Chapter 5 #2
But for now, I push those thoughts aside and focus on Brandon's immediate needs. It's a race against time and every minute counts. I send a quick email over to the nurse's station in the pediatric oncology wing so they know to expect him and get a room prepared.
I search my computer for new research, anything that could help me find a better treatment plan for Brandon. It should have been home an hour ago, but it doesn't matter. What matters right now is Brandon.
Thirty minutes later I get a call from one of my nurses letting me know Brandon has been checked in. I finish what I'm doing and get ready to go see him.
As I make my way to the pediatric wing, I can't help but feel a sense of trepidation. The weight of the world is on my shoulders, and it's a heavy burden to bear.
When I arrive at Brandon's room, his mother is already there, holding his hand tightly.
Her eyes are bloodshot, evidence of the sleepless nights she must have endured while caring for her sick child, not to mention her worries and fears.
I approach them with a sympathetic smile, trying to convey a sense of reassurance amidst the uncertainty of the situation.
"Dr. Zuyev," Brenda greets me with a mixture of hope and fear in her voice. "I didn't expect to see you tonight."
I place a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I couldn't leave just yet. I knew you were coming and wanted to see the two of you before I left for the night. Plus, we're in this together. Now let's see how we can make Brandon more comfortable and start with the necessary treatments."
Together, we go over the plan of action – discussing the potential to adjust his chemotherapy regimen, starting him on a blood transfusion tonight, closely monitoring his vital signs, and a few other things. It's going to be a long and grueling road ahead, but we won't give up without a fight.
Despite my obvious exhaustion, I stay and chat with Brenda for the next hour, making sure she feels a bit better. It's only then when I head for the parking garage and get back home.
I make it home and insert my key into my front door. As soon as I push the door open there's a light on and I know for a fact I turned all the lights off when I left.
Fuck. Who's here?
Did Maxim somehow find a way in? I wouldn't be surprised if he did.
I walk inside and keep my keys close to my side, slowly heading down the hall. On my couch sits my brother, Sasha. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Gee, at least now you're paying attention to me. You didn't even tell me what happened with Dad the other day."
I sigh, the weight of my long day settling deeper into my bones.
"Look, Sasha, I'm sorry about that. It's been chaotic at the hospital lately.
Dad...he's an entirely different story. The dinner wasn't anything related to Christmas.
He and Tatiana wanted to let me know they've arranged a marriage for me. "
I'm so tired that I don't even want to talk about this. But, I ignored my brother for a few days and set off every red flag in the process.
Sasha is completely thrown off guard, his piercing blue eyes filled with concern. "Whoa. You're fucking with me, right?"
I collapse onto the couch beside Sasha, feeling the exhaustion seep through my body. "No, I'm not. He didn't just arrange a random marriage. He arranged mine, and without speaking to me. I'm going to be marrying Maxim Volkolv,"
He raises his brows, "You have to be joking. The Volkolv family is at the top of the food chain."
"No, I'm not kidding. Supposedly, I'm being married to him because a Brazilian cartel tried to have me killed and Dad had his men kill the people that person sent.
The Volkolvs have some sort of reach with the cartel, and to return the favor Dad offered me up.
But that's not all. Vera Volkolv is marrying the son of the Brazilian cartel leader,"
"Has hell frozen over or something?"
I shrug and groan, "Who knows. What I do know is that I'm somehow caught in the crossfire."
"I'm shocked and all, but something isn't adding up. How could the Volkolvs have some reach with the cartel, when Ruslan is marrying his own daughter off?"
I've done so much thinking over the past few days.
So much thinking that I think I have this all figured out.
"Dad agreed to marry me off to Maxim Volkolv because he was returning the favor to the Volkolvs for smoothing over the issue of the cartel's men being killed.
The Volkolvs likely agreed to marry Vera off to his son in an offer of good faith, to help guarantee nothing would be done to us. Any of us."
Sasha chuckles, raising his brows. "Look at you, understanding so much about the Bratva and the leveraging of power."
I give him a tired smile, the weight of the day still heavy on my shoulders. "Well, when you're thrown into this kind of world, you learn to adapt pretty quickly. If I don't figure it out for myself, I never will."
Sasha leans back on the couch, his eyes fixed on mine. "And what are you planning to do about this arranged marriage?"
I let out a frustrated sigh, raking a hand through my hair.
"Honestly, I have no idea. Marrying Maxim Volkolv is not something I ever imagined for myself.
I always thought I'd fall in love and that Prince Charming would show up, but life hasn't worked out that way.
Sasha, Maxim is horrible. He's a pompous, cocky asshole and I want to make his life hell. I cannot fucking stand him. "
My brother shakes his head, his voice filled with concern. "This isn't like you at all. Never in my life have I heard you say you hate someone. You're a positive, happy person. If you allow your anger to get the best of you, it could swallow you whole."
His words hit me like a gut punch. He's right. I'm not normally like this, but this whole situation is fucking with my head.
I am a happy person. I became a doctor to help others, to bring light into my patients' darkest moments. Marrying into the Bratva will only pull me further into the shadows. But, I don't have a choice.
"I know," I admit reluctantly. "This twisted arrangement is bringing out the worst in me. I'm frustrated, and so fucking angry all the time. I'm mad that my choice was taken away and there's nothing I can do to fix it."
Sasha reaches out and places a hand on mine, offering me the support I desperately need. "I could speak to Dad."
I nod gratefully, knowing that I can rely on my brother no matter what obstacles we face. The weight on my shoulders feels a little lighter with him by my side. "I appreciate the offer, but what good would it do?"
"I suppose you're right. It won't change anything. From what you're telling me, this is a done deal."
I nod, "It's very much a done deal. My only plan is to make sure Maxim hates me as much as I hate him. Maybe then I can still have some semblance of peace in my life."
"Do you really believe he's that awful, or are you mad because you're being forced into this?"
Wow. That's a deep question. "A little bit of both,"