“Oh. Maksim isn’t…” Honestly. I don’t know what Maksim is and yet, the fact that I feel the need to defend him is interesting. It’s a feeling I’ve never had before.
“At least he’s handsome,” Sherry says. “My husband is fat and ugly. So you got lucky there.”
My mind flashes back to Maksim, killing that man right before my very eyes. “Yes. Lucky,” I lie.
Kira looks over my shoulder and frowns. “Ugh. What is she doing here?”
I follow her line of sight to see a tall, beautiful brunette enter the restaurant. She smiles at the other women, looking like a goddess more than a human being. “Who is that?”
“That’s Alexandra. She used to date my brother.”
I go stiff. “What?”
Kira flushes. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. But they’ve been done for years now. They broke up because she cheated on him but everyone assumed they would get married. My brother could never commit. He has issues that way.” She shakes her head. “Sorry. Why am I telling you this? You don’t want to hear it.”
Before I can reply, Alexandra sets her eyes onto me and walks right over. “Who’s this?”
All I feel is small next to her.
And all I can think is that Maksim never chose me, like he chose to be with this woman. And he couldn’t even commit to her. So why would my husband ever commit to me?
Chapter Nine
Irina
“Who’s this?” Alexandra asks again when no one answers her. All the women at the table look around awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
Finally, Kira speaks. “This is Natasha… Maksim’s wife.”
The smile on Alexandra’s face drops. “Maksim? As in my Maksim?”
Kira scoffs. “He wasn’t your Maksim. You cheated on him and ended that relationship.”
“All because he refused to get married. And now you tell me he’s married?”
“You didn’t hear the news, sweetie?” Sherry asks, squeezing Alexandra’s hand, like she’s the one who needs comforting when I’m the one who had to marry a total stranger.
“Clearly not. I’ve been traveling around Europe this past month.”
“They got married less than a week ago,” Margaery says. “Some short honeymoon they had.”
I flush. At least Kira shoots a glare at Margaery. It’s nice knowing someone is on my side.
“What Natasha and my brother do is their business and none of our own,” Kira announces. “Let’s just drop it.”
Alexandra looks me over like I’m gum under her shoe. I’ve never had anyone look at me like this. Not even my father when he would be angry with me. “Why did he choose you? I didn’t even know Maksim was dating anyone.”
“It was an arranged marriage,” I answer after a moment of deafening silence. “For peace.”
“Ah. So Maksim didn’t marry you for love then. He was forced into it. That makes more sense. Because the Maksim I know would never marry anyone. We dated for years and he just refused to marry me.”
“That’s because you’re drama,” Kira says.
Alexandra shoots her a mean side-eye. “No. It was because Maksim is not the kind of man who can ever stay loyal. I only cheated on him because he cheated on me first.”
I duck my chin. This is the last sort of news I want to hear. The fact that Maksim might cheat on me hurts me to my soul. I know our marriage was one neither one of us wanted but it’s still something we have to respect. If Maksim can’t do that…
“I suggest we change the topic,” Irina says. “I didn’t have the best experience with one of my husband’s past girlfriends. Maksim and Natasha are married now. That’s final. I say we move on.”
