Page 120 of Sinful Betrayal

“Um…” I don’t know what to say to her without upsetting her.

“Come here.”

I’m frozen as she suddenly wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly.

“You and Anton are meant for each other, Katerina. Whatever it is that is forcing you two apart now, I promise you will work through it.” She gently strokes my back, and fresh tears start to pour down my cheeks.

“I’m not so sure,” I choke.

Maria pulls back and cups my cheek, her face filled with kindness as she looks at me. It’s the look my mother used to give me when I couldn’t nail a particular ballet move and would be inconsolable as I feared my dream would never come true.

“This feeling will pass. One day, you will look back on this and realize you had to go through this pain in order to find what is meant for you.”

“I think I’ve ruined it.”

Maria laughs softly. “Anton can be stubborn. But he will come back. He always does.”

I wipe my cheeks on the back of my hand and force a smile.

“I hope you’re right.”

“I know I am. Now, I need to go and finish making pelmeni for Nikolai.”

My heart aches as I watch her shuffle out of the kitchen in her slippers, knowing that Nikolai isn’t coming.

Is it a blessing that she’s unaware of the truth? That she spends her time living inside a fantasy world where her son comes over for dinner and her husband has only popped out to grab the paper?

Perhaps… Though I hope for her sake, she doesn’t wake up to realize that the world has turned dark and those she loves are no longer at her side.

When I can no longer hear her footsteps, I decide it’s time to head upstairs to pack up my things.

My body feels heavy as I move around my room.

The memory of Anton is everywhere, from the clothes that I’ve worn to the very bags he packed when he went to my apartment all those weeks ago. I never thought that I would experience some of my happiest memories in this house, and I will cherish them for the rest of my life.

I might hate my father, but I’m grateful that I was given the opportunity to know Anton, even if it was only for a short time.

As I pack up the last of my toiletries and shove them into the overnight bags, I decide that I can’t just leave, at least not without proving to Anton how sorry I am.

Gathering my bags over my shoulder, I head out of my room and back down the stairs and into Anton’s study.

Grabbing a notebook, I tear out a piece of paper and start writing.

Anton is agoodman, and I know he will hear me out, but he just needs some time to process first.

In the meantime, I hope he can hear the sincerity in my words as I pour my heart out to him.

Anton,

I knowyou’re hurting right now, but I want you to know that I’m sorry. For all of it. I hope you can believe me. I never planned on falling for you, but you’re very easy to love.

You have made me feel more loved in these past few weeks than my family has in my entire life, at least after my mother passed. It’s made me realize that a chosen family can be just as good, if not better, than a real family.

I hope what I’m leaving for you will help to prove that I’m on your side.

Use this list to bring him down.

Nina

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