Page 95 of Sweet Deception

“Anna...” Zoya called gently.

I sighed, “His sister is with my father. He won’t be himself knowing my father is... is hurting her.” My voice wavered. “How will he sleep? How will he even look at me, the daughter of the man who’s destroying his sister? The daughter of the woman who murdered his mother?”

Elisabetta reached for my hand. “Talk to him, Anna. Make him trust you. He always handles things alone, but this time, he can’t. Not without you. And not without Maria.”

I nodded slowly. “Thank you, Zoya.”

She patted my hand before standing. “Let me check what’s burning in the kitchen.”

I watched her walk away, her words still ringing in my ears.

Could I fight for this marriage?

For Gleb?

For us?

Chapter 20

GLEB

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I stormed into my study and slammed the door shut with a force that rattled the frame. A glass flew from my hand, shattering against the wall.

“Damn the Romanos.”

I paced back and forth. Sad. Hurt. Angry. Helpless. I had never felt all these emotions at once, never let them consume me the way they did now.

Finally, I grabbed my phone and dialed Morris, my consigliere.

“Meet me at the house.”

A pause. Then, “Huh? You never wanted me around there. What’s going on?”

“Just do as I said.” My voice was sharper than intended.

“How about Anna? Will she be comfortable with my presence? You told me you didn’t want her knowing too much.”

“Yeah. But things are complicated now,” I muttered, rubbing my temple.

Another pause. Then, “I’ll be there in a jiffy.”

I tossed my phone onto the table and reached for a cigarette, lighting it with a flick of my lighter. My chest felt tight, as if rage and grief had coiled together and refused to let me breathe.

The door creaked open, and I spun around, pulse still roaring in my ears.

Anna.

“Gleb.”

“Get out.”

She hesitated, swallowing hard. “No.”

I turned fully toward her, my voice low, laced with warning. “You don’t want to be here right now.”

“I don’t care.” She stepped into the room, her defiance soft but unyielding. “I know you’re hurting. But shutting me out won’t help either of us.”