Would he be too angry to answer? He had a temper, and after what I did, he might never want to see me again.
To my surprise, the call connected.
“Gleb.” My voice was cautious, unsure.
“You left me, Anna.” His voice was raw, unsteady.
“I didn’t. Didn’t you read the letter I left behind?”
A beat of silence. Then... “I did.”
“Gleb, I had to go. I can’t just stand by knowing I could save your sister. I will save her, okay?”
“You can’t.”
“I know you and everyone believes I’m weak and naive, but let me prove who I am.”
“You’ve already proven you’re still naive by going to Italy. Tatiana is my sister, not yours. Do you really think you care about her more than I do?”
“No. But I care about you.”
His breath hitched slightly, but his next words came sharp. “You made a very stupid move, Anna. You made my family believe we’re divorced when in reality, we never were. Now they’re insisting I marry your sister... in one week.”
A sharp pain lanced through my chest. “But you won’t, right?”
His silence stretched too long.
“Gleb, we are not truly divorced, and you can’t marry another woman.”
There was no way in hell I was letting that happen. Not with my sister.
“Gleb!” My voice rose, desperation creeping in.
“You know the dynamics of my family, and you know you made a stupid move.”
“Stop reminding me!” I snapped. “I came here for you, and you can’t marry someone else.”
“Is that blackmail?”
“Call it whatever you want, but you won’t marry her.”
Another long pause. His silence was driving me crazy. “Speak, for crying out loud.”
“...I can’t.” He said quietly.
“What do you mean you can’t?” I shot back.
“I mean I can’t promise something I’m still trying to stop.” he replied, his voice low and strained.
“Then stop it.”
“And start a war? With my own blood? If my grandmother turns against me completely, I lose everything. You don’t understand what’s at stake.”
“So...” My voice broke. “You’re considering it?”
Tears welled in my eyes, hot and uncontrollable.
“Anna, you shouldn’t have gone to Italy.”
