"The meeting. Five days. We present the evidence, force them to choose." I meet her eyes. "It's risky. Probably stupid. But it's the only play we have."
She processes this, and I can see her mind working. The Ice Queen evaluating strategy, calculating odds.
"What do you need from me?" she asks finally.
"Your testimony. About what Roman did. What he planned for you and Anya." I move closer. "Your voice carries weight. You're not just the woman he tried to force into marriage—you're a leader in your own right. People will listen."
"Will they?" Her smile is bitter. "Maksim, my organization is gone. My reputation is—"
"Still intact." I cut her off. "You're not weak. And the families know it."
She studies my face, looking for lies. Finding only truth.
"Okay," she says quietly. "I'll testify. Tell them everything."
"Thank you." I reach for her hand. "This is going to work. It has to work."
"And if it doesn't?"
“It will. It has to.”
Semyon clears his throat. "I'm going to make some calls. Start coordinating for the meeting."
Anya is as the table painting as usual.
"There's something I need to tell you," Kira says. “Come with me.”
She leads me down the hall to the small bedroom we’ve been sharing. She closes the door and gestures for me to sit down.
I can see by the look on her face something is wrong. I don’t want to sit.
Her tone makes my stomach drop. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. Exactly." She takes a breath. "Maksim, I'm pregnant."
The words don't register at first. I hear them, but they don't make sense.
"You're... what?"
"Pregnant." She's watching me carefully. "About six weeks, based on timing. From that first night at the engagement party I assume. I'm pregnant. With your child."
I stare at her and realize I’m trying to do the math but I don’t need to. I was there. We had sex. No condom. I just assumed she would be on birth control.
Pregnant. She's pregnant. With my baby.
Joy hits first—pure, unexpected joy. A child.Ourchild. The family we were supposed to have six years ago, finally possible.
Then terror crashes over it. A child. In the middle of this nightmare.
"Maksim?" Her voice is uncertain. "Say something."
"I'm going to be a father." The words feel surreal. "We're having a baby."
"Yes." She touches her stomach. "I know the timing is terrible. That this complicates everything. But I—"
I kiss her. Cut off whatever she was about to say with my mouth on hers. I’m terrified and joyful and overwhelmed all at once.
"This is—" I pull back, my hands framing her face. "This changes everything."
