Pt.22

                                    

                                          
Flashback
                          
Ivan's POV
                          
TODAY WAS THE DAY that I would meet my future wife, Ruella. Her family decided that they come down here and visit. Once they leave, I would be going with them back to New York. I don't know why they live in New York , rather than their homeland, Italy.
                          
My parents have been planning this marriage since I was 15, but neither of us were of age. 
                          
I never thought about getting married. I always thought it was stupid and that love was a waste of time. And it really is.
                          
Love doesn't last forever, so what's the point of trying to make it work?
                          
It's not like I have choice in this conversation though. My parents and her parents have already discussed it. And they won't change they're minds
                          
"Иван, иди сюда, Руэлла здесь" The time is finally here. Let's see who I'm spending the rest of my life with.
(Translation: "Ivan. Come down here, Ruella is here")
                          
I walk down the hardwood stairs, my shoes clicking against the floor every step I make. I fixed my tie and suit before finally reaching the ground.
                          
I heard chatter going on in the next room, I can tell my parents like her, I wonder what her secret is.
                          
As I enter the room, beautiful blonde locks catch my eye. My eyesight shifts towards her and for a second, I feel happy. Is this what love at first sight looks like? It can't be. I'm not in love, I just find her attractive. Very attractive.
                          
"Иван" My mother's cold voice snaps me out of my head. "перестань стоять и будь джентльменом" перестань стоять и будь джентльменом
(Translation: Ivan. - Stop standing there and be a gentleman)
                          
I slowly walk over to her. She had a warm smile casted upon her lips, and for some reason, it made me want to kiss her, but I can't.
                          
This relationship is purely for business, no strings must be attached.
                          
"I'm Ruella" Her accent is soft and lovely. She holds her hands out for me to shake. I softly grab her hand, and shake it slowly. She's so fragile, I'm afraid I'll break her.
                          
"Cosi freddo" her face changed for a split second, but she quickly put a smile back on her face. 
                          
I give her a weird look. I didn't know Italian so I don't know what she said.
                          
"Your hands" she whispers "They're just a little cold." 
                          
Is that a bad thing. She must have noticed the cold expression that crossed my face.
                          
"Oh no, not cold in a bad way, I'm just-" she stopped to think. "I'm just not used to the cold. Your hands, they're perfect"
                          
I felt my heart skip a beat. She was perfect, not me. 
                          
3 years later
                          
"You did it Ruella" happy tears start to form in my eye as I hold our babygirl in my arms.
                          
"We did it, amore." She whispers back.
                          
"I love you." I say.
                          
"I love you too." We both start laughing quietly as we stare at our baby.
                          
"Ya know, Elizabeth just gave birth as well. She had a baby boy."
                          
"Is that so." I smile.
                          
"Yea, I told her we would go over as soon as I was able to leave. Is that ok?" Her soft blue eyes look up at me, waiting for an answer.
                          
"Of course it is."
                          
Present time
                          
Ivan's POV
                          
"So your the reason why the Italians and the Russians were brought together?"
                          
"Not just me." I look at him blankly. It wasn't just me who brought us together, it was her too. "It was me and Ruella." 
                          
Nadine nods his head in understatement. He's so young to understand everything that happened, but I can tell he was putting up with my bullshit so he could get her back. 
                          
He reminds me of myself, willing to do anything just to save the girl I could call mine.
                          
I wasn't always this way, Ruella taught me love,  she taught me how to control. And I loved her for that.
                          
"What happened to your daughter?"
                          
"She's at home. I'm lucky that your family spared her. Although my wife." I clench my jaw. "You should know her fault wasn't in their favor."
                          
A blank look passes onto Nadine's face. He must have know. They couldn't have kept the main character out of the story.
                          
"So, was the part about the Puerto Rican descent joining our alliance true? Or did my parents lie to me about that part too?" Nadine is so confused, but I can tell he's trying not to show.
                          
"Yes, that part of the story is true." I answer.
                          
"What about Ruella?" He looks up at me. "Was it really your fault? Did my parents have a choice?"
                          
We can save this for another time. Because believe it or not, the story is nowhere near finished.  "I think that's all the time we have tonight, your lady is waiting upon the roof for you.
                          
"Just like that?" He asks, "you're letting me, just like that?"
                          
"Unless you don't want me-"
                          
Nadine quickly stands up and runs out of the room. As the kids these days would say, he's whipped
                          
I'm glad everything went smoothly, But him and his family aren't out of the woods yet. Elizabeth and Harlem are still gonna pay for what they did to her.

                          
So we've seen Ivan's backstory, and we know he currently has a daughter...
                          
Anyways, please leave a comment and vote if you like the story 😁😁
                          
-Brooke ♥️  8/31/2021 
2:54 pm