I scoff. “You can clearly see I’m pregnant. Do you really think I would work for a pay cut?”
“Well, I mean, Carmen said you were pregnant, and the dad was a deadbeat.”
Asher snorts, and Rita gives her a look, but I cock my head to the side and smile widely. “No. He isn’t. As usual, Carmen is spreading her little lies, and you’re lapping them up because she looks the part. Yes, I know you didn’t give me the promotion based on my weight. So here’s the thing: maybe if you had, you wouldn’t be filing for bankruptcy and begging everyone to buy you out. If you had picked the person who deserved it over the person who was more the company image, maybe you wouldn’t have reaped such bad luck.”
Asher looks like she wants to punch the air. She steps away from me, trying her hardest to contain herself.
Rita looks down her nose at me. Suddenly, she points a finger in my face. “You can’t speak to me like that, you little rat. I made you who you are. You are nothing but a groveling little twit who happens to be good with people. You were not the right look, and I stand by that decision. You’re probably with some sugar daddy who pays you for feet pictures. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were that desperate. You learn to speak to me properly because when this company turns around, you’ll come groveling back for a position, and I might not be so generous that day.”
I smack her hand away and step right up to her. I can sense the guards approaching, and she must notice them because there’s fear in her eyes. “Wha…”
“I’m fine,” I say loudly, holding a hand up. The guards stop. “Listen, I am not some groveling twit, as you say. If you ever put your finger in my face or even give so much as a glance my way, I will make sure you and your family pay for it dearly. Do you understand my meaning?”
Rita swallows and tries to step back, but Luka is behind her. “Your fiance, Mr. Milov, wants to know if everything is okay?” He looks pointedly at Rita, who, at the sound of the name, whips around to look at me with wide eyes.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It must be the heat. I didn’t mean to say those things,” she’s babbling now, and I smirk.
“Off you go, Rita. Cause I promise you, tomorrow there won’t be a company to have a job at if I have anything to do with it.” She hurries off, looking scared.
Asher whoops and comes to me. “That was amazing. I’ve never seen you so confident.”
“Luka, can you give me a second with Asher?” I ask.
“Sure,” he says. “The guards will keep an eye on you, though, just in case that one comes back.”
“She won’t because Penny kicked her ass with words,” Asher squeals.
Luka walks away, and I look at Asher. “I needed a break to decide what kind of life I wanted. One thing I know after this is that I don’t want to go back to being powerless and broke. I don’t want to be naive either. I didn’t want to admit it, but I love Kervyn. I love him with my whole heart, and if that means I have to accept things that he does for his family, then I’m going to.”
Asher smiles broadly and pulls me into a hug. “Told you, you are in love.”
“It’s not just the power and the money,” I say, tearing up slightly. “These are hormone tears because I’m happy. I’m happy that I know what I want and that I get to have it.”
“You know we can’t have spicy meatballs now,” Asher says with a grin. “Now we need to have Tacos. And ice cream after that.”
I nod. “Tacos indeed.”
“So, did Kervyn instill this confidence in you?” she asks as we walk toward Luka.
“He’s made me feel beautiful and confident and smart, and he makes me feel like I’m not stupid for choosing things I want. Choice is an illusion, but I choose to have a relationship with him.”
We reach Luka, and I point a finger at him. “Don’t tell Kervyn I’m coming home yet. I want to surprise him.”
Luka chuckles. “I’m glad you came to your senses because that man is driving me mad asking for updates about how you and the baby are doing. I won’t tell him. So spicy meatballs?”
“No. Tacos,” Asher and I chorus.
Chapter 25 - Kervyn
I miss her.
I fucking miss her more than anything.
I feel as though there isn’t enough air in the room when she isn’t around me. I’m on edge, as though everything is going to unravel at any given moment if she doesn’t choose me.
I want her to choose me.
I want her to choose us as a family.
I can’t force her to be okay with what I do, though, and even though I believe that choice is an illusion, I want her to make this one.
I want her to choose our relationship.
The first day that she’s away, I sneak into the nursery. The mural is beautiful. It is a forest. It reminds me of Russia, and my suspicions are confirmed when I find a reference photo. It is a Russian forest popular in children’s books. Fuck. I’m not meant to be this soft. Danil was right, I am going soft with her around me, but I don’t fucking care.
I can be soft with her and hard against the world.
Luka checks in with me daily as time passes, and all they do is shop and plan for the wedding. No sign that Penny is going to rat me out, no indication that she is going to get me into trouble with the police. Luka has left her alone enough times for her to do it, but she hasn’t.
Danil was wrong about that. I can trust her.
It’s been a week, and I’m miserable without her. Sitting here in my office, I have the scan from the last appointment in my hands. Our son is so big. He’s going to be tall like I am, but I hope he has Penny’s complexion.
I glance up as there’s a knock at my door. Danil walks in. “Can we talk?”
I nod, and he shuts the doors behind him. He sighs and paces for a bit before he sits down in the chair in front of my office desk.
“I wanted to apologize for my behavior last week. I shouldn’t have been so disrespectful. I just didn’t want to jeopardize our standing in the family right now. I think the wedding is a mistake. It’s drawing a lot of attention.” He sighs. “I want you to know I only want what’s best for the family.”
