Maksimillian
I was definitely touched when Zenovia called me up. Even though she was shouting and demanding me where I’d been, at least she called me upon learning what happened last night. She didn’t really say goodbye and just hanged up, but I didn’t mind. I knew how conflicted she was with herself at the moment.
But fuck! She said what we had was a mistake, and she didn’t want to be “entangled” with me. The hell she didn’t want to! She was already tied to me even if she’d destroy the notarized document! She was not going out of my life that easily.
I called up the security details that were assigned to her, and I gave them the instructions to look out for her. Closer than ever. She might or might not run away from me today. But there was really no telling. Who would know what she’d do while I’m not there? I didn’t want her to hide. I absolutely didn’t want any problem with her right now while I dealt with my job at the same time and in a different place!
Chert poberi! I would be powerless if she would just disappear from my life, and I couldn’t find her in spite of the address on the agreement paper. But hell! I hoped it wouldn’t come to that or I’d go fucking crazy! Even thinking about it at the moment, it was already reeling my head.
I called Rurik, and he already saw the news. It was a bit crazy over there as some of our family friends called him up to ask what really happened to me and if I was fine. Well, I almost could not believe they cared. Or was among them the traitor, just trying to fish out some information? Well, it could be possible.
Mr. Mäkinen called my hotel to talk to me and asked if I was doing all right. He was shocked that something happened to me while I was on my way to my hotel last night. It seemed that he wanted to let me know that he had nothing to do with it. Of course, I didn’t even suspect him. There was no motive that he’d do something like that. I was one hundred percent sure he had nothing against me. He did invite me over to his home, but it was not to get me killed.
He asked me to extend my stay for another two or three days if possible while he spoke with his staff. I knew he’d ask me for an extension. Just like Mr. Korhonen, he did want us to be one of their suppliers for steel. It was not only for our good reputation but for the high quality of the products produced and delivered.
Stainless steel (pipe fittings or tubes) was the main Finnish steel import. In the trade flow statistics, the Russian Federation came in fifth in 2018. By 2019, my country became second as Finland’s main partner in the overall import main supplier.
I was confident that the demand for steel products would increase just like we had locally. We would need to expand into new markets to develop significantly and thus earn more. By that, we also have to consider and apply some strategies, such as production upgrades, implement advanced technologies, innovate and increase production.
I sighed after talking with Mr. Mäkinen on the hotel phone. Looked like he had someone on me, since he knew the number. Most probably, he pulled some strings for it.
***
I was busy the next couple of days in Helsinki, but I kept calling Zenovia at my suite in Brașov whenever I had the time, as I already had her number when she called me, crying. I was relieved she didn’t leave. Yet. Or just as she planned. I was afraid she’d leave and go back home.
In the meanwhile, I gave another job for my private investigator (PI), which was to get some more information about Zenovia and her family. I knew it was me being a creep, but I couldn’t help it. It was just in case she’d run or hide away from me.
It turned out that she had a broken family. Her father had a second family living in Bucharest, while her mother lived alone in their house in Iași, whereas Zenovia lived in the same city as her but in an apartment building. According to my PI, her home was about twenty minutes away from her mother’s. She seldom visited her and that their relationship was normal as it could be.
I learned that she worked as a hotel receptionist in Iași. It was a four-star hotel. But I already knew she wanted to be a painter. I still have to know why she stopped painting though. Would she trust me enough to tell me the reason why?
Aside from these, I also learned she actually had no boyfriend even before she met me. So, that was the reason I was her first. I did feel very lucky indeed. Even though we were strangers, she trusted me with her maidenhood, which I didn’t expect at all.
I tried to talk some personal things with her when she picked up my calls, but she would just clam up and not speak. Because of it, I felt frustrated, but I tried my best to be understanding. She had her issues, all right. I wouldn’t and couldn’t force her. Just that I really needed to know more about her from her own sexy mouth. If she would only let me…
“When are you coming back to Romania? Or are you going to bail and just go home to Moscow?” Aunt Marisha called me on my private number the night before I was going back to Brașov.
“You’ll never know until the time comes, Aunt Marisha,” I told her with a grin.
“You be careful, Maksimillian,” she reminded me.
“Yes, I will. You, too, Aunt Marisha,” I replied to her.
I looked out of the window of my suite, which was on the tenth floor. Helsinki was a beautiful city. The scattered lights of gold, white, green, purple, blue and others were just so fascinating. I even wished Zenovia was here with me right now to see all this. I wondered if she had the inspiration to paint whenever she sees beautiful things. Wouldn’t she ever paint again and why?
I decided to take a picture of it and sent it to her.
“Sir?” Oleg took my attention, reminding me to stay away from the window.
I nodded and walked away from there. Just then, the glass window cracked when the bullet went through from where I just stood a mere second ago.
“Blyad’ (Fuck)!” I cussed, while Oleg pulled me and covered me with his bulkier body.
Whoever it was really wanted me dead!