52

52
Gretchen took her glass and drank.

The other guests could sense the tension between her and Katia. Throughout the evening, they engaged in conversation, but the exchanges between the two women were also present.

The rest of the diners pretended not to notice the situation. It was better that way.

Stefan looked at the woman beside him with a smile. He didn't know this side of Katia, but he certainly loved that she stood up to her ex-girlfriend's attacks.

Katia's character was undoubtedly surprising to the German, and he had to be careful if they ever argued.

The time came when the men and some women started having drinks. Katia sat in her seat, listening as Mrs. Heinz, Kruger, and Friedman discussed topics that didn't interest the young American.

When she saw that these people weren't paying attention to her, she got up from the table and carefully walked to the bathroom. It hurt a lot, but she didn't want to disturb Stefan while he was talking with the other men.

She leaned on the bathroom sink and closed her eyes while biting her lower lip. She exhaled, as if she were giving birth, again and again.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door.

"Occupied!" Katia shouted with her eyes tightly closed.

When she came out of the bathroom, she encountered Gretchen. Both women looked at each other, challenging each other with their gaze.

Without warning, the German woman approached and forcefully stepped on Katia's foot. Katia suppressed the scream she was about to let out to avoid attracting the attention of any guests.

After removing her foot, Gretchen kicked her in the ankle, the one that had twisted. Katia once again stifled a scream, tightly pursing her lips and puffing her cheeks.

She cursed Gretchen in her mind with all her might.

"Stay away from Stefan, he's mine," Gretchen told her harshly.

"You had your chance a long time ago, but you messed it up. Honestly... I don't know why you let him go, although I don't care. Now he's with me, whether you like it or not," Katia replied in the same tone.

"I don't believe you're his wife, but rest assured of one thing, dear; there are plenty of women like you, but I won't allow Stefan to be with a woman like you. I guarantee that if you don't leave, I'll personally make sure he leaves you," she threatened.

"Do you think telling me that will make me leave him? I'll only leave his side if he tells me to, but... he doesn't want me to go, so, sorry. Well, not sorry because that's not going to happen," Katia said, turning to leave, but Gretchen firmly grabbed her arm.

"Oh, it's definitely going to happen. Sooner than you think," she said with anger. "This is war, you bitch. Nobody takes Stefan away from me."

Katia managed to free herself from Gretchen's grip and brushed off the threat, gritting her teeth.

She had the urge to yank Gretchen's hair out, but she knew the German woman would cause a counterproductive scene for both her and Stefan, so she decided to get back at her... but not at that moment.

She walked towards Stefan with some difficulty but tried to hide it so as not to give that woman, whom she already despised despite just meeting her, the satisfaction.

Seeing Katia limping slightly and heading towards him, Stefan didn't take his eyes off his wife. Once she was by his side, she called to him, and Stefan told the men he was talking to:

"One moment."

"Of course," both men replied.

"What's wrong, Katia?" he asked the young woman, standing in front of her.

She held onto his jacket's shoulders.

"It hurts a lot. Can you take me home? If you want, you can come back later, but I need to leave now," she asked him. "Or you can tell Fred to take me... Then you won't have to leave."

"Don't worry, we're going home now," he smiled at her. "Where's your purse?"

"But... it's not necessary," she began to say.

"I want to leave too. I was just waiting for you to say it," he interrupted. "Where's your purse?" he asked again.

"It's on the table," she replied, closing her eyes.

"Wait here. I'll get it, and we'll leave," she nodded.

Stefan kissed Katia on the cheek, surprising her, and walked over to the table where they had dined to pick up the small handbag the young brunette had carried.

Meanwhile, Katia kept sighing repeatedly. She couldn't deny that the stomp and the kick had made the pain worse.

The men Stefan had been talking to observed her closely and with curiosity, but Jürgen hadn't taken his eyes off Katia, and that half-smile hadn't left his face all night.

"It was stupid of you to say she's your wife. I won't be the only one trying to hurt her to make you make a mistake and kill you... That's what happens when..." Jürgen thought without taking his eyes off the brown-haired woman.

Stefan was holding Katia in his arms because they had to bandage her foot again, and after leaving Mr. Friedman's house, they had to go to the hospital due to the pain.

She had one arm around his neck and her head resting on his chest. She could hear the man's heart beating slightly faster.

She loved the sound of it.

She looked at him, but then turned her gaze away. She couldn't understand what Stefan had that made that woman named Gretchen obsess over him. But in the mind of the young American, something had been gnawing at her with curiosity for three months.

Since they had left the hospital, they hadn't spoken again, but gradually, they both realized that they didn't mind being in silence together.

Stefan lifted her slightly before going up the stairs. They entered the room where she slept, and he carefully sat her on the edge of the bed.

"Thank you," Katia said, placing her hands on her lap.

"You're welcome," he smiled and turned to leave.

"Stefan!" she called out. He turned back towards her with his hands in his pockets. "Can you help me take off my dress? I can't reach the buttons."

The German approached her again and, after sitting on the bed, began to unbutton the dress one by one.