Free Hidden Heart by Camelia Miron Skiba Page A

she’d
check in every couple of days with her sisters, so they’d know she
was okay.
    A horrific dream awoke her
middle of the night. Something chased after her and she ran from it
until she reached the edge of a ravine. Nowhere to go, she jumped
and jerked awake before hitting bottom.
    Fully awake, she lay in bed
afraid to sleep again. A heavy feeling settled in her stomach. Her
instinct told her it wasn’t over.
     
    ***
     
    Friday morning Tessa
decided to return to her apartment to change the locks. She needed
to pull herself together and stop feeling sorry for herself. She
finally checked her voicemails, on her cell and at home; both full.
Most messages came from Daniel asking for forgiveness, a couple
from Chiara and Octavia before they found her. Her assistant as
well as Victor had called, texted and even stopped by her door; a
note stuck on her door said she should call him right
away.
    Tessa tended to some
financial business. She called the bank and removed Daniel’s name
from her account. She verified the balance and to her relief, he
hadn’t withdrawn anything since she’d last seen him. The first
rental fee from her cabin in the mountains brought in a nice lump
of money. The two apartments she owned and had rented in Bucharest,
one to a law firm and the other to a finance and accounting
company, made their regular payments. As it looked, she didn’t hurt
for money, quite the opposite; she’d never suffer financially if
she never returned to work.
    Tessa called the locksmith
who promptly came and changed the locks before dinner. She cleaned
the house, dumped the bed sheets, scrubbed the toilet and bathroom
spotless with the rigor of an army private, until her rubber gloves
thinned out and broke. The need to feel normal in her own home was
her number one priority. When she finished all her chores, she
called one of her best friends, Paula, and met her for
dinner.
    “ I know how much you like
going to the theater…I have two tickets for tomorrow night, come
with me,” Paula said between bites.
    “ I don’t know if I’m ready
to go back there…Mama and I used to go together all the time…I
haven’t seen any plays since she passed away.”
    “ I think your mama would’ve
loved for you to continue doing this…in a way it’s her legacy, you
know?”
    Tessa’s eyes filled up with
tears and Paula placed a hand on top of hers and squeezed
it.
    “ It’s too soon, but you’ll
see, time will help. When my mom died, I grieved for six months…I
still miss her…” It was Paula’s turn to choke, then quickly she
caught herself and said, “By the way, your favorite actor
interprets the leading role, you don’t want to miss his
performance, do you? The reviews have been fantastic!”
    In the end, Tessa agreed to
go. When she returned home, Victor waited at her door.
    “ I knew you were stubborn,
but not like this,” he said when he saw her. “Do I need to get you
another cell phone, one that you answer?” Victor followed her in
the house without waiting for an invitation.
    “ No, thanks. It turns out
my life functions just perfect without one.”
    “ Look, kiddo, I didn’t want
to do what I did any more than you wanted it. I’m so sick and tired
of all this. It’s time the two of us sit down and straighten things
out. And you better shut up and listen to what I have to
say.”
    He walked to the little bar
in the living room, filled half a glass with whiskey.
“Ice?”
    “ Help yourself.” Tessa
pointed him to the kitchen. She waited for him in the living room
where he returned shortly, his glass filled with ice.
    Victor took a big gulp of
whiskey, smacked his lips and looked at her. He took another sip of
his drink and sat on the sofa. He rested his glass on his knee and
placed the other arm on the back of the sofa.
    “ Here is the deal. Someone
anonymously sent a complaint to our CEO in Berlin that stated
several farmers had negotiated a price for their land, but they
were given less