The Confrontation

Demitri’s hands tightened around the steering wheel as his phone rang.

It was his mother.

Her sharp voice echoed in his mind from the phone call. “Come to the house. Now.”

She hadn’t offered any explanation, and he hadn’t dared to ask. Whatever it was, it didn’t sound good.

He turned the car around to go to the family estate. Within ten minutes, e pulled up to the family estate, his heart heavy with unease.

As he entered the grand living room, he found his mother pacing furiously, her sharp heels clicking against the marble floor.

“Mother,” Demitri began cautiously. “What’s going on?”

His mother didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she turned to face him, her expression a mixture of fury and disappointment.

Before he could say another word, her palm connected with his cheek in a resounding slap.

“How dare you?” she seethed, her voice trembling with anger.

Demitri’s head snapped to the side, his cheek stinging from the unexpected blow. He straightened slowly, his confusion evident. “What are you talking about?”

“Where is Ashley?” his mother demanded, her voice rising.

Demitri’s chest tightened as realization dawned on him. Of course, she’d found out. He had hoped to delay telling his family about the divorce, but it seemed that time had run out.

“Mother, I can explain—”

“Explain?” she cut him off, grabbing a newspaper from the coffee table and tossing it at him.

The front page displayed a photo of Ashley—no, Emerald Donaldson. His ex-wife was making headlines.

His mother jabbed a manicured finger at the paper. “Is this Ashley? When did she leave? Why didn’t you tell us? And most importantly, why did you get a divorce? What the hell have you done, Demitri?”

Demitri ran a hand through his hair, his mind scrambling for a way to answer. “Mother, it’s complicated—”

“Complicated?” she snapped. “You were married to a woman who was perfect for you, who carried herself with grace and intelligence. And you let her go? For what, Demitri?”

Before he could respond, a voice from behind his mother made his blood run cold. “I’ll tell you why.”

Demitri turned sharply to see Elena standing behind his mothet, her arms crossed and a triumphant smirk on her lips.

His stomach churned at the sight of her. Now he knew how his mother found out. Elena must have told her everything.

His mother’s eyes narrowed as she pointed an accusing finger at Elena. “Is this the reason you let Ashley go?”

“No, Mother,” Demitri said quickly, shaking his head.

Elena stepped forward, her voice dripping with false innocence. “He’s lying. I’m pregnant, and he’s the father.”

The room fell silent, tension crackling in the air. Demitri’s mother turned back to him, her eyes burning with fury. “Is that true?”

“Of course not!” Demitri snapped, his voice rising in frustration. He turned to Elena, his jaw tightening. “Stop lying. You and I both know there’s no way that’s possible.”

Elena’s eyes flashed with indignation. “Don’t deny it, Demitri. You’re the father, and you know it!”

“I didn’t ask you,” his mother interjected coldly, cutting Elena off. She stepped closer to Demitri, her voice lowering dangerously. “If this is true, you have two options. Either you marry her, or you get Ashley back. Ashley is the woman we know and want for you, not some gold-digging bitch looking for a free ride.”

The venom in her voice made Elena’s face pale.

Demitri’s mother turned to Elena, her expression unrelenting. “Get out of my house. Now.”

Elena’s eyes widened in shock. “Mrs. Volkov, you don’t mean—”

“I meant every word,” his mother snapped. “Leave. And don’t come back. If you have something to sort out with my son, do it somewhere else. But I won’t have you darkening my doorstep again. Understood?”

Elena’s lower lip trembled, and her face crumpled. She had clearly expected the confrontation to go in her favor, but nothing was working as she had hoped. She turned to Demitri, her eyes pleading.

But Demitri’s expression was cold, almost amused by her failure. The corners of his mouth twitched as if he might laugh.

That was the final straw. Elena’s composure shattered, and she burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably as she turned and fled the r