Do You Miss Me?

Yulia needed a momentary escape from her problems, so, in the privacy of her room, she picked up her phone to make a call. After ringing several times, a husky voice of a man answered on the other end.

"Yulia."

"Sweetheart, I need to see you, I need to unwind, and I want you to help me the way you know how."

"Haha, I'd love to, gorgeous, but I'm out of the country; I won't be back for a long time."

"Did you dare to leave without saying goodbye?"

"I'm sorry, I had no choice; my ship sank, an opportunity presented itself, and I couldn't pass it up."

"I miss you."

"I miss you too," the man replied, stroking the hair of a beautiful girl lying on his chest.

"You know I can't go without sex for too long. Tell me, what can I do while waiting to see you again?" she asked in a seductive tone.

"Doesn't your boyfriend even serve that purpose?"

"That idiot lost interest since the accident."

"Haha, I'm glad I'm not your fiancé; would you talk about me like that?"

"You know I'm with him out of obligation. I'd be with you if you had the fortune he does," silence echoed on the other end.

"At least you're honest," the man replied, bitterness evident in his tone.

"I haven't deceived you. You know very well what my parents expect of me. I'm tired of carrying their responsibilities. I'm not to blame for them spending all the fortune my father inherited, or the company going bankrupt because they wanted to maintain a lifestyle they couldn't afford."

"You also spent part of that fortune on your whims."

"I didn't know my parents' true situation. You should do something to help me."

"Oh no, darling! That's not my concern. You know I've taken you into my bed whenever you wanted, but I can't do more than that."

"You're an idiot."

"I don't deny it. And now, I'll leave you. I have an urgent matter to attend to. Call me when you're less dramatic," the man hung up, leaving Yulia in a sea of tears. He was the one who truly mattered to her.

She took a photo of the man from a drawer, along with one of Dimitri. Both were attractive; she couldn't say one was better than the other. But Dimitri had made her feel bored. Before the accident, he showered her with attention and passion, but his priority was his work. He left her alone for months on missions.

So, she took the opportunity to have fun with other men. She only found out months after starting her relationship with the Russian what her parents' true motive was for pushing her towards him.

Unable to steal food from the Petrov pantry that morning, she had to go out and get something. She decided to visit her best friend's house, where they always had plenty of food in the pantry.

She grabbed her largest designer bag, apparently an exact replica of the original, so convincing that no one would suspect. She headed out towards her friend's house.

The car she used belonged to a friend of her father; it was the only one they had. This way, Yulia could maintain the appearance in front of the Petrovs that they still held a good economic position. She hurried to her friend's house, never imagining that one day she would have to visit her friends to get food.

Hours later, at the Petrov's house, Dimitri returned from the corporate office. Boris was in the living room, surprised to see his son arrive early; usually, he came home late at night.

"You're here; I expected you later."

"There wasn't much to do today, so I decided to leave early."

"It's okay to rest from time to time."

Dimitri walked to the small bar at the side of the living room to grab a bottle of whisky. Boris felt it was the perfect opportunity to talk about him and Yulia. He patiently waited for Dimitri to pour the drink and take several sips.

"Son, I think it's time you set a definitive date for your wedding with Yulia. I believe you've made her feel less than that girl you've married. I'll call the lawyer to start the divorce proceedings immediately."

"No, I'll ask him once again not to intervene. This is my business only," Dimitri replied, annoyed at Boris's insistence on meddling in his affairs.

"Do you love her?" Old Petrov asked; it was the only reason he could find for his son's behavior. Dimitri must love that woman too much to marry her hastily.

"I think I have the right to keep that answer to myself. I'll fulfill my promise to Yulia, but it will be when I decide."

"Enough of your misbehavior. I know you're a man and not a child, but I'm your father, and you owe me respect. So, you will listen silently to what I'm going to tell you."

Dimitri felt annoyed, but he still sat down to hear what Boris had to say.

"Go ahead, I'm listening."

"The lawyer will come, and you will divorce Laura. Enough of this strange game of yours."

"You can't force me. As you well say, I'm no longer a child. Laura is my wife, in the eyes of both human and divine law. I want her by my side, and I will never allow her to leave."

"That girl is not your property. Just look at the way she looks at you; you terrify her."

"How she feels is not my problem."

"That's your mistake. That girl will end up hating you, and so will her son; I assure you of that."

Dimitri stood up and walked away from Boris, quickly ascending the stairs. He was in a terrible mood. Laura came out of her room at that moment and encountered him in the hallway.

!

“I think it's time we stop playing house and become a real married couple, with all that entails.”

Dimitri said upon seeing her; Laura was petrified. If she had known he was there, she wouldn't have come out.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll move to my room. Your son can sleep with your grandmother. I hope that when I return from the office, you'll be settled. I don't want to repeat what I've just said in a bad way. Understood?"

Laura nodded slightly, unable to help herself from immediately bursting into tears.

"Now you're going to cry? Do I seem so horrible to you that you can't bear to sleep beside me?"

Laura didn't answer, focusing her attention on some point on the floor. Dimitri, slightly dizzy from the drinks he had consumed, approached her without thinking.

She could feel his alcoholic breath very close to her neck, trying to move away, but he wouldn't allow it. He raised his hand to gently brush his fingers over her lips.

"You have no idea how much I miss the taste of your lips, the scent of your skin, the warmth of your perfect naked body," Laura had no idea what he was talking about. She had only given herself to one man in her life, her beloved Luke Lombardi.

She wanted to scream, tell him to stay away, not to touch her, but the fear she felt at that moment paralyzed her.

"Tell me something. Do you miss me? Do you miss when we made love in the mornings?" He asked before kissing her.

It was an intense kiss, but there was no lust in it. It was more a need to feel loved by the woman he believed had betrayed him and whom he still loved madly. In that kiss, he wanted to convey everything he felt.

Laura remained motionless. She felt a strong attraction to Dimitri, but she feared him. When he withdrew, she saw that she was still crying.

"Please let me go. I've done nothing to you. I don't know why you hate me. I've never been in bed with you as you claim. My body and soul belong to one man forever."

Those words infuriated Dimitri. It was clear to him that she was talking about the criminal. She loved him enough to have a child with him, and now she had the audacity to say that her body and soul belonged to him forever.

"Tomorrow in my room, or I'll come for you and take you by force."

He turned around to leave. Laura stood in the hallway, trying to understand what ailment Dimitri had. Perhaps it was a consequence of the illness he had suffered.

She couldn't find another explanation for what had happened. Unconsciously, she brought her hand to her mouth; she could still taste the Russian's lips.