Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Noelle
"Tara, you're really going to let him stay?"
Lorenzo stood at my front door, his face dark with anger, eyes fixed on Kholod, who sat awkwardly in my living room, looking completely out of place.
"I made a promise." I kept my voice calm. "Lorenzo, he did bring back the lazurite. I can't go back on my word."
That condition was meant to make him back down. I never thought he'd actually risk his life to bring back the mineral, returning covered in cuts and bruises. Right now, I couldn't bring myself to keep being harsh.
"But—"
"He wants to make amends, so I'll let him." I shrugged. "What's wrong with free labor?"
Lorenzo stared at me in disbelief. "Tara, are you serious?"
"Of course." I nodded. "Lorenzo, think about it. We're both busy, and taking care of Leo is exhausting enough. Now someone's helping—doesn't that make things easier?"
"But he's Kholod Morozov!" Lorenzo lowered his voice. "Have you forgotten what he did to you?"
"Of course I haven't forgotten." My voice turned cold. "Lorenzo, I'll never forget. But that's exactly why I want him to pay. Making him work his ass off to compensate me—isn't that perfect?"
Lorenzo froze, studying me carefully.
"You... you really see him as just labor?"
"What else?" I shot back. "Lorenzo, do you think I'd forgive him?"
He fell quiet for a few seconds, then finally nodded.
"Fine." He said. "But Tara, I'll be watching him. If he crosses any line, I won't hold back."
A few days later, my asthma flared up again.
Not as severe as last time, but it left me miserable for an entire day.
"Noelle, you need proper rest," Kholod said. "I have a mountaintop villa outside Washington—beautiful environment, fresh air. I thought..."
"No need." I cut him off.
"Noelle, let me finish." He persisted. "There's a professional medical team there, plus a nutritionist. You could really recover..."
"I said no." My tone grew cold. "Kholod, I'm not going anywhere that belongs to you."
"But your health—"
"I know my own body," I said. "I don't need any villa or medical team. I'm fine here."
"But—"
"No buts." I stood up. "Kholod, if you really want to make amends, stop making these requests."
He fell silent.
"Fine, I won't bring it up again," he said. "Then... could I move in to take care of you?"
"What?"
"I mean, move in here," he said. "That way I could look after you and Leo whenever needed..."
"Don't even think about it," I said firmly. "Kholod Morozov, if you dare move in, I'm moving out immediately."
"Okay, okay, I won't move in," he said quickly. "Can I come by every day then?"
"Whatever."
"I'll be here on time tomorrow."
"Fine."
"How does this... stick..." Kholod held the diaper, completely lost.
"You put it on backwards." I pointed out coldly. "The velcro goes on the outside."
He fumbled to adjust it, his movements so clumsy that Leo started crying in discomfort.
"Let me." I stepped forward and took the baby. "You're just making it worse."
"Sorry." He stepped back like a student who'd made a mistake.
I changed the diaper efficiently, gently patting Leo to calm him. Kholod asked carefully, "Could you teach me how to change diapers?"
"Why should I teach you?" I sat on the couch with the baby. "The all-powerful Kholod Morozov doesn't know how to change diapers?"
"I really don't know how to take care of children." He said quietly. "But I want to learn."
"Then figure it out yourself."
The next morning, he showed up on time with breakfast ingredients.
"You actually cook?" I raised an eyebrow.
"You barely ate anything yesterday." He insisted. "For Leo's sake, you need to take care of yourself."
I considered it, then finally let him in.
"Put it in the kitchen."
"Okay."
He went into the kitchen and started clumsily preparing breakfast.
I sat in the living room with Leo, listening to the sounds from the kitchen.
"Noelle, how do you like your eggs?" He poked his head out.
"Whatever."
"Should I fry one for you?"
"Sure."
Soon, the kitchen filled with sizzling sounds and the aroma of eggs.
But then—
"Shit!"
A curse, followed by the smoke alarm's piercing shriek.
I carried Leo to the kitchen doorway and saw Kholod frantically waving a towel, trying to clear the smoke.
The eggs in the pan were burnt black.
"What are you doing?"
"I..." He looked at me sheepishly. "The heat was too high..."
"So you turned the eggs into charcoal?"
"Sorry..."
I walked over, turned off the exhaust fan, and opened the window.
"Forget it. I'll do it myself."
"No, let me." He insisted. "Noelle, I'll get it right."
"You sure?" I looked at the charred eggs.
"I'm sure."
"Suit yourself." I returned to the living room with Leo.
Ten minutes later, Kholod emerged carrying a plate.
"Noelle, it's ready."
I glanced at it—
The eggs were scrambled into pieces, the bacon half-burnt, the toast hard as rocks.
"This is what you call 'ready'?"
"I..." His face reddened. "I really tried my best..."
"This is your best? You can't even make breakfast, and you want to make amends?"
"Sorry..." He hung his head. "I... I'll keep trying..."
"Forget it." I stood up and handed Leo to him. "Hold him. I'll cook."
"Okay..." He carefully took Leo.
I went into the kitchen and surveyed the disaster zone, sighing deeply.
I cracked two fresh eggs and fried them quickly.
Cooked new bacon, toasted fresh bread.
When I came out with the plate, I saw Kholod holding Leo stiffly, his posture so awkward it was almost comical.
"Holding him like that makes him uncomfortable."
"Then... how should I hold him?"
"Support his head, steady his bottom." I demonstrated. "Like this. Got it?"
"Let me try..."
He adjusted his position but still looked stiff.
Leo squirmed in his arms, clearly uncomfortable.
"Forget it, give him back." I took Leo back.
"Noelle..."
"What?"
"Thank you for teaching me," he said earnestly.
After that, he showed up every day. Despite constant mishaps—pasta turned to mush, formula powder spilled everywhere—he was slowly improving.
A month later, he could finally handle basic tasks like making bottles and changing diapers independently.
"Noelle, look, I did it!" He held Leo, beaming with pride. "He's not crying!"
"Wow," I responded flatly. "That's nice."
"Maybe I deserve some praise?" Kholod suddenly asked tentatively.
I looked up, surprised.
"It's what you're supposed to do." I looked back down at my ledger. "Nothing worth praising."
The light in his eyes dimmed momentarily, then he nodded. "You're right."
Seeing him look so earnest yet dejected, I felt an unexpected pang of sympathy.
"I hope you maintain today's standard."
His eyes lit up.
"I will! Noelle, I'll definitely do better!"
I turned away, not wanting him to see the slight smile tugging at my lips.
That afternoon, Kholod played with Leo's blocks in the living room.
He sat stiffly on the carpet, letting Leo stack blocks on his head one by one.
"Leo, don't mess around..."
Leo giggled and picked up another block.
"Fine, fine..." Kholod surrendered. "Stack away if you want..."
I sat on the couch, organizing accounts while secretly watching them. Leo placed the final block on Kholod's head, then clapped and cheered.
"Ya ya!"
"Pretty impressive, right?" Kholod carefully maintained his balance, afraid the blocks would topple. "Leo's so smart."
I couldn't help but laugh.
Kholod turned his head, and all the blocks crashed down at once.
"Ah—" Leo froze for a second, his little mouth pouting, about to cry.
"Don't cry, don't cry!" Kholod quickly soothed him. "I'll stack them with you again, okay?"
Leo broke into a smile.
Watching them, a strange feeling welled up inside me, and I found myself smiling unconsciously.
"You smiled." Kholod suddenly looked up, his eyes bright with surprise.
"You're seeing things."
"I saw it." He insisted, his voice carrying a lightness I hadn't heard in ages. "You finally smiled at me."
"I was just laughing at Leo."
He didn't argue further, but joy was written across his entire face.
I turned back to my work, feeling my heartbeat skip.
That evening, Lorenzo returned. He'd gone to Portland for a major job, renovating an entire villa, and had been gone almost two weeks.
"Tara!" He burst through the door, dusty from travel. "I'm back!"
"Lorenzo!" I stood up. "You're back? Work finished?"
"Yeah, finished ahead of schedule." He set down his suitcase, eyes scanning the room. "Where's Kholod?"
"He just left," I said. "Went to buy groceries for dinner."
"He's still here?" Lorenzo's brow furrowed. "How long has it been? Isn't that enough?"
"He's helping me," I said. "Lorenzo, taking care of Leo alone is truly exhausting."
"Well, I'm back now," he interrupted. "Time for him to go, right?"
I was momentarily speechless.
"What?" Lorenzo caught my hesitation. "You don't want him to leave?"
"It's not that I don't want him to leave," I said. "It's just that he finally learned how to take care of Leo..."
"So what if he learned?" Lorenzo cut me off. "Tara, he's Kholod Morozov! Have you forgotten?"
"Of course I haven't forgotten..."
"Then why are you..." He stared at me. "Tara, you smiled when you mentioned him just now."
I froze.
"I didn't..."
"You did." Lorenzo stepped closer. "When you said he finally learned, your voice was gentle, and you were smiling. Tara, you've softened toward him, haven't you?"
"I haven't softened."
"You have!" His voice rose. "Tara, have you forgotten? Have you forgotten how he treated you?"
"No, I haven't!"
"Then why are you so gentle with him?" Lorenzo demanded. He suddenly rolled up his sleeve, revealing several ugly scars on his arm—remnants from when Kholod's men had kidnapped him.
"You see this?" He pointed to the permanent scar on his face, his voice trembling with emotion. "These are all from him! Tara, have you forgotten what he really is? He's a monster!"
"I remember!" Tears spilled from my eyes. "I've never forgotten that pain!"
"Then why keep him around?"
"Because he's Leo's father! It's not that simple!"
The room fell dead silent. Lorenzo stood frozen, his face draining of color.
"So..." He looked at me, eyes filled with hurt. "You're choosing him?"
"No," I said. "Lorenzo, I don't know what to do either. But blood ties can't be erased."
"Blood ties?" His voice turned sharp. "A man who nearly destroyed you deserves to be Leo's father?"
"Lorenzo..." That familiar suffocating feeling gripped me. "Let go of me!"
"You promised to be with me..."
"But my life should be my choice!" I broke free from his grip. "Lorenzo, I'm grateful for your care, but you don't get to choose for me."
"But—"
"No buts!" I cut him off.
"I'm just worried about you." His voice dropped. "I'm afraid he'll hurt you again."
"I know you mean well, Lorenzo," my tone softened slightly. "I need time. I need time to sort through all of this."
"You still love him, don't you?" He asked, voice trembling. "You never really let go."
I fell silent. Watching Kholod clumsily learn to change diapers, carefully prepare breakfast—that ice seemed to be quietly melting.
"I'm sorry. I'm so confused right now."
"Then what am I?" His eyes filled with pain. "Did you agree to be with me just to spite him?"
"It's not like that..."
"Enough." He smiled bitterly as he headed for the door. "I need some air."
"Lorenzo..."
"Don't follow me."
I stood there as tears streamed down my face. I'd hurt Lorenzo, and I didn't know how to face Kholod either. I didn't want to forgive Kholod—or rather, I didn't want to forgive him easily.
Leo started crying in his crib, frightened by the argument.
"Don't cry, sweetheart..." I picked him up and whispered soothingly. "Mommy's here."