The entire auction goes smoothly. Amanda buys several paintings that she wants to hang at home. I didn’t pick anything for myself. After the auction, as always, there’s a buffet. Our partners approach us, we engage in casual conversations, but nothing more.
Both Karina and her dad keep their distance, and today I’m glad about it, although I understand that a conversation is inevitable.
At the event, we run into Viktor, who congratulates Amanda and me. He knows how deeply I loved this woman seven years ago. So now he hugs us and jokes about waiting for an invitation to the wedding.
- I’ll be right back. - Amanda prepares to leave, but I don’t let go of her hand. The woman rolls her eyes:
- Adam, I can go to the restroom by myself.
I watch her leave and don’t notice how Karina’s father approaches me. Well, this conversation had to happen.
- Adam, I was waiting for the moment when I could talk to you alone. - I see he's serious.
- We can do this in the office. - I really don’t want to ruin today’s event with disputes.
- I won’t take much of your time. - he takes a sip of champagne and grabs another glass. - I want to understand, did you cancel the wedding because she’s pregnant?
Let’s be honest, this is not quite what I expected to hear.
- No. I don’t want to ruin your daughter’s life by giving her love I can never give. - and that’s partially true. But the main reason is that Amanda gave us a chance after everything.
- Feelings are bullshit. - the man's face contorts into either a smile or a sneer. - So I guess I have a second option as to why you chose her. - the conversation is heading into some dangerous territory, and I don’t like it.
- I’m curious, what have you come up with? - honestly, I don’t care what theories are in his head. People like Karina’s father know nothing beyond cold calculations.
- It’s simple. Amanda is the heiress of Corniyev’s empire, and thus a much more advantageous match for you. - I see hatred mixing with... envy in his eyes? God, how pathetic.
He is genuinely looking at me with envy, thinking that I’m with Ami because of her father’s money.
- I knew you were down-to-earth, but I didn’t think to this extent. - does he seriously have no room in his brain for a theory where love plays the main role?
- Adam, we are businessmen. And I certainly know that for you, it’s all about the business. So you can tell this line to women, but not to me. - the man walks away, and I simmer with rage. Perhaps before this, I even felt uncomfortable about the engagement situation, but now I feel absolutely indifferent.
As they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree...
- Mr. Adam. - Marina rushes into the hall, her hands and dress stained with blood, and her face is terrified. She runs to me, and I see that the girl is trembling.
- Mr. Adam, there’s Amanda. - the secretary’s voice breaks into a scream.
- What happened to her? Where is she? - the girl begins to sob, unable to say anything coherent. I grab her by the shoulders and shake her. I need to know where Amanda is.
- On the stairs. I called an ambulance. - I release Marina and run to the exit. The stairs are the only way, so I know exactly where to go. Just a few minutes, and I don’t know what to think. I run to the stairs, and the sight below breaks my heart. Kitten lies unconscious at the foot of the stairs with a split lip. A few seconds later, I am beside her.
- The doctors are already here. - I lift Amanda into my arms while Marina opens the door where the ambulance is already waiting. I lay the woman on the stretcher and only now notice that the doctors are bringing out another woman.
- Karina... - I realize I hadn’t seen her there. But the scenarios developing in my mind have one conclusion - that bitch tried to take revenge on Ami. My hands clench into fists. But the ambulance departs, so I head to the car.
- You’re coming with me. - based on the state of Marina's dress and the expression on her face, I can tell that she definitely saw, if not everything, then a significant part. She doesn’t protest.
- Tell me. - I watch as the woman clutches her dress and shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
- Mr. Adam, I didn’t mean to. - if it was her, I would strangle her on the spot.
- What the hell did you not mean to? - she grips the steering wheel to prevent herself from doing anything stupid. The girl goes silent again, quietly sobbing, but my patience is reaching its limit.
- Damn it, just speak already. - at my shout, Marina stops crying and presses herself against the door. We arrive at the hospital, and I still don’t know what happened.
- Stay here, or I’ll drag you from under the ground, - I lock the car and rush into the hospital. I find a nurse.
- Where is the woman that just arrived?
- Which one? - the nurse adjusts her glasses and looks as disinterested as possible.
- In the red dress with black hair. – it’s unlikely they know her name.
- The doctors are doing everything necessary. Please wait. - she gestures to a chair. This doesn’t make it easier. I can’t just sit. Of course, I could go to Marina and finally find out what happened, but I don’t want to miss when the doctor comes out from Amanda’s room. Minutes drag on too long, and I start running through the worst scenarios in my mind.
- They’re fine. - I desperately want to believe this because I won’t survive this loss.
The doctor appears, it feels like an eternity has passed, he first goes to the nurse, who points at me.
- Are you a relative?
- Husband. - well, almost, but he doesn’t need to know that.
- Your wife is alive, and her health is not in danger. - relief floods over me. As if I’ve been released from a very tight room.
- Can I see her? - the doctor’s words certainly calm me, but I want to see for myself that everything is alright.
- Yes, but there is one more thing. - I see his eyes darting around, which brings an unsettling feeling.
- Unfortunately, we couldn't save the baby. I’m sorry. - the doctor leaves, leaving me standing in the corridor. Our baby isn’t here. I don’t want to believe this. Maybe he made a mistake. I enter Amanda’s room. She is still unconscious, too pale, too cold.
I sit next to her and take her hand, causing Aami to open her eyes:
- Adam. - it’s hard for her to speak after the fall, and for me, it's hard because of what I just learned.
- Yes, Kitten? - the woman probably doesn’t know yet, and I can’t bring myself to tell her because I’m not ready to believe it.
- She’s gone? - I clench my jaw; I can’t break down right now. I need to support her, even though I want to yell from the pain.
- Gone. - I watch as tears fill Amanda’s eyes. - But we have each other, and that’s what matters. - I stand up and kiss the woman on the forehead.
- Will you take me home? - her voice sounds tired, and I desperately want to take all her pain onto myself because Kitten has already suffered too much because of me. And again, my problems cause her pain.
- Of course. - I watch as Amanda falls asleep, and I can’t hold back anymore. I leave the hospital and punch the wall with my fists. The physical pain doesn’t ease the mental anguish but reduces my chances of exploding. I light a cigarette and sit on the steps. I still don’t know what happened a few hours ago, but I know for sure - I will destroy everyone connected to this. And right now, there’s a person who can tell me everything, so I won’t waste any time. I approach the car and see Marina crying through the glass, and her eyes are filled with sheer fear.
- If it was you, then say goodbye to your life. – she, more than anyone, should understand that this is not a joke. We’ve worked together for too long, and the girl witnessed how I have destroyed people for much lesser offenses.
- I didn’t touch Amanda, but Karina. - the secretary falls silent and looks at me.
- I couldn’t care less about what happened to Karina. - I’d rather a brick fell on her, I don’t care at all.
- I saw her push Amanda first, and when she fell, Karina tried to kick her in the stomach, and I didn’t know what to do, so... - the girl starts crying again. And honestly, I don’t care what she did.
- So I hit her with a vase on the head. - to say I’m shocked is an understatement. I look at Marina with completely different eyes. I don’t know why she did it, but right now she deserves my respect. The girl, despite everything, tried to save my beloved, so I am grateful to her.
- Don’t think about it. I will handle everything. - Marina relaxes a bit, and then adds a new shock for me.
- It’s all because of Kirk. I’m already waiting for when that bastard will pay for everything...