She clenched her fists and pounded on the door with all her strength.
"I don't need your nonsense! Do you hear me?!"
Her hands ached, but she didn't stop. Rage flared in her chest, and tears streamed down her cheeks without mercy.
"I didn't do anything! And I won't believe you!"
She screamed at the top of her lungs until her vocal cords felt like they were tearing. Her voice echoed through the apartment, but silence was the only answer. She staggered back and collapsed to her knees in front of the door.
What had she gotten herself into?
She began hitting her head with her palms, trying to contain the bitterness before it exploded.
If only she hadn't gone to Kaiser… none of this would've happened.
"Damn it…"
She whispered, pain pulsing in her head. Then suddenly, she froze. Her body stiffened, and she stood up as if freed from an invisible chain. She walked heavily toward the bathroom, but before she could reach it, the front door opened… and Leonid entered.
Leonid stood at the entrance of the hallway, and she stood at the far end.
They exchanged a brief glance, then she quickly lowered her head.
Was he angry? He didn't look it… Why didn't he look angry?
Now, the thought of seeing her body in the mirror felt unbearable. Especially if he saw it first.
Leonid quietly removed his shoes and walked toward Charlotte with slow, steady steps. His presence weighed down on her, even though his expression was calm.
Charlotte clutched her jacket tightly around her body. With every step he took, she pulled it closer, closing it completely.
"Are you alright now?"
Leonid's calm question cut through her shaky breath.
"Huh?"
Charlotte responded, flustered.
There were only four steps between them now, yet his distance from her unsettled her even more.
Did he see her as dirty? Disgusting?
Did he think she did something with Kaiser?
So he did think she did something bad with Kaiser… Well, she had, a little but it wasn't like she had a choice. She was drunk, and he took advantage of her.
Or… was he drunk too?
No, everyone knew Kaiser didn't get drunk easily.
"I mean… you're calm now. So, aren't you okay?"
"Uh… yeah. Fine, maybe…"
She raised her hand and wiped her tears, then wrapped her arms around herself, as if hugging her own soul.
Her chestnut hair was messy, her features pained, and her eyes were fixed on the floor like she was lost.
Leonid nodded slightly, watching her in silence. She was trembling. Her lips quivered, and her arms were drawn tight, like someone shielding herself from the world.
A heavy silence settled between them, before Charlotte whispered:
"Why are you standing so far away… like that? Is something wrong?"
Leonid narrowed his eyes for a moment. Charlotte wasn't the type to break the silence first, or to care whether he was close or not.
He hadn't been keeping his distance because he was repulsed by her, but so his clothes, reeking of tobacco, wouldn't suffocate her.
"There's nothing wrong. It's just that I—"
"Stop!"
Charlotte suddenly raised her hand in the air, cutting him off. Her fingers trembled, as did her lips.
"There's no need to answer… Just— don't say anything."
"Charlotte… you're acting strange."
Her eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head.
"No… I'm not. I just… drank last night, so I can't—… never mind. I'll shower. Just… don't leave. Please."
She was guilty. And yet, she wanted to be selfish just this once.
Without waiting for his reply, she turned and entered the bedroom, gathered her things, then headed to the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
Her breathing was shallow, and the trembling hadn't left her body.
She set her things aside and slowly began undressing.
Kaiser had said that if words weren't enough to believe what happened, then she should look at her body…
If anything had really happened between them, she would see the proof now.
Her fingers shook as she removed each piece, her heartbeat pleading silently.
She whispered with trembling lips, barely audible:
"Please… don't let me see anything."
In the living room, Leonid stood alone, still in the same spot. No matter how hard he tried to look at it from different angles, he couldn't deny that something had happened between the two of them.
Was it just a fight? Or something deeper, something he himself was trying to ignore… and deny?
He moved with heavy steps toward the bedroom. When he reached the bed, he slowly leaned down and lay on his back, raising his hand to run his fingers through his silver hair pale, like his face.
He had never felt a headache crush his skull with such brutality…
Or maybe he had once, long ago.
He was slowly losing himself like this.
"Nothing."
After a long moment of scrutiny, Charlotte whispered with difficulty, hugging her trembling naked body.
Nothing… No trace of anything on her skin.
He had lied… but why? Did he enjoy watching her lose her mind?
Her hair slid down her back and across her face, mixing with fresh tears, but this time, they were tears of relief; she hadn't committed a crime against herself.
But that didn't extinguish the fury burning in her chest.
"That sadistic bastard..."
She muttered bitterly, then slowly rose and walked toward the bathtub.
Later, she would hit him, and never look at his face again.
The moment the warm water touched her skin, she tilted her head toward the shower and began scrubbing her lips violently under the rushing stream.
Even if he hadn't touched her body, her lips… They would forever feel stained with filth.
Before reaching her workplace, Natalia pulled out her small mirror and touched up her makeup.
Even if she was falling apart inside, she wouldn't let anyone see it on her face.
She changed the color of her lip gloss and tied back her hair, which she usually left down.
Her life wouldn't end because of one man…
Even if he was the man she had loved more than anything.
Natalia entered the bank building with steady steps steps that knew their path well, but felt heavier than usual.
Everyone who looked at her saw a poised, elegant, confident woman… but they didn't know that beneath that sleek blazer was a shattered heart held together by strands of makeup.
She headed to her desk. Sat down. Opened her computer.
"No time for pity, Natalia… just get through the day."
That idiot.
She exhaled silently and folded her arms.
She wouldn't go back to him, wouldn't let him break what was left of her… But what if he hadn't meant what he said?
Kaiser always talked nonsense when he was angry. He always had.
So were his last words a deliberate stab, or just another burst of anger that would pass like all the others?
She no longer knew how to feel.
The bedroom was quiet, but his ears caught the sound of water stopping. Leonid slowly opened his eyes when he heard the bathroom door creak open. He was lying on his back, unaware of how much time had passed, or that he had fallen asleep at all.
He closed his eyes again, heavily, but suddenly opened them when he felt a weight pressing down on his chest.
A slightly damp, cold weight.
His gaze froze on Charlotte, her wet hair clinging to her skin, the towel barely covering her body, leaning over him in silence.
She didn't move. She stayed still, resting against his chest as if searching for something to pull her out of herself.
Her body was as cold as the water she had bathed in, and the scent of shampoo rose from her hair, stealing his breath, clouding his weary mind.
"Charlotte..."
He whispered her name, but she didn't respond.
She only closed her eyes and clenched her fists around his jacket, as if afraid he might pull away.
"I'm sorry... sorry for all the mistakes I always make."
She whispered so softly, it was barely audible like she was choking on her own sighs.
"Why are you sorry?"
He finally asked, his hand slowly lifting to touch her shoulder. When he touched her, he felt the softness of her skin… that same feeling he had never forgotten.
Leonid exhaled deeply and pulled her closer.
"What mistakes are you talking about, Charlotte?"
Her body trembled for a moment before she finally lifted her face and looked at him.
Her eyes were full of tears, but within them was resistance… a weakness laced with the will to endure, as if she stood at the edge of a confession.
"Promise me first… please. You may not forgive me, but promise you won't misunderstand… that you won't rush to judge me… that you won't—"
But he stopped her.
Leonid let his head fall back on the pillow and gently placed his hand over Charlotte's mouth.
To him, no matter what words she was about to say, they didn't matter anymore. As long as she was here in front of him, everything else faded.
"Who do you belong to, Charlotte?"
He asked softly, his voice carrying both hope and certainty.
"Away from your family, who is the person you truly belong to?"
Then he added, without removing his hand:
"Who is the one you want… and who wants you, enough to never stop until you become part of his family the small, simple family he has?"
He meant himself, clearly.
But… did Charlotte understand that? Did his words reach her the way he intended?