Chapter 6

Mikhail

When I got home, I was faced with broken picture frames, some pieces of clothing torn and thrown on the floor, and my fiancée drunk on the couch.

"Can you tell me what the hell is going on, Cristina? — I shouted uncontrollably, I could no longer stand her fits of anger for no reason."

"What’s happening is that I’m tired, Mikhail. You always treat me like a second option, I’m fed up with being nothing but a toy for you. I’m tired of all of this. Will it still be like this when we get married?"

"I don’t want to have this conversation now. I’m tired and I need to rest, I had a long day and I don’t feel like talking to you about this right now." She threw a bottle of whiskey in my direction that only didn’t hit me because I ducked quickly. "Control yourself, woman. I’m fed up with you. Besides being a shallow person, you are also unbalanced and a huge pain in the ass. You may be pretty, but I need something beyond that, I need a responsible woman by my side and if you don’t control these senseless jealousy attacks, there will be no wedding and I will ask for you to be taken to your parents’ house as soon as possible."

I held her wrists firmly, making her twist and fall to her knees on the floor.

"Don’t underestimate me or try to play with me, I am a man and not a spoiled boy. I am not like the men you were used to getting involved with, do you understand me? I can be much worse than you imagine." I released her wrists and threw her onto the couch, watching her terrified look meet my unfriendly one.

I thanked Ella for everything she has done in the past few days and went straight to the bathroom. I put my head under the cold shower water, trying to cool off a bit. Cristina continued with her ridiculous outburst, I sincerely hope that tomorrow she is under control because I won’t be.

Donna

I couldn’t sleep, the anxiety was taking over me and I can’t wait to start working. The clock read 04:37 when Dominic woke up.

"Good morning, son." I kissed his forehead and picked him up, he rubbed his eyes and looked around the place. "We’re living a dream, my love. Mommy will finally be able to give you a better life. Mommy will be able to provide you with good things, the things every child deserves to have."

Dominic is my source of energy. When I found out about the pregnancy, I was lost, but when I saw his eyes for the first time, I felt the purest love within me and since then I can’t imagine myself without him. I didn’t go after the man I was involved with that night, and since then, I haven’t been with anyone else. Jess thinks I need a boyfriend, but I say she’s wrong, even though I miss having a partner on cold nights. I bundled Dom up and called reception, asking them to send breakfast. A knock on the door made me get up, I went to answer hoping it was breakfast, but it was the girl from last night.

"Good morning, Miss Donna. Are you ready to see your house? I apologize for the time, but these are the boss’s orders." Ella was dressed elegantly, she looks like a geisha with her perfect clothes full of vibrant colors.

"Good morning, Miss…" She looked at me and said I could call her Ella. "Ella, would you mind waiting for me to take a shower and eat something? My son hasn’t eaten yet and I’m also…"

"No problem, but we can have breakfast at a wonderful café two blocks from here. That way you get to know the city and I can introduce myself better. Sorry about yesterday, I had a terrible day and didn’t present myself properly."

She sat down and Dominic went straight to her lap, she picked him up and started playing with him.

"I love children, if I could I would have a house with about five." She lifted him and kissed the top of his head, making him laugh with her games and kisses. "I think we’re going to be best friends, Dom."

I took advantage of him being distracted playing with Ella and took a quick shower, put on suitable clothes and was ready. We were about to leave when someone knocked on the door and left breakfast there.

"They never wait for us to open the door, what if there’s no one?" Ella pulled the cart inside the room. I’m starving, but nothing I can’t wait for.

We went down the stairs, I preferred it that way, unless it was something very urgent that couldn’t wait. Dom was restless, and I was already tired.

"You know, Miss Donna, I was surprised when you agreed to move here. People usually love New York, although I’ve never even had the pleasure of visiting." That’s impossible! She looks like she sleeps on money and has never been there? I’m the one who never thought I would live in Russia or rather, work at Cyndi.

"Really?" She looked at me excited and confirmed it. "But it’s not all that either, I don’t think I’ll miss it. Maybe when I go back someday, we’ll go together!" I suggested and she smiled happily.

"So, Dominic. What do you like to eat? — She bent down and picked him up, messing with his hair and touching the tip of his nose."

"Nachos!" Dom raised his hand and said loudly. He is talkative, I feel sorry for her if she gets close to my son and has to answer his endless repeated questions.

"Great, we’ll go to a Mexican restaurant at lunch, now let’s eat because I’m starving too. Can you believe I didn’t even sleep last night? Our boss has a fiancée who is a demon." I looked confused and she didn’t understand if I was ignoring what she was saying or if I didn’t understand anything. "Sorry for my words, but you’ll understand what I’m talking about when you see it with your own eyes."

"If you say so, you can be sure I believe you…" After all, there’s no shortage of unhappy people out there, both men and women.

We talked a lot while she introduced me to some teas, jams and toast (which have very fancy names). Ella is talkative, but she never says more than she should. Besides being kind to me, she has already earned a special place in my heart for the way she treated Dom. This time, we weren’t going by taxi, but in her own car, which was nothing more, nothing less than a Ferrari.

"Look, we didn’t know you were bringing your son, so the nanny we hired will only start tomorrow. We expected you to start working tomorrow, but you two still need to get to know each other." How can I complain? I’m already grateful enough for what they are doing for me, I’ve never seen a company like this, one that helps a single mother, I’ve always seen the opposite.

Her phone beeped and she looked at the notification on the screen and then back at me.

"Change of plans, the nanny is already at your house, just waiting for us. You start tomorrow. Are you anxious?" I took a deep breath and couldn’t hold back the smile that no longer fit on my face.

"I’m very happy. I never thought I would one day be working at Cyndi."

We finally arrived… the large gate looked like it guarded a whole condominium inside, but the truth is that there is only one huge house in the center of it all, with the sea just below the stairs that I will have access to. I am seeing paradise in front of me "someone pinch me!" and that’s what Ella did, she pinched my arm and widened her eyes when I looked at her.

"Shall we? We need to register your fingerprints at the gates and doors." Nothing came out of my mouth, I was completely amazed by everything I was seeing.

Dominic ran when I put him on the ground. I was about to run after him and grab him, but Ella said it was safe and that there was no one else besides us and the nanny inside. Dafne, a cheerful and enthusiastic young woman, she would be Dominic’s nanny and now I think I’ll have someone to talk to here.

"In this notebook are all the notes you need to know. Your son’s school schedule, the days of Russian classes, music lessons and so on… if you want to include any activities, just say so and add them to the schedules and we’ll fit everything in, without bureaucracy."

I was undoubtedly dreaming… I wonder what Jess did for me to get this position, I’m sure she has something to do with it. I thanked Ella for all the reception she was giving me and for all the attention and then we said goodbye. She said she would pick us up for lunch at the Mexican restaurant, as she promised Dom.

"Miss, I hope we have a good relationship. I love children, know that I will do whatever I can to please little Dominic." Even so young, Dafne is very modest. I think I didn’t have many opportunities.

"Of course we will." I replied, astonished by the view I had from up there. It was all impressive and the house then…

The floor is marble, the dining room has a table for 12 people, the living room is the size of my old house, no, it’s much bigger than my old house. My room is something I always dreamed of, and now my son has his too. I threw myself happily onto the huge pouf that was there, right in the middle of the room, while Dafne looked at me without understanding anything.