The Romanov Diadem: Oblast Dmitrovka

12. Bednyy Chelovek

'I'm sorry, Viktor. I haven't been able to open my whole heart to you. You're my husband. I know that.'

Xandrova stared at Viktor with her sad eyes. She expressed her heart without daring to speak directly to her husband.

Viktor moved from the sofa to the bed where his wife was. He bent down to pick up the bag that Xandrova had accidentally dropped.

"Zoya, do you want me to make you something to warm you up?"

'We're not at home right now. Then, is he going to leave me alone here?'

Again, Xandrova said in her heart. She shook her head.

"Then, what woke you up?"

Viktor sat on the edge of the bed looking at Xandrova's flushed face.

"Are you cold? Can I touch your hand?"

'You're my wife, Zoya. But to honor you, I'm willing to throw away my pride.

Not unlike Xandrova, Viktor didn't want his partner to know what he was thinking. Viktor chose to hide his feelings.

Xandrova gave both her hands to Viktor willingly.

"Viktor, sleep with me here!"

Viktor blinked for a moment. Then, he let out a long breath.

"In the same bed with you, Zoya? Is that okay?"

Viktor hesitated at Xandrova's request. He didn't want to break the promise he had made on their first night of marriage.

"I asked, Viktor, and don't blame yourself!"

After a moment's thought, Viktor nodded in response that he agreed. He pulled back the blanket covering his wife's body, then rested his head on a pile of pillows.

"Hemm?"

Viktor was startled as Xandrova approached him. Xandrova's head touched his field. Viktor stroked his wife's dusky brown hair with his right hand. Meanwhile, his left hand gently rubbed Xandrova's arm as she hugged him.

'What are you thinking about, Zoya? Your behavior is so out of character.'

Viktor thought to himself as he closed his eyes. He stayed awake so he could make sure Xandrova was fast asleep beside him.

"Viktor, is there another woman you keep in your heart besides me?"

"Hemm?"

Xandrova woke up after Viktor cleared his throat. She looked up into the face of her husband who was glaring at her.

"Answer me, Viktor!"

Viktor sat up straight facing his wife. He touched Xandrova's face, which was tense with anger, and then approached her.

"Zoya, I'm a real man. Do you know what a real man is to me?" Viktor raised both eyebrows and smiled. "A real man is a man who speaks as he does, Zoya."

Xandrova smiled to end her hesitation.

"So, do you love me, Viktor?"

Viktor chuckled. He brought Xandrova's body into his arms.

"I love you just the way you are, Zoya."

Xandrova didn't resist as Viktor held her close. She could even hear Viktor's heartbeat.

'Having a little wife with a big age difference makes me have to be patient with her childish behavior. But even so, I didn't mind her adorable behavior.'

Once again, Viktor was patient with Xandrova who needed a lot of attention and understanding from him. After a while, he released Xandrova from him.

"Thank you for marrying me and accepting a poor man like me."

Deep in his heart, Viktor cried. Yes, he was crying over a fate that was unfair to him.

'You were the first woman I loved in my life, Zoya.'

Viktor couldn't hold back the anguish in his heart. He often poured out his heart alone because he had no one in his life.

Xandrova smiled as Viktor spoke sweet words to her. She embraced Viktor, and he did the same.

***

"Viktor, what are we gonna do today?"

Xandrova woke up when Viktor had just finished dressing. The man looked at his wife.

"I've prepared your bath water, Zoya. Today, we're gonna see a ballet performance at the Mariinsky Theater, darling. Do you remember that we booked the tickets in advance?"

Viktor saw Xandrova's eyes light up.

"That's right! I almost forgot, Viktor."

Xandrova jumped up from her bed in happiness. She was a ballet enthusiast. Although Xandrova wasn't a ballet dancer.

"Zoya!" Viktor caught Xandrova's body which was about to fall.

"Don't do that again, okay!"

Xandrova was silent. She didn't respond to Viktor's words at all because of her shock.

"Zoya?"

Viktor sat his wife on the edge of the bed. He knelt to check for possible injuries on Xandrova's body.

Zoya, speak up!"

Viktor grabbed Xandrova's pointed chin, then looked down at the pink lips that had been teasing him for so long.

"I'm sorry if I startled you."

Xandrova didn't react. This time, Viktor would not be outdone by his wife. He took Xandrova in his arms and led her to the bathroom at the right end of the room.

"Viktor, what are you gonna do?!"

Xandrova patted her husband's field several times. However, Viktor didn't stop laughing at Xandrova.

"I'm gonna bath you, you little cat! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Huh?! Wーwhat?! Wーwhat?! What did you just call me?!"

Xandrova became even more furious with Viktor's answer.

"Hurry up and put me down, red monster!"

Viktor's laughter grew louder as he heard Xandrova call him a red monster.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Where did you get that nickname, Zoya?"

Viktor had reached the bathroom. He put Xandrova into the bathtub slowly.

"I got it from the way your face turns red when you're angry."

'Huh?! My face turns red when I'm mad. Does that mean Zoya is always watching me?'

Feeling awkward about asking his wife, Viktor chose to ask himself.

"Viktor, what do you want?!"

Xandrova leaned closer to the wall as she and Viktor got closer.

"I'll help you undress, Zoya."

"No! Go away!"

Viktor smiled. "I'll leave if you forgive me for yelling in front of you earlier. How's that?"

Xandrova pursed her lips. She nodded quickly.

"All right. I forgive you. Now, go!"

Viktor widened his smile. He took both of Xandrova's hands, then pressed his lips against them for a moment.

"Don't clean yourself up for too long, Zoya."

Viktor rushed out of there with a smile on his face. He sat under the large window as he opened the smartphone.

"Who's calling me? This number isn't in my contact list."

Viktor was surprised to find an unfamiliar number in his text message feature. He quickly opened it and read it carefully.

"Oh? Andriy? Who is he? I don't even have a friend named Andriy."

Viktor thought for a moment, remembering a man named Andriy that he might know. He quickly replied to the message.

Viktor: Who are you?

It doesn't take long before Viktor's smartphone vibrates and Andriy's number appears on the screen. He immediately pressed the green button and started talking to the mystery man.

"Hello! Who are you?"