Melody poured a glass of water. She slid it across the table to me. Her brows raised. Her face filled with suspicion.
How much could I truly share if most of his life was still a mystery to me? There were many things I couldn’t even confirm yet. “Okay,” I finally replied. I straightened my back and forced myself to meet her gaze. Rubbing my hands together, I acted nervously. “He…” I whispered, swallowing purposely hard.
“Hi’s cruel to the bone. A manipulative bastard. He traps people, forces them into situations… and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Somehow, he knows which buttons to press, what fears to exploit to get you to do his bidding. He…” I took another pause. I had to lay on the drama thick. “He forced me to do unthinkable things… I can’t even describe it. I won’t get into specifics. Not yet!”
Glancing at her, I continued making my voice thick. “I need to know what you’re planning first.”
Melody’s lips pressed together, forming a thin line. The slight raise of her eyebrows was almost imperceptible. But I saw it as she spoke. “You want to know what I’m up to?”
Swallowing hard, I slowly moved my head up and down. I had to make her believe I was all in. “I want revenge!” I uttered. I tried to keep my tone low and filled with anger. “I want to be part of whatever you’re doing. I no longer care if it’s illegal. He must pay. I want…” My voice faltered for a moment. The rawness of guilt at how wrong this was ate at me. “I want to make him suffer,” I managed to get out.
For a brief second, there was a pause. Silence filled the room, heating it up like an oven. Suddenly, Melody sat back in her chair. A smirk decorated her face. “Finally!” she proclaimed. “Finally, someone who will understand what it means to set aside morals when justice isn’t enough. I knew when I hired you that you would see the light.”
Exhaling, I felt the tension in my shoulder easing just a tad. The knots were still there, and my heart still pounded. “What are you planning?” I asked. I kept my tone steady, playing my part as planned.
Melody moved closer, lowering her voice as if we were conspiring. “Martin and I…” she glanced at the window before speaking further. “We’ve been tracking Kolya for months. Everything he’s done, every dirty deal, every little secret he buried. We’ve mapped it all out. We’re going to use this to blackmail him. We’ll hit him where it hurts!”
She sat back, lifted her head, and laughed like a crazy person. Looking back at me, I saw something in her eyes, something dark. “His money, reputation, and the lives he thinks he controls, we’re gonna take them all! We will benefit from it.”
I felt a pang in the pit of my stomach. This was it. My chance to see how evil this woman really is. The pieces were falling into place. “How?” I asked. I kept my tone low as I leaned forward.
Melody shifted in her chair, her smile almost pulling at her ears. She was bubbling with excitement. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. “You’ve been careful, haven’t you? Acting like he had you cornered? Making it appear you were alone. That was excellent. But were you when I found you? Do Kolya’s men suspect anything?”
I nodded, plastering a small smile of appreciation on my face. I had to keep the game going. I needed more. “No, I was careful. It was a struggle to get away and hide so they wouldn’t find me. I’m grateful you did before they did. But tell me more about the rest of the months? The things you did to corner him?” I asked innocently.
Her gaze hardened slightly as her eyes narrowed. The eagerness never left her face. “We had to. We couldn’t let him know we were onto him. The restaurant incident…” her words trailed off for a second. Then she continued. “Your identity is being used, all of it. But I guarantee we never expected him to force you into marriage. Every action was calculated, every risk weighed. The cops, the surveillance, it was all so perfect. Kolya thinks he is untouchable. But he’s already exposed.”
My stomach churned with a mixture of deception and fear. “So,” I started. “You were then responsible for the shoot-out at the restaurant? You used my name on the lawsuits you sent him?” I concealed the excitement surging through me. I had her where I wanted her, confessing.
“Yes!” Melody replied firmly. Not a hint of regret was present in her tone or on her face. No remorse for the lives she has destroyed. “We’ve mapped his business fronts. The restaurant, his accounts firm, all employees, and even the guards at his mansion.
Exhaling slowly, I tried to steady myself. My hands trembled, and my heart was pounding like a hammer. Pressing my hands together in my lap, I focused on my goal here.
But keep in mind, Sophia. This isn’t only about revenge. It requires strategy, patience, planning, and understanding of what you’re willing to sacrifice. Are you prepared to cross lines you never thought you would?”
I nodded in slow motion. The weight of her words settled over me like a thick wool blanket. I felt the weight crushing me. “I am! Whatever it takes.” I declared.
Melody leaned back in her chair. She let out a long, deep breath. “Then we begin,” she said. A twisted satisfaction was clear in her tone. “I want every detail you have on Kolya. What he’s done, what he is capable of, any weakness we can exploit. But remember! We need the truth, not embellished stories. This isn’t just about anger, my dear. It’s about dismantling him without him knowing we’re doing it.”
I felt a shiver running through me. The enormity of what she was asking opened a sinking pit inside me. This wasn’t just a meeting. This was some kind of revenge. A war she was fighting, and I had now firmly joined the front lines. It scared me thinking of what she was asking. I never knew the real Melody.
“I’ll tell you everything,” I whispered. My voice was steady despite the tremor in my chest. “I want him to pay. I want him to feel my pain, to see what he did. What he tried to do. None of this can go unpunished.”
Her smile returned. This one is less calculating, more approving. “That’s what I like to hear. Sophia… once we finish this. You’ll have more than mere revenge. You’ll have power, resources, and freedom. You’ll see just how much influenceit brings with someone like him. You can’t even begin to comprehend.”
Melody took a deep breath before continuing. “I know this isn’t easy. You’ve shown great strength in coming here. By facing this… It’s exactly why we need you. Kolya is underestimating people like you and me. And that… that’s going to be his downfall, his biggest mistake.”
I nodded as I swallowed the mountain in my throat. I felt the words settling deep inside me. “I won’t fail,” I promised. My tone was low, but my voice was filled with resolve. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Melody’s smile widened again, more triumphant this time. “Good,” she said. “Then let’s begin. We have a long road ahead. Sophia, I promise you. Every moment of this is going to be worth it. Tell me the things you were holding back. The dirty little secrets.”
I exhaled hard, a mixture of fear and excitement washing over me. For the first time in weeks, I felt like things were working out. Like I had allies, which I did. But most importantly, I had a chance to see Melody brought to her knees.
I wouldn’t waste this. She destroyed many lives in her pursuit of taking down Kolya. What she didn’t know was that I was wired up. Not only did I hear her confessions, but the police did as well.
“Thank you, Melody,” I said, straightening myself in the chair.
“You are so welcome, my sweet Sophia.” She replied. Her expression confirmed the self-satisfaction she had.
