Page 64 of Beautiful Deception

Finally, I speak. “I can’t win. If I tell the truth, then I’ll get hurt. And if I stay silent, you’ll fire me. I can’t win. So, it will just be easier to fire me.”

“Bullshit. Tell me what happened.”

I look at Mrs. Green’s judgmental eyes. She thinks I’m just as bad as Natasha makes me out to be.

“Mrs. Green, leave me and Inessa alone.” When Mrs. Green hesitates, Viktor snaps, “Now!”

She hurries from the room.

“Inessa. Look at me.” He cups my face. “What happened?”

Tears roll down my face before I can stop them. “I’m really trying.”

“Tell me.”

“She grabbed the scissors and cut herself. It was just like with the boiling water. She poured it on herself to make it look like I had done it. And she grabbed your fine china and threw it to the ground.”

His brow furrows. “Why would she do any of that?”

“I’m not sure. She doesn’t like me, Viktor. I think I know why.” I look at his hands, touching my face. “She doesn’t like that you like me and I can’t blame her for that. You said you were going to marry her and yet, you’re paying attention to me. She wants me out of the way. She cut herself then forced the scissors into my hand. I was frozen in surprise so when you came in, you saw what she had done. She was trying to make it seem like I had done it.”

“Fuck,” he mutters, pressing his forehead to mine. “I believe you. I always knew Natasha was up to something.”

“I’m scared,” I admit. “You should fire me.”

“No. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

I’ve done a lot of wrong things that Viktor can never find out. I’m in too deep now to ever tell him the truth of who my dad is.

“You still have to fire me.”

“Why the fuck would you ask me that?”

His voice sends chills over me. Never have I heard him sound so angry with me.

“I’m worried Natasha is going to hurt me.”

“I won’t let her hurt you. She won’t come over anymore. I’ll make sure of it.”

I grip his forearms, even though the last thing I should do is touch him. “But you have to marry her.”

“I made no such promise. I never proposed. It was just something we talked about. I can back out. I don’t want to marry her. I can’t. Just the sight of her now revolts me.”

“No. Viktor. You have to fire me. I’m worried she’ll hurt me somehow. I’m sure she’ll find a way. And if you fire me, she’ll leave me alone.”

“No. She won’t. If I fire you now, you won’t have my protection and you’re free game for her to hurt you. But I don’t think she would do that. She may be a little unhinged but I can’t imagine she would ever truly hurt you.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’ll talk to her. I’ll make sure she knows to leave you alone or there will be consequences.”

I lean in closer to him. “We should just give her what she wants.”

“Fuck that. I’m not going to give her what she wants when she wants me and I don’t want her. It’s that simple.”

“Viktor-,”

“End of discussion. You’re staying here. You’re not going to be fired. You’re under my protection now.”

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