Chapter 40

Chapter

Forty

"Children see magic because they look for it."

― Christopher Moore

Caia

"Look, Lukyan, look at the swans!" I said with a grin, scooping him up and moving closer to the lake, pointing eagerly.

His giggles filled the air, his adorable toothless smile lighting up his face as his chubby arms reached out, as if to touch the graceful birds. My son loves this park as much as I do.

I can hardly believe it's been two years since I took those first pictures of Alexsei here. His portraits still hang in my little office gallery, alongside photos of Lukyan from his birth—nestled on Alexsei's bare chest, his blond hair full, his nose adorably tiny, and his little lips parted .

Over the months, I've snapped countless photos of my husband and son, together or apart, in the park, at home, in the manor—anywhere and anytime I could.

Feeling a wave of nostalgia, I twirl my son in my arms, his tiny body pressed close as he laughs. In this moment, time seems to pause, allowing us to bask in the simple pleasure of being together in our favorite place. Memories flood my mind, each one a cherished snapshot stored deep in my heart.

I never imagined that having a child would bring me so much happiness. Overwhelmed with love, I walked over to the bench where the stroller was parked and settled my son on my lap.

"I love you so much," I said, showering his chubby cheeks with kisses. "I love you to the moon and back," I continued, bombarding him with affection as he giggled and grabbed my cheeks. I could just eat those little rosy cheeks.

"I can't believe you're cheating on me in public, and with this tiny man? I thought what we had was special, Caia."

I stopped abruptly, theatrically rolling my eyes without even looking up. "Oh no, Romaniev. You caught me red-handed," I replied, feigning remorse as I tickled my son's tummy. "Sorry, but my heart can only handle one tiny man at a time."

Alexsei scoffed. "Oh, baby, you know there's nothing tiny about me. But if you need a reminder, I'm all yours tonight, ready to show you just how big I can get."

Gosh, my husband's crazy.

"Stop," I exclaimed, my eyes widening as I covered my son's ears. "He can hear you, you know? Don't corrupt his innocent mind!"

But, alas, my little traitor turned his head with glee, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously as he bounced up and down, his arms flailing in the air as he called out for his papa again and again.

"That's my boy," Alexsei laughed, pulling him into a tight hug. He then sat down beside me, planting a soft peck on my lips before wrapping an arm around my shoulders, drawing me closer.

"You're late," I said, stifling a yawn as I watched the sunset, the rays disappearing through the big lake. I'd been strolling around with Lukyan in his stroller, making a pit stop for some ice cream throughout the afternoon. Sadly, just like his dad, my little monster turned his nose up at pistachio.

Alexsei texted earlier, promising to meet up, but I had a feeling work would keep him busy longer.

"And I guess I was right."

"I know," he sighed. "Igor's still not back, so Volk and I have a ton of shit to deal with."

I let out a tired hum and closed my eyes briefly, feeling exhausted from the day. Entertaining a baby nearly non-stop was no joke. "So, Volk thinks I'm unsatisfied, huh?" I remarked, a hint of amusement in my voice.

Alexsei's expression darkened, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. "He's a fucking asshole," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice.

I chuckled as my phone chimed.

Mankiev:

I want to meet my grandson tonight .

Bring him to me, Caia.

It had been almost two years since I last saw my father, and life had been considerably better without him. Alexsei had made it abundantly clear he was out of my life for good. Yet, when he mentioned wanting to kill him, I had pleaded with him not to. I didn't want him to stain his hands for nothing.

I genuinely believed the best punishment my father could endure was to be completely and utterly alone.

I knew he was drowning in monstrous debt, and his shady business was barely hanging on, practically nonexistent by now. I harbored not an ounce of pity for him—he deserved every bit of his fate, and more.

Of course, word had spread like wildfire through the city's gossip mill about my pregnancy and the birth of our baby. For the past year, my father had been relentless in his attempts to see our child.

I never told Alexsei about the constant barrage of harassing texts. I had no intention of sharing them, knowing it would only fuel his thirst for revenge. Keeping it to myself felt like the best course of action, even though it was wearing me down.

"What is it?" Alexsei asked, his brows furrowing.

I quickly tucked my phone back into my purse. "Nothing, just Valeria asking for some advice. She's going on a date tonight," I lied, guilt tugging at me for not telling him the truth.

In a way, I wasn't completely lying. Valeria had texted me earlier, saying she was finally going on a date after years of being single, but she was unusually secretive about who her mystery man was. I couldn't help but wonder.

"Hmm," he murmured, laying Lukyan back in his stroller as he yawned and immediately closed his eyes, clutching his little plush wolf—a gift from Volk. "So, what advice did you give her?"

"A lap dance," I replied casually.

His brow shot up. "A lap dance?"

"Yeah," I shrugged, biting my lip to hold back a smirk. "She needs some excitement; it's been way too long for her. "

Alexsei stayed quiet for a moment, clearly processing what I just said. Unable to hold back my amusement, I got up, grabbed the stroller, and started walking along the lake.

"Ever think about taking your own advice?" Alexsei teased, catching up to me.

I scoffed, incredulous. "Not a chance. You don't deserve a lap dance from me."

There was no way—I wasn't that confident yet.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he gave my ass a light slap before wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "We'll see about that."

I looked at her suspiciously, lips pursed, as she continued to ignore me and played with Lukyan. She repeatedly showed him a little soldier doll, but each time, my baby showed no interest.

"What was your date's name again? I forgot."

She smiled at my son as he reached for the little police car she held in her right hand. "I didn't tell you his name because that's none of your business," she laughed as Lukyan grabbed the car and promptly threw it away. For some reason, my baby hated that little police car.

I crossed my arms, suspicion rising. "What are you hiding?"

She rolled her eyes and sat down on the couch, but not before giving my son other toys to play with. "I'm not hiding anything."

"Yes, you are!"

"I am not."

A sudden fear gripped my chest.

No .

It couldn't be.

It's impossible.

But I still had to ask.

"Don't tell me you're dating Volk, please," I begged.

"What?" She exclaimed, her face wincing in shock. "No! I swear it's not him!"

Relief flooded through me, and my shoulders relaxed.

"Thank God," I breathed out. I would have lost my mind if Volk had found a way to date my best friend. I don't want him anywhere near her—I already have to share my husband with him; I don't want to share my best friend too.

I invited Valeria for tea today because I knew she usually doesn't work on Wednesday afternoons, and her date was yesterday. So, I needed as much information as I could get my hands on.

My excitement suddenly skyrocketed. "So, how was it? Where did he take you? Did you have sex? Is?—"

"Calm down," she interrupted, her hands on my shoulders. "You're more hyped than I was, and I'm the one who went on the date, for heaven's sake."

"But I am your best friend, and you don't tell me anything," I pouted. "I want to know every single detail."

Valeria took a sip of her chamomile tea, chuckling softly, her eyes sparkling with mischief as a sudden rosy hue colored her cheeks. "Okay, but don't freak out."

Oh my God, that definitely means I know the guy.

"I won't," I assured her, crossing my legs eagerly.

"Alright," Valeria began slowly, taking a deep breath. "He's… younger than me."

My eyes widened in curiosity. "How much younger?"

There was a moment of silence, only interrupted by Lukyan humming and playing with his toy.

"Valeria!" I exclaimed in shock. "How much younger? "

She hesitated before muttering, "Much younger..."

"Oh my God," I burst out laughing, unable to believe it. "You cougar!"

I couldn't believe it! I never expected Valeria to be attracted to younger men.

Valeria chuckled nervously, holding up a hand. "Stop judging me!"

"I'm not," I managed between fits of laughter, tears welling up in my eyes and my cheeks hurting. "But wait… how old is he?"

Setting her cup down, Valeria got up and reached for Lukyan, cradling him in her arms as she walked around the living room, stroking his hair while he nestled against her shoulder. "Okay, but wait, don't freak out this time because… you know him."

My brow arched. "Okay…"

I tried to think of men I knew who could be younger and that Valeria might be dating, but no name came to mind.

"Valeria, just spill?—"

"It's Dve."

A shocked breath escaped my mouth, and I opened it so wide that millions of flies could've found refuge in it. I froze, unable to process her revelation.

"Dve?" I finally managed to sputter.

Valeria nodded slowly. "Yeah, it's Dve."

I blinked rapidly, my thoughts spinning.

"Alexsei's Dve?" I asked again, raising an eyebrow. "Dve as in the man who's famous for his two-second performance in bed? That Dve?"

I recalled the first time I met Dve two years ago at Igor's office. My father had asked me to drop off some documents, and I encountered Dve outside the room, engrossed in a boxing game on his phone. Despite his imposing stature—over 6'3" with wide shoulders and big biceps—he seemed surprisingly nice and a bit shy. He mentioned that my father was waiting inside, his voice so soft I almost didn't hear him.

Weeks later, a few days after my wedding, I asked Alexsei what his name was, and he told me "Dve" as in the number Two, because for his first time with a lady, he only lasted two seconds. The nickname stuck, and everyone calls him that. Poor thing.

"Well, more like two hours with me, darling, but—" Valeria's remark interrupted my thoughts.

My eyes widened even more, and I couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

"Wait! How… When… What?" I stammered, trying to formulate a coherent question.

Valeria gave me a wide smile. "I know, it's surprising. We didn't plan for this to happen."

I was completely speechless. I wonder if Alexsei knew.

"What do you mean?"

She continued to walk around with my son, the rhythmic motion soothing him as he fell asleep in her arms, his lips parted with little snorts escaping. "Well, I kinda lied to you, but don't freak out," she confessed.

I stood up too, taking our cups and heading to the kitchen to put them in the sink. My brows furrowed. "Okay, now I'm totally gonna freak out."

Valeria chuckled nervously, biting her lip. "We've actually been dating for a few… months now."

"WHAT?" I gasped, my hand flying to cover my mouth to stifle any sound. I didn't want to wake my son. Or worse, scare him. "What?" I repeated in a hushed tone, placing my hands on my hips.

"I know," Valeria said, approaching me and taking my hand. "Please forgive me! We just wanted to see if it would lead to something or not, and?—"

Confused, I crossed my arms. "Wait… how did you two even meet?"

Valeria paused, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips, though her eyes betrayed a hint of guilt.

"Valeria…"

"I don't think that really matters?—"

"Valeria," I interrupted her, my tone sharp as I fixed her with a piercing stare. "When did you two meet?"

She gulped, her expression shifting nervously. "When he held me at gunpoint on your wedding night…"

I stayed silent, my eyes nearly popping out of my head from shock.

Oh gosh, that's true—I had almost forgotten. But wait… she's dating someone who held her at gunpoint? Seriously? We really aren't the smartest duo.

"Then we saw each other again at your son's baptism, and it just… clicked."

"At church?" I asked, utterly bewildered.

Alexsei had insisted on baptizing Lukyan, wanting to continue a tradition passed down from his grandfather. Our gathering was intimate, with only close family and friends, officiated by the same priest who had married us. It was a beautiful ceremony.

"Yes."

"Okay..."

"We had sex in that same church minutes after everyone left," she admitted rapidly.

" In the church?!" I exclaimed, my hands flying up in shock, my jaw hitting the floor, eyes as wide as watermelons.

"In the parking lot," Valeria admitted, her cheeks flushing red with guilt.

My head was spinning. This was definitely not what I expected to hear over casual tea. The image of that church, once peaceful and sacred in my mind, was now tainted with a completely unexpected and obscene image.

"Valeria," I laughed, shaking my head. "Just so you know, in church , you're supposed to get on your knees for God, not a man!"

Valeria chuckled. "I know, please don't judge me! He is too?—"

I covered my ears dramatically. "I don't want to know!"

She grinned widely. "He makes me happy, Caia. Truly happy."

I bet she was especially thrilled about having two-hour sex sessions now. With freaking Dve. I still can't believe it.

"That's what matters, then," I replied, giving her a warm side hug.

Jeez. I guess life really has a way of surprising us when we least expect it.