Damned: Chapter 41) I Eat Soup With a Dagger

The drive towards our destination felt like forever. Not that I know what forever feels like, I’ve barely hit my thirties but look at the shit that I was being hit with already. Vitaly and Archer followed us behind since it clearly had no space for them in our vehicle. Honestly, the pain was becoming unbearable by the second, so much so that I lost track of time.

“We’re here.” I heard Natalia announce as Nik parked the car in an empty space.

As I came out of the car, I was taken aback by the exquisite hotel before me. It wasn’t that big nor was it small, but damn, it was something that shouldn’t have been photographed and posted in a magazine to be admired. Crystal lights adorned the entire building as parts of the ground were paved in marble and river stones which oddly seemed to complement each other. The architect and designer of this place definitely needed to be commended for their work.

“Ah Miss Osenova!” an elderly man greeted us clad in a rich gold suit, “I’m so happy to see you again, please make yourself and your friends comfortable. Our guests are treated like our family! If you need anything don’t be afraid to ask the employees.”

“Thank you, Mr. Richard. These are trying times for both myself and my… family.” She smiled gratefully and he walked ahead so we’ll follow him in.

Somehow the way she said that made me feel the pain that seeped through it. She really had no one who genuinely loved her. Natalia had no family. Vitaly was the only one she had and he was selfish and never been there for her emotionally. Her sister died, her mother is dead, her father never cared about her, her grandfather assaulted her, and my brother who apparently she loved was just using her to get to his selfish motive and save himself. Yet, she still upheld this strong exterior and I never knew how much I could admire a person for the strength they had until I looked at Natalia Osenova. The sudden thought of Oksana’s death cross my mind and that fight between her and Natalia, Oksana must have known about Natalia’s relationship with Anthony- that’s what she meant that day. Vitaly and Archer arrived and followed us in. At the corner of my eyes, I noticed Vitaly looking at me, probably noticing and laughing at my limp as I walked.

Moe smugly smiled at Natalia as Mr. Richard walked off and left us at the receptionist, “So, that’s your sugar daddy?”

“None of my daddies are filled with sugar, Moville, if you must know. And no, Jason Richard owed me a favor, he’s just fulfilling that.”

“Favor for what?” I asked.

She went silent for a few seconds and sighed, “Three years ago his wife was hospitalized and he was wrongfully jailed for the murder of his business partner. His wife would have died if he didn’t get out soon to pay for her treatment.”

“So you bailed him out. Why did you take the initiative to help?” Nik questioned curiously, “You don’t even know them.”

“Does it matter, Nik?” she snapped, “Does it? Do we need to know someone personally to help someone? What would have happened to his two daughters if he stayed in jail and their mother died?”

“You did the right thing,” Archer assured her as he held her gaze with his.

“Well,” Vitaly cleared his throat, “Let’s leave it at that.”

“What’s going to happen now?” Anthony asked.

“We’re safe here.” Natalia stated, “Richard has the area guarded so we’ll have time to leave and god forbid but catch a flight before they get to us, he has a private jet ready if anything otherwise occurs.”

“Hashtag I catch flights not feels.” Moe grinned holding his phone up, “And no, no one is allowed to steal my caption.”

“I’ll try not to, buddy.” Nik chuckled.

We booked one of their large suites with a two-room spread-out plan, noting that clearly, no one would probably be sleeping other than me. It was probably best if we all stayed together anyway.

“For the first time in a while, I feel a bit safe.” Anthony let out a relieved sigh.

“You really shouldn’t.” Vitaly retorted back at him as he collected the room key from the receptionist, “Wouldn’t want someone with an agenda against you to choke you in your sleep.”

“Stop it, Vitaly,” I warned.

 “Miss Donovan if-”

“She’s not a Donovan,” Anthony mumbled softly to himself yet I heard it and I couldn’t help but feel like he was ripping my identity apart so much so that I felt like my soul was bleeding.

“I’m going to speak to Richard, you all can go up to the room, I’ll join you shortly,” Natalia said.

“I’ll join you. I would like to speak to Richard as well.” Archer responded and touched my shoulder slightly, “Get some rest, and please trust me, you’re safe. I’ll be back soon.”

I wasn’t sure what to think or how to feel with that but this sort of brotherly comfort is what I craved from Anthony yet he seemed to have disowned me.

“I’ll wait here in the lobby,” Anthony suggested, clearly he was nervous being around Vitaly and I knew I probably should have been but at this point, I just really didn’t know where my priorities should be right now, my body still ached from everything and I’m pretty sure something was broken inside me.

As we walked towards the elevator, Moe stopped and I saw his face beamed bright red, “Casino!”

“Bro,” Nik laughed, “I’m in.”

“Will be right back, Piranha,” Moe assured me as they left me and the bastard at the elevator.

“Katherine, we need to talk.” He said as we entered the elevator.

“Just because I’m alone with you right now doesn’t mean you can. I don’t wish to speak or have anything to do with you, Rostov. I’ve been through enough.”

“I know that. I deserve every shit insult you’re throwing to me right now.”

“I haven’t even started and quite frankly I don’t feel like wasting my time doing that. You’re not even worth my time.”

“Listen to me, Katherine.” He tried to reason as the elevator opened to our floor.

“And why should I?” I slammed verbally, as we stood outside the room door, “Why should I believe anything you say to me? I trusted you prior to everything you did to me. Honestly, you know I had no reason to trust you but I still did! I thought that maybe regardless of everything you still had a heart but I was so wrong.”

“Katherine,”

“Don’t Katherine me!” I aggressively pushed him but he was unfazed by that, “You and your sick grandfather! You always do what he wants. You let your mother’s health deteriorate just to do his biddings and as much as you won’t like hearing it you’re nothing but his puppet. He doesn’t love you nor did he ever love your father because if he did he probably would have let him and Aubrey Donovan-my- Anthony’s mother be together! But no! You still chose to respect that piece of old rotting shit you call a grandfather. Do you even know what he did to Natalia? He sexually assaulted her! But you won’t even care. You never cared about her and her feelings. It’s always about yourself and that stupid folder. Well, look what it got us! I hope your Ded is dead soon!”

For the first time I saw Vitaly’s expression faltered a bit and his eyes softening but I pushed it away, I was probably imagining things.

“I- didn’t- when- when did this happen with Natalia?”

“Oh don’t pretend like you care. Then you’ll say you didn’t know Marc is dead too.” I answered with a sob.

“What? Marc’s dead?”

“Just open the door, Vitaly.” I sighed.

“Katherine, I had no idea of any of this.”

“Like you’ll say now that you weren’t even aware that Marc’s wife died and you took advantage of his memory loss of her death just for your selfish goals?”

“Believe me or not but I was not aware Marc even had a wife. We weren’t personal. All I was aware of is what my grandfather told me that Marc will assist me. As far as I knew, I thought he was just helping for the money he got out of that.”

“Well Alecovich, grand-papi lied to you. Still doesn’t change anything, now open the door.”

He seemed reluctant so I grabbed the keys away and effortlessly failed and struggled to open the door until he held it over my hand and unlocked it holding the door open with a cryptic yet serious expression, “I’m sorry.”

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