Chapter Four: Marianna
Iwas on my way home from work, making sure to leave the office early, when I heard my phone ring in the pocket of my purse just as I made my way up to the front door of my apartment. I answered it, but the minute I did, there was no voice coming from the other end of the line. I felt my heart start to beat out of my chest, as all I could make out was the muffled breathing of someone listening to me speak, trying to figure out who it was.
“Who is this?” I asked myself, clutching my purse tightly at my side while I let myself in through the door, remembering that the package was neatly tucked into it. I shut the door, making sure it was locked, and just as I did the call disconnected. I hadn’t been that freaked out in a very long time, and I was starting to think that there was some truth to the doubt and suspicions that were beginning to consume me. I tossed my things to the side, peering out of the peephole at my front door, and I could’ve sworn I saw someone walk by.
I tried to calm myself down, remembering that it was quite possible I was just being paranoid, that I was creating all of these scenarios because there was something much bigger at play, and that was trying to find my biological parents. I knew what they looked like, what their lives appeared to be like, but I had no idea if they would even be open to the idea of speaking to me. I was trying to blame all of the strange occurrences on the fact that I was particularly on edge, especially after what Larissa had told me, but I decided that I needed a drink to calm my nerves before I started to decipher the package I received. I thought back to the moment I was sitting in my office, peering over the sheet music that had been sent to me, and it was unmarked and unnamed, as though it was personally composed. I truly hadn’t played piano since I was very little, and I had absolutely no idea why someone would even send it to me, but I promised myself I would give the song a play if I ever had the chance.
There was something about the notes that felt familiar, as though I’d looked at that very piece of sheet music before, but I knew that had to be preposterous. My adopted parents never got me involved in any piano lessons, and they didn’t have any instruments in their house, so I knew that it didn’t come from them. I decided to stuff the sheet music into my kitchen drawer, trying to focus on getting back to a bit of normalcy in my life while I reached for a wine glass in one of my kitchen cabinets, pouring myself a warm glass of red to calm my nerves.
I opened up my client notes on the coffee table, reviewing their progress when I heard my cell phone began to buzz. At first, I was afraid to answer it again after the call I’d just received, but I told myself that it didn’t mean anything, and that it just had to be a mistake. I glanced down at the name above the number to see that it was Larissa calling, and I knew she was out at a party with the mysterious man she was seeing, so I was glad that she remembered to check in as I asked, especially after she’d told me she’d felt unsafe.
“Larissa, how are things going at the party?” I asked, hearing the noisy conversations that were occurring behind her, nearly drowning out her voice entirely.
“It’s going much better than I expected, actually. I’m starting to think that you’re right, and that I was just being a little too paranoid with this whole thing. Well, that was until something really strange happened. I know that you’ve been rather obsessed with getting in touch with your birth parents lately, reading articles about them, checking up on their philanthropic work, but I believe I’ve just run into them at this party. Check the photo I just sent you,” she said, and my heart sank into my stomach, while I scrolled to the bottom of our messages to look at the photo she sent.
“Oh my God, that’s them! What are they doing at the same party you’re at with that mystery guy? Is he somehow involved with them?” I asked, wondering how things could’ve possibly lined up so perfectly.
“It turns out that this is their party after all, and the guy I’ve been seeing, Anton works for them. I’m sure I can ask him to help figure something out, and maybe we can get you that meeting you’ve been longing to have with them,” said Larissa, and I knew that I’d been hounding her about meeting my birth parents for such a long time, it was quite nice of her to even offer to do such a thing.
“I would really appreciate that, Larissa. Thank you,” I said, and she bid me goodbye before hanging up the phone. I began to calm down, finally having something to look forward to again, and I thought that it would be quite nice to stop in at her place in the morning to bring her coffee for all she was doing for me. I knew she had to be back home early because she was going to get ready to meet a friend for brunch later, but I just wanted to show her how much I appreciated everything she was doing. I got ready for bed, trying to focus my attention on picturing what it would be like to meet my birth parents, but I couldn’t help but still feel like I was being watched even though I was in the comfort of my own home. I couldn’t quite understand it, but I turned out the lights and hoped that I would start to feel better come morning.
I hopeI don’t wake her too early.I thought, carrying the tray of two coffees while I made my way up to Larissa’s doorstep, eager to hear about how the rest of her night went. I rang the doorbell, but there was no answer, and without thinking I turned the doorknob, and to my surprise, it opened up to reveal her empty house. The place didn’t look like it had been touched, and her bed hadn’t been slept in, so I rested the coffees down on the kitchen counter to call her, wondering if she’d spent the night at Anton’s house and forgotten to lock up before she left. Her phone rang out, and I began to worry, even though I knew it was quite possible that she was still asleep, and that I was caught up overthinking things yet again. I made my way into her bathroom, hoping to wash up before heading out, making sure I’d lock up with the spare key hidden under the mat outside, but when I got into the bathroom, I looked up at the mirror to see that there was a message written on the glass. It read:Stop looking.My heart immediately sank into my stomach, and I wondered for a moment if someone was just playing a sick joke on me, but all of my fears immediately started rushing back. I wondered for a moment if something terrible had happened to Larissa, and if it was all because I’d gotten too close to finding out the truth about my birth parents. I knew who they were, and now thanks to Larissa I knew where they were.
If they did something to her because they don’t want me to contact them, then that is crossing a line. I would’ve stopped if I’d know. Why would anyone do this?I thought, heading back out into the foyer, and I noticed that there was a single letter propped up on the small console table that was addressed to me. I took it between my shaky fingers, opening it up while I read over the words time and time again to make sure I took in what was being said.
If you wantto see your friend alive again, I suggest you stop meddling in affairs that have absolutely nothing to do with you. The Andreyev Family wants nothing to do with you, and if you take this matter to the police, we will kill Larissa before we return her to you in pieces. I hope that this message is clear.
I stopped in my tracks,unable to make sense of the words I’d been reading, like I was reading a completely foreign language. I never thought that my search for my birth parents would put Larissa in any danger, but I knew that I had to get to her, I had to make sure that she was safe, because there was no guarantee that they were going to return her to me at all. It was then that I realized all of the fears I’d been having lately were all for the right reasons, and it was quite possible that I was being followed this entire time. My heart was beating so loudly it was drowning out the sound of my heavy breathing, but I frantically ran through the last messages I’d had from Larissa, looking at the photo she sent me from the party, and I knew I could cross-reference it to find out where the Andreyev Family mansion was located.I need to find you, Larissa. I never meant for you to get caught up in any of this. This is my mess, and I’m going to make sure that you return home safely, because it’s me they have a problem with. I will make sure that they take this up with me.
I had no idea what I was about to walk into, or whether this had all been some sick game to get me right where the Andreyevs wanted me, because maybe they had a few choice things they would like to share to make sure I would never come looking for them or associate myself to them ever again. I wasn’t thinking, nor was I sure I could even handle what I was about to do, showing up at their house demanding I’d be heard, so I could get my friend back. They want me to stop looking, and I want them to return my friend, because I couldn’t allow them to make open-ended demands like that. I knew one thing for sure now, that the rumors of the Andreyev Family being tied to the mafia had to be true if these were the kinds of threats they were making.
I promised myself I wouldn’t let them scare me away, and I needed to get my best friend back, so I was prepared for whatever they were going to try to do to shut me up.I don’t know what secrets you’re trying to protect, but I will find out the truth. All I’ve ever wanted was the truth.
