Once Upon A Lie

Fifty-two:

Fifty-two:

When Monday morning rolled around, Aleksander got up early to get coffee and breakfast for them. While he was gone, Alina showered and got ready. After she had finished getting dressed, she went out to the bedroom expecting to find Aleksander there waiting for her. Instead of Aleksander though, there was Nikolai waiting for her, with the most charming smile he had ever seen on his face.

"Hello, Lina," he said calmly in a voice that she hadn't heard her old friend use before.

"Nik," Alina clutched her backpack to her chest, "what are you doing here?"

"I've come to claim my fiancé, of course," Nikolai said.

Alina raised an eyebrow. "Nikolai, you know that I gave up my inheritance. I'm not going through with the engagement. You can stop this now."

Nikolai, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed, stood up. "You might be willing to give up your inheritance, Alina. But I am not. My father received some information about me from an anonymous source. There was only one other person that knew this information, and I intend to see that person gets what they deserve."

She flinched. "Who's that person?"

"The same person that was responsible for killing my brother," said Nikolai, "Aleksander. He told Vasily about Mal's little fight ring because Vasily was interested in you. In a way, you two are both responsible. So, I'm going to take what's mine. You're coming with e, and you're going to tell your parents that you've agreed to play ball."

Alina stiffened. "Aleksander's coming back for me. You know how he is. If he sees you, and you've done something to hurt me, he won't hesitate to do the same to you. He told me all about pushing you off the jet skis when we were younger and you tried to kiss me. He's older now, and he knows how to fight."

Nikolai smiled. "I don't think Aleksander's going to be a problem."

"Why not?" Alina asked, trying to hide the fear in her voice and not certain she was able to.

"Because," said Nikolai, "you remember Fedyor? He's a friend of my real father's. He's already taken care of me. And he's got a husband, Ivan, that is waiting outside the door right now to help incase you decide to do anything funny."

"Real father?" Alina said. "Nik, what are you talking about?"

Nikolai smirked. "Funny. It seems that Aleksander still doesn't tell you the truth. Don't worry, Alina. When we're together, I'll make certain to keep you in the loop. I will tell you everything."

"What if I don't come?" Alina said.

"Then, your parents are going to receive an envelope with some interesting pictures of you and Aleksander at a little cathedral. Father keeps copies of everything."

"I don't see how pictures of Aleksander and me would help your father," said Alina.

"Oh, I'm not talking about Petyr. I'm talking about my real father. Magnus Opjer."