Page 89 of Ruthless Lullaby

I’m out! I made it!

I take a quick look around and move across the street, away from the mansion before anyone else sees me. As soon as there’s a safe distance between me and Maron’s property, I call an Uber. I silently congratulate myself for bringing my phone with me before sneaking out of the bedroom. The pink gown I’m wearing is crumpled from the night at the toilet, but I don't care; all I want is to go home and get some rest.

I glance at my phone and I see multiple missed calls from Maron. He's clearly looking for me already. But after spendingthe entire night huddled on the cold bathroom floor, too exhausted to move, I can't deal with it right now.

I’m relieved to see my Uber pull up to the curb. It's a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. I managed to find my way out of that maze of horrors and lies, and escaped successfully. As I slide into the backseat of the car, I feel a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, I can put this nightmare behind me. At least for now.

I don't care about the curious glance the driver gives me as he takes in my disheveled appearance and my silk robe. I don't even care about the fact that I must look like a madwoman or a witch that just emerged from her underground cave. All I care about is getting to the safety of my cozy home, and as far away from Maron and his world as I possibly can.

As the car pulls away from the curb and the mansion recedes in the rearview mirror, I allow myself to close my eyes and just breathe. I allow the exhaustion, the terror, and the feeling of relief wash over me like tidal waves. I'm tired, drained, dehydrated, and utterly spent from the long night I spent alternating between being huddled on the bathroom floor and sitting on the toilet seat. All I can think of is going home, crawling into my bed, and sleeping until the world makes sense again.

"Miss, we've arrived." The driver's voice jolts me awake. I must have drifted off on the way here.

I stumble out of the car and through the doorway of my apartment, feeling the weight of the night fall off my shoulders. Betty has already left for work. The silence and the emptiness that would usually make me feel lonely now feels like a sanctuary.

I head straight to the bathroom, throw the pink robe onto the floor, and step into the shower. As the hot water washes over me, I can't help but feel endlessly grateful for the place I call home.

Finally clean, I wipe myself dry and collapse into my bed. I burrow deeper into the covers, trying to lose myself in the comfort and safety of my sheets.For many minutes, I toss and turn, but sleep won’t come. It must be one of those moments when I’m simply too stressed and exhausted to fall asleep. The bright daylight that streams through the windows isn’t helping either.

Frustrated, I decide to reach for my phone. I know I should put it down, get some rest, and deal with Maron and everything that's happened later, but a part of me is screaming at me to put an end to this nightmare once and for all.

After some thinking, I open a new message and start typing.

"Maron,

I have reconsidered your offer and have decided to decline. Please consider the contract null and void. I am sure you will find someone better suited to your needs. I’m sorry if this comes as a surprise, but my decision is final.

Please do not attempt to find me.

Mindy."

My finger hovers over the ‘Send’ button, hesitating for a moment. But then, with grim determination, I hit it. I watch as the message disappears, winging its way towards Maron Korolev’s phone.

It’s done.

As I place the phone back on the nightstand, a feeling of closure floods through me. I have made my decision. I did the right thing.

I try to remind myself that the worst is behind me, but somehow, it doesn’t ring true. There’s still a gnawing feeling in the back of my mind, telling me that the worst is yet to come. I decide to ignore it. Blame it on the stress.

Finally, my eyelids close and I drift into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Maron

"What do you mean no alcohol?" I roar, my voice echoing through the dimly lit lab hidden in the bowels of Moscow's industrial wasteland.

After that motherfucker Oleg sank my entire Tramoxine shipment to the bottom of the ocean, I knew I had to take matters into my own hands. So, I flew here on my own under the darkness of the night, only sending a cryptic text to Pavel about my whereabouts.

I'll fill Mindy in later. I have no clue where she left and why, but I had no time to look for her. I’m sure she’s still in the mansion somewhere. I’ll go talk to her as soon as I’m back. I’m only spending a few hours in Moscow anyway before I’ll fly back to NYC.

"How am I supposed to sell this shit then?" I bark at Igor, my main chemist. "My buyers won't touch it if they can’t drink while using it. They're not looking for some pansy-ass pill, they want their booze!"

Igor stares back at me, seemingly unfazed by my anger. "Then they will miss out on the perks of Tramoxine," he says coolly. "Sacrifices must be made for success. Even if it means giving up alcohol during the treatment." He pauses. Igor knows better than to bullshit me. "Look, boss. I’m only sharing the results of our tests with you," he explains. "Alcohol interactswith the active ingredients of Tramoxine. It throws everything off balance, no matter how much we tweak the formula."

"Bullshit, Igor. You know the rules. I pay you handsomely for a reason."

"And I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me, every day,pakhan. But I can't mess with biology. No matter how much you pay me. It's the two main components and their chemical reactions to alcohol. The only solution would be to change the main components, but that would also mean we are taking away everything that makes the medicine effective. The patients simply cannot drink alcohol while they’re taking Tramoxine. We can’t risk any accidents because that would immediately ruin the reputation of the drug. You know that, boss!"

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