Page 13 of The Bratva Bosses' Surrogate

He laughs a little. “Why do you hate her so much?”

I cross my arms, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion. “Well, she lied to me about this whole thing.”

He leans in, his tone serious yet curious. “Would you prefer if she hadn’t?”

There’s a brief silence as I ponder his question. It’s complicated. Kayla’s deception was the beginning of this entire ordeal, but had she been honest, would I have even agreed to this?

“I guess not,” I admit finally, the truth of it settling in. Despite everything, Kayla’s lie led me here, to this strange, luxurious, and complicated life.

“I still don’t like the idea of it, though. She also called me a prostitute.”

“She’s just jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Yeah,” Maxym admits, “she, uh, she wanted to carry the baby herself. But we didn’t want her to get attached to the baby, or anything like that. That’s why we chose you instead.”

“Who is she to you guys, really?”

Maxym pauses, as if weighing his words. “She’s been our assistant for years now. She’s trustworthy.”

His brief answer leaves room for doubt. Trustworthy in their line of work could mean a lot of things. “Just an assistant?” I ask, skeptical. The dynamics here are too complex for such simple labels.

He nods. “Yes, she’s been with us through a lot. She handles our schedules, meetings, and other... delicate matters.”

I lean back, trying to piece together this puzzle. Kayla, the egg donor, the assistant deeply embedded in their lives, now resentful because of me. This isn’t just business; it’s personal on so many levels.

“Okay,” I say, still not fully convinced but deciding to let it go for now. There are too many layers, and I’m not sure I want to uncover them all. “As for ignoring her… How can I ignore her when she’s around the house all the time? And I don’t have anything to distract myself but this TV with three channels!”

Maxym chuckles again, a sound which is starting to grow on me. It’s oddly comforting, seeing this softer side of him.

“Tell me what you need, and I’ll make it happen,” he offers, surprising me with his willingness to accommodate.

I pause, taken aback by his unexpected generosity. “Uh, I want a phone. Definitely. And internet. Maybe a laptop too. Oh, and I need books. Lots of them.”

His response is quick and to the point. “Just give me a list, and I’ll buy it all.”

“Like, anything?”

“I’ll buy a whole airplane if you asked.”

The absurdity of his statement makes me chuckle. The chuckle turns into a small, genuine laugh, a brief respite from the constant turmoil of emotions I’ve been feeling since I arrived.

As I watch Maxym’s easy demeanor, a part of me wonders about his past. Who was he before all of this? He couldn’t have always been this complex figure, a mix of hardness and unexpected kindness. My knowledge of him is limited, framed only by recent events, but there’s a depth to him I hadn’t anticipated.

Maybe I’ve been too quick to judge, too ready to paint him with a single brush based on our initial interactions. There’s more to him than meets the eye, layers I’m only just beginning to uncover. It’s a realization that leaves me curious and, admittedly, a bit confused. Understanding Maxym is like trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces.

“I’ll have a doctor to check up on you first thing tomorrow morning,” he says.

I nod in agreement to his plan. The thought of facing the doctor again isn’t exactly comforting, but it’s necessary.

Then, Maxym adds something I wasn’t expecting. “And, uh, I’ll get you someone other than Kayla, if you like.”

His offer catches me off guard, but it’s a welcome one. “That’d be great, actually.” I smile. “Where are Viktor and Ivan?” I ask, trying to shift the conversation.

“They’ll be here tomorrow. For tonight, it’s just me. Why? Am I not enough?” Maxym teases, a playful edge to his voice.

I stumble over my words, not wanting to offend him. “Oh, no, that’s not what I meant. I mean, I—”

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