Chapter 10. The Meeting

The day had come — the day of the memorial. Irene still hadn’t found a way to act. From inside, she felt crushed by a sense of betrayal.

Buzz. Irene heard the doorbell.

“Yes?” she answered.

“Good afternoon, Irene,” a woman’s voice sounded, cold as granite.

“Who am I speaking with?”

“Anna. Mitchell.”

Irene was shocked. Oscar’s wife? Did she really know he was alive, or did she just want to blame her?

“Um… good afternoon,” Irene replied awkwardly.

“Irene, I have something important to discuss with you. Are you at home? We’ll talk in three minutes.”

The call ended. There was a knock at the door. Irene opened it. Standing before her was a well-groomed woman, about thirty-eight, with long red hair.

She walked confidently into the apartment, crossed the living room, and sat on the sofa.

“So, I know everything: about you, about Olivia, and that Oscar is alive.”

Irene froze.

“Wait, don’t interrupt,” Anna sharply stopped her, noticing that Irene wanted to speak.

“I really want to help you. Those bastards decided to drag us into their dirty game. Everything Oscar has, he got thanks to my late father, who accepted him as a son. And that scoundrel decided to leave me and our children with nothing and run away with his lover. They planned everything: his ‘death,’ as if you had killed him. And when that didn’t work, they started threatening me, as if I wanted to kill you out of jealousy. This has gone too far. He wants to take not only everything but also the children. I will never allow that. And you will help me stop him.”