Shattering Hearts

(C2): Fire

Vladimir, who was just halfway to his house, was shocked to see his father.

"Dad,"he said.

"Where are you from?"

" I just drove my little friend back to his house."

Nicola frowned."Little buddy?"

"Yes. Just forget it. Where are you going?"

" To the Thusenka family home."

"I just got out of there."

"really?"

"So I met Lizzie on the street and drove her home. What's the matter with you to see them?"

"Sergei called me and told my father that Lizzie whom the Thusenka family took care of was his granddaughter."

Vladimir widened his eyes. "So Lizzie was Dimitri's uncle's son?"

"really. Now I want to see them."

"I'm coming along."

On the way Vladimir confessed to his father about the existence of Lizzie in this village from Sergei. That's why he's in this village

"It's just not usually you'll spend your vacation here."

Vladimir let out a wide grin, and Vladimir's steps came to a halt.

’’See it!’’vladimir's Exclamation.

Nicola finally looked in the direction Vladimir was pointing. Thick black smoke adorns the afternoon sky.’’What smoke ?’’

Vladimir squinted his eyes to see where the smoke was coming from, then he realized the smoke was coming from a house not far from here. His heart was beating fast and he had a bad feeling where the smoke was coming from.

"Don't-don't...’’

Vladimir ran and Nicola chased him.

What Vladimir thought was true. The thick black smoke came from the Thusenka family home. There are already some people coming . The fire has destroyed the house. The sound of the hissing of fire sounded so loud, Vladimir stared pushyly at the burning house.

He just stood there, not believing what he saw. A few minutes ago he could still see the whole house, but now it was burned down.

"Lizzie," he muttered with a sad look towards the house.

The villagers began to arrive one by one and they were horrified to see the events that befell the Thusenka family.

Nicola was surprised by what she saw. "What happened?"

Vladimir looked towards his father.

"I don't know a few minutes ago their house was still fine."

Nicola looked very anxious and deeply regretted this should happen to the Thusenka family. This was exactly what Dimitri and his family had experienced.

"What should I tell Sergei later?"

"Silent dad. There's a chance they're okay."

"You're right." Nicola tried to calm herself down and followed Vladimir for information.

Vladimir and Nicola question some people to find out the whereabouts of Lizzie and her parents, but no one knows.

" Do we have to tell Sergei's grandfather now?"

‘’Wait! Don't say anything to him."

"Alright’’.

Firefighters and some police have started arriving . The police questioned several villagers in connection with the incident. Xena Watson cried in her husband's arms and the incident spread to the entire village of Zelenogradsk. Marina Moskal, who heard about this incident, passed out. Fanya who was told by her mother about the fire of her best friend's house could only cry and persuade her mother to go see her.

Darkness began to envelop the village of Zelenogradsk, tonight is a night that will not be forgotten by some villagers. All eyes looked sorrowfully at the burning of the Thusenka house.

The fire was extinguished and police began to investigate the remains of the house. It didn't take them long to find the two charred bodies burning. Xena fell unconscious when two bodies were removed from the house, Vladimir who was also seen in shock could not help but feel sad in his heart even though he did not know the Thusenka family.

Vladimir did not want to see the charred body of Lizzie, his new little friend. Vladimir regretted that their friendship lasted only a few hours.  A gentle pat on his shoulder resuscitated him from his daydream.’’Father..’’.

"We'll find the culprit soon. I'm sure it's the same guy."

Vladimir shed his tears. In her eyes appeared the shadow of Lizzie smiling at him

" Why did all this have to happen? Why would anyone want to hurt Lizzie and the Thusenka family. They don't deserve to end up like this."

Vladimir's heart became very angry.

The police were still busy looking for Lizzie's body and Vladimir saw the confusion on the police's faces. Many times they searched the house, but the police did not seem to have found Lizzie's body, since there were only two bodies that had been carried by ambulances.

"Dad there seems to be a little problem there."

"I'm going there to ask you."

Vladimir saw his father talking to a police inspector. They look serious talking. Not long after his father returned. ‘’What happened?’’

"They can't find Lizzie's body?"

"What's? But how is it possible ?’’

"It seems like they don't know why that happened either."

"But I saw Lizzie with my own eyes. He went into his house."

"It's possible that the boy got out of the house again before the fire broke out or he managed to escape."

"If he wasn't home when his house burned down, where was he now?’’

"Next, only God knows. We hope Lizzie's still alive somewhere."

Vladimir put his head on his father's shoulder.’’I hope he survives, otherwise Sergei's grandfather will be sad."

"Dad knows. We'd better get home and I'll have to talk to Sergei as soon as he gets here any minute."

"Grandfather Sergei is coming?" tanyanya surprised.

"Yes. Sergei's coming to see Lizzie."

"Now Lizzie's gone missing again when we just found her."

"You're right."

🍎🍎🍎

Nicola and Vladimir went to his study with anxious faces. Juliet and Regina rush into Nicola's study to find out what happened.

"Can you guys tell me what really happened?’’

Vladimir's eyes straightened at the fireplace. Meanwhile Nicola told his wife and daughter everything

Juliet and Regina shut her mouth ." So Lizzie is really Sergei's grandson?’’

"Yes. Ophelia Esther Constantine told Sergei and he immediately called me to find Lizzie. Ophelia found out about it from her daughter Milly and they both live in this village."

"Oh my God, it turns out that the boy is Sergei's grandson" Juliet said.

" I'm going to see Ophelia and Milly. I know them, because they used to work at the Romanov mansion and I happen to be investigating the case again."

Nicola glanced at Vladimir and crouched down before him.’’Dad's back investigating the case?’’vladimir asked in surprise.

‘’True. Sergei asked me, because I was curious and wanted to catch the culprit."

‘’This was really unexpected. The jolly and agile girl turned out to be Sergei's grandson and unfortunately now he's gone."

Nicola rubbed her face , then sat on the chair behind her desk.Nicola turned her chair towards the big window. His sight was far ahead.

"Siapa pun pelakunya pasti orang itu tahu keberadaan Lizzie."

‘’Daddy mean?’’vladimir did not understand.

"Who do you think knows where Lizzie is in this village?"ask Nicola.

Vladimir seemed to think for a moment. "I don't think there's much to know."

"Only we know. Ophelia and Milly, but I don't know if there might be anyone else who knows."

Nicola turned her chair back and looked at the people in the room.

" The culprit was smart enough to act quickly after knowing Lizzie's whereabouts before we found her first."

Vladimir stood up, then sighed.’’I'm going to my room to rest. Good night!’’

"Good night!"

The atmosphere in the room was silent again. Juliet and Regina sit on the sofa with a crumpled and tired face, then Juliet is stunned as if remembering something.’’Honey, if Sergei's grandson is still alive, does that mean our old agreement is still in effect?’’

"What old agreement?’’

"Ah this you, the time of forgetting our old agreement with Sergei and Dimitri."

‘’Oh that old agreement, of course I remember. The agreement is still valid if Sergei's grandson is still alive."

Juliet's face sparkled with delight, then smiled and sat back down on the sofa. Regina looked at her mother with a curious face.’’What's old agreement bu?’’

"Surely you forgot too, right, Reggy? It's only natural that you forgot because the deal was made eight years ago."

"Ah I mean the covenant."

"True,’’ replied his mother.

"Then that would mean it if Vladimir also agreed to it."

‘’I think so, but I hope Vladimir would agree to that, but until now he had no idea about the agreement at all. We better not tell him before Sergei's grandson is found."

"I agree."

"You must not force Vladimir to fulfill the covenant, let him choose himself. This is his life. You can't interfere in his life if you want to see Vladimir live a happy life."

"Ayaaahhhh...’’seru them together.

The three of them were startled by the sound of knocking on the door. A waiter in.’’What's up Howard?’’

"Sorry sir, is there a master Anthony Lennox would like to meet you?’’

"Lennox?’’he asked with a confused face. He wondered why Sergei's lawyer had suddenly come here.

‘’True."

"Send him in."

"Good sir."

"What lawyer is coming?’’asked Juliet there was a tone of dislike in her voice.

"Maybe he's come to trouble with Madelaine's widow's case about her great aunt's estate."

"I don't like that lawyer, even though he's great, but you know, I sometimes feel a sense of horror at him. Every time I get close to him, I'm sitting up straight on my feet."

"That's just your feeling. He's one great lawyer that my law firm has."

Their conversation stopped when the door opened. Anthony Lennox came walking straight and smiled at Juliet and Regina.

’’Goodnight madam and also miss Regina!"

Anthony showed his most charming smile.

"Good night Mr. Lennox!’’greet Juliet and Regina together with a rigid official attitude.’’My husband is waiting for you. Excuse me first."

The door then closed.

"Please sit down Anthony! What report do you want to submit to me?’’

‘’I just want to say finally the widow's niece Madeleine who won her aunt's inheritance house, because she's the only one who has blood ties with her great aunt, while his nephew will only get a few thousand dollars."

"So so. Good job Anthony."

"Thank you Mr. Kalashnikov. I heard there was a house fire and the occupants were on fire."

"really. I feel sorry for them, but luckily their child is not on fire. The boy survived and is now lost somewhere, hopefully the boy will be fine."

Nicola puffed up looking at Anthony and at a glance she could see the dark eyes and tense face of Anthony.’’You okay?’’

"I'm fine."

"Please keep the file on my desk! I'll check back."

"Ah good. Then excuse me first there's still some business I need to get done."

‘’Good. Thank you for coming all the way here’’. The door closed and Nicola took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Vladimir looked at his dimly lit room. He thought back to his first meeting with Lizzie in this room. The incident still felt fresh in his memory like it had just happened to Kamarin. A faint smile fell on his face as he remembered it.He threw himself onto his bed.

"Lizzie, you are indeed a girl full of surprises,’’. He also slept. [ ]