Leo walked outside, the weight of the conversation with his father still pressing heavily on his shoulders. He needed to hear Emery’s voice, to reassure both of them that they were moving in the right direction. He took out his phone and dialed her number, the familiar sound of the dial tone calming him slightly.
Very soon, Emery picked up the call and answered in Russian, her voice a soothing balm to his frayed nerves. “Ey sladkaya,” she said, which meant ‘Hey sweetheart.’
Leo smiled, replying in Russian, “YA skuchal po tebe,” which meant ‘I miss you.’
Emery’s tensed tone came instantly, “Ya skuchal po tebe tozhe,” which meant ‘I miss you too.’
Hearing her tone, Leo’s concern grew. He switched back to English, “What happened, baby?”
Emery replied in Russian, “Nichego, ya prosto bespokoyus’ o nas,” which meant ‘Nothing, I am just worried about us.’
Leo’s eyes softened, feeling a deep pang of empathy. “Don’t worry, baby. I talked to Dad today. He is willing to talk to your parents about our marriage.”
There was a brief silence, then Emery’s voice came back, laced with hope, “Deystvitel’no?” which meant ‘Really?’
“Yes,” Leo affirmed, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. “It wasn’t easy, but he’s agreed to meet with your family to find common ground.”
Emery’s voice was filled with a mixture of relief and apprehension. “Eto zamechatel’naya novost’, Leo. No chto imenno on skazal?” Which meant ‘That’s wonderful news, Leo. But what did he say exactly?’
Leo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “He’s worried, naturally. He thinks our worlds are too different, that your family will never accept us because of what we do. But I managed to convince him to at least try. He said he’ll meet with your parents to discuss the possibilities.”
Emery took a deep breath, the sound of it crackling over the phone. ” YA znayu, chto u moikh roditeley tozhe budut svoi somneniya. No my dolzhny verit’ v eto, Leo. Yesli my pokazhem im, kak sil’no my lyubim drug druga i kak my reshitel’ny, oni, vozmozhno, izmenyat svoye mneniye.” Which meant, ‘I know my parents will have their reservations too. But we have to believe in this, Leo. If we show them how much we love each other and how determined we are, they might come around.’
“I know, baby,” Leo replied softly. “This is just the first step. We need to be strong and united in this. We can’t let them see any doubts.”
Emery’s voice was firmer now, filled with resolve. ” My ne budem. YA veryu v nas, Leo. YA veryu, chto my smozhem preodolet’ etot razryv mezhdu nashimi sem’yami.” which meant, ‘We won’t. I believe in us, Leo. I believe we can bridge this gap between our families.’
Leo felt a rush of warmth at her words. “I believe in us too, Emery. We’ll face this together, no matter what. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Emery replied, her voice softening.
As they hung up, Leo felt a renewed sense of purpose. He knew the road ahead would be challenging, but Emery’s faith in their love gave him the strength to keep fighting. He walked back into the house, his mind already racing with plans for how to make the upcoming meeting between their families a success.
The following week, the Moretti household was a flurry of activity. Preparations were underway for the meeting with the Ivanovs. Leo and Amara spent hours going over every detail, ensuring that everything would be perfect. They knew how critical this meeting was for their future.
One day, Amara and Leo decided to go to the mall for some shopping. Amara needed to update her wardrobe, and Leo wanted to pick out a few new suits. They wandered through the mall, enjoying each other’s company, chatting about their plans for the future. When they reached the men’s section, Leo began browsing through the racks, picking out several suits to try on.
“I’ll be right back,” Leo said with a smile, heading towards the trial room with a handful of suits.
“Take your time,” Amara replied, returning his smile. She watched him go, feeling a sense of contentment. However, she needed to make a quick call and stepped away momentarily, leaving Leo to his fittings.
Nearby, Rowan, who had also come to the mall for some shopping, had been observing them for a while. He felt a surge of jealousy wash over him as he watched Amara and Leo interact. The ease and familiarity between them gnawed at him, fueling his anger. When he saw Amara step away to make a call, he seized the opportunity. He followed her and, without warning, dragged her into a quiet corner of the mall.
Amara was taken aback, momentarily stunned by the sudden movement. She felt the rough grip on her arm and was pushed against the wall. It took her a moment to register what was happening. When she looked up and saw Rowan, anger instantly rose on her face.
“What the hell are you doing, Rowan?!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with fury.
Rowan’s eyes were dark, his expression intense. “Who is he?” he demanded.
Amara’s confusion deepened. “Who?”
“The one you have been happily shopping with,” Rowan clarified, his grip tightening on her arm.
Amara’s eyes flashed with defiance. “It’s none of your business, Rowan.”
Rowan’s grip on her arm remained firm, his jaw clenched. “Let go,” Amara said, her voice cold and firm.
“I asked who he is,” Rowan insisted, his voice low and threatening.
Amara glared at him, her anger growing. “As I said, it’s none of your fucking business. Now, let go.”
Rowan’s eyes darkened further, and his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “If I see any man within three meters of you, I swear I will kill him, Amara.”
Amara felt a chill run down her spine, but she refused to show any fear. “Why?” she challenged, her voice steady despite the tension.
Rowan leaned forward, closing the distance between them, his lips brushing against hers in a forceful kiss. Under his breath, he murmured, “Because you’re mine.”
Amara’s body tensed, and she pushed him away with all her strength. “Get away from me, Rowan,” she hissed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “You have no right to claim me or dictate who I spend time with.”
As she spoke, she saw Leo emerging from the trial room, his new suit fitting him perfectly. She pushed Rowan harder, using the momentary distraction to distance herself, her eyes narrowing as she gave Rowan a warning. “And don’t you dare kiss me or touch me next time, or I will be the one to kill you.”
With that, Amara turned and walked briskly towards Leo, her steps quickening as she called out, “Brother, you look good!”
Rowan watched her go, his mind swirling with confusion and anger. He heard her voice clearly even as she moved away. “Brother, huh,” he muttered to himself, the wheels in his mind turning as he processed what he had just witnessed.
Leo looked up, surprised but pleased to see Amara. “Thanks, sis,” he replied, his smile genuine. “I think this one might be the winner. What do you think?”
Amara forced a smile, trying to mask the turmoil she felt inside. “It looks great on you. Really sharp.”
Leo noticed something was off but chose not to press her about it in the middle of the store. Instead, he gave her a reassuring look. “Ready to head out?”
Amara nodded eagerly. “Yes, let’s go.”
As they made their way to the checkout, Amara couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder to see if Rowan was still watching. He was gone, but the encounter left her unsettled. She knew she had to be more careful, especially with Rowan’s possessive behavior becoming more aggressive out of nowhere.
After paying for the suit, they left the store and headed toward the parking lot. The warm sunlight did little to ease the chill that had settled over Amara. Leo, sensing her unease, decided to lighten the mood.
“Let’s go for lunch,” Leo suggested, trying to sound upbeat. “I’m feeling so hungry after all those trials.”
Amara forced a smile, grateful for the distraction. “That sounds good. Where do you want to go?”
Leo thought for a moment as they reached the car. “How about that Italian place we love? The one with the amazing lasagna.”
Amara’s smile became more genuine. “Perfect. Let’s go.”
They got into the car, and Leo drove them to the restaurant, making small talk to keep Amara’s mind off the earlier incident. By the time they arrived, Amara was feeling a bit more relaxed, the familiar surroundings of the restaurant bringing her a sense of comfort.
They were seated at a cozy booth by the window, and the friendly waiter brought them menus. As they perused the options, Leo glanced up at Amara. “How about we start with some bruschetta?”
Amara nodded, her appetite slowly returning. “That sounds great. And definitely the lasagna for me.”
Leo smiled, relieved to see her spirits lifting. “Same for me.”