Chapter 31
Hazel
I lay on the hotel's plush bed while Anya curled up on the couch, already asleep.
She'd sworn she'd stay up to watch over me, but she was the first to crash.
She kept going on about how much I needed rest, completely ignoring her own exhaustion.
She'd been at the hospital with me for days, her body already past its limit.
Yet she'd been worrying about me, dragging me away from the ICU two hours ago to this nearby hotel, forcing me to close my eyes and rest.
Rationally, I knew Anya was right.
Even though Viktor saved me in time and the baby miraculously came through unharmed, the kidnapping, jumping into the ocean—all of it took its toll. Seven months pregnant, I couldn't keep vigil at Viktor's bedside day and night.
I wanted to force myself to rest properly for the baby's sake, so I'd have the strength to stay with Viktor without becoming his burden again.
But I'd been lying there with my eyes shut for ages and couldn't fall asleep.
The explosion kept replaying in my mind.
No. I couldn't stand it—Viktor was injured saving me, and I wasn't by his side.
I threw off the covers and carefully slipped on my flats.
I made no sound as I shuffled out of the hotel room alone.
The night wind hit my face, cutting through me like ice. The wounds covering my body throbbed with dull pain.
I pulled my coat tighter and quickened my pace, heading back through the private hospital's doors. I took the elevator straight to the ICU on the top floor.
The white lights in the corridor burned bright, harsh enough to make my eyes ache.
Though maybe I couldn't blame the lights for that.
I'd been crying so much these past few days I was practically going blind.
Even when I wasn't aware of it, my eyes kept producing tears.
Because the man I loved most was lying in the ICU.
I reached the door. Jack stood outside Viktor's room.
His large frame leaned against the white wall, right hand gripping a black phone, thumb sliding aimlessly across the screen like he couldn't decide who to call.
I dragged my heavy steps toward Jack.
My belly kept getting bigger, and walking was more exhausting. Now I could only waddle forward step by step until I stood in front of him.
"Is Viktor awake?" I asked.
Jack stopped scrolling and looked up, startled.
When he recognized me, hesitation flickered in his eyes. He stayed silent for several seconds, then shook his head in disappointment.
"No," Jack said quietly.
I nodded silently at the answer.
"Go get something to eat," I told Jack softly. "You've been here long enough. I'll sit with him for a while."
Jack hesitated, then finally nodded. He pocketed his phone, patted my shoulder, and turned toward the elevator.
I moved past where Jack had been standing and pushed open the heavy wooden door.
The air inside reeked of industrial-strength disinfectant.
A few days ago the smell made me nauseous, but now I'd gotten used to it. Various precision medical equipment surrounded the bed.
Green data lines jumped across the screens, beeping in monotonous rhythm.
Maybe it was just my state of mind, but that sound terrified me.
I was afraid it would suddenly stop without warning.
No time for goodbye. No time to prepare.
Just that brutal moment when someone important dies.
That's cruel, isn't it?
Tears welled up again. Maybe it was late pregnancy hormones making me prone to spiraling.
Lately these thoughts kept coming, plunging me into inexplicable panic.
Only when I sat beside Viktor, looked at his face, felt his warmth—only then did I find the strength to hold myself together.
Viktor lay quietly in the white bed, eyes closed tight.
He'd been unconscious for three full days—three endless days for me.
Every minute, every second passed in crushing anxiety and fear.
Jack's people had reached the water quickly after the explosion and pulled us onto the speedboat.
The doctor told me clearly after surgery that Viktor had no fatal penetrating wounds, the injury to his throat hadn't hit any major vessels. He hadn't been oxygen-deprived underwater long enough to cause irreversible brain damage.
Jack swore to me repeatedly that Viktor had survived worse injuries before. He had the recovery power of an animal. Jack promised Viktor would pull through.
But Viktor still hadn't woken up.
I stared at Viktor's expressionless face.
Thinking about how Viktor had been on the verge of beating Adam, how he'd ended up like this because he came after me—my heart seized violently.
Tears fell again, hot against my cheeks.
Yesterday afternoon the doctor told me something.
If Viktor didn't regain consciousness within three days, he'd likely remain in a vegetative state forever.
Today was the deadline.
I reached out with both hands and gripped Viktor's cold fingers tightly, pressing his hand against my cheek.
"Viktor," I said his name, tears dropping onto his hand. "You have to wake up. You can't leave me like this."
But Viktor just lay there silently.
"I love you so much, Viktor. I can't lose you." I squeezed his fingers harder. "I'm still waiting for you. I'm waiting to become your wife. You promised me, remember?"
I begged him loudly, completely breaking down, sobbing against the edge of his bed.
I didn't know.
I had no fucking idea how to face life without Viktor.
After going through this kind of heart-stopping romance, after he'd shielded me with his body and given me the only plank, after watching him hold a knife to his own throat to save me—how could I possibly face life without him?
Don't leave me.
Please, Viktor, don't leave me.
I'd already lost too much. I'd lost my family, lost my dignity, lost every beautiful illusion I'd had about this world.
But none of that mattered because I had you.
You made me believe love was real. You made me believe I deserved to be loved, deserved to be cherished, deserved a man who'd protect me with his life.
You gave me a home, gave me security, gave me the chance to be a mother.
You transformed me from a fat girl who grew up in the slums, insecure and looked down on by everyone, into the future lady of the Gromov family.
You changed my entire life.
Now you're going to take it all away?
Days of fear suddenly burst like a broken dam. I lost control completely, collapsing onto him, sobbing loudly.
"Well then, let's discuss the wedding date." A hoarse, low voice suddenly filled the room.
I jerked my head up, eyes wide, staring at the bed. The crying stopped.
Viktor's ice-blue eyes were completely open, watching me with incredible tenderness.
I froze for several seconds, utterly shocked.
"When did you wake up?" I asked in disbelief.
Viktor's mouth curved in a weak smile.
"About an hour ago."
I stared at him, dumbfounded.
"Jack came in bitching about too much work while I was still sleeping. I was actually semi-conscious then, just couldn't move." Viktor explained. "Then when Jack couldn't wake me, he squeezed my arm hard. So I slapped him across the face."
Hearing this, I cried tears of joy.
I spun toward the closed door and yelled.
"Jack, you complete asshole! He's a patient!"
Jack's loud laughter came from outside. That's when I realized the bastard never went to eat—he'd been standing guard the whole time.
Viktor coughed lightly and grabbed my hand again.
"Forget Jack, that idiot. I'll deal with him later." Viktor looked into my eyes. "Tell me about what you just said. When are we getting married?"
I looked at Viktor and stopped crying.
"You still want to marry me?" I dropped my gaze, unable to meet his eyes. "I hid in the car and ran away. I let you walk into Adam's trap. I'm the reason you got hurt this badly. I almost got you killed."
Viktor squeezed my fingers hard.
"Look at me, Hazel."
I lifted my head. Viktor gazed at me tenderly.
"This is all on me," Viktor said, taking responsibility. "Anya already ripped into me when you left."
Viktor took a deep breath, but the movement made him wince as it pulled at his abdominal wound.
"I need to tell you the whole truth. No more hiding anything from you."
I sat quietly in the chair, waiting for his explanation.
"Last month I received death threats from Adam Moretti," Viktor spoke slowly.
"Adam wanted to destroy everything I had.
I couldn't let you and the baby become Adam's primary target.
So I brought in Valentina as a decoy. There's nothing between us, and the baby isn't mine.
I did all this to draw attention away from you. "
Viktor looked into my eyes with complete honesty. I had no doubts—I believed every word.
"That night in the study, when I told Valentina to send Hazel away—my real intention was getting you far from the center of LA's gang war. I never imagined you'd be hiding outside the door. Never imagined you'd misunderstand."
Remembering those days of agonizing pain, my hands clenched involuntarily on my knees.
"Those days, watching you hurt, I was in agony too." Regret filled Viktor's eyes. "But I didn't know how to face you. So I chose avoidance."
Viktor sighed.
"But I was completely wrong. I thought I was protecting you. Instead, every move I made pushed you further away."
Viktor lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles.
"Hazel, please. Give me another chance."
I listened to Viktor's full explanation without answering immediately.
My brain worked quickly to process everything.
So that's what happened.
All that pain, all that confusion—completely unnecessary, yet the hurt had been real.
"Why couldn't you have told me this sooner?" Remembering those dark nights crying alone, I raised my voice. "Why?"
"Because I was afraid," Viktor admitted.
That seemed absurd.
"Afraid of what?" My voice got louder. "That I'm a bad actress? That I wouldn't seem heartbroken enough and people would see through your plan?"
I finished the thought he hadn't voiced. Viktor looked away. After several seconds, he spoke quietly.
"I'm sorry."
Seeing him look so rarely defeated, my anger started to fade.
After the brief flash of anger passed, I exhaled and gripped his hand tightly.
"You're a really good actor, Viktor." I stared into his eyes, trying to ease the tension between us, though resentment still edged my words. "You scared me to death. I thought you really chose Valentina. That you didn't love me anymore."
Viktor clasped my hand.
"Hazel, my heart was breaking." Viktor laid bare his feelings. "Believe me, it hurt me just as much. I hated having to be cold to you."
I knew.
I understood completely now—I wasn't the only one suffering in this.
Viktor had shouldered the crushing pressure of protecting both the family and me. Plus the weight of my misunderstanding and the guilt of hurting me.
Even though I'd felt so wronged during that time, even though I'd suffered so much.
I believed he'd done it out of love for me.
What was there to hold against him? After all...
I blinked guiltily.
My acting really was terrible.
So I leaned down and wrapped my arms around Viktor.
I pressed my head to his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. My racing heart finally calmed. That sound was the most reassuring thing in the world.
"Stop," I whispered in his ear. "I was really hurt. But I know you must have been suffering too. Let's not talk about it anymore. Let's let it go."
Viktor's arms held me tight.
"You're the most understanding woman I've ever met," Viktor said softly near my ear, his voice thick with gratitude and guilt. "How did I get so lucky to find you?"
I looked up at him, traces of tears still on my face.
"But don't celebrate too soon," I warned. "If I find out you've lied to me again, I'll..."
I gave him a light smack.
Viktor's face scrunched up like it really hurt.
I panicked immediately. "I'm sorry! I forgot you're injured! Are you okay?"
Viktor suddenly smiled and pulled me close.
"Gotcha," he said quietly. "I just wanted you to hold me."
I listened to his slightly labored breathing and knew Viktor was lying.
That really had hurt just now.
It was my fault—I'd gotten too excited and forgotten he'd just woken from a coma.
Hurting him again made me feel guilty, but I bit my lip hard, forcing down the sting in my eyes.
I understood—Viktor was enduring the pain to tell this lie just so I wouldn't blame myself.
So I pretended not to notice. I just softened all my movements, avoiding his abdomen, and wrapped my arms around his neck again.
Viktor leaned against me. His voice came from above my head.
"I swear. I'll never lie to you again."
Right. I'll just pretend that wasn't you lying about not being in pain two seconds ago.
"I believe you," I said, smiling up at him.
Whether he lied or not didn't matter much anymore.
He'd already proven his love with his life.
What was there to argue about?
We looked at each other from close range. Suddenly Viktor bent down and kissed me passionately without warning.
The kiss came suddenly, but it was exactly what I needed right now.
I braced myself carefully to avoid pressing on Viktor's body. The position was awkward, but I kissed him back eagerly, feeling his warm breath and heartbeat.
Too long. We'd been separated too long.
We desperately proved to each other that we were here, side by side, never leaving.
Viktor paused between kisses, staring into my eyes.
"You still haven't answered my question. When are we getting married?"
I looked at his serious expression, unable to stop smiling.
"Every day," I answered firmly. "Every day, I'm ready to become your wife."