Celestina paced the length of her office, her thoughts spiraling out of control. Dimitri’s words to Nivea the previous night echoed in her mind. You’ve become important to me. What did that mean? Why had he said it? The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that something wasn’t right.
Her hands tightened into fists. “They’re hiding something from me,” she muttered to herself. “But I’ll find out what it is.”
Her mind was made up. Celestina decided she needed to keep a closer eye on both Dimitri and Nivea, even if it meant crossing lines she wouldn’t have before.
The next morning, Nivea requested an audience with Celestina. She stood nervously in the doorway of the presidential office, her usual composure replaced with uncertainty.
“Madam President,” Nivea began, her voice hesitant, “I’d like to step down from my role as your double.”
Celestina blinked, caught off guard. “Step down? Why?”
Nivea fidgeted with her hands, avoiding Celestina’s sharp gaze. “I don’t feel safe. After the bomb threat and everything else, it’s just… it’s too much for me. I’m not cut out for this.”
Before Celestina could respond, Dimitri walked into the room, his expression serious. “Nivea, we need to talk,” he said, glancing briefly at Celestina.
Celestina narrowed her eyes. “This is between her and me, Dimitri.”
Dimitri ignored her and addressed Nivea instead. “You can’t leave now. We’re finally making progress, and the threats are exactly why you need to stay. Celestina’s life depends on this.”
Nivea looked torn, her eyes darting between the two of them. “I just… I don’t know if I can handle it anymore.”
“Dimitri,” Celestina said sharply, cutting him off, “if she feels unsafe, we shouldn’t force her to stay.”
Dimitri hesitated, his jaw tightening. “We’ll talk later,” he said to Nivea, before walking out of the room.
Celestina’s suspicions deepened. Why was Dimitri so insistent on Nivea staying?
As the day went on, Celestina began noticing more signs of Dimitri’s growing distance. He no longer lingered in her office to discuss plans or offer his usual reassurance. Instead, he spent most of his time either alone or with Nivea.
Late that evening, Celestina sat alone in the study, her thoughts heavy. She glanced at Dimitri’s desk and noticed a stack of papers, some of which had been hastily pushed aside.
Curiosity and suspicion gnawed at her. She stood and walked to the desk, rifling through the documents until her fingers brushed against a folded note tucked between them.
Her heart pounded as she unfolded the paper, recognizing Dimitri’s handwriting immediately.
Nivea,I know this hasn’t been easy for you, but your presence has been a light during these dark times. I admire your bravery more than I can put into words. Yours, Dimitri.Celestina’s chest tightened. The words felt like a dagger, each line confirming her worst fears.That night, Celestina couldn’t sleep. The note burned in her mind, and every time she closed her eyes, she pictured Dimitri and Nivea together.
By midnight, she had had enough. Her anger simmered just beneath the surface as she left her quarters and made her way to Nivea’s room. She didn’t bother knocking. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside, her eyes scanning the dimly lit room.
“Celestina?” Dimitri’s voice came from the corner.
Her gaze snapped toward the bed, where Nivea sat with Dimitri standing beside her. They both froze, their expressions a mix of shock and guilt.
“What is this?” Celestina demanded, her voice trembling with anger. “What are you doing here, Dimitri?”
“It’s not what you think,” Dimitri said quickly, stepping forward.
“Not what I think?” Celestina laughed bitterly. “Do you take me for a fool? I found your letter, Dimitri. The one where you poured your heart out to her.”
Nivea’s face paled. “I didn’t mean for any of this—”
“Quiet!” Celestina snapped, her fury now directed at Nivea. “You’ve been pretending to be me, but it seems like you’ve started taking more than just my face. Was that your plan all along?”
Nivea shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “No! I swear, I never wanted this. Dimitri has only ever been kind to me—”
Celestina turned back to Dimitri, her voice cold. “And you? What’s your excuse? Do you even realize what you’ve done? What you’ve destroyed?”
“Celestina, I’m here because Nivea wanted to leave,” Dimitri said, his voice low but steady. “She’s struggling, and I was trying to convince her to stay.”
“With love letters?” Celestina shot back.
Dimitri sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The letter was a mistake. I shouldn’t have written it, but it doesn’t mean what you think. My loyalty has always been to you, Celestina.”
“Your loyalty?” Celestina stepped closer, her voice trembling. “Loyalty doesn’t look like this, Dimitri. It doesn’t feel like betrayal.”
For a moment, the room was silent, the tension so thick it was suffocating.
“I can’t do this right now,” Celestina finally said, her voice breaking. She turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her.