Why Lorie? Part I

Chapter 30: Viktor is Provoked

Viktor strode toward Lord Danville and placed his ice-cold hand over the other man's, prying Lawrence's fingers from Josette's wrist.

"I suggest you take your hand off of my wife," Viktor said, his voice a low growl.

Lawrence winced and shook his hand, as though in pain. "Must you be so forceful," he glared at Viktor with hatred.

Viktor did not bother answering him. Instead, he approached Josette and placed an arm around her waist, drawing her close to him. "Are you alright, my love?" Viktor murmured in her ear.

She nodded and cuddled against his chest. Viktor quickly scanned the room. Nicolae looked ready to pounce on Lawrence, his hands fisted. Drogo was standing in the same spot, with Lorie still attached to his legs.

"Lorie, come to Papa," Viktor urged the little girl.

Lorie slowly turned around. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, and her nose was runny. She looked back and forth from Viktor to Lawrence.

"Which one?" She barely managed to whisper.

Viktor narrowed his eyes. "The only one you know."

Lorie took a few steps forward and stopped, hesitating. She gazed at Lawrence and asked: "Are you really my father?"

Lord Danville attempted to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. "Yes, Lorie. I am." Upon seeing her wary expression, he added: "You can ask your Mama. She'll tell you it's true."

Lorie addressed her mother: "Maman. Is this man telling the truth?"

Josette felt close to fainting. She hoped this was just a terrible nightmare and that she would soon wake up. She closed her eyes briefly, but when she opened them again, she was faced with her daughter's questioning face.

"Yes, cherie," she uttered. "He is... unfortunately."

Lorie's expression quickly changed from curious to angry. She fisted her hands and adopted a fighting stance as she spoke to Lawrence.

"If you're my Papa, why didn't you come see me sooner? Why did you leave Maman?"

All eyes were on Lord Danville, who started squirming in his shoes.

"I didn't come because I never knew you were born," he answered.

"Maman kept it a secret?" Lorie's eyes widened.

"Yes," Lawrence answered. "She never wrote to me... she never even mentioned your name to me."

"Maman?" Lorie addressed her mother. "Why didn't you tell him?"

Josette sighed. "Are we really going to do this?" She gazed at Lawrence who threw her an icy look.

Josette pulled away from Viktor and sat down. She beckoned to Lorie to come to her. Lorie approached her warily, like a wild animal might.

"Come. Sit next to me," Josette urged her.

Once Lorie sat, Josette took her tiny hands in hers.

"First of all," she started, "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was angry and I took it out on you. It was unfair. Please forgive me."

Lorie nodded, but didn't answer.

Josette looked at everyone else surrounding her. "This might take a while, so maybe you should all sit down."

She then redirected her full attention toward Lorie. "I met Lord Danville when I was eighteen years old — practically still a child," she scoffed. "But I thought I was very mature and sophisticated." She paused. "Lord Danville was older than me and much more worldly. Plus, he was a foreigner... I found that very exotic. At that time, I had run away from home to fulfill my dream: that of becoming an opera singer."