A STOLEN NAME

CHAPTER 67

“He got kidnapped” they muttered, but Vera shook her head immediately the words came out of their mouths . . .

"I'm calling bullshit on that" she said.

"Is there any better explanation?" Lev replied, removing his face cap, and they both darted their eyes to the bloody road.

The four bodies of the dead masked men are still lying flat on their faces, but then they noticed a zippo beside one of them.

It was Lev who went for it and picked it up.

It's Dimitri's electric lighter, stained with the blood of the enemies, and there's a waiting message crawling around the body.

• Call Leo •

"What's this supposed to mean?" Vera asked.

"Just call Leo," Lev replied, and she retrieved her phone, dialling Leo's line. The line is off.

"The plane must have taken off already. He probably activated flight mode," Lev sighed.

"And why are you so calm?" Vera faced him restlessly.

"You started working for Death, long before me. You should know there's a reason behind this," Lev replied, and Vera sighed too.

"Then what next? Should we tell the whole clan?" Vera asked.

"Nope. We don't want a mob war, trust me. Godmother will lose it, so just hang out with me till we receive a signal," Lev replied, walking back to the Audi already.

"You mean we can't go back to the compound till the end of this?" Vera asked, rushing after him.

"f**k yeah," he replied, entering the car.

"Then where the f**k are we going?" Vera asked, getting in on the other side.

"I'll find a cinema. We can while away time and keep trying Leo's line," Lev replied, bringing the car's engines to life before driving down the road.

*DAYBREAK, COLORADO*

The plane landed at exactly 5am, and immediately Sophia stepped out, she couldn't fight the nostalgic feeling that drowned her.

The Colorado air buffeted her in the face like a stormy sea, and she took her time taking it all in.

This place might make her feel miserable, but it's also the place she last saw her parents, so yes, she missed it.

A sad smile crept to her lips as she stared at the LED airport lights and the people filing out of the building, then she looked down at her outfit.

She's wearing ripped baggy jeans and a baggy shirt too, then black boots . . . All bought with Dimitri's money.

Her mind went back to him, and his soft words echoed in her head.

"DON'T GO"

It's the softest she has ever heard him speak, and she nearly went on her knees right there, but she just held it inside.

She has to change these clothes as soon as possible and be a female for the rest of her stay here, even if it's just 24 hours.

She walked out of the place, the voice coming from the intercom blaring around till she got to the main road.

"Sophia!" A familiar voice hollered, and she looked ahead to see her old Aunt Oksana waiting in an old Mercedes beside the road.

A huge smile took over her face, and she quickly crossed over.

The old woman came out to hug her fondly.

"Can't believe this," she said, and Sophia chuckled before breaking the hug.

"You look like a total boy. Where did your hair go? Did you cut it? And ...

"This is the nature of my job, Aunt. I'm comfortable this way," Sophia cut her off, and she sighed, holding her face.

"Poor you... Alina ran off with your parents' investment money, and no one has seen her since then. I warned your father against adoption, but he was so stubborn about it," she said, and Sophia shrugged.

"Alina is probably dead somewhere . . .can we go now? I need to shower," she said.

"Of course! Get in," Oksana said, brushing her grey hair back with her palm.

Sophia got in with her, and the drive to her place started.

Sophia winded down the window, taking in more of the spring air.

"It already rained here last week. I heard the temperature is still low in Russia," Oksana suddenly said.

"It's increasing, and it'll soon rain over there too. I can't wait for that actually," Sophia replied.

"Of course . . . I know how much you love the first rain," Oksana smiled, and silence returned into the car.

Oksana is not a silent person, so Sophia knew she's cooking up something to say.

She savoured the silent moment, counting the minutes before they got to her place with her mind.

"So... Any new relationships?" Oksana finally spoke.

"That's far off," Sophia replied flatly.

"Betrayal doesn't mean you should become immune to feelings. It's already been five years, Sophia. You're 25, and you're not getting younger. You need your own kids too, and I'd love to see them before I die. I have no kids like you know . . . I have suffered from womb problems throughout my life and there's no hope. Maybe one day, when you get married and have twins, I can take one," she replied, and Sophia laughed heartily.

"It's not a joke, Sophia. I want to see you getting married. I want to see you walk down the aisle with a man who loves and cherishes you like a treasure. I want to see you pregnant and bath your babies," Oksana said again, and Sophia suddenly started feeling emotional.

Those feelings are something she hasn't even thought about once since five years ago.

Maybe she's blinded by revenge, but she hasn't thought about what it'd feel like to walk down the aisle with Dimitri.

Wait... Dimitri?

Scratch that. Cancel it.

He's a man who can't even sleep beside her or show an atom of affection.

Fuck... He doesn't even wanna kiss her.

He has no heart to love, and marriage is probably on his never-to-do list, talk more about having kids.

Why is she thinking about him at this crucial moment anyway? Why is her head full of him when it's her future Oksana is talking about?

Is she probably running mad?

The car halted in front of Oksana's studio apartment, and that brought her out of her reverie.

The apartment is just big enough for two people, but Oksana is the only one who stays anyway . . .

No kids.

She led her in, and Sophia dropped her backpack on the small couch.

The woman dished out a female fitting gown from her wardrobe surprisingly, and Sophia took it.

"I buy clothes almost every day, of all sizes for my unborn kids," Oksana said, and Sophia took them with appreciation.

She was shown to the bathroom where she had a bath, but unluckily, there's no purple soap there.

She put on the gown which fitted her body surprisingly, then she returned to the living room.

It is 8am already, and Oksana is already cooking breakfast in the attached kitchen.

"I can help," Sophia said, taking the carrots and cabbages from the tray to start cutting.

Seems she's gonna be making some salad.

"I came to the jailhouse the day you got released, but you were gone. I went to your family house, but you were nowhere too. I lost my phone unfortunately, and I got no help with getting back your number since then, till two days ago, when I met one of your high school friends . . . I got your number back from her," Oksana explained as she washed the rice.

"My high school friend? I had a lot back then, so I can't remember which," Sophia replied.

"You were a cheerful teen, I understand," Oksana smiled.

"The thing about my parents' involvement with the Russians" Sophia suddenly said, stopping the cutting to face her.

"Was thinking we could talk about it over breakfast," Oksana said.

"Now is good too," Sophia impatiently said, and Oksana sighed before turning off the gas.

"Actually, your parents got involved with The Bratva," she said.

"The Bratva?" Sophia couldn't blink.

"Yeah. Isn't that what they call the Russian Mafia organization?" Oksana said.

"Oh... Sure," Sophia replied quickly.

"Your parents got involved with their leader, Viktor Volkov. Back then, you were just two years old . . .you knew nothing," Oksana said.

"Yes?" Sophia said.

"Your mother got pregnant with her second baby, and at that same period, your father came down with a heart problem which needed a transplant. Coincidentally, Viktor came to Colorado to close a business with the CEO of the company your mother worked in. She begged for a loan to buy the available heart for your father, but her boss said no. Coincidentally, Viktor was there during her pleas, so he gave her an offer. He'd pay for your father's new heart on one condition," Oksana said.

"And?" Sophia's heart hammered.

"The condition was that after the birth of the baby, your mother would give him the child as repayment," Oksana said.

"What!" Sophia gasped shockingly.

"Yeah. Viktor gave her the money for your father's heart transplant, and Viktor survived the surgery, but the child died after your mother gave birth," Oksana continued.

"Which means... I had a sister after all, and I didn't even get to meet her," Sophia said tearfully, and Oksana nodded.

"Your parents had plans to tell you about it during that bloody birthday, but then they got killed," she said.

Sophia couldn't even help with the cabbages anymore.

She became too weak, so she just silently left the kitchen, walking to the living room to sit.

Her parents lost the second child, and that only meant they'd have to repay Viktor with money.

Maybe they couldn't afford the money . . . Is that why Viktor sent Adrian to kill them?

No... That can't be.

Her parents had 36 million worth of investments, so that should be more than enough to pay off Viktor's debt, so what actually happened?

The story is still not clear . . . All.

"Sophia" Oksana came to her, and she stood.

"I need to go to the family house . . . I'll be right back," she said.

"Take my car," Oksana offered her the keys, and she rushed out of the house.