Chapter 14: Home, Sweet Home
When Vera and Oleg went back to home, he thought it was the best time to talk with his wife, as he saw Vera was a little drunk and alternately sad and happy after the celebration.
«You know, honey,» he started carefully. «Yesterday, when I called Moscow, my broker, Nikolay, said that we have received a very interesting offer… about your summer house.»
Surprised, Vera stared at her husband. She was the owner of a very old house located not far from Moscow. Hidden deep in the forest, it was built on the tall bank of the river and featured beautiful views from all sides.
«No way.» Vera sobered up at once. «I’ll never sell that house! It’s been in my family for generations.»
«I know, sweetheart, but Nikiforov asked about it himself. You know he rules Moscow’s crime syndicates now. We have to remember this. However, since we’re old friends, he was so kind and he offered forty grand for your house.»
«Yes, I remember that bastard,» Vera said with irritation. «What is his point? It’s not worth that much.»
«Yep, but he liked the location. He wants to build a base in this place.»
«I won’t allow you to turn our family home into a nidus of bandits.»
«I can understand your feelings.» Sighing, Oleg took the hands of his wife and gently kissed them. «But you know Nikiforov. If you refuse, my business will be ruined, and his boys will burn your house down. You will lose it anyway. I can help you to at least get the money. I think that if I earn sixty percent of the deal it’d be fair? I love you, my heart, and I don’t want you killed if you ever go back to Russia.»
Sobbing, Vera took a pen. Although for her it was easier to die than sell this house, she knew how cruel Nikiforov’s group could be. And she did not want Oleg to have any troubles because of her.
«Oleg loves me.» Squeezed with grief, Vera barely wrote the permission for sale. Tears blurred her vision and dropped onto the paper, but the woman did not notice. Many thoughts were going through her mind. «He loves me… Oh, Jeff… How could I even think about him? Beside me is a man who loves me so much that he is ready to risk his life helping me… I’m so ungrateful! But the house… Grandpa, Granny, forgive me! I have no choice! I can do nothing…»
Vera finished, signed the letter, and the pen rolled from her weak desperate hands.
Oleg took the paper, picked up the pen, and tenderly hugged his wife.
«Don’t worry, honey,» he said passionately. «Everything will be fine, I promise.»
She did not reply. The image of Jeff appeared in her mind, overshadowing all her other thoughts, and the woman was confused, in vain trying to drive it away. She felt her husband start caressing her. She became horrified, and softly refused. Thinking he understood the reason, Oleg did not persist. He kissed her one more time and left.