Chapter 17: Vivian

"You've got this."

I stood before the mirror in the restroom, staring at the beautiful, mature woman looking back at me with a charming grin etched upon her face. This woman was blonde as opposed to the brunette that I once was. She had her hair tied up in a slick bun and a pair of glasses perched over her shimmering blue eyes.

This woman was so gorgeous, clad in an office suit. She looked so professional yet classy—a little nerdy yet sexy. Her eyes brightened when she smiled. She seemed happy, almost fulfilled, so to speak. The woman in the mirror was somebody I never would've become if I hadn't taken that bold move to run away.

She was a more responsible, more grown-up version of the girl I used to be. This girl was the woman of my dreams, and in her head, fantastic ideas were stored, ones that made the company I was working for the best at what they did.

I heaved a sigh, satisfied by the image in the mirror before me. I couldn't help but give myself some praise; every once in a while, I had to cut myself some slack and tell myself that I'd done pretty well. Indeed, I had.

Moving to Valencia here in Spain was the best decision I'd made in a long time. At first, I'd been a little skeptical after Tyler helped me with the paperwork and all the necessary documents to fly out of the country. I'd known I didn't have a choice, but at the last minute, I'd paused for a moment, giving the decision my final thoughts.

While I stood there before that mirror, I could hear the soothing voice of the woman over the public address system echoing through the terminal.

My mind drifted to that day.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please be advised that Flight 212 to Valencia, Spain, is now boarding at Gate 27. Also, Flight 88 to Barcelona has been delayed due to weather conditions. We apologize for any inconvenience…."

While the girl addressed the travelers in that crowded airport, bustling with activities, everyone was busy doing one thing or another.

I stood, holding my suitcase in my hand. The cap over my head had its brim curved so well that it concealed my identity. Over my face sat a pair of dark glasses, my hoodie was flipped over the cap. I wore a pair of blue jeans and a brown checkered shirt with a simple jacket.

"Alright, remember," Tyler started, the both of us glancing around the crowd for any suspicious movement.

I looked at him, paying rapt attention.

"Vivian Kennedy is dead," he said. "That maniac made sure of that; now, we have to continue with that narrative. You're someone else now."

I glanced at my passport and sighed softly.

"You're Kiara Keith from now on." He studied the environment for a moment. "You've been such a good actress with Daniil, pretending to be someone you're not for over a week. I'm sure you can pull this off." He smiled at me.

"Pretending for one week is one thing; living the rest of my life under false pretenses is an entirely different ball game," I lamented, almost tearing up.

It was harder than I thought—leaving all that I knew behind just because I wanted to get away from one man. I hated him for this, for ruining my life.

"I know this isn't easy for you," Tyler said, his voice calm and soothing. "But right now, we don't really have a choice." He held my hand. "If you're going to elude that monster, the best way is to stay hidden."

I sighed. My heart was heavy, but he was right; the only other option was to stay back and wait for him to eventually find me.

No! Hell, no.

"Remember what we discussed: no internet, no taking pictures, no posting on social media," he said, cautioning me against any reckless actions.

"Got it," I replied, but as I stared at him, I had one request in mind.

Noticing that I wanted to say something, he asked, "What is it?"

"I just…." I paused and continued, "I was wondering if you could do me one favor; you've done enough already, I know, and I appreciate—"

"Spill, Viv…." He cocked his head, giving me a gentle smile. "Sorry…Kiara. It'll take some time, but I'll get used to it."

I grinned and continued, "Can you find my mother and make sure she's okay?"

His eyes widened, and his brows raised. "I have to say, I wasn't expecting that, but okay."

"We're not really that close. She's not exactly Mother of the Year, but she's still my mom, and I care about her. So, please, do me this one last favor."

His smile softened. "You have a kind heart, Viv. I'm sure, one day, you'll be a better mom than the one who raised you."

"Thanks, Ty."

"Shit, I just called you Viv again, didn't I?" He playfully slapped his forehead.

I laughed lightly, but my heart was bursting with appreciation for my best friend.

"Thank you, Ty. I mean it." My smile faded, and I peered into his eyes. "You've been more than helpful to me, and I promise, once I find my footing in Valencia, I'll definitely pay you back."

"Until then," he said to me.

Then, the PA speaker crackled to life, the announcer saying, "Flight 212 to Valencia, Spain, is now ready for departure…."

I exhaled sharply. "Alright, that's my cue."

He embraced me tightly, and I felt my tear glands charging up.

"Don't get soft on me now," he said after noticing that I was about to start sobbing.

We let go and looked at each other.

His own eyes began to water. "I'll come visit when I can, okay?"

I nodded, picking up my luggage. "Take care of yourself, Ty. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too."

We shared a final smile, and I walked away toward Gate 27, but as I approached, I couldn't help but look back one more time.

He waved at me, and I returned the gesture with a bleeding heart before boarding my flight.

As the memory faded away, reality returning to me, I continued to admire this woman in the mirror.

Not bad for a young girl who couldn't find her bearing four years ago, a girl who hadn't known her left from her right. Now, I was a full-grown woman: mature and with responsibilities. I was doing just fine as a top data analyst for a prestigious organization called FinCorp.

It wasn't always like this, though. I hadn't transitioned from a saleswoman/runway model to a top data analyst without going through hell first.

Honestly, during the initial stage, after I'd landed in the beautiful city of Valencia, things were really tough for me. The first few months were real hell because I had to adjust to this new city, adapt to the changes that came with it, and also try to get a job.

My desire to study finance had still been alive and kicking, so I jumped on the first opportunity to enroll in a two-year training program in financial management. It had cost me almost all of my savings, but the odd jobs I'd done sustained me.

It had been a very difficult period for me, and I'd been tempted to tell Tyler about it each time we spoke on the phone. He'd known that settling in was going to be difficult for me at first, but he hadn't known that things had gotten really bad for me. I hadn't wanted to tell him because I knew Tyler all too well. He would've done everything in his power to help me out, and he'd done enough already. I couldn't put him through that because of me.

It had taken me almost a year after the program to finally get on my feet after securing a job at FinCorp. I'd been so excited when the company invited me to work with them after an online interview.

At last, my dreams and aspirations were gradually becoming a reality; that had been the first step, and I'd decided that I was going to give it my best shot.

I did, actually; I gave it my all, and after only months in the office, I was already breaking ground. I knew I was good at what I did, so whenever my boss gave us tasks to run, I was always first to finish. A touch of excellence was something I'd added to any task given to me, and I also went for those assignments that my colleagues were afraid of, those that were too daunting and required critical thinking.

I was a critical thinker, and I understood something that they didn't: to get the big bosses to notice you, you had to get their attention. The best way to get their attention was by daring to do what others were shying away from, by identifying a problem and finding a solution.

This was the secret to my promotion.

Mr. Rodriguez, my boss, had always complained about losing our customers and workers to a rival company. He'd talked about it so casually, and nobody seemed interested in his pain. So, I'd dedicated a few weeks to reading books and researching. Taking it upon myself to solve this issue, I'd delved deep into my studies and finally figured it out.

One day, Mr. Rodriguez had mentioned the case again at the office. I'd casually given him my honest opinion, telling him everything that I had learned, but he hadn't seemed impressed. He'd just stood there, looking at me blankly.

I could hear the murmurs of my colleagues; some had mocked me, saying that I was a show-off.

Mr. Rodriguez had completely ignored me and said a few things to the other workers before leaving for his office.

I'd been so embarrassed, especially because those who I knew disliked me were laughing openly at me.

"Poor thing. She thought she could impress the boss."

"Maybe she was hoping to get a bonus or a salary increase."

They laughed out loud.

I made a decision not to ever pull such a stunt like that again, and the next day, I almost didn't go to work, but I managed to pull myself out of bed.

Seated at my desk, minding my own business, I heard my colleague discussing an ongoing board meeting with some highly respected stakeholders. They were saying that the meeting could change the company for good.

I didn't care enough to pry, so I focused my attention on my monitor.

"Hey, Keith!" Mr. Rodriguez stuck his head out the conference room door.

I turned to him, afraid of what I'd done this time and still pissed at the way he'd embarrassed me the day before.

"Can you get over here?"

I glanced around to ensure that I was the one he was talking to.

"Me?" I raised my brows, confused.

"Is there another Kiara Keith in this office? Get in here, now."

With a racing heart, I jumped to my feet, and all my colleagues were squinting, just as puzzled as I was.

I walked stiffly into the conference hall, following him to his seat.

"Mr. Rodriguez, is this about what I said yesterday…?" I whispered to him.

"You're damn right, it is," he replied, cutting me off.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cross any boundaries. I promise, I—"

"Ladies and gentlemen…."

Once again, he ignored me, addressing the serious-faced men and women seated at the table, clad in their expensive suits.

"Meet the brain behind that fantastic idea I shared with you." He turned to me with a smile.

My heart sank into my stomach, and I swallowed hard, realizing what he was up to.

"Ms. Keith, do you mind sharing with the board what you told me about our little problem?"

My eyes widened, and I could barely contain my gasp of shock.

That had been my breakthrough moment, marking the beginning of my successful journey. Mr. Rodriguez had really surprised me and everyone else at the office.

My idea had worked, and the company started to see the results in a matter of weeks. The promotion and increase in salary that my colleagues had assumed I was after came to me without stress.

Today, I was about to speak to a lot of people—some new employees—in the seminar hall, and I was, as always, fully prepared.

I smiled at my reflection, parted my lips, and sighed softly, ready to deliver.

As I stepped into the hall, keeping my shoulders straight and head high, I was directed to the front, where Mr. Rodriguez was standing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ms. Keith, our top financial analyst," he introduced me warmly. "She'll be in charge of your training session."

"Thank you, sir," I replied, taking my place as he stepped away.

Some of the new guys seemed astonished; their widened eyes and gaping mouths gave them away.

"How's it possible that the top analyst looks so young?" one of them whispered to another.

I was already used to that, so I ignored him and smiled. As I was about to start, I noticed a man was holding his phone out to record the session.

My heart skipped for a moment as I remembered Daniil; he was out there, and he was probably still searching for me. I'd been able to stay hidden for so long because I avoided social media, and I couldn't have this new recruit ruin everything I'd worked so hard to achieve.

"Please, put your phone down. You're not allowed to take photos or video recordings in here." I struggled to be as polite, even when all I wanted to do was bark at him.

He was respectful enough to apologize and set his phone down.

It had been four years already, but that man was still under my skin, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he was close to finding me—hot on my trail.

I sighed heavily and managed to squeeze out a smile. "Shall we begin?"