A Mafia's Letter

9

Yet again a figure was luring from the shadows. Anastasia was being watched, just like Vadim had watched her husband from the shadows. Only this time the look of the stranger wasn't filled with hatred, no this man looked at her with pity and love.

"Anastasia." The stranger spoke, scaring Anastasia. As she turned around to look at the man that had been looking at her, her expression changed from afraid to something that looked like love.

"Manuel, what are you doing here?" She whispered, taking a step closer to him. This encouraged the man, known as Manuel, to step out of the shadows and walk to the woman he hadn't seen in 18 years.

The two were now standing face to face, their chests were almost touching. For a minute it was quiet. No one said a word, no one wanted to say a word. They just wanted to look at each other, soaking in one another's presence. It almost felt like a contest who would be able to stay still for the longest, both searching their competitors eyes for any sign they were going to give up.

Anastasia was the first one to move after their little contest, pulling Manuel into a hug. "I missed you." She whispered in his ear.

It was true, she did miss him, even though she was the one to send him away. Manuel pulled away from the woman who had impacted his life so much, who was still effecting his life so much. He, after all, had been protecting her secret after she couldn't anymore.

"Miss Nabatova, sadly I didn't come back to catch up with you. There is an urgent matter regarding it." He told his boss, empathising the last word. Anastasia gasped hearing those words slip from his mouth, it were words she had always dreaded. It were words she had hoped to never hear. Her body began to shake slightly, suddenly feeling nauseous from the fear and concern.

"It is Gustavo, I saw him snooping around the town. Leonardo must know something, he would never randomly send his top lawyer and right hand to a small village like that." Manuel truthfully told Anastasia, feeling equally concerned.

"I h- have to go, Manuel. Go back there n- now and I'll meet you there in 2 days." She told him, before leaving the attic. She ran through the corridors, wanting to wake up from this nightmare. Leonardo couldn't find out...

Vadim was also walking through the corridors tonight, he was finally back from is little confrontation . As he was admiring the art hanging on the walls, making his way towards his room, he heard someone running. The sound of heels hitting the floor echoed through the corridors. That sound he could distinguish from thousands, that was his sister.

Turning around the corner he saw her running away, towards the west wing where the bedrooms could be found. Anastasia turned her head around while running, a move that later proved to be a big mistake. As she looked behind her, she could see her brother at the end of the hall. This made her run even harder. Hot tears were running down her face, blurring her vision. She couldn't see clear anymore, making her trip and fall on the hard wooden floor.

Vadim quickly caught up with his sister. "Anastasia what are you doing?" He asked his sister, who now looked like a hot mess. For a second he closed his eyes, as memories hit him hard. 18 years they had been in the same position, almost in the same place.

Vadim kneeled down in front of his little sister. She was silently sobbing, her face was hidden in her delicate hands. "They're dead Vadim. They're really dead... I-I..." she whispered, struggling to find the words "I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"It's none of your business." Anastasia harshly told him, breaking him out of his old memories. Vadim kneeled in front of her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"No." Was the only thing she said before shoving Vadim away and running towards her room. Full of confusion his eyes followed his sister's movements until she disappeared behind a corner. His sister had never really kept secrets from him, why did she started acting out all of the sudden...

That night Vadim couldn't fall asleep. The memories seemed to not want to leave him tonight. The memories from the past, the memories that kept hunting him, the memories of his sister. It felt like torture, like somebody kept stabbing him in the heart.

It was early in the morning, the morning of his sister's nineteenth birthday. They were having breakfast together, their little family. Only the birthday girl was missing, infuriating her strict father. Vadim was sitting on the right side of his father, who was sitting on the head of the table. On his father's left side his mother sat. An empty plate was placed next to Vadim, awaiting to be used.

"I'm here." The young Anastasia said while still brushing her silky smooth hair. The brush falling on the ground was the only sound heard after their father slammed his fist to the table.

"Anastasia, I asked you to be at breakfast at seven. It is now half past seven, you're late." Vadim's father spoke with a threatening voice.

"I thought I would sleep in the last day in Russia." She told her father, putting her hands on her hips.

"You won't be leaving, Anastasia." Their mother gently spoke, trying to convince her daughter. She gripped her husband's hand, looking for support.

"To bad I already booked the ticket." Anastasia spoke furiously, before turning around. Leaving just as swiftly as she entered.

Her father was fuming, ready to run after his misbehaving daughter. Vadim who had been quiet all throughout the little fight could already foresee the nasty thunderstorm that would take place if his father would follow his little sister.

"I'll go." Vadim said, before sprinting out of the room.

Little did he know that that would be the moment he would see his sister for the last time in months. Little did he know that this was the beginning of a thunderstorm even he wouldn't be able to stop.