Chapter 39
Katerina:
“I can go on my own…”
“As your mother, I will be taking you myself.” Nikolay’s mum said, looking me in the eye. My eyes widened in surprise at her choice of words, and I found myself blushing as I processed what she said.
The woman as been nice to me since the fight with my father, and I wasn’t sure whether it was because she saw what happened or she was feeling sorry for me. Either way, I didn’t bother question it. I didn’t have the energy to do so if I wanted to, to begin with.
“I told you, Katerina, as my son’s wife, you are now my daughter in law. Seeing what you dealt with, I realized that I may have misjudged you. I know that you are hurt, and I know right now that you…”
“I know that you may pity me after what you saw. But the last thing I need right now is anyone’s pity.” I said, looking down at my lap. The slap that she gave me was one that I wouldn’t forget, it was one that reminded me of the abuse that I have been through throughout my whole life, and the fact that she saw it normal and never bothered to apologize. Instead, the woman came to threaten me when she came to the hotel, breaking my soul more than it already was.
Nikolay believed that I was forgetting what he has done as well, but I did not have a wand to do so, and even if I did, I was no witch who could control that wand. The man has not only cheated, but has also rejected me. in his bed, watching as I lay naked under him only for him to simply resent touching me. It was something that broke my heart and soul, and I knew that no matter what he did from there, I wasn’t going to forgive or forget it. Especially considering that he had a mistress that I knew satisfied him.
She took my hand in hers, gently running her finger over mine as she looked me in the eye. Her eyes were softer than they had ever been toward
Chapter 39
me, and again, I wasn’t sure of her reasons, but I did not want to care to find out. I was in too much pain, disabled, and broken. They didn’t even know the pain that I hid behind the fake smile that I gave them every once and a while before I remembered the fact that one of my ovaries had been removed and both my second ovary and uterus were injured. It was something that broke every woman to know that she might never be able to have a child, especially in my case considering my leukemia which already reduced that for me long ago.
It amazed and surprised me that father didn’t bother putting that in consideration, especially considering that he was the one who was told that I may not be able to have a child. The pain and fear that I had when he told me was one that I could not describe. I was younger, way younger back then, but I was always scared that me not having a child would mean that I would stay under his shadow forever. It was something that I never wanted, and would have never tried fighting for. The man has
Used me
more damage than any girl should tolerate over the years, and by now, I just wanted to be free of it.
“I do not pity you, Katerina.” She said, her voice softening. “Yes, I did feel your pain, and I was in more pain than I even let out. But never, not for a second, did I think of pitying you. You did not deserve what you lived through, and that is something that I would never deny. A woman should never live in the fear that you have lived through that night, and I don’t know how much pain or fear you lived through while being in the man’s house. But I can imagine, from what the doctors told us about your x–rays, that this was not the first time he has abused you.”
My heart dropped and my lips quivered as I heard her words. “You have bones that were self treated and have not healed properly. It may be a reason to why you might feel pain sometimes, and you have…”
“Please, stop.” I said, stopping her. My chest ached and the air that entered. my lungs felt tighter than it already was. Her eyes softened as she gently cupped my cheek, careful not to hurt the healing bruises or cuts. It killed. me to admit, but I lost my beauty in the hands of the one man who was supposed to protect me. I looked ugly, and that was something that I was
Chapter 30
not going to forgive or forget.
“I know that it hurts, and I will not dwell on the subject.” She said gently, running her finger over my jawline. “But I want you to heal for you to be able to give me the grandchild that I am waiting for from you.”
“What?” I asked, shaking my head in question. The woman had to be kidding me right now. She, of all people, would already know of the
condition.
“Before you get angry, and before the topic breaks your soul. I want you to keep in mind that all the medications in the world and all the diseases in the world cannot stop you from getting pregnant if God wants to give you a child. I know that this might not make sense to you right now as you are in too much pain. But if you are blessed with a child, and it is written for you to have one. You will.” She said, looking me in the eye. “You have one ovary and it is active despite it being somewhat injured. Your uterus can still carry a child inside, and you can have a baby if God allows it. Therefore, the pain that I see in your eyes, the embarrassment or the heartbreak, I don’t want to see all that. I want the woman who stood strong in front of me, recording my voice to hold things against me if they went
wrong.”
I stayed quiet despite my widening eyes and the heart monitor which raced as my heart’s speed increased. My head felt like it was spinning, but I chose not to say a word, waiting for what she had to tell me.
“Did you really think that I was not aware?”
“How?” I asked, shaking my head at her. “And why?”
“I was not born yesterday. I saw your hand moving toward the smartwatch, and though I wasn’t sure how it would have recorded it, I was well aware. that it would. Why? If you are asking why I didn’t say a word about it. Well, because a woman who has this much determination to protect my son would be a woman who would stand by his side whether or not he had anything. I know that you were to use the recordings to keep yourself safe, but I also know that you kept Nikolay away from the house to ensure that.
Chapter 39
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HE was able to clear his mind, and that is something that I can’t deny appreciating in you.”
163% 16:59
“So, with that said, what is the next step from here?” I asked, shaking my head in question.
“You will heal and we will go home. Then you will be treated as the bride. that you should be. I know that you won’t trust me to do that for you, but I give you my word that I would be the mother that I do not think you had. I will be that person that you are able to come to when you need to, and I will be the person who you can call mother when you want to.” She said, smiling softly. Tears fell from my eyes before she wiped them for me, and taking her hand in both of my wounded hands, I gently ran my finger over them before kissing her palm.
“Thank you so much for this. You don’t know how much I needed it…”
