wife loved her so much. The short woman oozed a compelling and warm aura, making it impossible not to like her. She was breathtaking with her long brown curly hair pulled back in a ponytail, revealing sharp cheekbones. Her brown eyes were sparkling with cunning intelligence but her face held an angelic glow. But Ivan had eyes only for his wife. He only wished that she would be able to do a miracle and save his brother from the abyss he had fallen in.

The short woman looked around as they mounted the stairs. It was sumptuously decorated with fine, uniquely craved furniture. The high ceiling could give vertigo to anyone. Everything in this mansion seemed ridiculously expensive and it made Sofia wondered what kind of job could pay for such a lifestyle. But then did she really wanted to know the answer?

She sighed, the fatigue overwhelming her again. The stairs seemed to go up for miles but she forced her worn out legs to advance. They finally came to an halt in front of a door. Sofia let out a small sigh of relief but the chill that went down her spine made her fully aware. Anticipation made her heart beat faster and she didn't even know why she was feeling that way.

She cautiously entered the room, trailing behind her best friend.
"Who are you bringing inside, Ivan?" a rough husky voice resonated across the room.
The voice sent chills all over her body and instantly caused her body to come to life. Sofia frowned, her body reaction puzzling her. She had never felt that way before and certainly not from hearing a voice. Her breathing turned slightly ragged as heat pooled in between her legs.

"She's a psychiatrist, fratello. She is going to help you", Ivan replied.
He was standing in front of her and the other man in the room, blocking her vision. Sofia was compelled to see what he looked like but the commanding tone with which he spoke held a much saddened one.
"I don't need help. Get me the old doctor. He is enough, there is no need for another one."

"Don't be stubborn, Mikhail. Please", Ivan said, the despair in his voice heartbreaking.
The other man scoffed and Ivan stepped away, a smile breaking on his face.
Sofia stared in awe at the God-like male specimen in front of her. He was drop dead gorgeous. He was sitting in an armchair by the balcony, the soft breeze caressing his blond hair.

His spine straight, his large shoulders square, he was breathtaking. He was staring right at her soul with his piercing green eyes. But there was an aura of sadness and despair around him- an aura that made her want to soothe his pain away. His eyes was one of the clearest green that she had ever seen that she could distinguish it even from the other side of the room.

She stepped forward and was puzzled when she realised that his eyes didn't follow her movements. They were gazing into the air with the same sadness and when he spoke, his voice held a painful tone.
"Why is she moving?"
"She is here to help you, Mikhail. We need her, you need her", Flora said.

Sofia's curiosity was at the maximum. Flora and Ivan seemed desperate. She sensed that something was terribly off about that family. And she wanted to know the reason of her venue here. She felt that she was stepping into a dangerous environment and that she needed to run as fast as possible. But there was a force that was irrevocably pulling her towards the blond man with the piercing eyes.