14: Mr Expensive

KATHY

"It's nothing serious" I said quickly, forcing a smile, "I was just trying to get her comfortable with the new language.

Viktor didn't look convinced at all. His Gray eyes settled on me. It almost was almost unsettling how he didn't seem to have any emotions.

If I hadn't seen him with Anya, I'd have thought he didn't feel anything at all.

Anya suddenly tugged on his hand and spoke in Russian rapidly, pointing at me once before turning back to look at him.

I watched the both of them carefully, Viktor listened to her without interrupting. He murmured something back to her, his deep voice calm and steady.

Anya nodded enthusiastically.

Then he looked at me. This time, there was something different in his expression.

He kept on staring at me and my heart pounded rapidly in my chest. Viktor was definitely suspicious of me, I had to keep my head low.

"What?" I asked breaking the uncomfortable silence.

He looked at me for another moment before shaking his head.

He spoke to Anya for a minute, then kissed her forehead before walking out.

Phew!

That was close.

I let out a slow breath and Anya ran towards me, her arms wrapping around my waist.

I was startled for a moment, before hugging her back.

"Thank you" I said softly and in that moment, I thought about how her little heart was going to break when I bring them down.

______________

Later that afternoon I left the mansion and headed to the hospital.

Nana was about to get discharged today and I just had to be there, I didn't care about Viktor's rules about leaving the mansion.

I spotted Gabby almost immediately.

She was sitting beside Nana's bed, peeling an orange while Nana complained about the hospital food.

"I've eaten cardboard with more flavor," Nana grumbled.

Gabby burst into laughter.

"Nana, you've never eaten cardboard."

"I might as well have."

"Nana."

"What?"

I smiled before any of them noticed me.

"Katherine!" Nana beamed.

"There she is," Gabby said. "Your favorite granddaughter finally remembered you."

I snorted.

"I'm your only granddaughter."

"Technically."

Nana reached for my hand as I walked over.

"You look tired." She said.

"I'm fine."

"You've always been a terrible liar."

I laughed softly.

"You're supposed to be getting discharged today, not interrogating me."

"Old habits die hard."

The doctor came in a few minutes later, went over Nana's medications one last time and finally cleared her to leave.

Relief washed over me.

I hadn't realized how terrified I'd been of losing her. I couldn't even bare the thought of it.

We gathered Nana's things and walked out of the hospital and we all got into my car.

Nana was at the back while Gabby and I were at the front.

The drive home was peaceful, normal.

The most normal thing that had happened to me in the last 2 weeks.

Gabby talked almost the entire time while I drove and Nana occasionally interrupted her.

We finally got to the house and as soon as we got inside, I helped Nana settle on the couch in the living room.

Oh how I'd missed home.

I made sure Nana was comfortable and I rearranged a few things in the kitchen so she wouldn't have to reach too high to get some stuff.

As I arranged here and there, Nana whined about how she was still very capable and not dead yet. I completely ignored all of her protests.

Iris was still nowhere to be found, the bitch. And honestly I had absolutely no interest in finding her.

She had better not show her face in the house unexpectedly again, else I'd get a restraining order against her.

She didn't even have the decency to show up to the hospital to check up on Nana, or at least even called. And this was all her fault.

I was in Nana's room arranging and cleaning the place up when Nana came in and attempted to pick up the laundry basket.

I swiped it out of her hand and she chuckled.

"I had a heart attack, both of my arms are perfectly fine"

"You still need to rest and you're not lifting anything" I told her.

"I raised a very bossy girl" she smiled getting on the bed.

"Yes you did" I said smirking.

I kept the laundry basket in the laundry room and sighed. I went back to her room and knelt beside her.

"Nana" I started, wondering how she was going to feel. "I got another job"

She was shocked for a minute before recovering.

"But you already have a job" she argued.

"I know. But this one pays better, and I still get to do my first job"

Her smile slowly faded.

"What kind of job is it?"

"I'm just tutoring a little kid" I smiled at the thought of Anya, "but the job was only offered as a live-in position"

That got her to frown immediately.

"So you'll be away often?" She asked, her voice tainted with sadness.

"Only for a while" I nodded, "3 months, maybe"

"I don't like the sound of that" she sighed.

"I know Nana, but it'll help pay the bills"

She looked defeated at the mention of that. Oh how I wish things were different.

"I was thinking..." I hesitated, considering how she'd feel. "I'm going to hire someone to help around the house"

Nana immediately looked offended.

"I don't need help" she frowned.

"I know but you nearly died, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happens to you"

A drop of tear rolled down her cheek and I wiped it off, trying hard not to cry.

"I'd still visit"

"You better" she said and we both laughed

Nana reached out for my hand and squeezed it gently "Promise me you'll be safe"

"I promise" I nodded.

After a while Nana dozed off and I covered her with a blanket, placed a kiss on her head and I left the room.

Gabby was waiting in the kitchen, stuffing food in her mouth. She had made two cups of tea and she slid one towards me.

"You look like hell" She said, food still stuffed in her mouth.

"Thanks" I murmured,"and you need to stop stuffing food in your mouth"

Gabby was a big girl. She didn't weigh the usual 50 or 60kg. I honestly didn't care about her weight or her size, but back in college other people often liked making fun of her, but she didn't care much though.

"Who cares" she said stressing the word.

"I care Gabriella. I might not care about your size but I don't want you to die from some sort of disease from overeating" I said snatching a burger out of her hand.

She pouted her lips and tried to trick me with puppy dog eyes, but I didn't fall for it.

I ate the remainder of the burger and she looked like I had committed the worst crime.

"So..." She started and I eyed her. "Tell me everything"

"About...?" I asked sipping some tea.

"The man" She smirked and I almost choked on my tea.

"There's no man"

"Liar"

I sighed dramatically. She knew me too well.

"Fine fine. There is someone"

"I knew it!" She jumped as her eyes widened.

"I didn't say I liked him"

"You didn't have to, I can already tell"

I groaned.

"He's..." I started, searching for the right word, "Complicated"

"They're always complicated." Gabby laughed.

"He's quiet."

"Mhm."

"Annoyingly calm."

"Mhm."

"He barely talks."

"Mhm."

"He has this habit of looking at people like he already knows what they're thinking."

Gabby's grin only grew wider.

"Oh, this is serious."

"It isn't." I shook my head.

"It absolutely is."

"I'm not interested."

"What's his name?"

I hesitated "Viktor."

"Viktor." She repeated it slowly.

I nodded.

"Sounds expensive." She said and I laughed

"You have no idea."

"So what does Mr. Expensive do?"

My fingers tightened slightly around my mug.

"I... actually don't know much about him" I lied.

Gabby studied me for a moment before she continued to torment me.

"You like him."

"I don't."

"You've smiled three times while talking about him."

"I have not."

"You absolutely have."

I opened my mouth to argue but my phone vibrated on the table.

Unknown Number.

I frowned.

"Expecting someone?" Gabby asked.

"No"

But I answered anyway.

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

"Come home. Now."

The deep voice sent an unexpected shiver down my spine.

Viktor.

My heart skipped.

"What?"

"Now, Zayka."

The line went dead.

I stared at my phone.

Gabby's smile disappeared.

"Katherine..."

"What happened?"

I slowly stood up, already reaching for my bag.

"I don't know but I have to go" I said my pulse racing.

Did something happen to Anya? Judging by his voice... Had he found out things about me?

My head was spiralling.

I kissed Gabby goodbye and jumped into my car, driving back to his place.