Dmitry and Natasha stepped out of the car that had just come to a halt at the underground garage of the Pushkin’s mansion. In a jiffy, they were both in the living room.
“It wasn’t intentional, honestly. Titiana and I were only playing hide and seek. I’ll never intrude on your privacy.”
Truth was, Dmitry used to lock up all his private rooms but on that particular day, he had forgotten to lock that very door.
“The woman you saw in there… ” Dmitry paused. Pain could be seen reflecting on his eyeball. “That’s my mother.”
“I’m sorry,” Titiana apologized. “I know how hard it must have been on you but I can try my best to get her on her feet.”
“Not even your master could.”
“Mr. Peller has tried to heal her?” Natasha asked.
“That’s right. He couldn’t change a thing,” Dmitry answered.
Natasha lost all hope at this point. Although she had been doing some silent research lately and it had occupied most of her time. However, she may need a laboratory where she will be able to carry out most of the experiments in her head, that way, she may be able to produce drugs that can cure many of this science incurable disease.
“I can still try,” Natasha insisted. Although Mr. Peller is a master of traditional medicine, Natasha still understood that it is impossible for the old man to know everything plus by reason of old age, the man might have forgotten some methods of healing. “It will be challenging but I think I will be able to pull it off. I’ll be glad if you can build a laboratory where I can work.”
Dmitry didn’t believe she could pull off anything so he ignored what she said and said, “for intruding into my privacy, you can either go to jail or let me punish you my own way.”
Natasha’s heart sunk into her belly, she almost forgot that he had brought her here to punish her for intruding on her own privacy. Going to jail is the last thing she wants now because then, she will not be around to take care of her kids. And if a man like Dmitry is sending one to Jail then only God can step in and grant one’s freedom. There isn’t a man in the entire city that will be able to help her cause.
“I’m truly sorry,” she tried her luck once more but seeing that indifferent look on Dmitry’s face, she swallowed, “you can punish me your own way.”
He then gestured for her to come with him, soon, they were at our of the main Villa and were walking towards one of the small houses in the large compound of the mansion. Dmitry took her to the back of this very small house and her eyes almost popped out when she saw Yuri littering the floor with very hot coals.
Her heart raced a thousand miles away. Was she going to walk on these poles? Her legs will definitely melt into nothing.
She turned to him at once, “you don’t believe me? I didn’t enter that room purposely. This will be too much on me. Please… Pardon me.” She already had tears struggling to pour from her eyes.
She was already feeling heat from the several hot coals that were on the floor.
Yuri stood upright after she was done. Dmitry then dismissed him but before he could leave, a call came through. Having answered the call, he went ahead and whispered to Dmitry after which he walked away.
“Those who robbed you of the money you withdrew from the bank were ordered by Huxley.”
“Huxley!” She repeated in shock. How did he even know she was withdrawing money?
“Can you help me recover it please?” Natasha asked.
“Why should I?” His response came swiftly. “You are to walk on this coal and you must not make a sound.”
Natasha now had tears streaming down her eyes, “please. This will burn my legs.”
“Would you rather prefer I call the cops over?”
Natasha swallowed and then walked towards where the coal was. She lifted her shivering left leg up, imagining how much pain she would feel as soon as she stepped on this coal. The fact that she will have to walk on these hot coals made it even worse.
She kept hesitating and wouldn’t put her legs there out of fear, she begged again, “please… I’m so sorry.” Mucus was coming out of her nose already but she didn’t even care to blow it off. “Please!” She pleaded again.
But she knew she had to do this, she proceeded to place the first step, she shut her eyes tightly even as her foot went towards the hot coal. But before her legs could reach the hot coal, she felt herself being carried.
When she opened her eyes, she realized Dmitry had carried her from where the coal was to a few meters away from it.
She fluttered her puppy cute eyes and cried even more. Dmitry held her by the left arm and pulled her to his embrace, she continued crying, she didn’t even know why. Her cries became even louder and she could feel goosebumps all over her body.
But Dmitry remained quiet and kept her in his embrace. Afterwards, she disengaged slowly.
Dmitry pulled out his clean white handkerchief and handed it over to her to which she used in cleaning her teary face. She glanced at the super hot coal and wondered how messed up her foot would have been should she had stepped on the coal.
She was soon done cleaning her face with the handkerchief. But her eyes were now swollen and she knew her face wasn’t particularly looking smooth so she lowered her head so he won’t have to see her face, for she considered it ugly.
“I will build a laboratory for you and provide what you need in the laboratory. If you can heal my mother, you can make a request, and I’ll grant it. It doesn’t matter how inconvenient it is to me.”
With her face still lowered, she spoke with a little confidence, “I’ll definitely put in my best. Thank you for forgiving me and thank you for the laboratory you are about to build. I promise I won’t disappoint you.”
Dmitry nodded and then led her outside after which he walked away from her. Natasha, standing outside of the Pushkin’s Villa and waiting to catch a taxi wondered why Dmitry had suddenly changed his mind. Why didn’t he go ahead to punish her again? He probably does have a soft spot. Did he postpone her punishment or has he entirely forgiven her?
Soon, she found a taxi that took her home.
Once she stepped in, Naomi quickly rushed to her, “Natasha, what happened to your phone, I have been trying to reach you repeatedly but it wasn’t going through.”
Seeing the urgency in her voice, she quickly asked, “what is the problem?”
“Are my children fine?” She asked as she walked swiftly towards the room her children are likely to be in. She suddenly paused when she saw a stranger seated comfortably in the living room.
“Huxley!” She called angrily as soon as she saw him, “what in the world are you doing in my house?” Natasha turned to Naomi, “why did you let him in?”
“He forced himself in and would not let me go out with the kids so I had to stay back and keep on calling you but your number wasn’t going through.”
“Please sit.” Huxley gestured.
“I’m not going to sit down with you. And goodness! Why will you rob me?”
Huxley was a little taken aback, he didn’t know Natasha would have found out so early that he was behind the robbery she had encountered.
“Well, Dmitry ripped me off all my father’s assets. I went from being popular and being influential to being nothing. I can’t take such ridicule so I resorted to stealing.”
“And you made me one of the people you stole from? How did you even know I was with such a huge amount of money?” Natasha asked.
“I have men around the bank keeping an eye on everyone who comes to withdraw. I have informants inside the bank too, they let me know whenever someone comes to withdraw a huge amount of money,” Huxley explained.
Natasha sighed and went to sit, “Where’s my money?”
“That’s not why I’m here.” Huxley answered.
“Oh… You have to provide the money first, then we can talk about whatever reason brought you here.” She said.
“I’m not with the money but let’s talk firstly, maybe I can consider bringing your money back to you.”
“I need to check on my kids first,” Natasha said and walked away. Naomi followed.
“Shouldn’t we call the cops on him? He doesn’t have any power anymore, they can easily get him arrested.”
“All I need you to do is to set the voice recorder of your phone. I want whatever Huxley and I will say to be on record.”
“Got it.” Answered Naomi.
Natasha checked on the kids and smiled when she saw that the female child had already started teething. She kissed both children on the cheeks after which she went back to the living room. But to her surprise, Huxley was no longer in the room.