Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Anna
Clang—
I spun around.
Nadia's fork and knife clattered onto her plate. Shock flooded her face. "Mom."
Jesus Christ! She was Nadia's mother!
I shot to my feet. The chair legs scraped across the floor with a shrill screech. The woman's gaze snapped to me. She unwound her arm from Ivan's neck and crossed toward me, smile blooming. "You must be Nadia's tutor?"
Tutor?
Maybe. Yeah. I needed cover, something to hide behind. I gave a stiff nod, accepting the lie.
"I'm Victoria. Nadia's mom."
Victoria extended her hand. Heavy perfume rolled off her, sharp enough to sting my nostrils. I jerked my hand up to meet hers, terrified of appearing rude.
I should've known. Ivan had a daughter. Of course he'd have a wife. I was just some stray crashing here for a few days, stupid enough to think I belonged.
Victoria's deep-set eyes swept over me, sizing me up like merchandise.
I didn't know what that meant, but her scrutiny made my skin crawl.
I hated this feeling.
Victoria pulled her hand back smoothly, keeping that polite smile plastered on.
She seemed friendly enough, but the nicer she acted, the more I wanted to disappear.
The truth hit like ice water down my spine—I was the intruder. I was wrecking someone's family. The realization froze me solid.
Victoria returned to Ivan's side, looping her arm through his naturally. "I need to talk to you about Nadia."
Ivan's eyes found mine. He started toward me, but I stumbled back half a step.
Don't. Don't come closer. Don't make this worse.
I dropped my gaze to the floorboards, tracking a faint grain in the wood. Couldn't meet anyone's eyes anymore. Ivan stopped. He and Victoria switched to Russian, voices low. Soon they headed upstairs.
I stayed rooted in place. The steak on my plate still smelled good, but my appetite was gone.
Nadia approached. "Anna, are you okay?"
Looking at her innocent little face, I forced out a smile. "Of course. I'm fine."
My voice came out weak and unsteady. Even I could hear the panic I was trying so hard to hide. Nadia tilted her head as she looked at me, her tiny brows drawing together in concern. She reached out and touched my cheek.
"Your face is so cold. Are you sick?"
Her small hand was warm against my face, like a little ember. Something sour surged up my throat, choking me. I was about to lose it.
"I'm okay." I kissed her palm, already retreating. "Just thirsty. Gonna grab some water."
I ran.
I couldn't stay under that child's innocent gaze any longer.
Her eyes were too clear. If I looked again, I'd break down crying.
I rushed to the kitchen and cranked the faucet.
Cold water hit my face, bone-chilling shock racing through my veins, finally shoving those tears back down.
Outside the window, the sun sank behind the rooftops across the street, painting the stone walls warm gold and red.
I stared at my blurred reflection in the glass and forced myself to smile.
From now on, I was just the tutor Ivan hired to look after Nadia.
Time to wake up from the dream.
After Victoria arrived, she was everywhere. I didn't dare show my face in common areas anymore, afraid I'd round a corner straight into her searching eyes, afraid the secret between Ivan and me would spill out by accident.
Her presence was a constant reminder—I was the outsider, someone who never should've been here.
I had to leave.
That day, Victoria was out. I raised my hand and knocked on the study door.
"Come in."
I pushed through. Ivan sat at his desk working through documents. When he saw me, he set down his pen. "Anna, what's wrong?"
He smiled warmly, and it made my throat tight.
God, I swore I came to say goodbye, but seeing his face, seeing him smile, my legs went weak. Memories of our tangled nights flooded back.
So good. So satisfying.
I dug my nails into my palm, head down, avoiding his eyes.
"Sir, I wanted to tell you—I'm planning to leave next week."
"Why?"
Ivan's voice held shock and confusion.
Even the wind outside seemed to stop. Only my heart hammered wildly in my chest.
"I need to get back to school."
Yeah. I had to return to class eventually. For my whole life, studying was the only thing that made me happy. Books and learning were how I survived Gary's cruelty.
Ivan stood. He was moving toward me. I looked up instinctively. His large hand was already cupping my cheek.
I knew this was wrong.
But when his lips pressed down, I surrendered.
I knew I should push him away, but I couldn't. My body craved him.
His hand roamed over my body through my shirt. I gasped. Pleasure shot through me like electricity, pooling in my belly.
I squeezed my legs together. Reason screamed at me.
He had a family. A wife. That sweet daughter. I couldn't—wouldn't—become the homewrecker who destroyed their happiness.
Stop this. Stop now!
I shoved him back. "I-I have to go back to school."
Shock flickered in his eyes, then confusion, but finally he just gripped my shoulders gently. "Not yet. Your father won't stop. He'll come after you again."
But I knew—if I stayed any longer, I'd never leave. That crisp scent of his filled my nose, making me greedy, making me soft. But that scent was also the wind at cliff's edge—one more step and I'd shatter.
I looked down. "But I can't stay here forever."
Ivan went quiet.
But soon, he gave me an answer. "Wait a little longer. When it's safe enough, I'll let you go."
Still so gentle.
I stole a glance at him. His jaw was tight, brow furrowed, eyes churning with emotions I couldn't read.
I bit my lip and slipped out from under his hand. "Thank you."
I turned toward the door.
"Anna."
He stopped me.
He stepped forward, gripping my shoulders again. "Kitten, what's really going on with you?"
Me?
I was fine, actually. Fed, clothed, living in a decent house. If I hadn't learned the truth, I'd probably think these were the happiest days of my life.
But once the paper tears, you can't tape it back together. I couldn't play deaf and dumb anymore.
"I'm fine," I said.
I pulled free from his hands and smiled at him. "I'll head back to my room now."
He didn't stop me again. I walked out of the study. The light behind me stretched his shadow long across the floor, falling over my feet like a net I couldn't shake.
The following days, I avoided Ivan as much as possible. Nadia was my main companion.
She was an angel.
She'd pull me to sit in the garden's wicker chairs to soak up sun, telling me the story behind every rose in the yard. Sunlight caught in her hair, and even the breeze seemed to soften.
I loved her. Even after just a month together, I knew clearly—I loved this child.
"Anna." She called my name sweetly.
"What is it?"
"Can you wait here for me a minute?"
"Why?"
Nadia leaned close to my ear. "I'm going to get my treasure to give you."
Then she planted a kiss on my cheek.
She skipped back toward the house like a happy little deer, leaving me alone staring at the blooming roses.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs nearby. Thinking Nadia had returned, I lifted my face into a smile—only to see Ivan standing at the top of the steps, walking toward me.
"You—"
Before I could finish, he'd grabbed my hand and pressed a light kiss to the back of it.
My whole body jolted. I tried yanking my hand back, but he held tighter.
"Sir."
"Call me Ivan."
"Ivan, let go. This isn't appropriate."
Victoria hadn't even left the house today. She was here, somewhere inside, and could walk in on us any second.
"Kitten, tell me—what's really wrong?"
I took a deep breath. "Ivan, you have a family. This is wrong. I shouldn't be here. I definitely shouldn't have this tangled relationship with you."
"Family?" Ivan paused, then laughed softly. "So you've been avoiding me because of Victoria?"
"What else?"
"Victoria's my ex-wife. We've been separated for three years. She's only here to visit Nadia."
I froze.
That answer never crossed my mind.
Ivan wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. I went rigid, not daring to move. My brain kept looping that one sentence—"we've been separated for three years."
The heavy stone crushing my chest suddenly dropped away. Even breathing felt lighter.
His palm burned through the thin fabric at my waist. His chin rested playfully on top of my head. "That little cat brain can't hold this much worry. Got a problem? Just ask. Got it?"
"Yes, sir."
The words left my mouth, and my ears immediately burned.
He chuckled low, then kissed me again. This time I didn't push him away. And he didn't deepen it—just pulled me tight into his arms and asked softly, "To celebrate your birthday, I've prepared music and dinner. Will you dance with me, beautiful?"
Birthday?
Such a foreign concept.
After Mom left, my birthday got erased from the calendar. No one mentioned it, no one remembered, and eventually even I forgot.
My nose started stinging. "You know my birthday?"
"Of course. The day a cute kitten came into this world? That's worth remembering."
He took my hand and led me deeper into the garden.
Evening breeze swept through the roses, their sweet fragrance wrapping around us.
String lights lined the stone path, warm yellow glow stretching all the way to a long table draped in cream cloth.
On it sat my favorite lemon cake, the frosting sprinkled with fine edible gold leaf, twinkling in the candlelight.
Violin music drifted from somewhere hidden.
My eyes grew hot. In all my years, I'd never had a birthday this deliberate. Someone actually cared about me—remembered a day even I had forgotten.
He turned to look at me, candlelight reflected in his eyes. "Will you dance with me, beautiful?"
"But I don't know how."
"That's okay. Follow me."
He placed one hand lightly on my waist, the other holding mine, and we swayed to the violin's melody.
Evening wind carried rose fragrance into my hair. Candlelight flickered in his eyes. I followed his lead, clumsy and curious. He stayed calm, patiently correcting my every misstep, guiding me steadily.
Later, I couldn't remember what that cake tasted like.
I only remembered being pinned to the bed, keeping him company for a long, long time.
After we made love, I didn't fall asleep like before. I turned my head, studying Ivan's profile. His lashes were long, breath steady and soft.
I couldn't help touching his brow bone. He frowned slightly in his sleep but didn't wake—just nuzzled closer, arm tightening around my waist.
Everything Ivan gave me was like Cinderella's pumpkin carriage—beautiful, magical, but destined to disappear. I couldn't stay here forever. I had my studies to finish, my life to get back on track.
But this moment—
I'd tuck it away in my heart and treasure it forever.