Chapter 3 Secrets

It was strange to wake up in the bed where Mikhail had shared illicit passionate nights with Elena.

That was years ago, before he had stood against his father and married the family maid, only to have her walk all over his heart.

But now, things were different, and he was going to ensure that she got that into her pretty head.

The tall muscular CEO of chains of companies worth billions of dollars walked down the grand stairs early in the morning, his amber pupils searching for a certain curvy petite woman.

"Morning, son. Hope you slept well? It's still difficult to adjust to...everything."

His stepmother, Rena Volkov, was a beautiful woman, but unlike his late mom, she had turned a blind eye to her husband's numerous affairs.

Mikhail nodded and pulled out a seat for her at the head of the table, going to the other end, just as the rest of the family staggered to breakfast table.

"I really need the coffee strong today, I could barely sleep with all the stench of smoke outside."

"Same here, I will be needing my masseuse now more than ever..."

As they discussed the latest cars and the most expensive bag collection, Mikhail was on the look out for a flaming brunette.

But it was a blonde who appeared, carrying a tray with two younger girls behind her.

"Elena. Where's she?" Mikhail bit out, making no move to disguise his disappointment.

His stepmother scoffed on hearing that name,

"She has taken another weekly Sunday leave; good for her not to show her gold-digging face here."

A weekly Sunday leave?

Mikhail lost his appetite and dropped the napkin, making to stand up when soft fingers wrapped around his wrist.

Rena looked up to him with plea in her eyes,

"You...you won't get back with that bitch who destroyed my marriage, right? Please, do everything to get back what she stole from us."

Those amber pupils were flooded with the questions that had plagued him since night.

Elena was a manipulative bitch with that face of hers that aroused the filthiest thoughts, but his father was no fool.

How the hell had she convinced him to give her half of his property?

Taking a deep breath, he released his palm and marched upstairs, pulling out his ringing phone from his pockets.

The voice at the other end started immediately, "I have the file on Ms Elena Taylor ready. I'm sending it to your email."

Minutes later, Mikhail squeezed the phone in his palm so tightly it almost broke into two.

***

"It's good to see you again, Ms. Taylor. Our patients have really grown fond of you."

Elena smiled as she handed a bulk of cash to the hospital accountant and waited for it to be counted.

"And as usual, right on time every month. Hopefully, we will find a donor and schedule the surgery. And um... I saw what happened on the news, my condolences to Mr. Boris."

An hour later, Elena came down from the bus and walked into the street that had houses as old as her blouse.

She was exhausted and had a dull headache which settled at the back of her head.

As soon as she stepped into the washed building where she lived, she pushed the key into the lock,

But it was open already.

Alarm bells went off in her head, and she grabbed the baseball bat by the corner and opened the door slowly, stepping into her tiny apartment and lifting as soon as she caught sight of a shadow.

However, Elena only succeeded in getting herself surprised.

In the darkness of the dimly lit living room, her back was slammed against the wall, and before she could scream, that familiar rusty voice and powerful cologne stopped her.

"Where are you coming from, Elena?"

Fuck.

Those sharp features and intense amber pupils struck her, then he gripped hold of her palm, taking the bat away.

"None of your fucking business. What the hell are you doing in my apartment? You...you broke in?"

Her eyes were widened in fear, and she had every reason to be.

Because not only was Mikhail Volkov intimidating every other day, but right now, he looked murderously angry.

"Answer me, or should I begin with the most important question, Elena? Were you pregnant with my kid when you left three years ago?"

***

She was busted.

Each second she stared at him with that ethereal beautiful eyes widened in shock pissed him off.

It was one thing to read up her medical records, but it was another to confirm the truth in those crystal eyes.

Those lips which had fucking lied to him again and again trembled, fake tears gathering in her eyes.

"Ho...how did you know?"

The fucking bitch!

Mikhail wrapped his rough palm around her neck, never in his life more tempted to throttle a woman as he was at that moment.

He couldn't describe the agony and rage that burned in his soul, soaking and drowning him in its ugly ocean until he wanted to murder someone.

Her.

"So it's true. You... You walked away with my child and...aborted it. You...you fucking bitch."

Each word he muttered was fueled by agony, the pain of a feeling that had been ripped from him consuming him.

His palm tightened around her throat, and Elena coughed, struggling against his powerful strength.

"I...I..."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, her lips trembling, and all of a sudden, Mikhail wrenched his hand away and took a step back, raking his fingers through his hair.

"Mik, it's not what you think. I actually wanted to tell you, I..."

Elena started to stutter, guilt and that ache returning again, but she was cut off.

"Shut up. I don't wanna hear those fucking lies from your lips again."

Before the petite brunette could say a word, her phone started to ring, and she could have ignored it, except that it was from the hospital.

As Mikhail watched with eyes full of rage and hate, she cleared her throat and picked up the call,

"Hey, why..."

But fate must be making a show of interrupting her,

"Ms Taylor, we've approved your request to transfer the patient under your care to our branch in New York."

Her request?

New York?

Elena's heart pounded as cold realization splashed on her, her eyes widening.

"N...no, I don't make such request. Don't move him, don't you dare or I will speak to the owner of the hospital!"

This time, the phone was taken from her shaky hands, and under her blurry gaze, Mikhail pushed the red button and raised his arrogant shoulders.

"I am now the owner of the hospital, and since this patient is so important to you that you've been paying his medical bills and taking a day off for three years to care for him, I will take him away from you, just like you took my child."

Fuck no.

That delicate olive skin reddened in fear, and she fell on her knees, shaking her head.

"P...Please, don't do this, he...he's innocent. Punish me instead, please."

Mikhail Volkov lowered himself until he gazed into those wet crystal eyes that shone like diamonds,

"He's being transferred to New York already, so if you want this boy toy of yours to live, you will come with me as my mistress, until I decide that I'm tired of you."