Chapter 55
CHAPTER 55
ELLIE
T his is brutal. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Arman and his brother are watching their mother with cold, calculating expressions and she is struggling. Even I can see that and yet I wouldn’t dare interrupt. It’s as if darkness has descended on the room and the air is toxic.
They are angry. I feel it swirling around me, choking me, threatening me, and I’m not even the one in their line of fire.
This is their mother and yet they are brutally cold and I wonder why.
She takes a deep breath and then faces them with a proud gleam in her eyes and snaps, “How dare you?”
She glares at both of them and says defiantly, “There is no big mystery about Two Points. No hidden agenda and nothing to tell. I was friends with three women, that is all. What happened after they left is nothing to do with me because I met your father and we were married soon after.”
She fixes me with a disappointed frown and says angrily, “To answer your question, yes, we attended a party and yes, your father was there with some friends. I believe Marsha took the fancy of one of them, but I didn’t get the details on that. I left with Veronica and Adele that night because Marsha insisted on remaining, and from what she told us the next day, any one of them could have fathered her child.”
I am so miserable I could crawl into a hole and stay there.
This is bad. So bad I want to place my hands over my ears and shut the world out. Now I’m shaking because what the actual hell. It appears that I was the result of a gang bang. Could things get any worse?
“Are you saying pa could be Ellie’s father?” Titus says gruffly, already knowing the DNA test disproves that theory.
Mama says angrily, “Of course not. Andrei was a decent, honorable man. He would never take part in anything like that.”
“Then why did he keep in touch with Marsha Steele and Veronica Scott-Stanley until the day he died? Why did he meet up with Veronica four times a year and why did they have an affair for your entire married life?”
Titus is cruel. I have never seen anything like it and I stare in horror as his mother crumbles before our eyes.
“Stop!” she sobs into her hands, effectively covering her face but not the tears that are streaming from her eyes.
“Please stop. What are you saying? ”
Oh my god, she doesn’t know and they have just broken this poor woman.
I don’t miss the look the brothers share as their mother breaks down before their eyes, but before they can do or say anything, a man heads into the room and moves across to Titus and whispers something in his ear.
He stares at me and from the worried spark in his eyes, my heart sinks.
Fuck, this concerns me.
Their mother is sobbing into her hands and Arman is staring at his brother with concern as Titus nods.
“Show him in.”
“Titus–”
Arman’s voice is loaded with questions and his brother says quickly, “It appears that Ellie has a visitor.”
Grace lifts her head and I sense something happening out of their control and say weakly, “But I don’t know anyone here.”
Arman reaches for my hand and says fiercely, “What the fuck is going on, Titus?”
He doesn’t get to answer because as the door opens, a man enters the room and it’s as if all the warmth evaporates against the chill surrounding him.
It’s as if evil has invaded the bright sunny room and turns my blood to ice.
“Mr. Fedorov.”
Titus stands and offers the man his hand and as they shake, I don’t miss the interest with which he stares at me.
Arman does the same, but I note the tightness of his smile as the man turns to their mother and says respectfully, “Grace. Forgive my intrusion in your time of grief. I can tell things are no easier.”
She turns a tear-streaked face toward him and I don’t miss the resignation in. her eyes as she nods .
“Mr. Fedorov.”
He adds. “Boris, please. We are old friends, after all.”
She smiles briefly before allowing him to kiss her three times and then, as he steps back, she says with a reluctant sigh. “Please take a seat, Boris. You are just in time for refreshment.”
The fact he takes the seat beside me is terrifying enough, but the way he turns and stares at me causes a shiver to run down my spine.
“Gabrielle. It is good to meet you – finally.”
“I’m, um–” I have no words and his eyes flash as he smiles.
“I heard you were here, which has saved me a trip because I was planning on introducing myself when I heard of your mother’s unfortunate death.”
I still say nothing and the way he is staring at me is freaking me out.
“May I have a minute alone with Gabrielle?” He addresses Titus and I notice Arman’s face turn to thunder as his brother nods. “Of course.”
Arman shakes his head, but a firm look from his brother causes him to stand and say. “I’ll be outside.”
Boris appears amused as they leave and as the door closes, I play with my fingers nervously.
He wastes no time with pleasantries. “I need your help, Gabrielle.”
I wasn’t expecting that and say curiously, “How can I help you?”
He sighs deeply and I’m shocked when the dark gleam in his eye is replaced by a softer one.
“I know you don’t owe me anything. I have never been there for you and now I’m asking for your help.”
“Why?”
“Because you are my last chance.”
“Please, Mr. Fedorov, I am a little lost right now. You are talking in riddles. ”
He surprises me by reaching for my trembling hands and whispering, “I am your father.”
“I guessed as much.”
I hang my head and attempt to sort my emotion that is all over the place.
“I met your mother at a party in Switzerland. We had a, what you may call, a one-night stand. It happened and wasn’t unusual.”
I squeeze my eyes tightly shut and attempt to get my heart rate under control as he says huskily, “Marsha called me a few weeks later. She was pregnant and demanded money.”
Can this get any worse?
“I’m ashamed to admit I gave her money for an abortion. I was young and ambitious and had my sights set on marrying into power. I won’t apologize for that because your mother wasn’t the kind of woman I would be proud to call my wife.”
“You got that right.” I can’t resist snapping and then add cruelly, “Why should I help you? You never wanted me and neither did she. I owe you nothing.”
“You are right to be angry.”
I’m shocked by the tremor in his voice and stare up at him.
His eyes are awash with tears, which surprises me and he whispers, “I’m dying.”
For a moment, I say nothing and allow his words to take root in my heart. The father I never knew is telling me he’s about to die and needs my help.
He sighs deeply. “I am telling you this because I owe you an explanation, but I urge you to keep it to yourself. I am a powerful government figure and it would cause terrible unrest in my country if they believed I was weakened in any way.”
“I don’t see how I can help.”
“I hate asking you this. It seems so cruel, but I’m in desperate need of bone marrow and the best match is from a family member. ”
I have no words. Part of me wants to scream at him to go to hell and the other part is curious about the man who fathered me. In this room is the only person alive who is related to me and, far from being angry at what happened, I am incredibly moved by the situation.
The seconds tick silently between us as I consider his request and the more I stare at him, the more I see myself in him. He may be a feared leader, but he appears human and part of me is interested in learning more about him.
He interrupts the silence and says softly, “If I apologize for my reaction now, it will appear disingenuous because I am here asking for your help. I won’t pretend I wasn’t angry when I discovered Marsha had gone ahead with the pregnancy, but as the years went by, I thought of you often. I began to see you as a person. There was part of me living and breathing in a world I inhabit. Circumstances dictated I keep my distance and yet I never stopped thinking about you. I rarely travel out of Russia and certainly never saw Marsha again, but when this, well, circumstance happened and the doctors informed me my best chance was a family member, I realized how cruel fate could be. In attempting to deny you life, you have been given the same choice and I will completely understand if you decline my offer. You would have a valid reason and I would walk away. I deserve it and would probably do the same in your position. The only thing that is good about this is that I got to meet you before I die.”
“How long?”
My voice is unusually strong and he shrugs. “Without bone marrow, less than five years. With the right match, I could live well into old age.”
“What would I have to do?”
“It’s a procedure that takes little time. Doctors use needles to withdraw liquid marrow from both sides of the back of your pelvic bone. You will be given anesthesia and feel no pain during the donation. Afterwards, your liquid marrow is transplanted into me.”
“Do you have any other children?” I ask, wondering why he needs me so much if he married for power.
“No.” He shakes his head and I note the pain in his eyes.
“My wife died in childbirth.”
I say nothing and he exhales sharply. “I never married again. I suppose I didn’t want the pain and threw myself into business.”
“That’s sad.”
I really mean that and he says softly, “Spare me your sympathy, Gabrielle. You don’t know anything about me and I am to blame for that. If you did, you wouldn’t like me much, but I can live with that. In my country, strength is power and I am stronger than most, and I doubt you will find a single person who isn’t afraid of me here.”
‘’Wow!” I stare at him in shock and his eyes flash as he says roughly, “You must hear that from me before you make your decision. I am hiding nothing from you and want to assure you of my desire to get to know you, with or without your help with my medical issue.”
He peers at his wristwatch and sighs. “I must go.”
He hands me his card and says gently, “Call me with your decision. Whatever you decide, I will respect it.”
As he stands, he offers me his hand and as his closes around mine, he whispers, “You are a beautiful woman, Gabrielle. I am proud to call you my daughter.”
I’m shocked when he pulls me up and into his hard embrace and in this moment, as his heart beats against mine, I realize what I must do.