Danny Osipenko "Miranda Sparks’ wonderful life"

– Yes, it’s the most important thing of all! And I was puzzled why you didn’t go to a private detective agency. And that’s right, who in their right mind would want to find a man who died more than a year4 ago.

Mr. Moreau sucked inВ aВ resounding breath.

– That’s what I thought too. But Mr. Norland is alive, and I can assure you he doesn’t have a scratch on him.

He must have been mocking me. How else could I show him that I didn’t like this conversation? Everything that was going on here was starting to piss me off. How could this man claim that Mike was alive when I was looking at his dead body with my own eyes?

– Apparently we are talking about very different people, sir.

– On the contrary, Miss Spikes.

IВ grabbed my head and said resoundingly:

– This is just absurd. Mike is dead! He’s gone! I was at the lineup and his funeral. I saw him! I saw his bloody face. And you! You’re telling me at this moment that he’s alive!? How can you believe that?

IВ could have been aВ little more hysterical, but IВ held on as best IВ could. IВ could feel the nausea coming on. IВ started toВ feel feverish and aВ little shivering. All IВ wanted was toВ end itВ all.

– I can substantiate this for you.

«Please don’t!»

– What for?

My voice trembled.

– Then Ms. Spikes that I need to find it as quickly as possible.

– I… I don’t understand…

When IВ touched the cup ofВ tea, IВ almost spilled it on the table. IВ clenched my body and lowered my eyes, as the treacherous tears were ready toВ comeВ out.

– Mr. Norland didn’t just trick you, and believe me, that’s just the tip of what he’s done. You’re the only person he trusted, which is why I came to you for help.

– It’s…“ – a tear fell down – „impossible! If… – another one – … he were alive, he would surely find me. We could have been together for the moment. He wouldn’t have stabbed me.

– I know. And yet he did it, Miss Spikes! Two days ago, I made some inquiries about his death, and almost everything cleared up.

IВ sniffed audibly and looked at Mr. Moreau.

– What specifically?

– About Mr. Norland and your father.

IВ almost clicked В«Absurd!В» once again. My rescuer turned out toВ be aВ really scary person who knew all my pain points.

– Dad? What’s he got to do with it?

– There’s no proof yet, but I think there will be soon. Your father may very well have helped Mr. Norland to fake his death. It’s a theory so far, but it makes a lot of sense.

– No, my father… What? He’s obviously not the best father in the world, but he wouldn’t do that to me.

Mr. Moreau pulled out aВ small envelope from an inside pocket and handed it toВ me.

– That’s all I have so far.

IВ took the envelope with trembling hands and opened it, pulling out some pictures. It took me aВ few seconds toВ recognize Mike. It was him, only he had aВ small beard and slightly lighter hair than when we were together.

– And what is that?

– Photos taken three days ago.

– Three… days? I don’t get it! Where was it made?

– Egypt. Mr. Norland has been there for a month, maybe more. My man is watching him all the time.

I stared at Mike’s smiling face again, and it ached in my chest.

«He’s alive. Mike is still alive!»

– In other words, do you understand where he is at the moment?

IВ finally finished sobbing and pulled myself together.

– Yes.

– What am I good for, then, for you?

– Since you are the only one he can believe.

Mr. Moreau loosened the knot ofВ his tie and leaned back inВ his chair.

– He used to believe, but at this point I’m not sure. What did he do for you anyway?

– A better question is, what didn’t he do!?

It was so different from the Mike I’d known. Was I really so blinded by love that I couldn’t see what was going on behind my back?

– Look, I find it hard to believe that any of this is true. So let’s stop torturing each other and deal with all of this.

– Oh, great. Mr. Norland, has appropriated for himself a significant portion of the assets, from my company and your father’s.

I was amazed at the similar news. Oh, my God! Mike’s a crook.

– This is abracadabra!

– As unfortunate as it sounds. It makes no sense for me to lie for you, Miss Spikes.

– That’s true! But how could an employee of a construction company have appropriated for himself the documents of my father’s medical research company?

– It’s simple. Mr. Norland had you! It’s not the first time he’s tricked his way into these kinds of companies. But your father is not a foolish man. Apparently, he found out about everything and tried to stop Mr. Norland from his plans. But here you are, the only daughter and heiress to a large fortune in the Spikes family. In you he saw his own only chance to get what he wanted and you succumbed to his charms. I have it on good authority that a large sum of money was given by your father to Mr. Norland just before he died. So it could be said that your father was the one who helped him escape. At the moment, Mr. Norland has some papers that I’d like to get back for myself. And I hope you can help me with that.

I watched the expression on my rescuer’s face, but he was too serious for me to think what he said was a lie.

– It seems true, and I wish for you to believe it. So let me think a little, Mr. Moreau.

Exactly for that IВ need time. IВ have toВ digest all the information IВ have received now, since this request is already personal toВ me.

– I’ll give you two days, no more. If you decide to assist me in this matter, call me at the number I gave you.

IВ knew that IВ would probably spend the next two days crying bitterly inВ my own bathroom and at the level ofВ my thoughts eating myself up inside.

– X-okay.

– Then I hope to see you soon.

It seemed inevitable byВ now.

– I… I promise to think hard about it.

Mr. Moreau stood up from the table and with aВ nod ofВ the head, left the cafe and got into aВ silver car, disappeared, as if he had never been there atВ all.

There’s a great line from a song: «Fate has turned back on me. So that’s exactly what I saw. A big ass to my fucking fate, which only pretended to be sick. Although, in fact, I myself was responsible for everything. If it was exactly as Mr. Moreau said, then I was really in deep shit, up to my ears.

If IВ had an icy heart at the moment, IВ think even it would have cracked. But Mike and IВ were not Kai and Gerda toВ help each other find the happiness that now seemed forever buried inВ the empty grave that had been meant for my dead boyfriend. IВ felt so fucked up that IВ would have liked toВ drink myself toВ death and forget myself somewhere where no one knewВ me.

Wow, what a week it’s been! How about a little fun?

ChapterВ 10

At one time, everyone really thought I was a rich bitch. I spent a lot of money on clothes and parties, went out with bad guys, and went to villas in other countries. I liked that kind of life and didn’t care about anyone else. Everyone at school was scared of me and immediately admired me. I even claimed the prom queen crown, but never made it to the prom. No matter what you say, I certainly didn’t pull off the title of Cinderella.

In the ’90s, my father’s company was one of America’s top medical equipment companies, so everyone in town knew our family by sight. My ancestors were honored and loved, while I earned the status of an obnoxious girl by getting into fights at school.

But no matter how bad I seemed, I still managed to be the first in my progress among the school’s honors students. I was taken to various Olympiads and competitions, where I took, if not first, then at least second place. And after that I would come home with loud cries for my dad to see me and tell me that I was good. But my father for all this, there was not enough time. And if I did show him my awards, he still said it wasn’t enough. I was not beautiful, educated and smart enough for him from birth. My father kept repeating that he needed a child, his only heir. But my mother was never able to give him one. That’s why I was picked on so much. Naturally, my father adored me, but not with the love I would have wished for. From time to time, when he was making important deals for his company, I managed to get a piece of his love for me. Whether it was a firm hug or words of praise for me. Still, it wasn’t enough for me.

Maybe it had something to do with my relationships with guys. But every time, I dumped them after 3 sacred words. I wasn’t hurt, and I didn’t feel bad after the breakup. I basically went on with my life like nothing ever happened. My exes were very angry and many of them even threatened to execute me so that I would go back to them. But I didn’t go back, I started dating another guy from our school. I always did that until I met Mike Norland, my one and only love. I gave my whole self without reserve to that relationship. I thought I’d lost him forever, and it turned out he was the one who left me for fucking money. And I’ll tell you this: «Being abandoned is even worse for me than losing my lover forever.

I don’t know why, but I believed what Mr. Moreau said. Even though I was still having a hard time accepting all the information about Mike, I still dared to find out the truth, whatever it was. I was still in pain. I’m very weak emotionally. My heart is not giving me peace and it’s already very lingering. It’s time to live a normal life after all, but only after I’ve figured it all out.

Yesterday IВ had the courage toВ call Mr. Moreau toВ tell him that IВ would help him. IВ had toВ lie toВ Miranda and my dad about sending me on aВ business trip.

– Just think, web designers also have business trips! – And what are you going to do there, in Algeria? Create a virtual panel?

– No, I’m peeing for a seminar.

– Seminar? Can I go with you?

IВ panicked at the time, and maybe that would have given me away, but IВ pulled myself together and paid her off with an oath toВ bring her whatever she wanted. Miranda, ofВ course, took my words very seriously and wrote me aВ big list ofВ things IВ just had toВ bring her from there. At this point this list was inВ aВ notebook, folded inВ two, inВ my bag on my lap. IВ was told that the main cover would be aВ small event, for programmers and information technology professionals. So that neither my father nor even Mike could figure out what the hell IВ was doing inВ Algeria.

Upon arrival, a bus picked me and a couple of other people up, and the impromptu forum participants were taken to a four-star hotel in the heart of the capital. I was put up in a single room, more like a spacious living room, in one of my father’s houses. That’s a lot of room for me alone and lonely.

It was mind-boggling, but I didn’t feel like sobbing, and I didn’t feel the usual pain in my chest the whole time. I sat up, thought about Mike, and, feeling nothing but the urge to eat something, got up and took a shower.

The lovely and smiling Frances Gilmore, who was both our tour guide and local entertainment host for the duration ofВ our stay, came toВ pick me up at 1В p.m. local time. Our entire group was gathered inВ the hotel restaurant toВ be fed various delicacies. IВ was the only one ofВ the group who was quiet and relaxed. Even the process ofВ eating an apple dragged on for aВ full minute.20

During the meal, IВ was able toВ get toВ know all the members ofВ the forum. So sitting next toВ me at lunch was Catherine Blanc, an employee ofВ aВ big computer company called Molose Corporations. She and her roommate, Bill Davis, were working together on IT technology, which they were arguing about with Martin Hall, the young kid sitting across from me. Sitting next toВ Martin was Scotty Young, aВ prominent programmer and online gaming enthusiast. He had Wright Walker and Lizzie Brooks inВ his chat room, who also happened toВ be specific players. Gary and Diane Hughes, aВ domestic couple, were also present, and they sat together, occasionally asking each other things while they stuffed their bellies. And finally Eric Russell, aВ handsome blond man with aВ regular American grin and two30 teeth. Eric reeked ofВ his stifling toilet water from aВ meter away, and IВ had toВ turn away from him toВ Catherine as he sat, toВ my left.

– Francis, do you know where I can buy a month’s worth of decorations? These. – Asked Miss Gilmore, Diana pointed to her own phone.

– Honey, why ask the tour guide about it?

– Since she must know all the local markets. Jamie asked me to bring her crescent-shaped earrings. So if you have any ideas on how to find them more quickly, I’m all ears. – Gary was expressively silent in response. – Which was a good point.

– You might find them at the local flea market, Mrs. Hughes. We’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.

IВ thought about our whole itinerary and began toВ think about how toВ find Mike inВ aВ town like this. InВ that case, Mr. Moreau gave me the number ofВ aВ certain SeГ±or Francisco Salido del Pozo. He worked as aВ private detective and knew where my beloved was at the moment.

– Violet! Isn’t that your name?

We were sitting on aВ bus going toВ another hotel where aВ seminar was toВ be held when Mr. Russell sat down withВ me.

– That’s exactly right.

– And I’m Eric.

We shook hands, and I turned away from him immediately. I’d have to tell the man not to choke so much.

– It’s a beautiful city, isn’t it?

– Uh-huh.

– I have been here so many times, but its beauty still fascinates me.

IВ pretended toВ be drowsy from the traffic on the bus, and apparently Mr. Russell saw that, so he finished talking toВ me. The whole time we were driving, the smell ofВ his toilet water kept me from enjoying the ride.

The impressive size ofВ the lobby ofВ the five-star Olympic Plaza Hotel was aВ sight toВ behold. It was like entering the palace ofВ aВ sheikh himself. It was picturesque, bright and tasteful, all done inВ the best traditions ofВ aВ prestigious hotel. As IВ walked across the shiny marble floor, my sandals slid gently but made no sound. People were arriving, checking in, and just strolling through the spacious hotel lobby. Life was buzzing everywhere, discussions inВ various languages, and it was easy toВ tell the difference between aВ guest inВ aВ regular room and one inВ aВ suite. InВ all this mass, Mr. Russell somehow managed toВ find me and followed me like aВ littleВ dog.

– Miss Spikes, this way.

IВ had just managed toВ get rid ofВ Eric when Frances called out toВ me, pointing toВ aВ bulky door, behind which was aВ small conference room with aВ shield, aВ projector, and several chairs upholstered inВ reddish velvet.

– Position yourself in a way that is comfortable for you.

While everyone was taking their seats, IВ approached our guide.