Chapter 19: Vivian

I was exhausted after the day's work. My body was aching, and every fiber of my being was tired. The training session with the new recruits had been more tedious than I'd anticipated and took more time. But in the end, it had been a huge success.

The guys loved the session with me, and many of them had questions that required critical thinking. Luckily, I was a very good critical thinker. I answered all of their questions and was satisfied by the looks of astonishment they all wore on their faces.

At first, a couple of them didn't take me seriously because I was a woman who looked so young, probably even younger than some of them were. I hadn't gotten to this stage without running into people like them every now and then. Hence, I was familiar with the attitude and had mastered the art of shutting them up and putting them in their place.

These new recruits weren't different at all; in fact, it had been easier dealing with them, and reminding them of the hierarchy was a piece of cake. However, the hours we'd spent going over the session were the reason for my tiredness.

Now, I couldn't wait to get home, but a part of me knew that I might not really get that rest I needed; they wouldn't let me sleep if they were awake, and there was a seventy percent chance that they were. I thought about calling Alba to ask but decided at the last minute that it wasn't necessary; I was almost home already.

My life was really going well. I'd finally become that woman I'd always dreamed of, and I loved it.

As I drove home, I glanced in my rearview mirror and noticed a particular black SUV behind me. I'd noticed it for the past ten minutes now and couldn't shake the feeling that I was being followed.

Has he found me?

My heart skipped a beat as I continued to travel steadily, but the vehicle pressed on. I didn't want to believe that I was being trailed, at least not yet. In a trice, I took a turn down a street and kept glancing at my rearview mirror to see if the SUV would take the same turn. Unfortunately, it did.

My breathing grew labored, and my hands started to shake as I gripped the steering wheel.

No, no, no….

I put my foot down and increased my speed, weaving through a streak of cars; still, I remained cautious enough not to exceed the speed limit and draw unnecessary attention to myself.

I was tempted to pull over by the patrol car ahead of me, thinking that maybe I should report that I was being followed. Then, I remembered what had happened the last time I trusted a cop.

That tiny voice in my head chipped in: That was in New York City. This is Valencia. He can't control the cops here, too.

True. But let's not forget that he's well-connected. What if the one controlling half of the cops in this city is a friend of his?

My voice of reason had a point; this was a bad idea, and I would rather take my chances on my own.

Before I could drive past the patrol car, the SUV behind me caught up with me in a jiffy. As my breathing ceased, I glanced out the window but couldn't see anything through the tinted glass of the SUV. However, for some reason, as I checked out the car, all of my fear went out the window.

I watched it travel past me, and eventually, the car took a turn just ahead.

A heavy sigh of relief escaped me upon the realization that I was only being paranoid. I slowed down and scoffed at my hysteria, gently shaking my head.

It was four years, four whole years, and I was still looking over my shoulder, afraid of this man, afraid of the day that he would eventually find me.

I had hidden for so long, but despite that, a part of me harbored the thought that he wasn't done with me just yet. I couldn't shake the feeling that the day he would find was growing closer.

My voice of reason had once told me to prepare myself, to get ready for the day he would come for me.

Exhaling sharply, I pulled over by the driveway and brought the car to a halt, massaging my tired eyes as I thought about how much I dreaded the day that I would set eyes on him again.

I didn't understand why I was so certain that we would cross paths again, but that feeling was something that had been gnawing at me for so long. It was a fact, a harsh reality that I had to face.

My phone rang and disturbed my thoughts. The ringing almost startled me, but I didn't flinch. My eyes caught the caller; it was my boss, Mr. Rodriguez.

"Hi, Boss," I answered.

"Keith, thank God I caught you," he said over the phone, his voice weak and a little strained.

"Sir, are you alright?" I asked, concern creeping into my tone.

"I'm glad you asked," he asked, letting out a cough. "I'm feeling a little under the weather, and I need your help."

I gave my rapt attention. "Okay, shoot. I'm all ears."

"I have a meeting tomorrow with some big players in the industry, and as you now know, I'm not feeling okay, so I can't make it."

"Okay…." I drew out the word, knowing what he was about to ask of me.

"Since I can't be present, I'm gonna need someone that I trust to represent our company. Who better than our finest financial analyst?" That was a subtle praise to help rid me of any reason not to comply.

It worked, and I blushed a little at the flattery. This was so impromptu, and that meant that I would have to spend almost the entire night going through the materials for the meeting. I was already tired, and then came this challenge. This wasn't something that I wanted to turn down, though; it was a privilege that he thought I could handle this on such short notice.

I rubbed my fingers over my temples. "What kind of meeting is it?"

"Nothing much, just a potential partner deal," he replied. "We need someone to preside over the meeting and provide financial analysis; that's where you come in, Kiara," he explained. "I know this is sudden, but you're the best person for this job."

I exhaled sharply. This was actually a huge opportunity for me, and I wasn't sure that I was ready. Addressing a couple of newbies was one thing, but sitting in a room with the big players of the industry was an entirely different thing—it was an honor, one that I couldn't…I wouldn't mess up.

"I'm on it, Boss. I'll ensure everything goes smoothly," I replied, making my words as confident as I could muster.

"I know you will. That's why I reached out," he said. "I'll send over the details and materials in a bit."

"Alright, Boss."

"One more thing," he began. "I need you to maintain your confidence, okay? You're a young woman, and these men might not take you seriously, especially Mr. Petrov, the businessman that's heading the deal. He's not really known for his support for women in this line of work. So, you have to be careful around him, but don't lose your confidence," he advised.

"Understood."

I'd dealt with men like Mr. Petrov before; therefore, I knew just how to handle such situations.

"Hey, Keith?" he added quickly.

"Yes?"

"Thank you," he sighed, his voice filled with gratitude. "I owe you one. And I know you'll do great tomorrow."

"Thanks, Boss."

"You have a good one."

He ended the call.

No one had believed I was going to be Mr. Rodriguez's favorite employee, and in this short time, we'd been a great team. I'd grown to enjoy working with him and vice versa. Of everyone in that office, I was the one who knew about his personal life: his wife and kids. He'd learned to loosen up around me, and even though he was naturally harsh, he wasn't like that with me.

"This is going to be a long night," I muttered to myself as I picked my bag up from the front passenger seat.

As I opened the door and stepped out of the car, heading into the house, my phone chimed in my hand, and I glanced at my lit screen. It was a text from Tyler. He'd sent me a funny sticker that made me laugh lightly as I replied with one of mine.

Tyler had been such a great friend, and I couldn't have asked for a better bestie, even when we weren't in the same country.

I hit the side button of my phone, and the screen locked while I opened the door.

As I stepped into the house, Alba turned to face me. She was sitting on the couch, her long, curly brown hair tied back in a ponytail, and her bright smile was a welcoming sight. Alba's warm, hazel eyes sparkled as she glanced up from her book, a hint of a tan on her cheeks from spending time outdoors with the kids.

"Hi, Ms. Keith," she greeted.

"Are they asleep?" I asked, returning her smile.

Alba shook her head, her silver hoop earrings glinting in the light, "No, they're watching TV in the lounge."

"Of course, they are," I replied softly, dropping my bag and keys on the table.

I rolled my neck in a massaging motion as I made my way to the lounge. This was usually the best time of my day after work: coming home to these little cuties, Sophie and Leo.

They were the only good thing that had come from Daniil. They were my source of joy and happiness and the reason why I busted my ass, working hard and smart.

Sophie and Leo were twins, a little over the age of three, but these tiny tots were a real case.

I entered the lounge with a smile on my face as I saw them sitting on the floor, surrounded by toys while cartoons played in the background.

They spotted me instantly, and with a squeal of delight, they dropped their toys and ran toward me with open arms.

"Mama! Mama!" they chorused, wrapping their arms around my legs.

With a joyous heart, I scooped them up, each in one hand, and showered them with kisses.

Sophia, my little mini-me, gazed up at me with those deep blue eyes, her brunette hair tied up in pigtails.

"Mama, I missed you so much!" she cooed.

"Aww. I missed you, too, pumpkin," I replied with the same tone.

"Mama, look, I made a castle!" Leo said to me, pointing at the stack of toys. He had a mischievous grin on his face, and his brown eyes twinkled.

Leo was the spitting image of his father: same eyes, same black hair, same grin. It was a whole lot for me, and the real reason I couldn't forget Daniil was because I had with me a mini copy of him that I saw every day.

"Wow, Leo, that's amazing," I said encouragingly, fixing my gaze on the castle he'd built.

He giggled and squirmed out of my hold, jumping around the room energetically.

"Sophia, honey, you look so beautiful this evening." I smiled at her.

She chuckled and snuggled into my neck while Leo was blabbing excitedly about his castle, demonstrating with his hands.

I set Sophia down and listened to Leo's presentation while my little girl played with my hair.

"Fantastic, Leo!" I cheered him on. "Maybe someday, you'll be an architect."

He laughed, happy that I'd enjoyed his presentation.

"Alright, who's hungry?" I asked, already knowing their answer.

"Me! Me!" they both declared.

"Okay, come. Let's go meet Aunt Alba and then head to the kitchen."

They jumped up and down, excited as they raced each other out the door.

"Wait up! Wait for me!" I called out with a smile.

I had a beautiful home, but I couldn't help but dread the day that Daniil would set his eyes on me again. If he found out that he had not just one but two kids with me, he would do the unthinkable. The man could kill me or even do it with his bare hands.

My heart skipped, and just like that, that fear returned, worse than before.

It was a constant burden that I carried with me, and someday, I worried that I'd be crushed beneath its oppressive weight.