Andrey always knew what he wanted from life and had a knack for achieving his goals like no one else! By the age of thirty, he had become the deputy owner of a bank (not the largest, but still a bank!), and he knew exactly which summits he had to conquer next. First, he needed to update his car—the current model was already five years out of date. Second, he needed to find himself a wife. A beautiful one (naturally, models and aspiring actresses-singers were prioritized), smart and decent (only from a complete family, please, with serious education and without any frivolous past relationships). Yes, Andrey knew exactly what he wanted from life…
What definitely wasn’t in his plans was to make an enemy out of a janitor! Just an ordinary mop-pusher, who scrubs the entrances, scraping off the dirt… The woman who made Andrey’s life miserable was named Natalya and looked perfectly ordinary. Only a couple of months ago, an annoying incident occurred where she called him a fool in front of all the neighbors! And he couldn’t tolerate it. He went to the management company and demanded that the impudent woman be fired immediately!
«No,» they replied.
They explained that Natalya was a very nice woman, hardworking, and since there were no real complaints about her, they would not get rid of her.
«Fine,» Andrey gritted his teeth. He absolutely couldn’t stand it when any kind of service staff contradicted him!
Yes, he couldn’t get the impudent woman fired… But now he took particular joy in walking with dirty shoes on freshly cleaned floors. But if only his problems were limited to that! No, everything was much more complicated…
The whole thing was that one day, or more precisely—a month ago, Andrey met a girl. They crossed paths in a bakery, and he, as a true gentleman, let her have the last cinnamon bun. And then, on that chilly evening, as the city was generously dusted with the first snow, Andrey suddenly realized what a magical feeling it was—love at first sight!
A statuesque beauty with russet locks and eyes green as a lynx’s captivated him so much that he was about to ask her out and give her a hundred red roses, but then, as he offered to walk her home (and she mentioned, by the way, that she lived right here and he was thrilled!), she suddenly sped up, meaning—she quickened her pace.
The beauty, named Anyuta, ran up to the same janitor who was wielding a broom at the entrance.
«Mom!» she exclaimed, «why?! I told you I’d come back and help! Give it here, you shouldn’t strain your back… Give it here, I’ll do it myself!»
Andrey was dumbfounded and froze in shock. How could she be the daughter of that scarecrow?! And he, on stiff legs, walked past… She chirped something after him as she said goodbye…
Later, the next day, they told him—yes, the mother and daughter lived here, Natalya had bought the apartment in this elite residential complex with all her savings when it was still just a hole in the ground, and she had been working there as a cleaner for years, while her daughter studied philology and helped her mother, loving her very much…
That’s how Andrey, who hadn’t allowed himself any serious relationships for about five years, experienced a major psychological trauma!
And it must have been because of this that that same night, he again dreamed of the nightmare that had tormented him since childhood and against the return of which no psychotherapists, sleeping pills, or any calming pills were powerless.
In this dream, so painfully similar to reality, Andrey saw himself as a little boy who got lost in a huge castle and wandered its corridors in the night silence, while moonbeams played on the knightly armor standing here and there against the walls, which seemed to gaze at him through empty visor slits.
«Papa…»
Little Andryusha called softly, walking barefoot, dressed in his pajamas—looking for his father because the night was stormy and he had woken up from the thunder. But in his father’s room, next to his nursery, he was not there, and so, the child broke the rule—not to go anywhere alone when they were guests.
«Daddy!» the little boy repeated desperately, sniffing—he, like many children, was afraid of ghosts.
But he went on… Because he really needed to find his father! And he also heard music—beautiful, majestic, enticing, and he went toward it… Tall doors, and under them—a strip of light. Andryusha knew it was wrong to peek! But he couldn’t help himself—it was as if an unknown force was controlling him and he quietly opened the door a crack, peeking inside…
Some room. Lots of red color… Candles burning! Music playing, drums beating, and glass-like bells tinkling… And quietly, lingeringly, people sang in an unintelligible language… They were dressed so funny! As if wrapped in dark sheets… No, Andryusha realized—these were cloaks! Like the knights in movies… The light was dim and he didn’t immediately understand that the people standing around and blocking something in the center of the room, something undoubtedly very important (he somehow felt so!), didn’t have heads, but… animal muzzles! Wolves and goats, foxes, and other animals… The door suddenly creaked. The little boy’s heart skipped a beat—he was noticed! One of the figures detached and floated toward him, as if not touching the floor with its feet… Scary! Scary! Daddy, save me!
«What are you doing here?!» the monster said to him in his father’s voice, then grabbed him and dragged him somewhere… And he—screamed in fear, because this beast could not possibly be his smart, kind father!
And then Andrey woke up. In a cold sweat, trembling… And he could only fall asleep again by turning on the lights in the whole apartment and not leaving any doors closed. He could afford such a whim to calm his nerves, because he lived alone.
When a new day dawned in the real world, Andrey was able to return to his measured, everyday life. Work and work again. On weekends—meeting with friends and hanging out somewhere. Definitely three times a week—the gym. And every two weeks—visiting his father. It was just that in this so routine life there was one nuance… Which consisted of the fact that Andrey just couldn’t get Anyuta out of his head! And this initially surprised and annoyed him, and then it just started to make him mad. And he started to get mad at her too! Just like that, although he understood with his mind that she had done nothing to him… Well, she didn’t even suspect what feelings she caused him! Well, that’s good, thought Andrey. And he hoped that one day it would pass.
But then one day at the bank where Andrey worked, a small scandal occurred.
«What happened?» he came out to find out, attracted by loud voices.
«Andrey Viktorovich!» a young intern rushed to him, «please explain that we don’t have the right to issue an inheritance until six months after the testator’s death!»
That’s how it turned out—Andrey hadn’t noticed that the janitor in their house had disappeared somewhere, but it turned out she had died three weeks ago. And now her daughter had come for the inheritance. She showed the key and babbled about how her mother had ordered her to urgently look into the safe deposit box and carry out the last will! Not the one that was in the will itself, but the one that was laid out in a special letter.
And generally, Andrey wasn’t used to breaking the rules. He had always been a model employee of his bank ever since he came here after university! But now his heart was pricked with pity for this Anyuta and he called her to follow him to his office. There he listened again… And relented!
«Okay, I’ll escort you personally now,» he said, «you’ll open your safe deposit box. But no one else must know about this, understood?»
«Thank you so much! You’re so kind!
Andrei rolled his eyes—she irritated him so much! She always stirred up a storm of conflicting feelings in him… And, in general, he already regretted agreeing to help! But it was too late to back out now, right? So, they went to the cells.
Along the way, Anyuta babbled again. About how her mother had tasked her to retrieve a priceless treasure from the cell and destroy it by first placing it in fire, then throwing it into flowing water, that is, a river, or even better, a swamp…
«My mom wrote that it’s very important and needs to be done as soon as possible! To keep evil from reaching me,» said Anyuta, and then Andrei couldn’t hold back.
«Stop!» he said, and stopped so abruptly that she literally bumped into him, «I understand that you’ve lost your mother… My condolences once again! But do you realize that all this is nonsense? What treasure? What evil? Do you realize that all this is… just nonsense!» Andrei began to get angry again. At his own weakness. And through that—at Anyuta, «What treasure?» he scoffed, «I’m sorry, but people have told me that your mother worked her whole life as a janitor… What could she have left you? A family ring made from gum wrapper foil?»
«How dare you?!» Anyuta flared up, «My mom never lied to me! And if there is a cursed treasure… Then it is so!»
«Well, of course,» Andrei rolled his eyes, «Where did you get such naivety from?»
«From Dandelion village,» the beauty answered seriously, «My mom’s friend raised me there until I finished school… There you go! And then I moved in with my mom. To go to university! You… Why are you laughing?!» she exclaimed, «Don’t believe me? Well, let’s check together! I’ll open the cell in front of you, want?!»
«You know what, I do,» squinted Andrei, «at least I’ll find out that I didn’t help you for nothing since you have such an important mission—to destroy the cursed treasure!»
If my father saw me now and heard me, thought Andrei, he would, for sure, despite the fact that I’ve grown up, have given me a disciplinary smack on the back of the head! Because the way I behaved with this unfortunate girl, who just lost her mother, can’t be described in normal words! Thus Andrei scolded himself for his rude jests. And in fact, he understood that theoretically, he should now apologize… But he always had problems with apologies! It always seemed humiliating to Andrei—to admit his mistakes, even the most obvious ones.
And one psychologist (he visited quite a few in his time!), told him that all this must come from somewhere in his childhood… But Andrei did not delve into it. He wanted to touch his childhood least of all in the world!
Because some vague anxiety it caused him, or more precisely—a certain period of it… That time when, as a little boy of five years old, he traveled abroad with his father on business trips. Although, again, it seems that they lived well then. They stayed in expensive hotels or at the homes of his father’s clients, his father gifted Andrei a bunch of toys and repeated that his work provided him a brilliant future! Later, by the way, they returned home and the father never went abroad again. But what was… What was wrong with the childhood?! Andrei couldn’t remember it! It was… Like a white spot in his memory!
From his uninvited memories, Andrei was distracted by the fact that Anyuta finally opened the cell. It was empty. Except for a small velvet pouch. The girl took it with utmost caution, untied the strings, and then onto her palm fell…
It was like a bolt of lightning! Andrei felt his heart simply stop… And then it raced in a hysterical, insane pace!
Because what Anyuta now held was exactly what he had seen repeatedly in his nightmares. A figure, wrapped in a black cloak with a hood, in a wild beastly mask, carrying him through the corridors of a castle… And although she herself and everything around seemed no more than an illusion, images molded from gloomy shadows, but one detail clearly etched into the boy’s mind—the medallion. The dimly gleaming gold in the murky moonlight. A circle, at the center of which was a golden scorpion, its tail topped with a large ruby.
«Where… Where did this come from?» Andrei’s own voice seemed foreign to him, «where did you get this?!»
Not from her, the thought immediately came to his mind. This was what Anyuta’s mother had left her. And this, according to what the girl had managed to tell him… And was it the very cursed treasure?!
«Thank you for letting me take it now,» said Anyuta.
And then very casually, as if it were an ordinary keychain, she put the medallion in her down jacket pocket.
«That’s it. I’ll go…»
«Wait!» Andrei stopped her so unexpectedly, grabbing her arm, that she got scared and cried out. She stared at him with impossibly beautiful and bewildered eyes, «What, are you—about to… Destroy this?!»
«Well, yes,» nodded Anyuta.
«Why?!»
«Mom commanded so…»
«You what, do you—believe in this nonsense? I mean… In curses?»
«It doesn’t matter what I believe or don’t believe,» Anyuta replied calmly and firmly, «but mom commanded to get rid of it. And so I will.»
«No.»
Andrei did not raise his voice. But, without realizing it, he put so much pleading mixed with despair and a striving to understand something… something very important, that Anyuta froze. They looked at each other for several minutes.
«I don’t know why mom asked me to do this,» she finally said, «but I just… Want to do this. Because I have no… No way to ask her what it is and why I should do it this way and not otherwise. Andrei, listen! I understand that I grew up in a village and you probably think I’m a naive fool… Do you think I didn’t notice that after we met, you avoided me? I noticed! And I learned that you and my mom… Had a quarrel because of that incident. She, by the way, thought to apologize to you… It was not nice how it turned out! But she didn’t want to approach you, fearing you would insult her by refusing to accept her apologies, understand? Anyway, maybe I’ve only been in the city for a few months, but I was smart enough to understand why you suddenly started avoiding me! Because I’m her daughter, right? But to me, believe it or not, it doesn’t matter! We just met. We are nothing to each other! Only… I’m really grateful to you for the help now, but… I don’t understand why you’re so against what I want to do! Do you think that this thing is valuable and want to give me advice to sell it and keep the money for myself?
Andrei shook his head no. And then, as it turned out, he honestly told her the truth—that since childhood he had strange and scary dreams, in which this medallion appeared and that he simply begged her to delay fulfilling her mother’s last will!
«I don’t believe in curses and all that mysticism,» sighed Andrei, «but I definitely know that your medallion has some meaning for me, it is somehow connected to my dreams! And let’s, please, switch to informal terms, okay? And I’m not asking for much! But I would like you to give me this medallion. I’ll go to my father and show it to him. I think he can clarify something…
«Okay,» nodded Anyuta, «but we’ll go together.»
Andrei, in principle, was not against. And yes, he didn’t care that an important meeting was scheduled for today! And he, simply left the bank together with Anyuta, they got into his car in the parking lot and headed to his father.
Dmitri, Andrei’s father, a formerly well-known art historian, lived in an old part of the city, in a house built at the beginning of the century. He lived there secluded and quietly, spending entire days reading books and watching television shows… Dmitri’s wife had passed away during the birth of his son and he did not wish to see any woman by his side anymore. He devoted himself entirely to his craft and to caring for his son.
«Hello, Dad,» said Andrei, when he opened the door, «meet Anyuta! We came to you, we need to talk. You see, here’s the thing… Dad? Dad, are you feeling ill?»
«You? Really… The same face!» whispered Dmitri, so shockingly staring at Anyuta, and then he clutched his heart and collapsed onto the floor.
«Dad, what’s happened?» Andrei turned to his father again.
Fortunately, there was no need to call an ambulance. Dmitri was helped up, seated in a chair, and given heart drops. He, all this time, as if enchanted, kept his gaze fixed on Anyuta. And then, finally sorting out his health condition at the moment, he spoke.
«You look just like her… The same face!»
«Excuse me, who do I look like?» the girl asked bewildered.
«Your mother,» Dmitri replied and silence fell in the room again.
«You… Knew my mom?» Anyuta exclaimed in shock.
No! It just couldn’t be! Could she have… Found her father?! Yes, exactly such thoughts suddenly came to Anyuta’s mind. But this happened not just so and in principle, it had some basis…
The thing was that Anyuta, from early childhood, from the age she could remember, worried about not having a father.
«And who is he? Where is he? Why doesn’t he come to us?» the little girl would ask her mother.
And it still mattered to the little one that her mommy got angry every time she heard them, and if Anyuta was particularly stubborn in her curiosity—then she punished her!
«How do you not understand,» once in despair tried once and for all to curb her daughter Natalia’s interest. By the way, Anyuta was already eight years old at the time of that conversation, «you don’t have a father, just don’t! You yourself know that this happens… And you have such friends. Those whose dad left the family. Because he does not love, because he does not need a wife and child… And there are those whose father died! It’s the same with you!»
«How the same?» the girl frowned, «did he leave or die?»
«Both!» Natalia shouted on the verge of a nervous breakdown, «well, are you satisfied with the answer? Sorry, daughter,» she immediately caught herself, «I didn’t want to tell you before… Didn’t want you to suffer…»
«No,» sighed Anyuta and hugged her teddy bear tighter, «my dad isn’t dead.»
«What?» Natalia frowned, «are you arguing with me?!»—but she chilled from her daughter’s next words.
«He’s alive. I just know,» the girl looked her in the eyes quite maturely, «and he didn’t abandon me. He’s looking for me. And one day he’ll definitely find me. And then… We will always be together then! Why did you take me away from him? Mom, you’re mean! You don’t love dad, but I love him very much and he will find me and take me to himself! Just like that!
And the little girl ran to her room. Natalya just collapsed on the floor… Her soul, as they say, was torn apart by this conversation! She hadn’t thought her little girl was capable of such emotions… Anyuta spoke so maturely, so seriously! And this… Considering who the person who had once given Natalya a child really was, it terrified her!
But what was even stranger—this conversation about the father was their last one. In all the years that followed, Anyuta never asked about him again.
But the interest in who her father was and where he was, why they weren’t a family together… Oh, no! This interest never truly left Anyuta! And then, when her mother died, it suddenly awakened in her with new force. It was simply unbearable—to realize that time was lost and that she had never managed to ask her mother about her origins! I should have been braver before, Anyuta thought. She didn’t manage to… And what now, she wondered, returning from her mother’s funeral. Find her father… Now this thought hammered in her head and the girl understood—she was becoming simply obsessed with this idea! She just didn’t know where to start… Maybe she should have asked that friend of her mother’s, who lived in the village and raised her, Anyuta? But something told the girl that she might also run into a wall of deaf misunderstanding there!
«I knew, girl… Not very well, but I knew…»
Anyuta bit her tongue—she almost asked Dmitry if he was her father?! Don’t go crazy, she told herself. And as it became clear a few minutes later, she did well to restrain herself…
«Son,» Dmitry addressed Andrey, «you didn’t come to me as usual, did you? Not just to drink tea and play a game of chess?
«No,» Andrey answered, «I wanted to talk, ask for help in something, but… You’re not feeling well, dad! Everything can wait…
«It can’t wait!» Dmitry struggled to get up, swayed… But then he still went to the kitchen. He put the kettle on and took out the cups, «Sit down, I feel, we are in for a long conversation…»
And then Andrey told him that this girl—his acquaintance, neighbor, her mother had died and left a strange inheritance, accompanied by an even stranger request.
Then a pendant with a scorpion fell into Dmitry’s hands. With a convulsive sigh, the old man covered his eyes with his hand, his lips trembled…
«What’s wrong with you?» Anyuta was scared, but Andrey gestured to her—don’t disturb father, just give him time!
And they waited… And then, Dmitry, gathering strength (but still not letting go of the pendant), began to speak.
This story began almost twenty years ago. At that time, Dmitry was at the peak of his success! As a brilliant connoisseur of art history, he was invited for consultations by collectors and even auction houses, and he even happened to work on the set of one blockbuster, where his knowledge of the Late Middle Ages came in handy! And then one day Dmitry received a very special offer, coming from a mysterious gentleman from France… And at first, he thought it was just about helping to evaluate artworks that this man had inherited… But it was not so simple!
At the invitation of this man, Dmitry settled in his ancestral castle. It was a real palace in miniature! And soon it turned out that Dmitry’s employer was a very influential figure among the local wealthy, that he played the role of their… mentor. Both in the field of business and on a spiritual level.
And so it happened that Dmitry, naturally curious, began to delve deeper into the mysteries of a mystical teaching followed by all these people. And Dmitry, at first, was driven by pure curiosity, and his patron was so kind, answered questions, told a lot of interesting things about the history of his family name and showed such items from his family treasury that Dmitry was shocked—he had never seen such rarities even in museums! And then one day he was made another offer. And hearing its essence, Dmitry nervously laughed.
«Are you suggesting I join a cult, Louis? No! Of course, I will answer no… Why would I need this?
«The very fact that you are questioning why you need this already suggests that you are not confident in the firmness of your refusal,» Louis smiled condescendingly, «and please, we are civilized people! Let’s not use such derogatory terms as cult! We are just seeking the truth. And want to join something greater than what the known world can offer us…
And actually, Dmitry did not believe in mysticism. And he had no intention of joining any cult! But he was also a valued guest and thought he could get out of this… game, at any moment! But the more he delved into the teaching offered to him, the more he began to understand that there were too many dark secrets and questions in it that a sane and kind-hearted person might not like to receive answers to! But, well, thought Dmitry, soon I will finish fussing with the evaluation of family treasures, confirming the authenticity of eight-hundred-year-old porcelain vases, receive the promised fabulous fee and my son and I will live comfortably, the boy will have a brilliant future!
And then suddenly Louis announced that one nuance was being introduced into their agreement (which was purely oral, they did not sign any documents). Which was that Dmitry had to go on a little trip to an island in the tropics…
Dmitry was needed there to read some ancient writings left by French travelers who had visited the island in the eighteenth century. Dmitry was seized by bad premonitions. He would have gladly refused this strange collaboration and flown back home with his son right now! But he also understood too well that they would not let him just walk away and that because of his stubbornness, his son might suffer… And then, there, on the island, Dmitry’s life turned into a sheer nightmare!
«They weren’t satisfied with the power, wealth, and success they already had,» he continued his story in a colorless voice, «they craved more! Something different, unfathomable, beyond the world we are used to!
Then came the very night that Dmitry’s life split into before and after. Just then he suddenly learned that the cult, which had almost drawn him in, was actually ready to do anything to achieve its goals! And we’re talking about human sacrifice!
«She was so young and beautiful,» Dmitry said, and his voice trembled, «the poor girl had no idea what awaited her! She was just… A naive girl! She thought she was brought to the island to shoot a swimsuit ad. One of them, those people… I remember, yes! His name was Alexander, he had been looking for her for a long time… They were looking for a suitable victim, calculating by horoscopes… Alexander was supposed to… Strike her when she was on the altar! But he didn’t do it. Love intervened,» now Dmitry looked attentively at Andrey and Anyuta sitting next to each other (they, by the way, hadn’t even touched the tea—it wasn’t the time!), «love can change everything… For her sake Alexander betrayed his teacher and the others! He told the necessary people about the deeds of the cult and on the night we all gathered in the cave to perform the final rite,» he shook his head, «I don’t know why Alexander decided to choose me as an ally. Maybe because I was an outsider? I don’t know… But he let me in on his plans. He said I had to help this girl escape! And I agreed… In general, Alexander messed up all their plans! The rite was not completed… The cult members were arrested. Natalya and I fled. Yes, her name was Natasha… Alexander provided us with a private plane and we flew away. I just picked up my son, you, Andryusha, from the hotel! We ran… Made it! Flew to France. There we boarded a regular plane. Returned here all together… But then… That girl, you know, I wanted to help her somehow! The poor girl was in such shock from what had happened. But she just evaporated. And I couldn’t find her later… And now, it turns out, she was somewhere nearby all this time, right? And she had a daughter… You, Anyuta,» Dmitry finished barely audibly, «you were born from the relationship of Natalya and… a madman! Because the affair between Natalya and Alexander, while he kept her close as a future victim, lasted several months. So, by the timing, if you just recently, as you said, turned eighteen… It all matches!
All the way Andrey and Anyuta were silent. After a long conversation with his father (and by the way, they didn’t even drink the tea during this meeting!), they both were thoughtful and felt… very strange! Such a familiar, ordinary, everyday world, where everything was clear and understandable just this morning, now just, so to speak, turned upside down!
«Well, then,» Andrey was the first to speak, parking the car at the residential complex, «thank you for helping,» he pondered, picking words that wouldn’t sound banal in this situation, but there simply didn’t seem to be any, «I’ve thought since childhood that I was going crazy. That is, I remembered what my father worked as and how we traveled with him, but… One day a psychologist said that I had repressed memories. Something that the child’s psyche couldn’t handle and blocked out. But then I was up for a promotion and I was, you understand,» he waved one hand vaguely, «not up to it! Do you understand? But now I understand that, probably, I was just afraid of what I might learn and covered it up with my busyness. Just think! My father almost became a cultist. And I always wondered why he never traveled anywhere anymore, never took any private orders! Probably afraid that those fanatics, those who weren’t caught in that damned cave, would find him and… Well, I don’t know. Only, you know, I feel better now! When now I know that I didn’t make up anything, that these weren’t just ordinary nightmares. And I now understand my father better. We need to see each other more often,» Andrey smiled sadly, «I’m sitting in this bank and it’s all work, work… Dad got into all this for me, so I wouldn’t lack for anything, so that by the time I finished school I had my own apartment… I remember, it was a one-bedroom. I rent it out even now, but here, I moved to live in a more fashionable residential complex in the center. Basically, I forgot about dad, I can admit that now, and that’s… Not right! Yes, like that…
Andrey fell silent. And realized that Anyuta was sitting quietly and listening to him.
«I’m sorry,» he blushed, «you’re probably terribly tired, it’s been a hard day. You should rest, and here I am… Keeping you and you’re listening to my nonsense!
«No, it’s okay,» she replied and for the first time since they met, she gave him a smile, «you can talk to me whenever you want, really!
«Thank you,» Andrey smiled sincerely. And suddenly for the first time since they met, he thought that Anyuta was not just a beauty, into whom a beloved man could easily fall in love, but also simply a good person. And nothing, that she was naive and grew up in the village, thought Andrey. What difference does it make?! The main thing is that she has this—purity of soul. He himself couldn’t have explained what he meant by this, but… He just felt that Anyuta was a truly special person!
«So,» he said, «you’re not going to do anything with the pendant now?
«No,» she shook her head, «I need to think about everything. Sort it all out… I would like to know how it got to her?
«Probably Alexander gave it,» Andrey mused thoughtfully, «as a keepsake… A coincidence,» he perked up, «I, of course, know where you live, but… Maybe we could exchange phone numbers?
«Let’s,» agreed Anyuta. And they exchanged.
The next day Andrey fulfilled his duties at the bank, but he was so distracted that even his colleagues noticed! He could only think about one thing—that he missed Anyuta too much and that they needed to see each other for sure!
And so, having called her beforehand, Andrey went to visit her. Cake, flowers… And yes, he understood that everything they had learned required further reflection, but for this evening he wanted to forget everything and just be with her, talk about all sorts of trivial things, maybe watch some comedy together… In general, Andrey was in the most relaxed and carefree mood.
And so he was simply shocked when Anyuta, as soon as he crossed the threshold, announced that she, it seems, had found her father, that is, Alexander!
«What?» Andrey’s eyes widened. And good thing he had already set the cake down… Or he would have dropped it! «What are you talking about?
Anyuta then chattered in her way. And Andrey literally grabbed his head, hearing what she had managed to do in just twenty-four hours since they parted yesterday!
It turned out that Anyuta had photographed the medallion early in the morning and filmed it on video. And then, she found the electronic addresses and phone numbers of a number of jewelry companies in France, those located in Toulouse (because that was where that very castle of Louis—the leader of the cult was) and she asked them if they knew who might have owned such a medallion eighteen years ago? Anyuta also understood that probably, these companies would not want to share any confidential information with her and therefore simply asked them to pass her contacts to any person who had bought such an item from them in the past (and it was because Dmitry said that the medallion, in his professional opinion, was made to order there—in the south of France).
«I thought that maybe there would be no response,» the girl shared with Andrey enthusiastically, «but, imagine, from one jewelry house, they’ve been in business since the late eighteenth century, they replied that they know the owner of this item, and then… He wrote to me! And asked where I got it from? I replied that my mother left it as an inheritance… And he asked who my mother was! I answered. And then, then,» Anyuta was almost crying with excitement, «he said that someone would contact me… And he called me!
«Who?» Andrey himself, like his father, was ready to clutch his heart.
«Alexander!» Anyuta was almost jumping, «can you imagine what an incredible coincidence? It just turns out that my father owns a share in this jewelry house and when his secretary told him that here, an email had come… Oh, I just can’t believe it!
«You know, I can’t either,» Andrey muttered.
«Dad said it’s not just a coincidence,» Anyuta said and her eyes sparkled with feverish brightness, «he said it’s a sign of providence, that it’s… Fate! He guessed back then that mom might be pregnant, but… Didn’t consider himself worthy of her for what he had done in the past… Dad said he’d been tormented for years and just hoped that she’d returned home, that everything worked out for her and she married a worthy man. Oh,» Anyuta sobbed, «if only mommy had told me everything earlier! Well, why did she keep silent? We could have been a happy family,» Anyuta rushed to Andrey so swiftly that he was scared. Looked him in the eyes… And he didn’t like what he saw in her eyes. Because it reminded him of some kind of madness! «But I… I’m so glad that we found each other!
Andrey looked at her and couldn’t believe what he was hearing. How is it possible, he wondered, that Anyuta, who seemed to him so smart, generally speaking, yesterday, could so easily… Lose herself in all this?!
«Listen,» Andrey cautiously began, «I understand that you’re now… That it’s not easy for you! You’ve found your father. Really, it all happened so fast that it seems incredible. But… Alright! Let’s assume luck and a series of coincidences played their part. But how can you so easily believe him? You don’t know this man at all!
«He’s my father,» Anyuta replied and Andrey squinted—did it seem, or was she looking at him somewhat unfriendly already, for trying to reason with her? «He saved my mom!
«Uh-huh,» Andrey scoffed, «from the same psychos as he is! Well, he saved her… Pity woke up! Maybe it was just new to him… Well, to sacrifice a girl to dark forces! But you don’t know him at all! Anyuta, don’t go crazy!
«I’m not crazy,» she replied restrainedly and coolly, «and what right do you have to judge me? Have you forgotten how you ignored me just because my mom—works as a cleaner? Want to say that some nobility has awakened in you now, will you tell me that you understand life? Where from?! People like you, you just… Just judge people by whether they fit your circle or not! Tell me, why did you even start helping me? You just wanted to laugh at me, to rub my nose in the fact that my simple mom couldn’t leave me anything valuable? But as soon as it concerned you, you immediately got busy! Andrey, we both know that if something else had been found in the cell, you would… Not care about me at all! I would have left, and you—would have continued living your full, successful life, in which there’s simply no place for me and my mom! I should be grateful to you,» Anyuta smiled sadly, «for helping me learn the truth about my past, even at the cost of profit for you… But our paths diverge now! And you… Better leave.
Andrey tried to talk to her some more, appealed to the fact that the whole situation needed to be soberly assessed and that rash decisions should not be made! But he only, metaphorically speaking, ran into a wall of misunderstanding. And then he left. Simply because he realized that he was powerless to persuade Anyuta now!
But Andrey had no intention of backing down. Actually, he was planning to talk to her tomorrow, but… Important tasks suddenly arose at work, and he was very busy. Well, Andrey decided, maybe it’s for the best? Let her be alone, with her thoughts…
«How did she leave?» Andrey asked shockingly to one of the neighbors in the building, who was just coming out of her apartment as he repeatedly pressed the unresponsive doorbell of Anyuta’s apartment.
It turned out that in the morning, when this neighbor was walking her Spitz for the first time, she ran into Anyuta — the girl was getting into a taxi with a suitcase. She was so excited, so joyful! And since Anyuta was always very sociable, she didn’t hide the news and shared that she was flying to meet her father, who had invited her to some tropical island where even a visa wasn’t needed!
«How could she fly away like that?!» Andrey couldn’t believe what had happened, «she doesn’t even have a foreign passport!»
«Why wouldn’t she?» the neighbor snorted, «back when Natalya was alive, they both got one. Natalya thought that once she’d worked a bit, they’d go on vacation when her daughter was on her student break. She, Natasha, was saving every penny from her salary for this, that’s how smart a woman she was! And I think, that… Andrey? Where did you rush off to?»
But Andrey was already far away—rushing down the stairs. He ran into the neighboring building—where his apartment was, grabbed his foreign passport, and… dashed to the airport! From there, he called the bank and told his secretary that he wouldn’t be coming to work for the next few days, indefinitely.
«I have personal circumstances,» Andrey said, «personal and urgent, very!»
So what do I do now, where do I even start looking for her? I’m probably a fool for rushing off alone, when I should have stayed and maybe, for example, hired a private detective to do all the work for me!
These were the thoughts running through Andrey’s mind as he sat at a small street cafe, sweating under the blazing tropical sun—he always had a hard time with heat.
«Hey, mister! Want some more lemonade?» a boy about ten years old approached his table with a bright white smile, «You’re not from around here, mister! A tourist?»
«You could say that,» sighed Andrey and crumpled the handkerchief with which he was wiping his forehead, «yes, more lemonade, I guess… And you, you work here?» he was surprised, «aren’t you a bit young to be a waiter?»
«This is our family cafe,» the boy answered importantly, «and I help my mom. My dad left me in charge of the family when he went fishing at sea!»
«I see,» Andrey smirked, «go on, bring the lemonade! And just a ton of ice, perhaps…»
Five minutes later, a new frosty glass of the refreshing drink appeared on his table. But it wasn’t the little waiter who brought it, but a statuesque, tanned beauty, her mass of ebony curls loosely tied back with a ribbon embroidered with many small pearls. And even more pearls were in her necklaces.
«You’re not a tourist,» she said confidently.
«Huh?» Andrey perked up, already almost fainting from the tropical climate, and right now—he looked with hopeless longing at a photograph.
In it was Anyuta. Actually, while flying here, Andrey hadn’t had time to properly plan how he would look for her—nervous anxiety didn’t allow him to think clearly! And then, after he settled into a hotel (chosen at random), he thought about what he should actually do next. Go to the local police, maybe? But with what?! It would sound wonderful—he argued with his girlfriend, she flew away from him to the ends of the earth, he followed her and please, be careful, it seems her dad’s a former cultist! Andrey somehow feared they would simply show him the door… But he had the courage to take Anyuta’s photo (which he downloaded from her social network page and then printed) around several beachfront hotels and ask if such a girl had checked in?! In three hotels, they simply answered no, and in the fourth, they said that even if she had, they couldn’t help—because it’s strictly confidential information and why should they share it with him?!
And now Andrey was pondering a sad question—could I really just run around the streets and show people her photo, asking if they’ve met her?! Apparently, he’d have to go to the local authorities after all. And explain himself! And Andrey mentally thanked Tamara Vasilyevna—his English tutor, who had been teaching him from ninth grade through university—thanks to her, his foreign language skills were now quite decent.
«You’re not a tourist,» repeated the stranger standing at his table. She frowned, bit her lip, «and you’ve encountered a problem… You’ve lost something!»
«What?» Andrey was stunned, «what do you mean… How do you know?!»
«I have a gift. I predict the future and see the hidden,» she replied as casually as if she were talking about being able to drive a car, «the gift is passed down in our family through the female line.»
Andrey swallowed hard—the last thing he needed was to meet a fortune teller! Or perhaps it was for the best? After all, in the current situation, all means are suitable, you can’t say otherwise!
«But I also see a photograph before you,» she smiled suddenly, «and on it—a beautiful girl. You know her. But you don’t look like a private detective. So, you argued with her or you lost her… Who is she to you?»
Andrey paused—should he trust a stranger? But on the other hand, why not? Maybe this attractive mother of a spry boy, helping her family, could help him somehow? But, naturally, not in terms of magic! Andrey would have counted on that as a last resort…
«At first, I thought I was in love. Then I wanted to forget, but now,» he spread his hands, «for starters, I just want to help her! I’m afraid she might get into trouble! But I don’t want to distract you from your work with my chatter…»
«This is my cafe,» smiled the girl in pearls, «by the way, my name is Camilla. And I think I can afford to sit a little. I’ll just bring us some coffee now!»
She returned fifteen minutes later—carrying a tray with two cups of black coffee, dizzyingly fragrant with spices. Andrey appreciated the drink—it was divine coffee like he had never tasted before! Then he talked… And told her everything that had happened between him and Anyuta, and also how her fate had unexpectedly touched the story of his own family.
«I don’t want to interfere with her,» Andrey said at the end, «And if I was sure that she really, finding her father, could rely on him because he’s a good person, then I would… Just be happy for her! I don’t think Anyuta’s a fool, not at all! She’s very smart. But I’m afraid, after losing her mother, she just wants… to find someone who will fill the void in her heart. And I’m afraid they’ll deceive her, hurt her, or… cause some harm in general.»
Andrey fell silent for a moment, gazing into the cup of coffee in front of him. There was sediment at the bottom and he regretted for a moment that he couldn’t read coffee grounds… The cafe owner stood up and beckoned him to follow her.
«Let’s go! I think your search is about to end.»
«What?!» Andrey jumped up, «you know where she is?!»
Camilla nodded and flashed a smile, smirking.
«I know. And while we walk, I’ll explain everything to you…»
Camilla’s family cafe, founded by her great-grandfather, was located on the promenade, and her family’s house—stood deep in the town. And as they walked there, Camilla told Andrey about how she met Anyuta.
It happened early in the morning when Camilla went to the shore—to look for empty shells washed up by the night tide, from which she crafted various items—curtains, paintings, dream catchers, and other things… Anyuta was sitting on the pier, dangling her bare legs toward the serene sea and loudly sniffling. Her face was flushed! Camilla couldn’t just walk by and asked her what happened? At first, she thought some villain had upset the girl… And in part, her intuition didn’t deceive Camilla! But it wasn’t that simple… And there, on the pier, Anyuta finally broke down and spilled everything that had happened, starting from the fateful moment when she found a locket in her cell!
The thing was, Anyuta had no doubts—she was flying to meet her father and it was the most wonderful thing that could happen in her life! But reality turned out to be cruel.
«You’re not my father?» she was confused when a man, introducing himself as David, met her at the airport, «and where’s dad?» she asked.
David, who introduced himself as a lawyer and a representative of Alexander’s interests, persuaded her to leave the airport, get in the car, and talk about everything on the way to the city.
And then the terrible truth was revealed to Anyuta—it turned out that her father had died more than a year ago! She had been deceived. She had been deliberately called here in such a way that she wouldn’t even think of refusing the meeting!
«What do you need?» Anyuta asked and was frightened—she simply couldn’t imagine what to expect!
David, smiling politely, assured the girl that there was nothing illegal in his intentions and nothing she should be afraid of! He said he just wanted to settle some nuances… And then he revealed the truth about her father to Anyuta.
It turned out that Alexander really suspected that the girl he had saved might have a child. But until recently, he hadn’t been concerned about it… Because at that time, he already had a lover whom he promised to marry, and he did, and in this marriage, he had three children!
And yes, Alexander, unlike most other cultists, managed to avoid punishment—thanks to his active cooperation with the authorities. And the main thing—he didn’t save Natasha because he was in love with her! But because it was also in his plan—he was supposed to save her, so to speak, to show himself from the best side! And then he simply forgot about her.
Alexander, by the way, was quite wealthy. But money didn’t allow him to maintain robust health into old age and he died after a severe illness, and before that—he instructed his lawyers to do everything possible and impossible to protect his inheritance, which should have been received by his legitimate children from the claims of a girl who might have existed, or maybe not… The lawyers earned their salary—they searched! But couldn’t find for some reason…
But suddenly, they were smiled upon by fantastic luck—thanks to the medallion that Alexander in a sentimental impulse had given Natasha, his daughter appeared!
And now all that remained was to convince Anyuta that she should not claim Alexander’s inheritance…
«I never even thought of it!» Anyuta tried to assure David.
But he didn’t really trust her… And started slipping her documents to sign, which, if signed, would confirm that she renounced any rights to the inheritance.
Everything Anyuta heard was too awful! She felt like she was in a nightmare—she learned who her father was, found him as if, and lost him, learned that he had died… Anyuta cried and refused to believe that all the wonderful things she had managed to imagine were just self-deception!
David was a serious man—he drove Anyuta to the branch of the law firm where he worked and there demonstrated to her everything that confirmed every word he said—he showed her a video recording.
«Hello, daughter,» said a fifty-year-old man standing on the deck of a luxurious yacht, «My name is Alexander and I’m the man who nearly twenty years ago met your mother and unfortunately, allowed myself to be carried away by her, forgetting that I have obligations and more important goals…»
Further, Alexander said that he, of course, understands that to some extent he should take care of Anyuta, as a father, when and if she is found… And therefore, according to his instructions, his lawyers were to transfer a certain and quite substantial amount of money to Anyuta. But that was all! Anyuta had to renounce claims to the inheritance. And finally, in this video, Alexander said that his children—two sons and a daughter, definitely wouldn’t want to meet or communicate with her. Because they were raised accordingly. Alexander’s wife, to whom he had revealed all his secrets, was also set against her.
Anyuta felt as if she was in a nightmarish dream! Could all this be possible? But now she had no hope to cling to…
And Anyuta signed all the necessary papers. And she refused the money. Then she went to the hotel she had booked before her flight, and the next morning—she went to the beach, to sit, think about everything, and just cry in the hope that at least that would make her feel better!
Camilla finished her story just as they reached her house—she invited Anyuta to visit her place and there, while she herself had to run to work, left her under the care of her grandmother.
«Anyuta!» exclaimed Andrey when, entering the small flowering courtyard, he saw people sitting at a table—a woman somewhat older than Camilla and his… beloved.
Yes, at that very moment, it flashed through his mind that he loved Anyuta! And he didn’t care that there were strangers around… Although, were they really strangers? After all, these people warmly treated a stranger, took friendly care of Anyuta! In short, Andrey had no one to be shy around. And he said everything…
About how he loves her! About what a fool he was for not realizing it earlier…
«Camilla told me everything,» Andrey looked into Anyuta’s eyes, «I can’t say I know what you’re feeling… That’s impossible! But I’m ready to say that you’re not alone. You have me. Today and always! I love you… And nothing else matters to me!»
And they returned home… Just like that! And so a new path began in the girl’s life… Of course, it took her quite a bit of time to let go of the past, but now she had someone by her side whom she could love and who was able to support her! And then they got married. And there was a wedding…
On the beach! With a small feast for relatives and closest friends in the cafe owned by Anyuta’s new and best friend—Camilla. And she, by the way, gave them an unusual wedding gift—she predicted without any fortune-telling that they would be happy for many years!