Once Upon A Lie

Sixty-one:

Sixty-one:

The Apparat was useless. "Aleksander, I'm sorry," he apologized, "but you never made it official that you married Alina. And you've gotten Miss Nazyalensky pregnant. It is up to you to keep her honor. Besides, Alina's parents have filed for annulment paperwork."

"Alina's parents know about us?" Aleksander said.

The Apparat nodded. "Nikolai Lantsov told them all about it. He wanted to make sure Alina was taken care of. So, he offered himself up to marry her. Honorably. Which is more than I can say for you, Mr. Morozova."

"I will happily take care of any child of mine, Apparat," Aleksander said, "but surely you must see that I am being manipulated into this. I love Alina, and she loves me."

"Does she really?" The Apparat said. "Because, according to the information I've heard, not only has Alina agreed to marry Nikolai she has been seen around with Mal Oretsev. The boy snuck into her room to save her, and ended up breaking his arm."

Aleksander winced. He was still tied up in a room that he didn't know the location of. When Magnus had called The Apparat to perform the marriage, Aleksander had thought for sure that he would be on his side. But once he learned about the baby, The Apparat was now insistent that his marriage to Alina didn't count and that he marry Zoya to preserve her honor.

"We're going to be a family, Aleksander," said Zoya, "you should be happy. This is what you always wanted."

"I wanted Alina!" Aleksander exclaimed. "I always wanted Alina. Zoya, I will happily take care of our child. But don't make me marry you. I will make you my enemy, I promise."

Zoya smiled. "You're not going to be around long enough for it to be a problem."

"Then why go through with this?" Aleksander said.

She placed a hand on her stomach. "Because I want my child to be legitimate. I don't want them to be a bastard. Also, I want Alina to know that I had something she never did. You're last name."

Aleksander glowered at her. "You're still never going to have me."

Zoya laughed. "Oh, I know. But I don't care about that. All I care about is that Alina knows that she never got to be with you the way that I did." Zoya looked at The Apparat. "Are you ready to perform the ceremony?"

The Apparat nodded. "Magnus got everything ready that he needed to. I can perform the ceremony without issue."

"And then what?" Aleksander said. "You're going to let me be taken off to my untimely demise?"

The Apparat stiffened. "I am not responsible for anything that happens after the ceremony. I am only here to do my part for the church. That's it."

"I'm still tied up," said Aleksander, "in fact, I haven't been untied. I've barely been fed. I've not showered."

"Did you experience some discomfort for the first time in your life, Aleksander?" Zoya said. "Poor baby. Imagine how that feels for the rest of us."

Aleksander rolled his eyes. "You're a rich girl. You haven't exactly known much discomfort yourself."

"We are from the same world," said Zoya, "we have the same expectations."

She placed a hand on her stomach. "And, more importantly, we've created the future together." She turned to The Apparat. "I'm ready to be married."

"I don't want this," said Aleksander, "surely there must be some other way?"

"The church has a far reach, my son," said The Apparat, "those that do not follow our beliefs will find that they suffer. I can make that happen if you choose not to make this woman honorable. Are you a dishonorable man, Aleksander?"

Aleksander had never hated someone more than he did The Apparat. The man used what he truly loved, power, to hide behind what he pretended to love faith. "No, Apparat. I am not a dishonorable man. Unlike the one that I see before me, father."

The Apparat shot him a withering look. "We'll untie him for the ceremony. We'll need his hands free."