Chapter 160
Elena’s POV:
“Before everything blew up at the Legacy gala….I never thought of the first names. But I always wanted to give our children if we had any…your last name.” He finished, his voice a low, sincere confession that sent a jolt through my entire body.
My heart leaped in my chest. He was saying he had planned for us, for a future where a child would bear my name, not his.
“Oh… not going to name him Vetrov?” I asked, a breathless laugh escaping my lips. The question was also a test, a way to see how serious he was. His expression was soft, his eyes shining with a deep, unwavering sincerity.
He shook his head, a small, dismissive gesture. “The Vetrov name isn’t as amazing as Kovalyova.”
My breath hitched as a realization dawned on me. “Mom?” I asked, the single word was enough for him to understand. Had anyone called her? Told her what happened? Was she going to come here?
He let out a low, surprised laugh. You finally remembered? I think this is probably the first time I’ve seen you not mention your mother for so long… except for when we’re having sex.” He said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper as he moved forward, his hands in the pockets of his black jeans.
My eyes widened then, a wave of heat flooding through me, making my cheeks burn. Embarrassment washed over me. “Behind you…” I hissed, my eyes flicking over his shoulder.
He turned, his movements fluid and easy, to find Sergei standing in the doorway, a look of profound, cold displeasure on his face. He was staring at Nikolai with an intensity that could have set a lesser man on fire.
Nikolai, however, was not a lesser man. He simply shrugged, and walked forward, not giving Sergei a second glance. He sat down on the chair next to my bed, his gaze returning to me.
“Don’t worry. I sent Ben to your mother’s house. She’s on her way here.” Nikolai said and relief washed over me.
Sergei walked forward and I looked at him, my heart a complicated mix of emotions. On one hand, I wanted to thank him for all his help. On the other hand, the recent reminder of my conversation with Niko on the boat filled me with a wave of guilt. How could I reconcile my feelings for this man who had, in so many ways, shaped my life and brought me to this very moment? He was both my salvation and a constant source of pain.
But even so, I spoke up. My voice was low. “Thank you… for helping us.”
He nodded, looking exhausted. “How are you feeling?” He asked, his voice low and raspy.
I nodded again, a small, reassuring gesture. “Much better.”
The atmosphere grew awkward. I was kind of surprised. He was always so composed like nothing in the world could make him upset enough to lose his composure. This was the first time I had ever seen him unable to speak properly, as if the words were lodged in his throat. He seemed to be searching for something. He ran a hand through his hair. He looked at me, then at Nikolai, then back at me.
Then, when he finally spoke, the only words that came put were, “I’m sorry.”
He said just those two words. But even without him peeding to say for what, I understood. The apology wasn’t for the recent events. It was for everything. For a lifetime of pain, for the weight of his actions, for the pain he had caused.
I paused for long moment, contemplating his words, and his recent actions. After finally coming to a conclusion. “It’s okay. You tried your best…” I said, my voice trailing off. He truly had done his best, in his own convoluted, morally ambiguous way. He had been trying to protect me, to help me. And even if Nikolai and Sergei’s characters were like the sun and the moon, I had given Nikolai a second chance, a chance for us to start anew. Would it be so wrong to also give Sergei another chance then?
I wasn’t some saint, and I probably wasn’t going to be able to call anyone “Dad” ever again. That title was sacred, a word that belonged to George alone, a word that was now forever associated with absence and loss.
But if he was going to be fine with our relationship being one of good acquaintances and not too close, then I wouldn’t mind trying to give this more of a 1/3
Chapter 1601
chance.
To my surprise, he shook his head, his face filled with bitter disappointment. “I failed you… whether it be in having Dmitri sentenced to Jail or keeping. you safe. I broke my promise.” He said.
My brows rose in surprise. He’d made such a promise? Why didn’t I remember? The thought was a jarring one. Had I forgotten a promise he had made Or was it a promise he had made to himself, one that I had never known about?
“It’s alright… Like I said, it’s not like we can go into the past and change anything.” I said with a wry smile, trying to lighten the moment. The thought of being able to go back, to change things, was a tantalizing fantasy, one that would only lead to a greater
pain.
“If I could, I would… but I can do something else for you.”
I paused, looking over to Nikolai who was sitting on my right, his hand still holding mine, squeezing it gently. His thumb was tracing slow, soothing circles on the back of my hand. He was also looking at Sergei. His suspicion was clear. I remained silent, letting him continue.
“It’s better if I don’t tell you about it now… however, I do promise you that with this, you will be out of danger and no one would dare even lay a finger on you or your son.” He finished, his voice firm and filled with a resolve that I had never heard before.
I frowned, my mind already working, trying to put the puzzle pieces together. The “this” he was referring to. What could it be? And who was he protecting me from? But it wasn’t hard to come to a conclusion. “Are you going to do something to Andrey?” I questioned. After all, he was the only person left who would harm me, who would seek to use me to hurt Nikolai, right? Or take revenge for Dmitri’s death.
Sergei, however, didn’t speak. He simply pursed his lips, the silence a confirmation of my suspicions.
Before I could press for more answers, there was a gentle knock on the door. The sound broke the tension that had settled between us. A nurse entered with a smile and a small, white cart. My eyes widened, my heart beating a frantic, excited rhythm against my ribs. Sergei stepped back, and the nurse moved to the side of my bed. She gently lifted the cart’s contents, revealing a small, precious bundle wrapped in a soft white blanket.
My breath hitched in my throat as she showed him to me. He was so small, so impossibly fragile. His skin, a pale, translucent shade of pink, was so delicate it looked like it would bruise at the slightest touch. His head was round and perfect, a cap of dark, downy hair resting on his scalp. His hands, tiny and perfect, were clenched into little fists. Only now, after seeing him did it dawn that I was actually a mother now.
The nurse, sensing my awe, spoke in a soft, reassuring voice. “You can gently pat him on the head. Since he is sensitive, it would be better to keep more skin–to–skin contact until he’s stable.” She said, her voice a gentle murmur. I looked at him, tears welling up in my eyes, and a slight smile I couldn’t help but make spread across my face. I moved my hand, my fingers trembling, to softly pat his head. The touch was so light, so cautious.
The warmth spread from my fingertips, up my arm, and into my heart. And that’s when it came to me. A name. It wasn’t a name I had thought long about, just one I had read somewhere in a book that I adored, but it arrived in my mind fully formed, a perfect fit for this small, brave creature.
“Haider.” I said, the name a whisper. I turned to look at Nikolai, my eyes shining with a deep, profound joy.
“What do you think?” I asked.
He quirked his brow, a hint of a smile on his face. “An Arabic name?”
147
I nodded, my heart overflowing. “Do you know what it means?” I asked. He shook his head with a frown, his gaze fixed on the small, sleeping form.
But instead of me answering, the one who spoke was Sergei, his voice low. “Brave one.” He paused, his eyes, so often cold and devoid of emotion, now
filled with a flicker of something akin to admiration. “That’s what it means… it’s a wonderful choice.” He finished, and I couldn’t help the smile that filled me, a smile so big it felt like it would break my face. The name was perfect.
That’s when I registered the sharp click of heels in the hallway. It was a sound I had been hearing since I was a little girl. My smile brightened even more as I turned my head to the side. I would recognize those footsteps anywhere.
And right on cue, the door pushed open. My mom entered, her hair a disheveled mess, her clothes rumpled, her face pale and streaked with dried tears. She looked a mess, a beautiful, panicked mess, and behind her, moving at a slower pace, was Fiona, and an even slower–moving Aunt Rose.
“Oh, my god, Elena!” she said, her voice a gasp. She moved forward towards me. But I hushed her, my heart jumping. I motioned to the baby, the fragile,
2/3
Chapter 160
sleeping bundle in the nurses arms.
She gasped again, her hands flying to her mouth, her eyes wide with a profound, astonished joy. And so did Fiona, a high–pitched squeal escaping her lips, and I looked at the nurse helplessly.
