Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus Page A

was slender, but not too thin. Her teeth between the full lips were white and regular, the result of those hated braces from her teen years.
    They smiled at each other and took another sip of champagne, but all at once the face of another woman appeared in front of Nadia’s. This was precisely how he had wanted to live with Stefanie, after they finished medical school, when he was making a good living as a doctor. He had been convinced that she was the love of his life; he had dreamed of their future together, of children …
    “What is it?” Nadia asked. Tobias met her concerned gaze.
    “Nothing. What do you mean?”
    “You suddenly looked so upset.”
    “Do you know how long it’s been since I had champagne?” He forced himself to grin, but the memory of Stefanie had cut him to the quick. After all these years, he still couldn’t stop thinking about her. The dream of complete happiness had lasted only a brief four weeks, and it had ended in catastrophe.
    He banished the unwelcome thoughts and sat down at the table in the kitchen, which Nadia had set so beautifully. There was tortelloni filled with ricotta and spinach, a perfectly cooked beef filet with a Barolo sauce, arugula salad with shaved Parmesan cheese, and a wonderful bottle of 1992 Pomerol.
    Tobias discovered that, contrary to what he had feared, he found it easy to talk with Nadia. She told him about her work, including some funny episodes and odd encounters—and in an amusing way, without mentioning how successful she was. After the third glass of red wine Tobias started to feel its effects. They left the kitchen and took seats on the leather couch in the living room, she in one corner, he in the other. Like old friends. Over the fireplace hung a framed movie poster from Nadia’s first feature film—the only reminder of her great success as an actress.
    “It’s incredible what you’ve achieved,” said Tobias pensively. “I’m really proud of you.”
    “Thank you very much.” She smiled and tucked one leg under her. “It’s strange—who would have thought it possible when we were kids: Ugly duckling Nathalie becomes a big movie star.”
    “But you were never ugly,” countered Tobias, astounded that she had ever viewed herself that way.
    “Well, you never considered me attractive.”
    For the first time that evening their conversation was approaching the delicate topic that they had both been carefully avoiding.
    “But you were always my best friend,” said Tobias. “All the other girls were jealous because I spent so much time with you.”
    “But you never tried to kiss me…”
    She said this in a teasing tone of voice, but suddenly Tobias realized that it must have hurt her feelings back then. No girl wanted to be the best friend of a cute boy, even though in his eyes it signified how much he respected her. Tobias tried to remember why he’d never fallen in love with Nadia. Maybe because she had always been more like a little sister. They had literally played in the same sandbox and had gone to the same kindergarten and elementary school. He’d always taken for granted that she was in his life. But now something had changed. Nadia had changed. This was no longer Nathalie, the dependable, honest, reliable companion of his childhood. Next to him sat an extremely attractive, beautiful woman, who was sending him quite unequivocal signals, as he now realized. Could she actually want more from him than friendship?
    “Why haven’t you ever married?” he asked her suddenly. His voice had turned husky.
    “Because I’ve never met the right man.” Nadia shrugged and leaned forward to top off their glasses with more red wine. “My career is an absolute relationship killer. Anyway, most men can’t tolerate having a successful wife. And I certainly don’t want to marry some vain, narcissistic fellow actor. That would never work. I’m fine with the way things are.”
    “I’ve been following your career. In the joint you have plenty