Ch
Chapter 20
Nikolay:
I sighed as I sat out on the veranda, knowing that there was literally no hope in trying to fix things with Katerina. The way she looked at me told me that she was far beyond the fact of me bringing her back, though her leaving in the first place didn’t make sense to me as the two of us were barely anything toward one another. Both of us have agreed to marry one another on paper only, and if she wanted us to really be together.
The thing was, I knew that I could try fixing things between us, or at least, try to make our relationship real, but then again, thinking about it, did I really want to fix things between us? The woman was right, I was doing this, treating her like some second choice, and therefore, I shouldn’t be blaming her for the fact that she didn’t want to be around me. I didn’t give. her the chance to want to be to begin with, why would I be blaming her for not wanting to, right?
It was a while until I felt a blanket being draped over my shoulder, and jumping, I turned to find that Katerina was the one who put it.
“I saw that you were out here on your own, and the winter air might get you sick.” She said, avoiding looking at me. I held the blanket to my chest and got up from the chair that I was sitting on, shaking my head in question.
“Are you okay?” I asked, fighting back the frown that almost formed on my face. The last thing I expected was to find her getting close to me tonight, therefore, she couldn’t really blame me for being surprised.
“I’m fine, Nikolay. I just went to get myself something to drink, but the last thing I needed was for you to grow ill.” She said, her tone cold. I sighed and took a step toward her, handing her the blanket to wrap around her. She went to take a step back, but I pulled her closer to me, making her cheeks redden as I closed the space between us.
1/5
A
J & BB BBM M
Chapter 20
M
65% 16:46
“You know, our marriage is never going to work like this if you keep acting stubborn. Whether or not I made the mistake doesn’t make a difference if you choose not to look at me.” I whispered to her, leaning in as I did. She put her hand on my chest, pushing me away from her. “Let me at least try. to prove to you that things can be different between us now that we are away from all the pressure from the family.”
“It is not your family that I am concerned about, Nikolay. Your mother is one thing, but she is reacting based on your girlfriend.”
“Ex–girlfriend.” I said, correcting the word. Anastasia has made it clear to me that she didn’t want to be with me anymore. And her coming to Bali, causing the scene that she did was the last straw. The two of us were together, and I understood the number of issues that we had to deal with to be together, but the last thing we did was involve any press, media, or public in on our private matters, and she did all three.
The media has been talking nonstop about this, and regardless of the number of pictures we removed, there was so much leaked. Katerina was yet to say anything about them, not that I expected her to. I was more concerned about her parents who I knew wouldn’t drop the subject. This. was their daughter after all and I couldn’t really expect them to do so.
“Momentarily.” She said, making me chuckle. “She would come back later, wanting you back, and then you would just end up going back to her, ignoring the fact that the two of us were ever a couple. Sure, it shouldn’t matter to me that much, but I would be the one who has built hopes on faint dreams…”
“Why would you be building hopes on that? I mean, why hopes? Why not believe that they can be our reality?” I asked, shaking my head in question. She smiled, pushing me away from her as she pat my chest twice. I frowned, looking her in the eye, trying to understand what it was that she was going on about.
hatamother and though I do
dd B B BBM M
Chapter 20
M
65% 16:46
want this to be our reality, I know that it won’t be. The pain that has been caused is enough to let me know to just drop having faint dreams.” Katerina said, making me frown. I had to admit, the pain that she held behind her words broke my heart, but I wasn’t sure whether it broke for or because of her, all I knew that it was a feeling that I did not like.
She unwrapped the blanket from around her, handing it back to me, and despite the pain that I could read in her eyes, she smiled at me. I looked down at my feet, avoiding her eyes as she walked inside, and it wasn’t until she closed the door that I shook my head as I turned around to stare at the city view. The thing was, now I was really thrown in a situation that was too deep for me to get out of.
One, Anastasia wanted nothing with me, and I couldn’t blame her. The deal between us was that I don’t touch Katerina whether or not I was
married to the woman.
Two, Katerina, who not only has been broken, but has been insulted to the point where I knew that I have hurt her dignity. Her eyes which avoided mine told me that much and more.
And now, I was literally stuck in a mess that I couldn’t get out of. I frowned in confusion when I heard the door of the veranda open, and it wasn’t long until the smell of hot chocolate filled my nostrils. I turned around to find her holding a cup, handing it to me as she held on her own cup in her hand. “Try and warm yourself with a drink as long as you’re not putting the blanket on.”
“Katerina…”
“Don’t worry, it is not poisoned, I don’t have any murderous intentions just yet.” She said, stopping, making me chuckle before she turned to walk back inside after I took the cup from her. The warmth of the cup making my heart swell as memories filled my mind. It was something that I remember my grandmother used to do when she came around. Mom never liked it, and often claimed to be of higher class to do so,
but my
Chapter 20
BBBBM M
M
65% 16:46
grandmother often did it when she was around, choosing to spoil me considering the fact that I was her only grandson. One of the many reasons why I broke inside when she passed away. She was my one and only TRUE family who I could be myself around without fearing being lectured about protocols, lack of education or etiquette.
“Katerina.” I called again, this time, she stopped to look at me, holding the door open as she walked inside the house, careful not to tilt her cup as she waited for what I had to say. I hesitated for a second, debating on whether or not it would be a good idea before choosing to take my chances. The maximum she could do is reject the idea, and I could live with that, hopefully at least.
“Would you mind the two of us watching a movie? You know, in the living room, just the two of us?” I asked, my tone a little more pleading making me sound desperate. She looked at me, studying my expression for a few seconds before she nodded.
“Sure, I’ll go and get my laptop for us to check on something to watch. Then by the way, the two of us are going to need to start scrolling or furniture.” She said, and I shook my head in question.
“I’m sorry, but if we are moving to a different house, might as well make it look more like home.” She said, and I raised an eyebrow as a small smile formed on my lips.
“Did you just say home?” I asked, smiling at her. She nodded and smiled at
- me.
“I am willing to give you ONE more chance, Nikolay.” She said, holding her cup as if her life depended on it as she warmed herself up. “But if you ruin it, I will be filing for a divorce, and I would be sure that it is not done without an alimony.”
“Consider it a deal. Though no alimony would be needed as I know that…”
4/15
BM M
65% 16:47
Chapter 20
“Please don’t make promises that you can’t keep. I already agreed to give you the chance, there is no need for you to make it seem like you are going to be a hundred percent loyal to me. I doubt that you will, but I will rather…”
“Katerina, you are talking as if you’ve known me for all of your life…”
“A man who can cheat on a marriage once, lying to me about it for your gain, is a man who would do it more than once.” Katerina said, stopping me. “Especially since you have done it more than once now already.”
I stayed quiet, choosing not to answer her, mostly because I didn’t really know what to tell her. Her eyes met mine, and she nodded before walking inside. “I’ll set the laptop and things, you can feel free to join me whenever you are ready.”
SEND GIFT
