Chapter 5 - The Man Nadia Thought She Had Lost Forever
Nadia stared at the photograph until the edges blurred.
Her father was alive.
And Clarissa was standing beside him.
Her mind rejected both facts at once.
“Where was this taken?”
Dario answered.
“Private clinic outside Boston.”
“Is he injured?”
“Yes.”
“How badly?”
“Bad enough that he cannot leave without assistance.”
Nadia looked at Dragan.
“I need to see him.”
“We will.”
They left within the hour.
The clinic had private security.
Too much security.
Dragan knew immediately.
“Someone is hiding him.”
Nadia stared at the building.
“Who?”
“Let's find out.”
They entered through the rear.
A physician met them.
“Mr. Kovac.”
“Where is Anton Voskin?”
The physician glanced at Nadia.
“She is his daughter?”
“Yes.”
The doctor hesitated.
“Your father has memory problems.”
Nadia swallowed.
“Will he recognize me?”
“We don't know.”
She entered alone.
An older man lay in bed.
Gray hair.
Thin face.
Scar along his jaw.
But the eyes—
Her mother's eyes.
Nadia stopped.
“Dad?”
The man's eyes opened.
For a long moment, nothing happened.
Then his lips trembled.
“Bird?”
Nadia broke.
She rushed to him.
He held her with surprising strength.
“Bird.”
She cried against his shoulder.
“I thought you were dead.”
“I tried to come home.”
“Why didn't you?”
He closed his eyes.
“They told me they would kill you.”
“Who?”
“Hawthorne.”
Nadia pulled back.
“Clarissa?”
“No.”
Her father shook his head.
“Clarissa's father.”
Nadia looked at Dragan.
Anton continued.
“Your mother found the shipments.”
“People.”
“Yes.”
“She tried to expose them.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you disappear?”
“I tried to get evidence.”
He pointed weakly toward a drawer.
Nadia opened it.
Inside was a small memory card.
“Your mother recorded everything.”
Dragan took it.
“Why was Clarissa here?”
Anton looked frightened.
“She came because she wanted the location of the original ledger.”
“How did she find you?”
“My kidnappers changed.”
Nadia frowned.
“What?”
Anton whispered.
“They stopped working for Hawthorne.”
“Who do they work for now?”
Anton looked at Dragan.
“Someone who hates you.”
Silence.
Dragan understood.
“Petar's old enemy.”
Anton nodded.
“Viktor Soren.”
Dario stiffened.
That name had almost disappeared from the criminal world.
A man who had tried to take control of the ports before Dragan's rise.
He had vanished after a war.
Apparently he had survived.
And now Clarissa was working with him.
Nadia felt the pieces align.
Clarissa wanted the ledger.
Viktor wanted Dragan destroyed.
Her father had survived only because they needed him.
And Nadia had become leverage.
Then the lights went out.
The clinic went dark.
Dragan immediately moved.
“Dario.”
“On it.”
Nadia grabbed her father's hand.
Footsteps echoed in the hall.
A door slammed.
Then gunfire.
Dario rushed into the room.
“They're here.”
Dragan looked at Anton.
“Can he move?”
“Barely.”
Nadia wrapped a blanket around her father.
“We're going.”
Dragan nodded.
The team moved through the emergency corridor.
A gunman appeared.
Dragan took him down.
Nadia kept her father moving.
They reached the underground garage.
A vehicle waited.
They escaped seconds before the clinic erupted behind them.
Nadia looked back.
She could not believe it.
Her father was alive.
The past was alive.
And it was chasing them.
Back at the townhouse, Anton gave them more information.
“Your mother knew there was a master ledger.”
“Where?”
“She told me only one person could access it.”
“Who?”
“You.”
Nadia stared.
“Why me?”
“Because she never trusted anyone else.”
He reached into his pocket.
He pulled out an old silver locket.
Nadia recognized it.
Her mother had worn it every day.
Inside was a photograph.
But behind the photograph was a tiny inscription.
A date.
And a bank number.
Dragan examined it.
“This is an account.”
Anton nodded.
“Your mother placed the money there for you and Mila.”
“How much?”
“Enough to disappear.”
Nadia stared.
Her mother had planned for their survival.
Then why hadn't the account been found?
Dragan smiled faintly.
“Because nobody knew your middle name.”
Nadia blinked.
“What?”
“Accounts opened under her maiden surname.”
Her mother had hidden everything beneath the name Voskin.
The bank account held enough money to fund legal investigations and survivor support.
Nadia started crying.
“She was still protecting us.”
Anton nodded.
“Until the end.”
The reunion was brief.
Anton was exhausted.
Mila finally met him that evening.
She stood in the doorway.
He stared at her.
“Little star.”
Mila's face crumpled.
She ran to him.
Nadia watched them embrace.
For the first time in years, the family felt almost whole.
Almost.
Then Anton looked toward Dragan.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“Your father.”
Dragan went still.
“What about him?”
“Petar didn't save my life.”
Dragan's expression hardened.
“Explain.”
“Your father was the man who ordered me protected.”
Silence.
Nadia looked at Dragan.
Petar Kovac had protected Anton.
Which meant Dragan's family had known the truth for years.
Dragan's voice was low.
“Why wasn't I told?”
Anton answered.
“Because your father believed you would become dangerous if you knew.”
Dragan looked away.
The next morning, Clarissa appeared on every television screen.
She was crying.
She claimed Nadia had stolen money from the Hawthorne household.
She accused Nadia of blackmailing Theodore.
She said Dragan had kidnapped Nadia's family.
The public believed her.
Millions saw the famous beauty campaign founder as the victim.
Nadia watched in silence.
“I hate her.”
Dragan stood beside her.
“You don't need to become like her.”
“What should I do?”
“Tell the truth.”
“No one will believe me.”
“I will.”
She looked at him.
“You always do.”
“Yes.”
Nadia turned toward him.
“Why?”
Dragan touched her cheek.
“Because I know what it feels like when everyone believes the wrong person.”
Her eyes softened.
He leaned closer.
But Nadia stopped him.
“What?”
“I need to know something.”
“Ask.”
“Did you ever investigate me because you thought I might be useful?”
Dragan paused.
“Yes.”
She looked away.
“That hurts.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you still here?”
“Because somewhere between the first file and yesterday, you stopped being a case.”
“What became I?”
He looked directly at her.
“You became the person I want beside me.”
Nadia's heart raced.
Before she could answer, a bullet struck the window.
Dragan pulled her down.
The glass shattered.
Dario shouted.
“Sniper!”
Nadia clung to Dragan.
He covered her with his body.
The shooting stopped after seconds.
Dario checked the street.
The shooter was gone.
But one message had been left on the shattered window.
A red lipstick mark.
And beneath it:
May you like
BRING ME NADIA.
Clarissa had made her move.
