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Chapter 71
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2024-10-29 19:42:56[IVAN]
Ana storms into the washroom and I’m left to glare at the door.
I can’t believe it. Even after what happened just now, she refused to forgive me.
Frustrated, I run a hand through my hair.
I can’t. I can’t believe she denied me once again. She denied me even after I emptied my heart for her. I thought she understood, but apparently, I was wrong.
Forgiveness is not supposed to be easy. I know that. If it was, everyone would be doing it, and it would lose its meaning. But haven’t I suffered enough?
Five long years. That’s how much time I have spent without my family. Without Ana and my kids. Their absence in my life was like a hole in my heart. Always there. Always gaping and wondering what it would be like to be complete again.
I lost sleep. I lost my sanity. I lost everything when I lost them.
Every waking hour their absence haunted me like a neverending nightmare. Ever
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[IVAN]“How bad is it?” I stride down the long corridor, Dimitri right behind me. “And why the hell didn’t you call me right away? Was waiting for him to fucking die?”Dimirti sighs, probably frowning at himself. “I thought we could handle it.”I shake my head. “Of course.”We continue walking down the dark corridor until a room arrives with its lights turned on. Beeping sounds emanate from within, and right when we reach outside, a nurse dashes out with a tray full of blood-soaked towels. She barely glances up, and continues hurrying out of sight.I stop and hesitate to walk inside. This was not supposed to happen. Not like this.I turn around and glare at Dimitri. “What the hell happened?”Dimitri drops his gaze to the floor, his posture stiff. “It was a small delivery, pakhan. I told him to keep his mouth shut. But something happened and a shoo
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[DIMITRI]I should’ve known my words would get twisted like that. And of course, it would end up hurting my woman in the worst way possible.But God knows that wasn’t my intention. I just have a crude way of speaking and often forget not everyone can take it. It’s an old habit, one I need to work on changing.I cup Nadia’s face, wiping her tears with my thumb. I should be comforting her after everything she just blurted out, but instead, I can’t help it—I start laughing. I can’t stop until she looks up at me like I’ve completely lost it.Her eyebrows snap and her lips upturn in a deep frown. “You think it’s funny?”“No!” I shake my head, meaning it, but laughter simply bubbles out of me. I turn around to take a breather, and when I think I’m in better control of myself, I turn back around to face her.Only to find her gone.Whatever lingering smile on my face dies right away. “Nadia?”I glance toward the door and see her rushing out of the room.“Shit!” I bolt after her down the hallw
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[NADIA]After getting another round of hot sex out of our system, with both stayed sprawled out on the carpeted floor of his office, with me using his arm as a pillow.I sigh. “I can’t believe the kind of stamina I suddenly have.”Dimitri chuckles, the deep sound vibrating through my entire body. “And I can’t believe I get to make love to a woman without her screaming within five minutes how she can’t handle someone like me.”I turn over my stomach, resting my chin on his chest. “Really?”“Yep!” He says, casually, entwining my fingers with his and kissing the tips of each one. “You’re the only one to never have complained about anything. Not even my ugly face.”“Hey,” I shush him, placing my finger on his lips. “Never say that again.”He quirks up a brow. “Why? You want me to say I’m fucking beautiful instead.” He rolls his eyes.“You ARE beautiful,” I say, more stubbornly because he seems to be in the mood to not take me seriously. I can tell. I sure as hell can. “Sure, you have scar
