Woman without Value

Upon hearing Yulia's fury, Laura thought the only thing she needed was to deal with a jealous woman. She didn't need to ask Dimitri to remove that woman; she was scaring her son with her bad attitude.

Dimitri took Yulia by the arm to escort her out, not out of consideration for Laura, but rather because he knew the child's health was delicate.

"I won't leave until you tell me who the hell this woman is," Yulia tried to resist, but she couldn't do anything against Dimitri's strength. He led her downstairs to the office.

"Enough! Who the hell do you think you are to question me?" he asked, completely furious at the girl's resistance.

"I don't think I am, Dimitri; I am. I am your fiancée, the woman to whom you promised marriage as soon as you returned from that mission—a mission I begged you not to go on because it was dangerous. I am the one who has taken care of you all these years, never leaving your side for a single moment," she said as tears wet her face.

Dimitri clenched his lips; the true owner of that body was the one who owed that woman everything. But it was clear he couldn't say it; if he did, he would end up in a mental institution.

"Yulia, I don't want you to get involved in my affairs; I hope you understand."

"Dimitri, who is that woman, and what is she doing here? I deserve your answer."

"That woman is nobody; she has no value at all. She's just a needy person my father brought home."

"Are you telling the truth? Don't play with me or lie to me; you don't know what a scorned woman is capable of in the face of mockery."

"I took the time to answer your question, but if you don't believe me, you can think whatever you want, and don't dare to threaten me again, or I will break off the engagement immediately."

"No, my love, understand that I love you, and it's normal for me to get jealous. I wouldn't want another woman to come between us."

"Now go, I don't want to see you."

Yulia decided not to argue, although she was really upset inside about Dimitri's attitude. Where had the passionate man gone? The man in front of her seemed to have jelly in his veins instead of blood.

The grandmother had been accommodated in the room next to Laura's. The woman couldn't sleep, thinking about her husband's stubbornness. If he hadn't behaved that way, they wouldn't be experiencing financial difficulties.

Something really important must have happened for Laura to accept the hospitality of the Russians.

In the morning, the housekeeper knocked on the door to inform them that Boris was waiting for them in the dining room for breakfast.

Laura didn't feel like dealing with them, but it was her duty to accept the invitation of her host; she couldn't be disrespectful.

She took a quick bath, then bathed her son. Shortly after, they left the room and found the grandmother in the hallway.

They descended in silence, feeling uncomfortable in that house. The gazes of the servants were fixed on them in a disapproving manner. Boris had requested breakfast to be served in the garden.

"Good morning, Mr. Petrov," Laura greeted politely.

"Good morning. Please, have a seat; breakfast will be served shortly."

Dimitri came down shortly after, wearing casual pants and a black T-shirt that snugly fit, perfectly showcasing his muscles. Laura mentally scolded herself for scanning him with her eyes.

What the hell was happening to her? This man was a devil, albeit a very attractive one. Her feelings for him were a mix of attraction and hatred that she couldn't quite comprehend.

Dimitri noticed her gaze and smiled in a mischievous way. Laura immediately lowered her eyes. Yulia arrived at that moment, dressed casually but provocatively in designer shorts and a blouse with a neckline that left little to the imagination. Boris greeted her promptly.

"Good morning, daughter. Sit next to your fiancé. I'm glad you decided to join us for breakfast."

"Well, you should be happy every day; Yulia is always around," Dimitri commented with the intention of making Yulia uncomfortable. However, she was determined to endure anything to belong to that family.

"As playful as ever, dear," Yulia said as she sat beside him, then took him by the arm, resting her head on his shoulder while staring fixedly at Laura. It was a way of marking the territory she believed belonged to her.

Laura decided to focus her attention on her little son, who was eating a strawberry while sitting on her lap.

"I think you should go shopping, young lady. There are things you need, especially for the child. The driver will take you after breakfast."

"No, you won't leave the mansion. You can request whatever you need to be sent, choose what you need online," Dimitri asserted.

Yulia noticed Dimitri's possessiveness towards Laura, so she decided to put some pressure on their wedding and preparations.

"I think it's time we start planning the wedding, dear. Remember, we decided to wait until you fully recovered, and I believe you have."

"No, I don't feel like thinking about that right now. It'll be later. For now, I'll focus on work."

Yulia turned to Boris, who decided to look away, not wanting to start an argument with his son at that early hour.

"What's your name? I don't know from where, but I feel like I've seen you before," Yulia curiously asked Laura.

"She doesn't have to answer your questions, Yulia. Stop bothering our guest," Dimitri said with a tone that made Yulia realize something was going on. At that moment, a servant woman began serving breakfast. Laura requested coffee, and the woman proceeded to pour it.

The eyes of the woman serving coffee and Yulia met, and after that, she accidentally spilled coffee on Laura's leg. Fortunately, her little son was with the grandmother. Laura tried to endure the burn without complaining, but it was impossible.

"Look what you've done. Go get the first aid kit right away, and consider yourself fired. Go now," Dimitri was about to push the woman.

The woman rushed to fetch the first aid kit. Meanwhile, Dimitri lifted Laura's dress to uncover her leg and treat the injury.

"That woman is a fool. I hope you don't end up with an ugly scar, or I'll make her pay dearly for what she did."

He didn't care that Yulia noticed his concern for Laura. When the woman returned with the first aid kit, he knelt to be at the level of the girl's legs, took a burn ointment, and applied it to the injured part of Laura's leg.

While doing so, he could remember having caressed those legs countless times. Laura had the softest skin he had ever touched in his life.

Her legs were very fair and well-defined. He took a bit longer than necessary with the ointment, under the furious gaze of Yulia.

"I think that's enough ointment, son," Boris's voice brought Dimitri back to reality. Before standing up, he stared into Laura's eyes, who felt nervous. He was shameless, considering Yulia was his fiancée.

"If it swells, you must tell me to call the doctor immediately. You have my number. Now, I'll go to the office."

He turned around and left immediately, paying no attention to Yulia.

Laura apologized to Boris and then went to her room, followed by her grandmother and her little son.

"Father-in-law, I don't know what's going on with Dimitri. I think he cares too much about that woman. I'm afraid I might lose him, and I couldn't bear that."

"Calm down, daughter. My son just feels pity for that girl. She's unprotected."

Yulia pretended to believe Boris's words, said a quick goodbye, and in her car, she began hitting the steering wheel forcefully.

"That stupid girl won't take him away from me. She won't take control of my life. Dimitri and his fortune belong to me."

She tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths, then headed towards her parents' mansion. As she arrived, they eagerly approached her.

"How did it go, daughter?" her father nervously asked, hoping to receive the answer he wanted.

"Have you asked him to pay off our mortgage, daughter?" her mother inquired.

They had asked the girl to request the money that day. Logically, she wouldn't tell Dimitri that she needed it because her house was mortgaged. In the eyes of the Petrovs and society, they were a family with good resources.

"I couldn't. That woman was there, and Dimitri seemed to have eyes only for her. He ignored me completely."

"You're a fool. What's the use of being beautiful if you don't know how to use your attributes to get Dimitri to do what you ask? You must drive him crazy to the point where he lives and breathes only to please you."

Yulia felt ashamed at her father's words. Throughout her life, she had attracted many men, but it seemed insignificant to the one her father had chosen.

"Don't insult our daughter. She has done her best to help us, even stealing food from the Petrovs' house to assist us."

What her mother said was true. Yulia used large bags to hide everything she stole. She took food and valuable items to sell. The housekeeper and the butler of the Petrovs blamed the maids for everything that went missing. They would never imagine who the real culprit was.