My eyes locked onto my mother-in-law, whose face looked as if she had just seen a ghost. In her trembling hand, a small envelope shook, and her eyes were frozen in an expression of pure panic. The loud music in the grand banquet hall of the old mansion drowned out all other sounds, making our conversation completely private.
That sunny May morning was supposed to be perfect. My fiancé Sergei’s family mansion was impeccably prepared to welcome the guests. Waiters meticulously arranged crystal glasses, and the air was filled with the scent of fresh roses and fine champagne. The luxurious portraits framed in gold seemed to silently observe everything happening in the room.
— “Anastasia, have you noticed that Sergei is acting strangely today?” my mother-in-law whispered, glancing around anxiously.
I frowned. Indeed, Sergei had been tense all day. Now, he stood at the far end of the room, pressing his phone to his ear, his face rigid, as if he were hiding something.
— “Just pre-wedding nerves,” I tried to brush it off, adjusting my veil.
— “Look at this. Right now,” she murmured, slipping an envelope into my hands before quickly disappearing into the crowd, regaining her poised demeanor and polished social smile.
Curious and unsettled, I found a discreet corner and hastily unfolded the note. My heart stopped.
“Sergei and his family plan to get rid of you after the wedding. You are part of their scheme. They know about your family’s inheritance. Run if you want to live.”
My first instinct was to laugh. This had to be some kind of cruel joke from my mother-in-law. But then I recalled Sergei’s suspicious conversations, which he always cut short whenever I appeared. His sudden coldness, the secretive glances…
My eyes met his across the room. Sergei had ended his call and was now watching me. There was something different about his gaze—it wasn’t the man I had fallen in love with, but a stranger, a predator.
— “Nastya!” my bridesmaid called excitedly. — “It’s time!”
— “Coming! I just need to use the restroom!”
I ran out into the street through the service corridor, taking off my shoes.
I caught a taxi outside the gate and asked the driver to take me to the station. An hour later, I was already on a train to another city, dressed in purchases from the station store.
I wonder what story Sergei will come up with? Will he pretend to be a sad groom or will he show his true face?
I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. A new life awaited me ahead.
Changing yourself for the sake of safety – that’s what fifteen years of practicing perfect coffee means.
“Your favorite cappuccino is ready,” I put the cup in front of a regular guest of a modest cafe on the outskirts of Kaliningrad. “And a blueberry muffin, as always?”
“You are too kind to me, Vera Andreyevna,” smiled the elderly professor, one of those who regularly warmed up our small coffee shop.
Now I was Vera. Anastasia dissolved in the past along with a white dress and broken hopes. I had to pay a lot for new documents, but the price turned out to be Fully worth it.
“What’s interesting in the world?” I nodded at his tablet, where he was scrolling through the latest news.
“Another businessman caught in fraud. Sergei Valerievich Romanov”
My hand trembled, and the cup slightly clinked on the saucer. A face appeared on the screen – painfully familiar.
“The head of the holding company ‘RomanovGroup’ is suspected of major financial fraud.” And below, in small print: “Conversations continue around the strange disappearance of his fiancée 15 years ago.”
“Lena, do you understand what you’re saying? I can’t just go back!”
I was rushing around the rented apartment, holding the phone to my ear. Lena, the only one I trusted with the truth, spoke quickly and forcefully:
“Anastasia, listen! His company is under close scrutiny, he’s never been so vulnerable. This is your chance to get your life back!”
“What life? The one where I was a frivolous girl who almost became a victim of a murderer?”
“No, the one where you are Anastasia Vitalievna Sokolova, and not some Vera from the coffee shop!”
I froze in front of the mirror. The woman looking at me had become older and more cautious. The first silver threads had appeared in her hair, and a steel glint had appeared in her eyes.
“Lena, his mother saved my life back then. How is she now?”
“Vera Nikolaevna is in a nursing home. Sergei had long ago removed her from the company’s affairs. They say she asked too many questions.”
The Golden Autumn Nursing Home was located in a picturesque place outside the city. Introducing myself as a social worker (and the necessary papers were easily accessible thanks to my savings), I was easily led to Vera Nikolaevna.
She was sitting by the window in a chair – so fragile and aged that it took my breath away. But her eyes – those same, penetrating and tenacious – recognized me instantly.
“I knew you would come,” she said simply. – “Sit down, tell me how you lived these years.”
I told her about my new life – about cafes, quiet evenings with books, about how I learned to start over.
She listened, nodding occasionally, and then said:
“He planned to stage an accident during his honeymoon on a yacht. Everything was prepared in advance.” Her voice trembled:
“And now he sent me here to live out my days because I began to dig up his affairs. Do you know how many of these ‘accidents’ have happened to his partners over the years?”
“Vera Nikolaevna,” I took her hand carefully. “Do you have evidence?”
She grinned:
“Darling, I have a whole safe of evidence. Do you think I’ve been silent all these years in vain? I was waiting. Waiting for you to come back.” The same steel spark that I saw every morning in the mirror lit up her gaze. “Well, dear” she squeezed my hand, “maybe we should give my son a belated wedding surprise?”
“Are you sure you’re one of the auditors?” the secretary looked at my documents with distrust.
“Exactly. The emergency audit is related to recent publications.”
The office allocated to me within the walls of “RomanovGroup” was located two floors below Sergei’s office. Every morning I watched his black Maybach arrive at the main entrance. Sergey had hardly changed – the same impeccable posture, elegant suit, the familiar look of a man who submits to everyone. His lawyers have successfully hushed up the scandal so far, but it’s only a matter of time.
“Margarita Olegovna, do you have a minute?” I turned to the chief accountant passing by. “Did it seem that way, or are there certain… discrepancies in the 2023 financial statements?”
The chief accountant turned noticeably pale. As Vera Nikolaevna had assumed, this woman knew too much and was looking for a way to clear her conscience.
“Nastya, something’s wrong,” Lena’s voice trembled in the phone. “They’ve been following me for two days now.”
“Calm down,” I locked the office. “Is the flash drive in a safe place?”
“Yes, but Sergei’s people…”
“Be ready. And remember – tomorrow at ten, as agreed.”
I went to the window. Two strong guys in civilian clothes were looming at the entrance. The company’s security service began to worry. It was time to speed things up.
“Sergei Valerievich, you have a guest,” the secretary could barely contain the trembling in her voice.
“I gave clear instructions – don’t let anyone in!”
“She says… that you abandoned her at the altar fifteen years ago.”
A heavy silence hung in the office. I resolutely entered, without waiting for permission.
Sergei slowly raised his head from the documents. His face froze into a mask.
“You…”
“Hello, dear. Didn’t expect this?”
He abruptly pressed the button on the phone:
“Security to me!”
“No need,” I put the folder on the table. “The investigation already has your documents. Margarita Olegovna turned out to be surprisingly talkative. And your mother… she spent many years collecting dirt on you.”
His hand reached for the desk drawer.
“I don’t advise it,” I warned. “Shooting will cause unnecessary noise. And the prosecutor’s office is already waiting at the main entrance.”
For the first time, I saw fear appear on his face.
“What do you want?” he muttered.
“The truth. Tell me about the yacht. About the ‘accident’ that was planned.”
He leaned back in his chair and suddenly laughed:
“And you’ve grown up, Anastasia. Yes, I was going to eliminate you. Your inheritance was supposed to be an investment for the business. And then… I had to play the role of a saddened groom for many years, so that no one would ask unnecessary questions.”
“And how many lives have you taken over these years?”
“This is business, babe. There is no place for feelings here.”
The noise behind the door became louder – the investigators were approaching.
“You know what?” I leaned towards him. “Thank you to your mother. Not only did she save my life, but she also taught me patience: sometimes you need to wait a long time to strike the right blow.”
Three months later, I was sitting in my favorite coffee shop in Kaliningrad. The TV screen was broadcasting a court hearing – Sergei was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. That’s how long I spent wandering.
“Your cappuccino, professor,” I put the cup in front of a regular customer.
“Thank you, Vera… I mean Anastasia.” he smiled sheepishly. “Now will you return to your old life?”
“You know, professor… Maybe my old life wasn’t real? Maybe I’m just starting a full life now. I bought this coffee shop and am staying here.”
It was raining outside, filling the air with the freshness of freedom.
Tom Sellek opened up about his struggles amid the cancellation of his tv-show ‘Blue Bloods’
Tom Selleck discussed his financial concerns following the discontinuation of “Blue Bloods,” the television program in which he played the top cop for the New York Police Department for 14 seasons, in a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning. In addition, the actor is coping with health problems.
At his 63-acre ranch in Ventura County, California, where the meeting was held, Selleck voiced concerns about his capacity to keep ownership of the land now that his primary source of consistent income is coming to an end.
With an emphasis on the value of a steady salary, Selleck—whose ranch was once an avocado farm—frankly addressed the realities of financial stability in the acting industry.
Even though the actor had a long and prosperous career in show business, he told the interviewer that although he might be set for life in general, it would be difficult for him to afford to maintain such a large property.
In response to a question regarding his seriousness, Selleck underlined that he needed to find new employment in order to maintain his lifestyle and control his spending.
Many of his supporters are taken aback by this discovery, since they may have assumed that his long career in Hollywood would have guaranteed him a stable financial future.
HEALTH CONCERNS
Recently, there has been discussion about Tom Selleck’s health, particularly since he finished filming the last season of “Blue Bloods.” His health has been the subject of gossip and worries, especially in relation to his arthritis.
According to reports, Selleck may have arthritis, which is said to cause him a lot of discomfort and necessitated the use of a stunt double for some of the “Blue Bloods” scenes. The Hollywood Gossip reports that Selleck’s management have vehemently refuted these allegations, claiming that the actor is “fit and vigorous.”It’s
Selleck has not officially acknowledged any particular health concerns in spite of these allegations. Nonetheless, he has admitted in previous interviews that doing his own stunts over the years has worn down his body, especially his back. Astute viewers have seen that Frank Reagan, his character on “Blue Bloods,” walks with a limp, which has increased conjecture on his health, according to The Mix.
Remaining busy at seventy-nine, Selleck just published his well-received book, “You Never Know.” He still enjoys his life on his 63-acre ranch in Ventura County, California, striking a balance between his work and family obligations.
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