Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Ivan
My kitten was giving me the cold shoulder again.
She was deliberately shutting me out. Even after I'd explained that Victoria was just my ex-wife, that we'd been done for three years, the kitten still wouldn't snap out of it.
She avoided me. No fights, no drama. Just this obedient silence that left me completely helpless.
Then I heard scratching at the bedroom door.
I opened it. Nadia stood there clutching her stuffed bunny, asking quietly if she could come in.
Her head hung low, the whole of her wilted like a flower left in the sun too long. All that usual energy—gone.
My chest tightened. I bent down and scooped her up, stroking her soft hair. "Hey, sweetheart, what's wrong?"
Nadia buried her face in my neck, her voice muffled. "Daddy, can you please stop being with Anna?"
I froze. "Why?"
She went quiet for several seconds. Then slowly, she reached out and pushed up her pajama sleeve.
Bruises covered her little arm. Purple and blue.
She looked up at me, eyes red as waterlogged cherries. "She hit me."
My head exploded with noise. Blood rushed straight to my skull.
Those marks on her delicate skin—they burned my eyes. Rage nearly tore through my chest.
"Sweetheart, tell me exactly what happened."
Nadia kept her head down, fingers twisting the bunny's ear. "Anna kept making me give up time with you, wouldn't let me near you. She said if I didn't listen, she'd punish me."
Nadia had never been a liar.
But Anna...
I couldn't picture her like that. She'd always been gentle, considerate. Not crude. She'd never hurt a child.
I took a deep breath, forcing the fury back down.
I lowered her sleeve and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Daddy's got something to handle. Get some sleep, okay?"
I needed to find Anna. At least get to the bottom of this.
Nadia made a small sound.
I carried her back to her room, tucked the covers around her.
She watched me like she had more to say, but in the end she just pulled the blanket over her head.
I left her room. Anna's guest room was at the end of the hall, warm light spilling from beneath the door. She was still awake.
I walked over. Knocked twice.
Anna's soft voice came from inside. "Come in."
I pushed the door open. She sat on the window seat with a book, looking up in surprise. "Ivan, what's wrong at this hour?"
I turned to close the door, keeping my voice level. "What did you do to Nadia today?"
Anna looked confused. "Nadia? We read stories this afternoon. Did some drawing. Why?"
When she said it, her expression was tender, a gentle curve to her lips.
I stared into her eyes, searching for any sign.
"Anna," I said her name, then repeated everything Nadia had told me. "Nadia says you hit her. Says you forced her to give up time with me, threatened to punish her if she didn't listen."
Anna's face drained white. The book slipped from her hands onto the carpet.
She shot to her feet. "I didn't—I would never..."
Her shock wasn't an act. If she was lying, she was world-class.
Watching her panic, my throat closed up like it was stuffed with cotton. I forced myself to stay hard. "Anna, Nadia means everything to me. No one gets to threaten her."
Anna's lips trembled. Her eyes flooded red. "You... don't believe me?"
"I didn't say that."
"But you're warning me."
I stared at her reddening eyes. The words "I do believe you" churned in my throat, rolling back and forth, refusing to come out.
Silence dropped between us like thick glass.
I looked away. "Let's both cool down. If you really are innocent, I'll make it right."
I turned around. Couldn't look at her anymore.
Those shattered eyes broke my heart. One more second and I'd cave, throw right and wrong out the window.
But I had to stay clear-headed.
For her. And for Nadia.
The door closed with a soft click, but my chest felt like it'd been slammed with a sledgehammer.
Then I heard it—a stifled sob from inside, barely held back.
She was crying. And I didn't turn around.
Next morning.
The second I came downstairs, I knew something was off.
Victoria was up unusually early. Her eyes were red and puffy like she'd already been crying, and when she saw me, she jumped up. "Ivan, are you really going to let that tutor bully Nadia?"
Tears spilled down her face. "I know young girls like to fantasize, but as Nadia's father, I need you to stay rational. At least don't let our child get hurt."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaustion creeping up my neck.
"I am being rational. But I can't convict Anna without proof."
"Proof?" Victoria's voice shot up. "The bruises on Nadia's arm aren't proof enough? Ivan, since when are you so unreasonable?"
She choked on a sob. "I know you resent me for betraying our marriage, but my love for Nadia is beyond question. I can't stand by while someone who hurts her stays in this house."
Footsteps sounded behind me.
I turned. Anna stood there.
Her face was paper-white, dark circles shadowing her eyes. She clearly hadn't slept.
She just stood there quietly, not defending herself once.
"Anna..."
Before I could finish, Victoria rushed past me, crying and pleading. "Ms. Bennett, I know you like Ivan. I'm only here temporarily. Please don't hurt Nadia because of me. She's just a child."
Anna swayed, mouth falling open. "I didn't."
She looked so fragile. Ready to collapse.
Something clenched in my chest. I grabbed Victoria's arm, pulling her back. "Enough."
Victoria wrenched free, crying harder. "You're still protecting her! Last night, Nadia said Daddy only loves Anna now and doesn't want her anymore!"
My temples throbbed.
"Just calm down. I'll arrange other accommodations for Anna."
As soon as I said it, I looked at her.
She stood there watching me. No words. No tears. But every bit of light in her eyes went out in an instant.
"Anna."
I wanted to explain.
But when I reached out, she just shook her head. "No need. I'm going back to school."
She dropped her gaze, lashes casting small gray shadows on her cheeks. That frustration in my chest turned into something unnameable and suffocating.
"I said I'd arrange something for you."
Anna shook her head again.
Victoria laughed coldly. "You're just a nanny we hired. What right do you have to be picky?"
"Victoria, enough. Shut your mouth!"
"Did I say something wrong? Some women sleep with you a few times and think they own this house! Ivan, I'm telling you—Nadia is my line in the sand. If you can't clean up this mess, I'll fight you for custody."
She shoved past Anna, slamming into her shoulder, then stomped upstairs.
Anna went even paler, like crumpled paper someone had tried to smooth out.
Victoria's words were poisoned needles, stabbing straight into her heart.
"Anna."
I stepped forward, wanting to look at her.
She dodged my hand, smiling faintly. "I'll go pack."
She kept her eyes down, that curve of her lips still there but twisted into something else. I couldn't tell if it was hurt or disappointment, but that smile landed on my heart and crushed the air out of me.
"Don't you dare!"
I blocked her path. Trapped her against the wall at the stair landing, her back pressed to it, shoulders curling in like a cornered animal with nowhere left to run.
God. What was I doing?
How had I pushed her into this humiliating corner with my own hands?
I stared at her bloodless lips, forcing my voice softer. "I told you, Gary's still looking for you. I'll arrange accommodations. Stay for now. When Gary gives up, I'll let you go."
"Sir," her voice was flat—flat enough to make me panic, "if you doubt me, you should let me leave. It's better for both me and Nadia."
Sir.
She called me sir again.
What happened to "Ivan"? Was she erasing everything between us?
My chest felt like someone was crushing it in their fist. Tighter and tighter, pain turning to pressure, pressure turning to fire.
"What do you want me to do? Take your side without proof? Nadia is my daughter. I have to consider her feelings!"
She was too stubborn.
Stubborn to the point I had no moves left.
Where did I go wrong? Hadn't I protected her enough? Why was she forcing me to choose between her and Nadia?
"I'm not asking you to take my side. I just want you to let me go. And I'm an adult. I can take care of myself."
"How?" The words were out before I could stop them. "If you could take care of yourself, you wouldn't have ended up being bought by me in the first place!"
Anna finally looked up at me.
Her lips moved like she had so much to say. Then they pressed into a line. Nothing came out.
Those eyes that always held such softness—they went cold. Bit by bit.
Not angry.
Not hurt.
Cold. Completely, utterly cold.
My throat worked. I wanted to swallow those words back. But they'd already left. Already hit her. Shattered on the ground.
"I understand," she said.
Then she brushed past me, her hem grazing my arm. So light. Leaving nothing behind.
Her footsteps echoed up the stairs. One after another. Not fast, but each one landed on the thinnest part of my heart, making it ache.
"Fuck."
I cursed under my breath. Cursed myself.
What the hell was wrong with me? I didn't agree with Victoria's bullshit, but I was the one who ended up hurting Anna with it.
I'd never treated Anna like merchandise.
She was so soft. So precious.
I was screwed.
Maybe I should respect what she wanted and let her go back to school.
She wanted to finish her degree. I could support that—even if she went back to New York, I could buy a condo near campus. We could still see each other.
It would also keep her away from this conflict with Nadia. More importantly—
I was afraid if she stayed any longer, we'd completely fall apart.
I'd never felt my wealth meant much before, but in this moment, just knowing I could arrange everything for her gave me a satisfaction I'd never felt.
Yes.
That's what I'd do.
That evening, Dmitri sent an email. He'd already picked out several properties in New York. He wanted me to choose which ones I liked, fly over to inspect them, then close the deals.
I saved the attachments to my desktop, planning to show her tomorrow.
A message popped up on screen.
"Ivan, just got word—Sergei's causing trouble on our turf again. You need to get here now."