69
69
Without saying a word, Federika entered one of the bathroom stalls.
"I think I should tell her that I'm her sister...," Federika thought, locking the stall door.
Her mind kept spinning about whether to tell Katia the truth, although she wasn't entirely sure if she was crying for him or not. In the end, she decided to reveal the truth once she left the bathroom and went to wash her hands.
"I don't know what I'm going to do" Katia suddenly said, without changing her position. "Oscar wants me to smile, but I can't do it, especially knowing he's going to die," the blue-eyed woman sobbed. "And not only that…"
"What do you mean, Katia?" Madeleine caressed her friend's head.
"I'm pregnant... one month pregnant," she confessed suddenly.
Both Madeleine and Federika opened their eyes in surprise, each for a different reason.
Madeleine didn't expect this news, knowing that Katia despised the German, or so she claimed, and Federika, because her brother would survive and still be the head of the family, as he would become a father at the age of thirty-three.
However, Federika still wished for her brother to come to his senses so she could be with the man she loved, but... after finding out that he had gotten married, she felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart.
"Are you... preg...preg... pregnant!?," the dark-haired woman repeated in astonishment. "Don't tell me...!" She began to say, unable to escape her shock.
"Yes... it's Mr. Schmidt's," Katia finished, causing the bride to widen her eyes further. "There's something about him that every time I looked into his eyes, it made me lose my reason and end up sleeping with him."
"Will you tell him?," she lifted her head from her arms and looked at her friend, shaking her head. "Katia... he's the father whether you like it or not."
"Stefan must never find out that I'm going to give him a child. As far as I'm concerned, this baby belongs to Oscar," she looked at her sadly. "For all you hold dear, Madeleine. He must not find out that I'm pregnant," she demanded. "Whatever happens, he must not know."
After more than fifteen minutes of trying to convince Madeleine not to tell Stefan about her future child, both girls left the bathroom.
It was at that moment that Federika took the opportunity to exit the stall, not understanding the girl's refusal to let her brother know the truth.
But she had to tell him... or at least her grandfather, so that he wouldn't send anyone to kill Stefan.
When she re-entered the ballroom, she approached her brother, who couldn't take his eyes off Katia, who was dancing a slow song with Oscar.
Federika looked at her brother and, while smiling, leaned in and whispered in his ear:
"If you ever deny that you like her again, I'll rip your ear off."
"I don't know where you get that from," Stefan said, still fixated on Katia. "Do you want to dance, Federika?" He asked without looking at her.
"I'd rather you dance with her. I don't want that girl to think we have something when my little heart belongs to you-know-who, and you don't let me get close to him."
"You know why I don't let you," he glanced at her. "You haven't been able to find anyone else... no... it has to be him," he said sarcastically.
"We never choose who we fall in love with, little brother," Federika replied with humor. "I've liked him for a long time, and you know I'd never do anything to put us in danger. But believe me, if he weren't married to your ex-girlfriend, they'd be family by now, even if you and Grandpa were against it."
"Grandpa wouldn't have allowed it, just like me," he looked back at Katia. "In a few months, Grandpa will send someone to kill me, so you'll have to deal with the next head of the family," he said in a low voice for her ears only.
"Oh, little brother... you're dumber than a pig…" Federika commented before heading to the tables to sit down.
Stefan watched his sister with annoyance as she walked away, and when he looked back at Katia, he found her with her eyes open, looking at him.
Seeing her sad, red eyes, he figured something wasn't right, but he wouldn't ask because he thought he didn't deserve to know what was going on.
He felt dejected and at the same time, sure that it was the best for both of them.
They stared at each other for a few seconds until she closed her eyes and rested her head on the shoulder of the man she was dancing with.
During the time they spent at the wedding, Katia tried to keep her tears from flowing, not letting anyone know how she truly felt. She wore a smile, but her eyes were brimming with tears.
She tried not to break down in front of Oscar to avoid worrying him, as she had promised.
Around 1 AM, Katia and Oscar left because both were tired. She due to her pregnancy and he due to his illness. Upon reaching their apartment, they went straight to the bedroom.
Katia entered the bathroom to remove her makeup and change into a soft, light heather gray cotton blend pajama set. The oversized shirt had dropped shoulders, long sleeves, and a pink drawstring at the hem, paired with shorts featuring an elastic waistband.
Returning to the bedroom, she found Oscar with one hand on his chest and the other against the wall. Her voice quivered as she said:
"I'm... I'm going to the kitchen... I'm thirsty…"
Once in the kitchen, she crouched down behind the breakfast bar and began to cry silently. She couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
She placed her hand over her mouth when she felt a sob about to escape. She hadn't bothered to turn on the light. She didn't want to see herself crying.
Why did all the people she loved have to die?
She didn't know how long she had been crying, but suddenly, a few minutes later, the kitchen light came on. However, that didn't stop the tears, but it did silence the sobs.
She heard footsteps approaching, but she didn't turn to see who it was because she knew. The man's hands began to touch her shoulders until his arms enveloped her tightly, pressing his chest against her back.
Katia lowered her head, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Katia..." Oscar began to say.
"I'll be fine... it's just... I didn't expect that news, and in my mind, I had the idea that... when you arrive, we will get married and have children…" she confessed. "But I never thought this would happen.
"During the months I've spent in England getting treatment, my only wish has been to return to your side and start a beautiful family with the woman I love…" she broke down in tears, hands covering her face. "But now I'm with you, Katia, and I won't leave you alone as long as I'm alive. I'm here for you," he told her in her ear.
"Oscar... I…" she began to say.
She had to tell him that she was pregnant with someone else's child.
"Forgive me, Katia," he interrupted. "I'm the one to blame for you being married to another man while I was undergoing treatment. I should have never let you be with another…"
"Why did you do it?" she asked with a quivering voice.
"Because I wanted you to fall in love with another man," he confessed, causing Katia to stop crying and remove her hands from her face.