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CHAPTER 34

RPOV

Christian found me in my bed the next morning. Avery hadn't come home last night, much to my relief. I wouldn't have been able to handle her in the room, but Christian I could handle. He was my best friend and the one person I could talk to right now.

When he saw my tearstained face, he rushed to me and wrapped his arms around me, enveloping me in a much-needed hug. I explained to him what had happened with Dimitri and my mother. Christian was on my side, of course, and was cursing Dimitri for being a stupid ass.

When I told him I didn't know where to go now for the summer – because there was no way in hell I was staying here, where I was way too close to Dimitri – Christian suggested I'd come home with him. I protested at first, I didn't want to disturb his family, but he insisted I'd go with him.

"Besides, it's going to be a boring summer if I'm all alone up there," he said, trying to convince me. "If you are there, it'll be much better. And my parents won't mind. They're barely home anyway. Please, Rose. Just come with me."

"Okay," I agreed. It was better than staying here and at least I'd be with my best friend. I was sure he would be able to take my mind off of Dimitri. "I'll come with you."

Christian smiled. "Great. I'll have to talk to Lissa, though. She's supposed to spend a week at my home, too. You won't mind if she comes, right?"

"Oh no," I said quickly. I hoped Lissa wouldn't mind either that I was staying with her boyfriend. "It's fine with me."

It was quiet for a few moments.

"So, um," Christian said, clearing his throat. "You still need to go pick up your stuff?"

I nodded.

"Well, I was planning on visiting today," he said. "You know, say bye to the kids before I leave tomorrow. Why don't you come with me? Then you can say something to them, too, and we'll get your stuff back."

"Okay," I said. "Thank you."

Christian gave me a small smile and squeezed my hand. "No problem. Now, why don't you take a shower and put on some fresh clothes? We can go for a bite when you're ready and afterwards…"

He didn't need to finish his sentence for me to know where we'd go afterwards. But going with him might be my only chance to talk to the kids again for one last time.

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit," I said as I grabbed the first clothes I came across in my backpack and went down to the bathroom.

When I returned, showered and freshly clothed, we went on our way to Dimitri's house. I was a little nervous about seeing him again. Part of me wanted to yell and scream at him for listening to my mother. The other part just wanted to sit in a corner and cry.

But I was going to be strong. I wasn't going to let Dimitri see me weak. I was going to get my stuff and get out of there without shedding a single tear.

I took a deep, calming breath when Christian rang the doorbell. Christian gave me a sympathetic smile and then turned back around when the door opened. Dimitri's eyes widened when he saw me and I could already guess he was going to protest so I quickly said, "Don't worry. I'm not here for you. I'm here for my stuff."

"And I'm here for moral support," Christian said, glaring at Dimitri, "and also, to say bye to the kids before I leave."

I went up the stairs to Dimitri's room and started throwing my clothes back into the empty box I'd brought with me. Suddenly, I heard footsteps in the hall and then a voice said, "Rose."

I ignored him.

"Roza…"

I flinched when I heard him call me Roza. Angrily, I turned around and snapped, "What?"

Dimitri looked pained. "I – I am sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

I turned away from and continued throwing my stuff into the box. "Well, it's too late for that."

"I know," he said quietly. "But I hope you can understand why I did this…in time. It would've only been more painful if it happened years from now."

"It wouldn't have happened at all if it depended on me," I snorted.

"In a couple of years, if we'd stayed together, you would think differently about it. You deserve someone better than me, Rose. You deserve to have your own family."

I turned back around to look at him, tears in my eyes. "Don't you get it? You were my family. You were all I needed." I picked up my box and walked past him. I stopped a few feet away from him and glanced back. "I hope Hayley won't make the same mistake as I did. I hope she'll be the smarter one and keep things professional – although I think it's already too late for that. She's already crazy about you."

Sighing, I shook my head and walked back downstairs. Christian was in the living room with the kids. They were all looking confused when they saw me.

"Rose, what's going on?" Alisa asked. "Where are you going? I thought you'd move in here? What are you doing with that box?"

So Dimitri hadn't told them yet. Wonderful. I guess it was up to me, then. But as I looked at their faces, all so worried, I realized I couldn't tell them. It wasn't up to me to tell them, anyway. I wasn't their mother. Dimitri was responsible for them. If he didn't want them to know the truth, then so be it. They would find out eventually, but for now, I would ease their minds.

"I'm sorry," I said at last, "but I'm going with Christian for summer break. He's lonely at home and he needs some company."

"No, I don't want you to go," Liam said, almost crying. He ran to me and hugged me. "You have to stay, Rose."

I hugged him back. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I'll be back at the end of the summer," I lied. "You won't even notice I'm gone. And hey, Hayley will be here to entertain you."

"Hayley isn't you," Liam muttered. "I want you."

Inna suddenly spoke up. "She'll be back in two months, Liam. Right, Rose?" she added, looking at me, her eyes piercing mine. Somehow, I felt like she knew something was not right.

I gulped. "Right."

Dimitri appeared in the living room, then. I looked at him for a few seconds, wondering what the hell had happened to us, and then looked back at the kids.

"Have a great summer," I said. I kissed Liam on top of his head and then hugged the girls goodbye. I realized this was the last time I would see them, so I hugged them all extra tight. "I'll miss you, guys," I whispered, a tear leaking out of the corner of my eye.

Liam was crying by now and Alisa held him, whispering sweet nothings to him. Dimitri just stood there, looking at me. I glared at him, silently telling him this was his fault.

"Let's go, Rose," Christian said. He'd already put my stuff in the trunk of his car. I nodded and walked away from the kids and out the door, ignoring Dimitri's gaze as I passed him.

"Rose!" Dimitri suddenly said from where he stood at the door.

Christian, who was walking behind me, murmured, "Go sit in the car, Rose. I'll go talk to him."

I nodded and did what he said, not looking back at Dimitri. I heard them argue as I waited in the car. I tried to block out their words. It worked at first, but when they started yelling, there was no point in trying to ignore them.

"You're lucky your kids are inside or else I would've broken your nose, you son of a bitch!" Christian exclaimed. "You promised you wouldn't hurt her."

"I know and I'm sorry," Dimitri said. "You've got every right to be mad at me, but I'm doing what's best for Rose."

"No, you're not. You're just doing what's best for you," Christian snapped. "Now let us leave and don't you dare try to call her. You told her it's over, then leave her alone. Okay?"

"I just want to make sure she's okay," Dimitri protested.

"Of course she's not okay and you won't make it better unless you take back what you said," Christian spat. "But I figure it's already too late for that."

With a curd nod, he turned around and walked to the car. "You ready to go?" he asked as he turned on the engine.

I glanced at Dimitri one last time, who still stood at the door looking at me. Glancing back at Christian, I nodded. "I'm ready."

DPOV

"Daddy, why didn't she stay?" Liam cried, tugging at my shirt.

When the car disappeared around the corner and I no longer could see Rose, I turned away and lifted Liam in my arms before walking back inside. I put him down next to his sisters on the couch and sat across from them.

"Rose isn't coming back," I said quietly.

Liam started crying harder while Alisa and Inna just stared at me.

"What do you mean?" Alisa asked at last, a little hesitant.

"She won't be back," I said.

Alisa was on the verge of tears now. "Why not?"

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "We broke up," I admitted, almost inaudible.

"Why?" Inna asked calmly. "I thought you loved her."

"I do, but…sometimes love's not enough."

She looked at me, incredulous, then jumped up from the couch and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut.

"Did you break up with her?" Alisa asked softly while silent tears ran down her cheeks.

"Yes. I'm sorry, milaya," I said quietly. "I know how much you liked her."

Her face turned hard. "Yeah. And now she left because of you."

She got up, too, and followed Inna's lead. The door slammed shut once again and I winced when I heard the sound. I think this was the first time ever Alisa had gotten mad at me. Well, I guess I deserved it.

"Liam?" I asked softly.

"I want Rose!" he cried. "She has to come back!"

He started sobbing loudly and I quickly took him in my arms and let him cry. "I'm sorry, Liam," I told him over and over again, almost crying myself. "I'm so sorry."

At last, he calmed down and then he fell asleep, exhausted from all the crying. I put him in bed and walked back downstairs. I didn't bother checking on Inna and Alisa because they would only get even angrier at me. It was better to leave them alone for now.

I had a feeling this summer was going to be the worst ever, which was crazy because Tasha died last summer. But somehow, this was worse. To me, it was much worse.

And only I was to blame for it.

RPOV

"You got everything you need with you?" Christian asked as he put his duffel bag on the backseat of his car.

"Yeah," I said.

"Alright then," Christian said, getting into his car. I followed his lead and got into the passenger's seat. "Here we go."

The drive to his parents' home was quiet. I wasn't in the mood to talk, but Christian didn't mind. He turned up the music and softly sang along with the songs on the radio. When we arrived, his parents were already waiting for us at the door. Christian had called them last night to let them know I was coming, too. They'd told him that was fine, which I was glad for. I wouldn't have known what to do if they hadn't wanted me here.

I thanked them for welcoming me into their home and then Christian took me to the guest room. It was right across his room. Dinner with Christian's family was a little awkward. I guess it was because I seemed disinterested when they asked me questions, but, actually, I just couldn't stop thinking about Dimitri.

That night, I went to bed early. Not because I was tired, but because I wanted to be by myself for a while. As I stared at the ceiling, I thought about Dimitri again. If my mom had never showed up, I wouldn't have been here now. I would've been with Dimitri and his kids. I wouldn't be sleeping here, all alone. If my mom hadn't meddled in my life, I would be sleeping next to Dimitri right now.

And with that realization, the tears welled up again, rolling down my cheeks. I was still silently crying when there was a knock on my door. I don't know how much time had passed. Maybe just a few minutes, maybe an hour. I didn't know. All I knew was that I was still crying and I didn't want Christian to see me like that.

The door opened at last. "Rose? Are you okay?"

A sob erupted from my throat. Christian closed the door behind him and then walked over to the bed. Without saying a word, he crawled in next to me and pulled me to him, wrapping me in a hug.

"It's okay, Rose," he murmured. "Let it out. Just let it out."

I did. I cried and cried like I never had before. And Christian let me. He stayed by my side, comforting me, while I sobbed.

At long last, my sobs quieted down and my breathing slowed and my eyes started to droop. I felt Christian kiss the top of my head.

"Go to sleep," he whispered. "I'll stay right here with you."

"Thank you," I whispered back and then, I let myself fall asleep.

After that night, I promised myself I would never cry over Dimitri Belikov again.

Hope you liked the chapter, even though they're still broken up, but like I said last chapter, they will get back together ;)

Have a nice day/evening! :)