It’s now been four days since Natasha had been in Huxley’s custody. Titiana and Pavel were also with her. Pavel was still trying to recover from the extreme beating that was inflicted on him yesterday by Huxley. He had never imagined himself being beaten in that manner. His back had been severely bruised and was covered in welts.
Throughout the time Pavel was being beaten, Natasha could only sob hard. Titiana didn’t cry but her already broken heart shattered even more.
“Pavel, I’m so sorry,” Natasha says.
“I just want us to be…” He winced and continued, “to be out of here as soon as possible.”
And then, sounds of chaos suddenly erupted. Gunshots could be heard here and there.
“It will be okay, it will be okay,” Pavel said to the two women with him, for they were already shivering in fear.
Then a man suddenly rolled towards them, this man was covered in blood and once it was no longer moving, Natasha gasped at the sight before her. The man was dead but his left eye looked like it had been shot.
And then appeared a long leg before them, Natasha’s jaw dropped when she saw Dmitry, dressed in a pure white suit however, his hand was stained with blood. He walked straight towards Titiana and immediately loosened her.
Titiana wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tight. Yuri appeared in no time and then loosened Pavel and Natasha also.
Dmitry, after disengaging from his sister’s hug, set his gaze on Natasha and then at Pavel. “Lead the two to the hospital.” He commanded. Yuri then leads Pavel and Natasha to the hospital while Dmitry leads Tiana out slowly.
“I’ll send you abroad, okay? I don’t want you to ever experience this again,” Dmitry said. This time, himself and Titiana were already inside the car.
Titiana shook her head, signaling that she didn’t want to go.
“Titiana, you need to.”
Titiana said in sign language , “Just increase the security measures around me and I’ll be fine.”
She added, “plus I don’t want to be far away from Natasha, I like her. She’s a good woman.”
Dmitry was a little surprised that she referred to Natasha as a good woman. “Alright.” Was the only word he said.
Natasha was in a different ward while Pavel was in another word. Natasha was at the moment receiving drip, her back had been well treated but it was still aching her. Honestly, if she had been beaten like Pavel was, there’s no doubt she would die.
She will always be indebted to Pavel. While on her bed, the door opened. She was stunned to see Dmitry. Did he come to check on her? She knew she didn’t matter to him.
“Hi!” She finds herself greeting first.
“What did your ex boyfriend want from you?” Dmitry asked with a cold look.
Natasha exhaled, “he wants revenge because I slept with someone else after catching him cheating on me.”
“He didn’t do anything to Titiana, did he?” Dmitry questioned.
“He did not.” Natasha didn’t bother to say that Huxley masturbated while staring at her. Technically, Huxley didn’t hurt her but psychologically, he might.
“What did he do to you?”
“He flogged me once. He was about to continue flogging me when Pavel decided to receive the punishment on my behalf.” She said.
Dmitry remained quiet for a while. He could not help but notice how lean she had become, coupled with the fact that she looked exhausted.
“Your ex boyfriend made a grave mistake of including my sister in his ploy. Whoever gave him that advice is wicked.” Dmitry says.
“I buried his mother, father, grandfather and uncle alive. Their bodies are covered with heavy sands but their heads could be seen on the surface. Rain and snow will pour on them and they won’t be able to hide. Sun will shine with its full strength on them and they won’t be able to hide.”
“The younger ones will throw stones at their heads and the elderly ones of our city will match them. They will be ridiculed by both foreigners and citizens. This will remind everyone in Leaf City that the Pushkin’s family is not to be toyed with.”
Natasha’s heart kept pounding hard against her ribcage as he heard him speak. “What about Huxley?”
“I let him live. He should watch the fate that had befallen his family.” Dmitry said. “But he’s left with nothing. No company to his name. All his assets had been seized and his bank account had been frozen. His international passport has been seized as well so he’s stuck here in the city.” Dmitry said.
“He deserves it.” Natasha says.
“I didn’t do it for you,” Dmitry said, breaking Natasha’s heart.
“You did it for Titiana, I know.” She looked away. She almost shed tears. She wondered why this man disliked her but then she remembered it’s not even about her, it’s about women in general.
But his little sister is a lady, why is he treating her with such gentleness? Such care?
“I hope you heal completely,” Dmitry said and turned.
“I’m sure your sister will be heavily protected now. How about her doctor? If anything happens to me, she will not be able to recover again. Don’t you want your sister to speak again?”
Dmitry turned to her. “If you want my protection, then you have to be useful?”
“In what way? I’m ready. Just state whatever you want, as long as you will guarantee the protection of myself and the people living with me, I’ll do it,” Natasha said. For she didn’t ever want to experience being kidnapped again. Her experience in Huxley’s custody was so traumatizing.
“I’ll think about it.”
“But I need your protection from this moment henceforth, please.” Natasha pleaded. “I know I don’t matter to you but please. I have so many enemies now. My father, Huxley… Eventhough Huxley is without nothing, he will still haunt me.” Just as she finished saying this, her phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number.
Dmitry permitted her to answer the call so she did. “Natasha, I need you to beg Dmitry for me. Please? I don’t want my family to die, not this way.” The person pleading on the other end was Huxley.
“You even had the courage to call me?” Natasha asked with a clenched jaw.
“Otherwise, I’ll murder your kids. If anything happens to my family, your twin is as good as dead. Better do something about it,” he said and hung up.
The room was very quiet so Dmitry heard everything that Huxley said on the phone. It’s just that he didn’t see how Natasha could be useful to him.
Natasha then thought, assuming she was married to him, he’ll be obligated to protect her. Afterall, she will now be carrying his surname. He won’t allow anything bad to happen to her even if he has no affection towards her. But then, he’s already married to Ruby.
And how awkward will it be if she starts to ask him to marry her. She’s not that cheap. There has to be another way.
“It seems you won’t have any problem if Kenji ends up as your personal bodyguard. No one will dare to get close to you when they see Kenji around you always,” Dmitry said.
“In return, you pay Kenji a hundred thousand dollars every month.” Dmitry added.
Natasha’s eyes furrowed in shock. Hundred thousand dollars a month? Where would she see such money? It’s true she had the five hundred thousand dollars advance payment but that can only last five months even if she were to use the money. But she didn’t plan on using the money as she planned on returning it back in case Titiana doesn’t speak.
“I won’t be able to afford it in the long run,” Natasha said.
“Just so you know, Kenji will collect six months advance payment before he agrees to protect you.” Dmitry said.
“That means I’m paying six hundred thousand dollars upfront?”
Dmitry didn’t respond.
She exhaled with a sour heart. “Can I get a cheaper bodyguard?”
“Kenji is powerful. He’s the one I’ll recommend. But you may seek bodyguards from private security companies, that’s your choice,” Dmitry said. Natasha understood what Dmitry meant by ‘powerful.’
When the word ‘powerful’ is used in Leaf City, it means the person possesses financial, political and military power.
“I’ll think about it.”
Dmitry then turned and disappeared.
Natasha shut her eyes wondering what to do. The door then opened and on opening her eyes, she immediately sat upright. Shock gripping her heart. The persons who walked in were Ruby, Zara and her father.
“My dear daughter, I heard you got kidnapped,” Zara rushed to Natasha, “you have grown so lean, my days! What did they do to you?”
Natasha was taken aback by Zara’s acting. She wondered if the woman had gone crazy. The relationship between herself and Zara was very sour and distant yet she’s acting like they share a mother- daughter relationship.
“Zara, I told you already not to care much about this witch,” Lewis said.
“No, I can’t do that. I have the same love that I have for Ruby for my dear Natasha.” Zara said.
Natasha was wondering what these three people are here to do. They definitely didn’t mean good for her, are they here to hurt her? She was scared. Should she scream? Will that help?