Page 8 of Tainted Ties

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“Irina, my office.Now.” I walked through the lobby and up the glass staircase, nausea churning deep in my stomach before I entered my office.

Soon after, I heard the door click shut. “Is everything okay? You’re back ear—”

“Heis here,” I strangled out.

Her face twisted in confusion. “Who?”

I pulled the neckline of my white blouse, gasping for air. “I- I can’t...”

Then understanding dawned on her when she took in my panic-filled form.

Irina immediately reached for me, cupping my shoulders. “Rora, he’s not going to hurt you. I won’t allow it.”

Everything I had worked hard for would be taken away from me. I thought I could escape and start over. Start over and close the wound that was ripped open today.

The cold marble bit into my skin as I lost sensation in my legs and crumpled onto the floor.

“Take deep breaths. Come on, inhale… now exhale.”

We repeated this multiple times until the trembling in my hands stopped and my sobs faded into hiccups.

After a few minutes of utter silence, I explained what happened.

“Do you think he recognized you?” she asked, concerned.

“I don’t know.”

When I arrived in New York City nearly ten years ago, I dyed my hair blonde to avoid being recognized in case I was followed. My facial features became prominent with age and my body filled out to become curvier. Most importantly, I changed my name.

“It could be a coincidence that he’s here.” Considering Irina had a habit of being a pessimist in every situation, I knew she didn’t believe the words that came out of her mouth.

Before I could comment on how low the chances of that were, my phone rang, causing my heart to pick up speed again.

I grabbed it from where it sat atop my desk, the screen displaying a number I didn’t recognize.

I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach; my day was only going to get worse.

With trembling fingers, I answered, “Hello?”

The line was silent for what seemed like an eternity, heightening my anticipation.

“Aurora.”

Cold sweat broke out in hives on my body at the voice I hadn’t heard in a decade.

I couldn’t process what was happening, and it must’ve been evident from my silence because the voice came through the line again. “Aurora, are you there?”

“Enzo.” My heart was in my throat, unsure of why he was calling me after all this time.

“It’s good to hear your voice,sorella mia.” His voice came out constricted, as if he wasn’t calling to simply to catch up. As if his phone call hadnothingto do with being a concerned brother.

Closing my eyes, I ripped the band-aid off. “What do you want?”

His silence was all the confirmation I needed to know his intentions.

“That’s why you’re calling, isn’t it? You need something. Why else would you call me after ten years?” I couldn’t hide the maliciousness from my voice. “I don’t even know how you got my number.”

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