Chapter 4
Someone puts a hand on my arm, and it isn’t until that moment, I realize there is another person here. A beautiful woman with long dark hair, impeccable taste in clothes, and the owner of brown eyes who is looking at me full of concern.
“Johanna,” she says to Lionel’s mother, but her gaze is still glued on me. “I think we should take a moment and let this girl explain what is going on.”
I’m sure those words were said to calm things down, but Mrs. Kral looks like someone slapped her in the face. Hard.
“Alexandra,” she says. “I appreciate your good intentions. I know your husband is a very dear friend to my son, but this is a matter that only concerns the family.”
The brunette—Alexandra—seems to have been prepared for that answer, because it doesn’t seem to bother her, she doesn’t even blink. Instead, she stands firm, her hand still on my arm and determination in her eyes.
“Look, Mrs. Kral, I understand your confusion, that makes two of us. I had to find out through the news what happened to my husband. I’ve been traveling all day, and I’m tired. I would like to speak to the doctor, no one has told me anythi—”
Johanna Kral opens her eyes, surprised by what I just told her. It’s the truth, whether she likes it or not.
“I don’t know why you’re here,” she cuts me off. “But you’re just a liar—a con artist. My son isn’t married, I would know. He’s my son!”
She can think what she wants, but in this case, the liar here isn’t me.
“Look, I didn’t know of your existence until today. Lionel told me he grew up in the system and was nev—”
She opens her mouth, clearly offended by my words.
“Of course he was adopted, by us.”
Well, I can see that now .
“Lionel and I got married in Louisville at the end of the summer. I’ve been living in Carrollton my whole life.”
I tell her part of our story as a peace offering. I couldn’t care less that she doesn’t like me. The only thing that matters now is Lionel’s health.
“Kentucky? What was my son doing in Kentucky?”
That is a question I also want to know the answer to.
Alexandra’s hand on my arm tightens, silently inviting me to keep on.
“I asked myself the same question when I found out what happened, and in LA of all places. He told me he worked in the Texas ar—”
Johanna holds up a hand, stopping my words, clearly upset about the situation.
“Stop, stop this nonsense,” she orders. “My son has never been to Kentucky, let alone to meet a woman from there and marry her. His life is here in California with his family, his home, his business.”
I’d laugh if it weren’t for the fact that we both have been deceived.
“You know very little about Lionel’s life,” I tell her, children don’t tell their parents everything, clearly Lionel has been keeping secrets.
“I know everything about my son’s life.” Clearly not. “It’s obvious this is a made-up story just to get some information. You better leave now and don’t you dare publish anything. Money can buy many things, among them is the best legal team.”
She’s so fucking wrong because I’m not moving from here. This is the place for me to be.
“What you want is one thing, but what is actually going to happen is very different. I understand your doubts, but I already gave you an explanation.”
She looks at me with her mouth open, while in her head she contemplates what she’s going to tell me, but I speak first.
“Lionel and I are legally married. I have my driver’s license and the certificate of marriage. He and I—”
Mrs. Kral is flushed with rage, smoke coming out of her ears.
“You have nothing to do with my son, get out of here, miss.” She turns to the man in the suit again, giving him instruction to remove me.
“My name is Stella Annabel Kral,” I correct her but I’m unable to do more.
The man takes my arm and without warning, begins to drag me to the exit.
The last thing I want to do is make a scene, but I resist as much as I can, at first by staying still. But the man is stronger than me and in front of the staff’s astonished gaze, he picks me up like a rag doll.
“Don’t try to come back,” he warns, when he has finally ushered me into the confined space of the elevator. “They aren’t going to let you through the door. I’ve already taken care of that.”
Oh yeah? Watch me!
“None of you can keep me away from my husband. I have the right to be here.”
He crosses his arms over his chest, looking more intimidating. I might be a small-town girl without much experience in these types of matters, and no more than two cents to rub together to my name, but they don’t know how stubborn I can be.
I’m not going to let them walk all over me, I must be able to do something. I’ll even make a fuss to make myself heard.
The paparazzi at the entrance would help my case.
The man doesn’t bother to escort me to the building’s main entrance, it gives me the opportunity to look for a little corner to gather myself together and think about what my next step will be.
I’m sitting there scrolling through my phone when someone touches my shoulder.
“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you, but you know I was listening,” the same dark-haired woman who witnessed the discussion with Lionel’s mother tells me as she sits down in the chair next to me. “I’m Alexandra Conrad, my husband is Lionel’s friend.” On her left hand is a stunning diamond ring that shines, her husband was definitely making a statement by putting that rock on her finger.
I hope this isn’t some kind of scheme, because I like this woman, she has a friendly face. Had we met under other circumstances, I think we would be friends.
“Stella Kral,” I reply.
“Nice to meet you, Stella Kral.” She smiles as she pulls out a state-of-the-art phone from her designer purse.
I turn my attention back to my phone. My plan is to search the internet for something about California law. Our marriage is perfectly legal, and Lionel isn’t underage, so I need to talk with the hospital management and let them know what’s happening here.
There are many lies brewing up between us like a storm.
I am Lionel’s wife, and I deserve to be treated as such.
I’m not going to let them silence my voice.
“So what is happening? How is it that Lionel got married without telling Johanna? He’s the apple of her eye, I’m sure the news of him being married must have been like being drenched with a bucket of ice water.”
“I’m as surprised as she is,” I admit, a little embarrassed but it’s the truth. Also, it wasn’t my choice to lie. “Lionel told me he grew up in an orphanage.”
Alexandra smiles. “And he did, as I understand it, that story isn’t a secret. The Krals adopted Lionel when he was just over five years old. Lionel’s father, Anton, passed away a few years ago and since then Johanna’s life revolves around her son.”
Boy, it seems Lionel and I have something in common after all.
“I had no idea about any of this,” I start to tell her. “I swear, ‘til this morning, I didn’t know about his money and business.”
“My husband is on his way,” she informs me. “We have about twenty minutes for you to tell me everything before he arrives, then we’ll see what can be done.”
I tell her the story as best I can, even showing her some of our photos together.
“That’s definitely Lionel,” she says as she takes a look at my Instagram account.
“My mother made me bring my marriage certificate.” And that was such a blessing. “I think she had a hunch this wouldn’t be a pleasant meeting.”
Alexandra chuckles. “Mothers know it all.” Then she bursts out laughing. “Well, unless you’re Johanna Kral. Sorry, I’m such a horrible person.”
I laugh too. “It feels like this is my first breath of fresh air, Alexandra.”
She smiles again. “What are you planning to do?”
I sigh before answering because I need a moment to give her an honest answer. “I don’t know, I really don’t. The first thing is to focus on Lionel’s health. Once he’s conscious, he better start talking, and it needs to be the truth, for a change. In the end, I think I’m going back home.”
“Are you going to leave Lionel?” she asks, raising her eyebrows.
“I don’t know. Sometimes love isn’t enough and I’m not sure what he feels for me is love.” The air leaves my lungs, taking my strength with it. “I grew up feeling loved, Alexandra. My parents had to make many sacrifices to buy a house, to have a good life. I thought that was what I was getting when I married Lionel, but all I got was a ton of lies. Now I don’t know what to do with them.”
Alexandra’s phone chimes and she hurries to reply to the upcoming text.
“Ethan’s here,” she announces.
A couple of minutes later a handsome man with dark hair and impressive blue eyes stands in front of us, bending down to kiss Alexandra gently on the cheek.
Then his attention is on me.
“Ethan Conrad, nice to meet you, Stella Kral.”
???
“Ethan,” Johanna Kral gasps as we appear from the hallway to the room where she’s sitting drinking her coffee. “What are you doing here with that woman? ”
Ethan greets her and then nods to the man who dragged me out of this place a while ago.
“This woman, as you call her, is your son’s wife. Whether you like it or not, you can’t take away her right to be here just because you resent not being informed of their wedding.”
She makes a disgusted face, knowing what she has been told is true. Even if Ethan wasn’t here, I would have still gone to speak to the hospital general manager myself if it had been necessary. According to the webpage I visited, California’s law protects my marital status.
Johanna Kral will have to swallow this pill, no matter how hard and bitter it is.
She’s not the only one who has had to learn some shocking news in the last few hours.
“How do you know she’s telling the truth?” she exclaims. “How do you know she isn’t a gold digger?”
Ethan shoves his hands in his tailored pants pockets.
“Because I had my people investigate her on my way to the hospital, Johanna. Their marriage is legal, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
I stare at him with my mouth open. In response, Ethan shrugs.
“It was a mistake hiring you to take care of my son’s safety,” she replies, a muscle on her face tickling.
“Lionel’s safety couldn’t be in better hands,” Ethan argues. “My priority is to take care of him to the best of my skills. That extends to his family, which includes you, and now his wife.”
This time it is she who looks at him with her mouth open. “This scammer is not my son’s wife, that’s impossible.”
“According to my research, it’s perfectly possible. Lionel did marry her.”
“But she lives in Kentucky, when did Lionel go there? You know his routine, my son spends most of his weekends at the cabin.”
Ethan clears his throat before answering. “I have my people turning over every stone, but preliminary results show Lionel has been traveling weekly to Kentucky for several months.”
There it is, I’m not the one lying here.
Mrs. Kral takes a few steps back, holding on to the wall, as she suddenly loses her balance.
The first blow is always the hardest one.
I know all about that.